Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Soundtrack Guide: Every Song

Composer Branford Marsalis took the voice of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey as his inspiration for this soundtrack. Here are how his songs are used in the film.

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Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is based on the true story of the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Gertrude “Ma” Rainey (Viola Davis) and her recording her signature song. Almost the entire movie takes place in a recording studio as the band rehearses, and then struggles to record, the song. The talented musicians face a number of obstacles along the way, including conflict among themselves when the trumpet player, Levee (Chadwick Boseman), tries to introduce his new innovations to Rainey’s classic tune.

The score showcases original music from the film composed by Black American jazz musician and Grammy Award-winning composer Branford Marsalis. Marsalis draws on Rainey’s music while adding a voice of his own to the film, setting and keeping the pace of the story with an undercurrent of breezy blues. Director George C. Wolfe said in an interview with Pitchfork,

When I signed on to direct, I instantly knew I wanted to work with Branford Marsalis, because when you collaborate with Branford the composer/arranger, Branford the historian, musicologist, dramatist, and raconteur shows up as well. And because he understands the inherently transgressive nature of the blues, Branford’s arrangements capture not only the cultural and regional DNA in Ma Rainey’s songs, but the wit and rage embedded in every note, shout, and moan.

The soundtrack is a very important part of the film, acting as an important voice all its own, and it is performed splendidly by Marsalis and Davis. Rainey was a black, queer artist who fought hard for her own personal sound, and the film depicts a tight yet roiling picture of her and those who surrounded her, the music acting almost as a living, breathing part of her story.

Deep Moaning Blues

“Deep Moaning Blues” starts out performed in a crowded tent, Ma Rainey busting out a slow, smoky, vampy number for friends and neighbors in the very first moments of the film, beginning the action with a bang. The audience is enthused with her emotive and giving performance. Newspaper headlines describe what it was like for people of color during the Great Depression.

The setting changes to a music hall where scantily clad dancers back her up, distracting the band members while scandalizing some older gentlemen in the audience. Davis’s grin as she declares herself “crazy as I can be,” is amplified by gold teeth and melting makeup, and her rich, growling voice is delightfully suited to the number’s slow, winding melody. She belts out while accompanied by jazz trumpets as gritty and sultry as her voice, raising her arms and swaying to the music, showing how pleased she is with her success but also how it has changed her. She glares at Levee, played with career-defining complexity by the late Chadwick Boseman, as he tries to steal her spotlight.

El Train (Instrumental)

The moderate beat and piano and percussion in the instrumental “El Train” are reminiscent of a lazy train winding through a valley. It is introductory in nature, showcasing the percussive elements with piano and painted over with horn instruments for a breezy, effortless tune. The song plays briefly as band members carry their bass violin and trumpet through the crowded streets on their way to the recording studio, gossiping about someone named Levee, a trumpet player (Boseman). They discuss how Ma is always late.

Lazy Mama (Instrumental)

“Lazy Mama” is a fun, bouncy, and experimental little swing tune that is in cut time for a delightful, jaunty sound. Levee boasts that he has style, and the musicians tease him that everyone thinks they do. Levee says there’s no point in rehearsing because Ma isn’t there, and he’d rather try out an original song. They begin to rehearse “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and the scene switches to the titular character bringing her lover Dussie and nephew Sylvester into a hotel bar, drawing stares.

Chicago Sun

Chicago is the busy setting of this story, and it is constantly outside of the action within the recording studio, almost oppressive against the quiet within. The song “Chicago Sun” plays as the cars blare outside, the bright shine of the glass interpreted by brass and strings. The song is part of the film’s undercurrent, echoing through several scenes to indicate the eternal presence of Chicago.

Those Dogs of Mine

“Those Dogs of Mine” is a lazy, silly tune. Ma is growling and barking, imitating a dog and keeping her girlfriend laughing and giggling while she does it. The fun of the song is in the vocals, and the driving piano punctuates the quiet, simple, meandering melody. The song starts with a conversation about shoes and other sartorial matters, as she tells her girlfriend that she wants to take her to town to buy new things. It is illustrated further that the girl Dussie is her lover as she rubs Rainey’s feet and listens to her woes.

Hear Me Talking to You (Instrumental)

The muted sounds and baritone whines of brass instruments truly shine in “Hear Me Talking to You,” a brightly buzzing bop. The song is a repeat of the song sung by Rainey, underscoring the boldness of Rainey and her refusal to compromise for anyone. Rainey was among the first of the blues musicians to record, and her music has an indelible quality, bolstering the sound and feel of the entire film.

The Story of Memphis Green (Instrumental)

Sweet harmonies and a solo oboe tell a story in “The Story of Memphis Green,” an instrumental piece by Marsalis. Levee tells the story of a time he was confronted by some violent white men and cut in the chest, expressing to the musicians that he no longer has fear. The monologue is delivered powerfully by Boseman, whose withering words have much to do with pain and sorrow and the will to overcome. The music is the perfect complement to the universal theme of his story.

Jump Song (Instrumental)

The melody in “Jump Song” is indicative of its title, sending up energy between scenes. Chicago’s jumping, vibrant energy hums without the recording studio, adding its voice to the turmoil of 1927 for poor, disenfranchised people. The song also feels very like Rainey’s undeniable energy, echoing her larger-than-life persona that outshone the mundane and ordinary people around her, some of whom stood in her way.

Leftovers

“Leftovers” is a mournful piano song, a kind of funeral dirge, with the driving, heavy chords reminiscent of “The Song of the Volga Boatmen,” a Russian folk song. The pianist Toledo (Glynn Turman) narrates a story about African stew, saying how one makes history with food. “You done made your history, and it’s still there. You can’t eat it all. So what you got? You got leftovers, is what you got.” He says how the people of color left in America are left over from their ancestors who were brought here.

Shoe Shopping (Instrumental)

“She Shopping” is evocative of a storytelling number. The men in the band start talking about the luxury of purchasing new shoes, and the bassist plays a riff. They talk about how they want to make their lives better, and discuss carpet-bagging and making deals with the devil. Rainey and her lover and nephew get stuck in a traffic jam with a white officer on their way to the studio, with Rainey describing her girlfriend as her niece while confronting the cop.

Deep Henderson (Instrumental)

The high notes the brass and wind hit in “Deep Henderson” are truly thrilling, and the beat is nostalgic and charming. It plays as incidental music as traffic is passing between scenes outside the recording studio. It stands as an example of the composer’s true talent and understanding of American jazz and blues, representing the voice of the band members as they argue, philosophize, and discover more about who they are.

Reverend Gates (Instrumental)

“Reverend Gates” is a piano piece that is sweet and sorrowful, telling a story along with biting and bitter strings in a harmonious quartet heavily featuring the cello. In Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the song plays while Cutler tells the story of a reverend who accidentally misses his train when going to his designated bathroom. He is in peril because he is stranded for the night in a sunset town, with white people watching him. He begins walking down the railroad tracks when he hears racial slurs being called after him, along with a gunshot. He is surrounded and pleads with the men, telling them he is a reverend. The story appears to be leading to a terrible place, but Levee interrupts with his incredulity about the existence of God or his attention to people of color. The trombonist reacts poorly, starting a fist fight with Levee that escalates to a knife fight.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is a brassy, bold, and beautiful song that is just as expressive and theatrical as fans would crave. The singing is explosive and joyful, the performance of the original lyrics punched up by distinctive color and execution. Several versions of the song are heard through the film, as Rainey wants her version recorded as-is, and Levee introduces a spicy, bright arrangement that people can dance to. Davis sings the song as originally written, couched and lazy and splendid, but certainly not a dance number.

The song is the most significant in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as it is the only song the band manages to rehearse and perform. The original composition is the one Rainey obviously prefers, but the recording artists claim that the microphone was chewed up and that the recording didn’t take, so another go is required. The producer begs Rainey for another fifteen minutes, and she reluctantly concedes.

Levee’s Song (Instrumental)

The melody “Levee’s Song,” a lovely little trumpet number, could very easily have lyrics set to it. It’s the kind of blues number that could be sung along with. Levee has an unforgettable voice in the film, and this song is played in a sorrowful moment in which Levee discovers something very dark about his true nature.

Sweet Lil’ Baby of Mine

“Sweet Lil’ Baby of Mine” is a quaint little number sung by a man in a manner befitting the era. The song illustrates the exciting noise of the city outside of the recording studio, making for a whirlwind of music sputtering beneath the dialogue of the film. It also illustrates how music of the period was appropriated by white artists, re-recorded to be “palatable” for the radio.

In the Shadow of Joe Oliver (Instrumental)

“In the Shadow of Joe Oliver” is a slow, winding, melancholy blues song that highlights the sweet sound of the trumpet with the piano beneath. Marsalis is able to showcase the muted, melodic sound of the trumpet in dulcet notes and an easy-to-follow melody that serves as a sweet, sad marker in the piece.

Hear Me Talking to You

A woman expresses how she expects her love life to be in “Hear Me Talking to You,” a confident, biting number. The song appears at the tail end of the recording session in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, wherein Rainey is happy with her performance but irritated that Levee riffed on some melodies, adding improvisation. He defends his stance, making sure she knows that he wants to be more and do more than simply play a melody. His attempts to stand out annoy Rainey and she tells him off.

Levee and Dussie (Instrumental)

The piano and mandolin dance together in the sensual and exotic number “Levee and Dussie.” The instrumental plays during the scene in which Levee attempts to sweet-talk Dussie, Ma’s lover. He says that they call him “Sweet Lemonade” and comes onto her heavily, kissing her. She tells him to form his own band to impress her and he compares her to the midnight train to Alabama, setting her on the piano to play more chords. Shots of Rainey stating it would be an empty world without the blues are juxtaposed with Levee and Rainey’s girlfriend Dussie consummating their new romance.

Levee Confronts God (Instrumental)

The saxophone, along with shimmering percussion, makes a dark and midnight-velvet appearance in “Levee Confronts God.” Levee shouts up at God during a harrowing knife fight scene, saying how his mother prayed to the lord when she was attacked, but no mercy came for her. He threatens Cutler, but does not ultimately attack. He instead begins to speak in earnest to the heavens, wondering why his mother was not worthy of God’s protection.

Sandman (Instrumental)

Fast, lively, and abrupt, “Sandman” seems precisely the opposite of what might lull someone off to dreamland. The song is another indicator of Rainey’s chaotic energy in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as it scores the scene in which she insists that her stuttering nephew Sylvester recite the introduction to a song on her record. The studio producers and band protest her decision, but she plows ahead, making her will known whether it exists as the best move for her or not.

Baby, Let Me Have It All

The trumpet whines, vamps, and vibrates in the catchy song “Baby, Let Me Have It All.” This song is the one Levee is so proud of in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, believing it will be his ticket to fame in the music industry. In the very final scene, however, Levee’s music is appropriated by the studio’s white band. It is a moment of defeat, and the bouncy music starkly contrasts the movie’s ending tone.

Toledo’s Song (Instrumental)

Another funeral dirge, “Toledo’s Song” is lovely, featuring classical elements that lend to the expression of piano, wind, and strings. Toledo tells the story of his one true love, his wife. She left him and he admits that there was something she needed that he wasn’t giving her, which leads to a discussion on settling for what’s in front of you. Levee lectures the band that they shouldn’t be satisfied just sitting there. The band members once again attempt to put Levee in his place.

Chicago at Sunset (Instrumental)

Light and lilting, “Chicago at Sunset” is a piano instrumental that sounds more like the sun rising over mountains rather than setting behind tall buildings. The beautiful sounds of sunset soar over the film’s soundtrack, making for a sound nearly cast in glowing, vibrant amber to match Rainey’s yellow dress.

Skip, Skat, Doodle-do

The banjo and fiddle are the star of “Skip, Skat, Doodle-do,” a folksy and distinctive song featuring a male singer. It clashes with the rest of the music of the film, serving as a sound distinctive of the American south rather than blues and jazz. Just as the people of color clash with the white producers in the recording studio, this song comes in as a disharmonious and disjointed voice in the soundtrack of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/ma-raineys-black-bottom-soundtrack-songs-every/