WEBVTT FILE 1 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:07.000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:13.000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.000 [crickets chirping] 4 00:00:31.375 --> 00:00:33.375 [birds hooting] 5 00:00:38.750 --> 00:00:41.250 [running footsteps] 6 00:00:42.708 --> 00:00:44.541 [panting] 7 00:00:50.625 --> 00:00:52.041 [dogs barking] 8 00:00:55.875 --> 00:00:57.666 [distant singing] 9 00:00:59.666 --> 00:01:01.041 [panting heavily] 10 00:01:05.791 --> 00:01:07.916 line:5% -[people speaking indistinctly] -[laughs] 11 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:09.500 line:5% [singing continues] 12 00:01:20.625 --> 00:01:23.833 ♪ My bell rang this morning ♪ 13 00:01:24.541 --> 00:01:27.666 ♪ Didn't know which way to go ♪ 14 00:01:27.750 --> 00:01:29.000 [crowd cheering] 15 00:01:33.250 --> 00:01:36.333 ♪ My bell rang this morning ♪ 16 00:01:37.208 --> 00:01:40.750 ♪ Didn't know which way to go ♪ 17 00:01:40.833 --> 00:01:42.833 -[woman] Yeah, Ma! -[crowd cheering] 18 00:01:42.916 --> 00:01:43.750 [man] Yeah, baby! 19 00:01:44.958 --> 00:01:48.208 ♪ I had the blues so bad ♪ 20 00:01:49.166 --> 00:01:53.166 ♪ I sat down on my floor ♪ 21 00:01:53.250 --> 00:01:54.333 [loud cheering] 22 00:01:58.333 --> 00:02:00.958 ♪ Daddy, Daddy ♪ 23 00:02:01.500 --> 00:02:04.958 ♪ Please come home to me ♪ 24 00:02:05.041 --> 00:02:06.416 [cheering] 25 00:02:08.291 --> 00:02:10.500 [crowd clapping in rhythm] 26 00:02:10.583 --> 00:02:13.083 ♪ Daddy, Daddy ♪ 27 00:02:13.625 --> 00:02:17.625 ♪ Please come home to me ♪ 28 00:02:17.708 --> 00:02:18.958 [cheering] 29 00:02:21.916 --> 00:02:24.708 ♪ I'm on my way ♪ 30 00:02:25.833 --> 00:02:30.416 ♪ Crazy as I can be ♪ 31 00:02:30.500 --> 00:02:31.916 [crowd cheering] 32 00:02:35.416 --> 00:02:38.833 ♪ Oooh… ♪ 33 00:02:43.708 --> 00:02:46.583 ♪ Hmm… ♪ 34 00:02:48.500 --> 00:02:51.375 ♪ Hmm… ♪ 35 00:02:52.916 --> 00:02:55.666 [Ma Rainey vocalizing] 36 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:11.583 [crowd cheering] 37 00:03:12.125 --> 00:03:13.250 ♪ Ah! ♪ 38 00:03:13.333 --> 00:03:15.500 ♪ Daddy, Daddy ♪ 39 00:03:16.250 --> 00:03:19.708 ♪ Please come home to me ♪ 40 00:03:21.583 --> 00:03:22.666 [loud cheering] 41 00:03:23.833 --> 00:03:26.583 ♪ Daddy, Daddy ♪ 42 00:03:26.666 --> 00:03:28.750 ♪ Please come home to me ♪ 43 00:03:33.083 --> 00:03:35.625 ♪ I'm on my way ♪ 44 00:03:36.416 --> 00:03:39.875 ♪ Crazy as I can be ♪ 45 00:03:52.958 --> 00:03:53.875 ♪ Hey ♪ 46 00:03:54.791 --> 00:03:55.708 ♪ Hey, Daddy ♪ 47 00:03:57.291 --> 00:03:59.958 ♪ Please come home to me ♪ 48 00:04:01.541 --> 00:04:02.583 ♪ Hey ♪ 49 00:04:02.666 --> 00:04:04.083 ♪ Oh, yeah! ♪ 50 00:04:04.166 --> 00:04:07.000 ♪ I'm on my way ♪ 51 00:04:07.583 --> 00:04:11.000 ♪ Crazy as I can be ♪ 52 00:04:11.833 --> 00:04:13.333 [crowd cheering loudly] 53 00:04:14.875 --> 00:04:16.083 [rumbling] 54 00:04:18.750 --> 00:04:19.833 [hammering] 55 00:04:33.750 --> 00:04:35.083 [horn honking] 56 00:04:40.916 --> 00:04:42.541 [upbeat jazz music playing] 57 00:04:53.166 --> 00:04:54.416 [horns honking] 58 00:04:55.708 --> 00:04:56.875 [mechanical whirring] 59 00:05:00.375 --> 00:05:02.583 Testing, testing, one, two, three. 60 00:05:02.666 --> 00:05:04.750 Testing, one, two, three. 61 00:05:04.833 --> 00:05:07.416 -Testing, testing, one, two-- -Got that list? 62 00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:09.375 Uh, I got it. Don't worry about it. 63 00:05:09.458 --> 00:05:11.583 I'm holding you responsible. You keep her in line. 64 00:05:11.666 --> 00:05:14.791 I'm not putting up with any shenanigans. You hear, Irv? Irv? 65 00:05:14.875 --> 00:05:16.500 [lively piano music playing] 66 00:05:16.583 --> 00:05:17.500 Irv? 67 00:05:19.291 --> 00:05:20.125 Irv! 68 00:05:21.125 --> 00:05:23.958 Not putting up with any Royal Highness, Queen of the Blues bullshit. 69 00:05:24.041 --> 00:05:27.250 Mother of the Blues, Mel. Mother of the Blues. 70 00:05:27.333 --> 00:05:29.000 [upbeat jazz music playing] 71 00:05:48.416 --> 00:05:51.166 Heh. You should've heard Levee at the club last night, Toledo. 72 00:05:51.250 --> 00:05:53.041 Trying to talk to that gal Ma had with her. 73 00:05:53.125 --> 00:05:56.000 You ain't got to tell me. I know how Levee do. 74 00:05:56.083 --> 00:05:58.708 Levee tried talking to her and got his feelings hurt. 75 00:05:59.416 --> 00:06:00.666 I want you to get her in here, 76 00:06:00.750 --> 00:06:02.833 record those songs on that list, and get her out. 77 00:06:02.916 --> 00:06:03.750 -Just like clockwork. -[doorbell buzzes] 78 00:06:03.833 --> 00:06:05.458 Like clockwork, Mel. 79 00:06:05.541 --> 00:06:08.291 And that horn player, the one who gave me those songs, 80 00:06:08.375 --> 00:06:09.833 is he going to be here today? 81 00:06:09.916 --> 00:06:12.583 -I want to hear more of that sound. -How you boys doing, Cutler? 82 00:06:12.666 --> 00:06:14.250 [Cutler] Fine, Mr. Irvin. 83 00:06:14.333 --> 00:06:15.708 Where's Ma? She with ya? 84 00:06:15.791 --> 00:06:16.833 I don't know. 85 00:06:16.916 --> 00:06:18.625 She told us to be here at 1:00. That's all I know. 86 00:06:19.750 --> 00:06:21.208 Where's the, uh, horn player? 87 00:06:21.291 --> 00:06:24.583 Levee's supposed to be here same as we is. I reckon he'll be here in a minute. 88 00:06:24.666 --> 00:06:26.458 [upbeat jazz music playing] 89 00:06:30.583 --> 00:06:31.708 [horn honking] 90 00:06:37.125 --> 00:06:39.916 Hey, hey, hey. Good morning, Chicago. 91 00:06:40.625 --> 00:06:42.500 -[both chuckling] -[woman] He ain't from 'round here now. 92 00:06:47.458 --> 00:06:49.375 [tires screech, horn honks] 93 00:06:56.125 --> 00:06:59.083 Come on in. I'll get you fed and ready to make some music. 94 00:06:59.166 --> 00:07:00.041 [Cutler] Right. 95 00:07:00.125 --> 00:07:01.250 Right down the hall. 96 00:07:02.208 --> 00:07:03.958 Where's Ma? How come she isn't with the band? 97 00:07:04.041 --> 00:07:07.500 Everything's under control, Mel. I got everything under control. 98 00:07:08.083 --> 00:07:10.625 Cutler, here's the list of songs we're going to record. 99 00:07:12.333 --> 00:07:13.791 [chuckles] 100 00:07:14.458 --> 00:07:17.166 [Mel] Why isn't she here? And where's that horn player? 101 00:07:28.708 --> 00:07:30.458 What we got there, Toledo? 102 00:07:30.541 --> 00:07:31.791 Eh, we got, uh… 103 00:07:35.416 --> 00:07:38.166 Mmm. "Prove It on Me," "Hear Me Talking to You," 104 00:07:38.250 --> 00:07:40.583 "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," "Moonshine Blues." 105 00:07:40.666 --> 00:07:42.500 Oh. Them ain't the songs Ma told me. 106 00:07:42.583 --> 00:07:45.541 I wouldn't worry about it if I was you. Ma'll get it straightened out. 107 00:07:45.625 --> 00:07:46.833 [Cutler] "Moonshine Blues." 108 00:07:46.916 --> 00:07:49.708 That's one of them songs Bessie Smith sang, I believes. 109 00:07:49.791 --> 00:07:51.750 Eh, Slow Drag's right. I wouldn't worry about it. 110 00:07:51.833 --> 00:07:54.083 Levee know what time he's supposed to be here? 111 00:07:54.166 --> 00:07:56.708 Levee left the hotel talking about he was gonna buy shoes. 112 00:07:56.791 --> 00:07:58.791 Says it's the first time he beat you shooting craps. 113 00:07:58.875 --> 00:07:59.708 [all laughing] 114 00:07:59.791 --> 00:08:02.625 -I ain't thinking about no four dollars. -[Slow Drag] Levee sure was. 115 00:08:02.708 --> 00:08:03.750 [Toledo] Let me get a hit of that. 116 00:08:03.833 --> 00:08:05.291 [Slow Drag] That four dollars liked to burn a hole in his pocket. 117 00:08:05.375 --> 00:08:06.875 He's supposed to be here at 1:00. 118 00:08:07.458 --> 00:08:10.458 -That's some good Chicago bourbon. -[Levee] Look here, Cutler! 119 00:08:11.125 --> 00:08:14.166 -[in sing-song] I got me some shoes. -[Slow Drag] Ooh! 120 00:08:14.250 --> 00:08:16.541 Nigga, I ain't studying you. 121 00:08:16.625 --> 00:08:19.041 [Toledo] How much you pay for something like that, Levee? 122 00:08:19.125 --> 00:08:21.666 Eleven dollars. Four dollars of it belong to Cutler. 123 00:08:21.750 --> 00:08:24.791 Ooh! Levee say if it wasn't for Cutler, he wouldn't have no new shoes. 124 00:08:24.875 --> 00:08:26.666 I ain't thinking about Levee or his shoes. 125 00:08:26.750 --> 00:08:29.291 -[laughing] -[Cutler] Let's get ready to rehearse. 126 00:08:29.375 --> 00:08:32.375 [Slow Drag] I'm with you on that score. Don't want to be here all night. 127 00:08:32.458 --> 00:08:34.125 [Toledo] Ain't but four songs on the list. 128 00:08:34.208 --> 00:08:35.750 Last time there was six songs. 129 00:08:35.833 --> 00:08:38.875 Yeah. Now I'm ready. 130 00:08:41.041 --> 00:08:43.125 I can play some good music now. 131 00:08:43.208 --> 00:08:44.750 [upright bass playing] 132 00:08:45.833 --> 00:08:48.750 Damn! They done changed things around. 133 00:08:48.833 --> 00:08:50.666 Don't never leave well enough alone. 134 00:08:50.750 --> 00:08:55.125 Yeah, everything changing all the time. Even the air you breathing change. 135 00:08:55.208 --> 00:08:59.916 Yeah, you got, uh, monoxide, hydrogen, changing all the time. 136 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:03.250 Skin changing. Different molecules. Everything. 137 00:09:03.333 --> 00:09:05.000 Nigga, what is you talking about? 138 00:09:05.083 --> 00:09:08.000 I'm talking about the room, I ain't talking about no skin and air. 139 00:09:08.083 --> 00:09:11.250 I'm talking about something I can see. I ain't talking about no molecules. 140 00:09:11.333 --> 00:09:13.875 I know what you talking about. You don't know what I'm talking about. 141 00:09:13.958 --> 00:09:17.625 That door. You see that door? That's what I'm talking about. 142 00:09:17.708 --> 00:09:19.000 Door wasn't there before. 143 00:09:19.083 --> 00:09:23.125 You wouldn't know your right from left. And damn if that door wasn't there. 144 00:09:23.208 --> 00:09:25.291 If you talking about they done switched rooms, you right. 145 00:09:25.375 --> 00:09:26.958 But don't go telling me that door wasn't there. 146 00:09:27.041 --> 00:09:29.291 Damn the door and let's do this. I want to get out of here. 147 00:09:29.375 --> 00:09:32.458 Toledo started all that about the door. I'm just saying that things change. 148 00:09:32.541 --> 00:09:35.958 What you think I was saying? Things change. The air and everything. 149 00:09:36.041 --> 00:09:38.250 Now you gonna say you was saying it. 150 00:09:38.333 --> 00:09:40.791 You gonna fit two propositions on the same track, 151 00:09:40.875 --> 00:09:43.083 run them into each other, and 'cause they crash, 152 00:09:43.166 --> 00:09:44.875 you gonna say it's the same train? 153 00:09:44.958 --> 00:09:47.625 -Now this nigga talking about trains. -[Cutler laughs] 154 00:09:47.708 --> 00:09:52.541 We done went from the air to the skin to the door and now trains. 155 00:09:52.625 --> 00:09:56.208 Toledo, I'd just like to be inside your head for five minutes 156 00:09:56.291 --> 00:09:57.625 just to see how you think. 157 00:09:57.708 --> 00:10:00.375 You done got more shit piled up and mixed up in there 158 00:10:00.458 --> 00:10:01.833 -than the devil got sinners. -[laughing] 159 00:10:01.916 --> 00:10:03.750 You been reading too many goddamn books. 160 00:10:03.833 --> 00:10:05.791 What you care about how much I read? 161 00:10:06.833 --> 00:10:08.458 I'm gonna ignore you 'cause you're ignorant. 162 00:10:08.541 --> 00:10:10.541 -Let's rehearse the music. -All right. 163 00:10:10.625 --> 00:10:12.250 You ain't gotta rehearse that. 164 00:10:12.333 --> 00:10:14.208 Ain't nothing but old jug-band music. 165 00:10:14.291 --> 00:10:15.916 They need one of them jug bands for this. 166 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:18.000 Don't make no difference to me, long as we get paid. 167 00:10:18.083 --> 00:10:20.500 That ain't what I'm talking about. I'm talking about art. 168 00:10:20.583 --> 00:10:22.916 What's drawing got to do with it? 169 00:10:23.541 --> 00:10:25.458 Where you get this nigga from, Cutler? 170 00:10:25.541 --> 00:10:27.666 He sound like one of them Alabama niggas. 171 00:10:27.750 --> 00:10:29.750 It's Slow Drag, all right. 172 00:10:29.833 --> 00:10:31.208 Just play the piece, nigga. 173 00:10:31.291 --> 00:10:34.416 If you want to be one of them, uh, what you call virtuosos or something, 174 00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:36.125 you're in the wrong place. 175 00:10:36.208 --> 00:10:39.000 You ain't no King Oliver or Buddy Bolden. 176 00:10:39.083 --> 00:10:41.916 You're just an old trumpet player come a dime a dozen. 177 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:42.958 Talking about art. 178 00:10:43.041 --> 00:10:45.625 What is you? I don't see your name in lights. 179 00:10:45.708 --> 00:10:49.000 I just play the piece. Whatever they want. I don't criticize other people's music. 180 00:10:49.583 --> 00:10:51.833 I ain't like you, Cutler. I got talent. 181 00:10:51.916 --> 00:10:53.125 -Oh, shit. -Ooh. 182 00:10:53.208 --> 00:10:55.625 Me and this horn, we's tight. 183 00:10:55.708 --> 00:10:57.916 If my daddy had a knowed I was gonna turn out like this, 184 00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:59.375 he woulda named me Gabriel. 185 00:10:59.458 --> 00:11:00.583 [all] Oh! 186 00:11:00.666 --> 00:11:02.833 I'm gonna get me a band and make me some records. 187 00:11:03.666 --> 00:11:05.750 I done give Mr. Sturdyvant some of my songs I wrote, 188 00:11:05.833 --> 00:11:07.916 and he say he gonna let me record them when I get my band together. 189 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.333 I just gotta finish the last part of this song. 190 00:11:10.416 --> 00:11:13.833 I knows how to play real music, not this old jug-band shit. 191 00:11:13.916 --> 00:11:14.750 I got style. 192 00:11:14.833 --> 00:11:16.500 Oh, everybody got style. 193 00:11:16.583 --> 00:11:19.708 Style ain't nothing but keeping the same idea from beginning to end. 194 00:11:19.791 --> 00:11:21.166 Everybody got it. 195 00:11:21.250 --> 00:11:23.000 Everybody can't play like I do. 196 00:11:23.083 --> 00:11:24.916 Everybody can't have their own band. 197 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.375 Until you get your own band where you can play what you want, 198 00:11:27.458 --> 00:11:29.041 play the piece and stop complaining. 199 00:11:29.125 --> 00:11:32.041 I told you when you came on here, this ain't none of them hot bands. 200 00:11:32.125 --> 00:11:35.541 This is an accompaniment band. You play Ma's music when you're here. 201 00:11:35.625 --> 00:11:37.250 I got sense enough to know that. 202 00:11:37.333 --> 00:11:39.166 I could look at y'all and see what kind of band it is. 203 00:11:39.250 --> 00:11:41.375 I could look at Toledo and see what kind of band it is. 204 00:11:41.458 --> 00:11:44.833 Oh, now Toledo ain't said nothing to you. Don't get Toledo started now. 205 00:11:44.916 --> 00:11:46.958 Is you all gonna rehearse the music or ain't you? 206 00:11:47.041 --> 00:11:49.041 How many times you done play them songs? 207 00:11:49.125 --> 00:11:51.750 -What you gotta rehearse for? -This a recording session. 208 00:11:51.833 --> 00:11:53.625 I want to get it right the first time and get on out of here. 209 00:11:53.708 --> 00:11:55.833 Well, y'all go on and rehearse, then. 210 00:11:55.916 --> 00:11:58.708 I'm going to finish this song for Mr. Sturdyvant. 211 00:11:59.416 --> 00:12:00.333 [hums] 212 00:12:02.375 --> 00:12:05.000 Levee, I don't want no shit. You rehearse like everybody else. 213 00:12:05.083 --> 00:12:06.791 You in the band just like everybody else. 214 00:12:06.875 --> 00:12:09.083 Mr. Sturdyvant gonna have to wait. It's the band's time. 215 00:12:09.166 --> 00:12:12.333 I'm ready if you want to rehearse. I said there ain't no point in it. 216 00:12:12.416 --> 00:12:13.875 Ma ain't here. What's the point? 217 00:12:13.958 --> 00:12:18.541 "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." One, two, you know what to do. 218 00:12:22.375 --> 00:12:23.666 [horns honking] 219 00:12:24.208 --> 00:12:25.750 [blues music playing] 220 00:12:27.666 --> 00:12:31.208 No, no, no. No, no. We ain't doing it that way. 221 00:12:31.291 --> 00:12:33.541 We doing my version. That's what Mr. Irvin told me. 222 00:12:33.625 --> 00:12:35.000 Say it's on the list he gave. 223 00:12:35.083 --> 00:12:36.291 Let me worry about what's on the list. 224 00:12:36.375 --> 00:12:38.375 What sense it make to rehearse the wrong version? 225 00:12:38.458 --> 00:12:40.208 You supposed to rehearse what you gonna play. 226 00:12:40.291 --> 00:12:42.125 -That's the way they taught me. -That's what I'm trying to say. 227 00:12:42.208 --> 00:12:43.791 You trying to tell me what we is and ain't gonna play, 228 00:12:43.875 --> 00:12:45.291 and that ain't none of your business. 229 00:12:45.375 --> 00:12:47.208 Your business is to play what I say. 230 00:12:47.291 --> 00:12:48.250 Oh. I see now. 231 00:12:48.333 --> 00:12:50.791 You done got jealous 'cause Mr. Irvin using my version. 232 00:12:50.875 --> 00:12:53.000 [scoffs] What I got  to be jealous of you about? 233 00:12:53.083 --> 00:12:55.208 The day I get jealous of you, I may as well lay down and die. 234 00:12:55.291 --> 00:12:58.000 Levee started all that 'cause he too lazy to rehearse. 235 00:12:58.083 --> 00:13:01.000 Where's the paper? Look at the paper. See what it say. 236 00:13:01.083 --> 00:13:02.166 Gonna tell me I'm too lazy to rehearse. 237 00:13:02.250 --> 00:13:03.708 [Cutler] We ain't talking about the paper. 238 00:13:03.791 --> 00:13:06.000 We talking about you understanding where you fit in here. 239 00:13:06.083 --> 00:13:08.625 -You play what I say. -I don't care what you play. 240 00:13:08.708 --> 00:13:11.708 Mr. Irvin gonna straighten it up. I don't care what you play. 241 00:13:11.791 --> 00:13:13.583 You boys know what's keeping Ma? 242 00:13:14.583 --> 00:13:16.083 Uh… 243 00:13:16.166 --> 00:13:19.000 Can't say, Mr. Irvin. She'll be along directly, I reckon. 244 00:13:19.083 --> 00:13:20.208 Well, you go ahead. 245 00:13:20.291 --> 00:13:23.541 Mr. Irvin… [chuckles] About these songs… 246 00:13:24.208 --> 00:13:25.375 Whatever's on the list. 247 00:13:25.458 --> 00:13:26.791 I'm talking about this "Black Bottom." 248 00:13:27.333 --> 00:13:29.833 -It's on the list. -Yes, sir, I know it's on the list. 249 00:13:29.916 --> 00:13:32.708 But I just want to know which version. We got two versions of that song. 250 00:13:32.791 --> 00:13:35.500 Oh, Levee's version. We're using Levee's arrangement. 251 00:13:36.416 --> 00:13:39.041 [Cutler] Okay, got that straight. Now about this "Moonshine Blues." 252 00:13:39.125 --> 00:13:41.750 Yeah, we'll work it out with Ma, Cutler. 253 00:13:41.833 --> 00:13:44.208 You boys just rehearse whatever's on that list. 254 00:13:46.375 --> 00:13:48.333 See, I told you! 255 00:13:48.416 --> 00:13:51.708 It don't mean nothing when I say it. You got to wait for Mr. Irvin to say it. 256 00:13:51.791 --> 00:13:52.875 I told you the way it is. 257 00:13:52.958 --> 00:13:55.416 The sooner you understand it ain't what you say, 258 00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:58.250 or what Mr. Irvin say, it's what Ma say that count. 259 00:13:58.333 --> 00:14:00.708 I don't care what you play. Don't matter to me. 260 00:14:00.791 --> 00:14:03.333 Mr. Irvin gonna straighten it up. I don't care what you play. 261 00:14:03.416 --> 00:14:06.250 Thank you. All right, let's, uh, play this "Hear Me Talking to You" 262 00:14:06.333 --> 00:14:08.375 till we figure out what's going on with this "Black Bottom." 263 00:14:08.458 --> 00:14:12.291 One, two, you know what to do. 264 00:14:12.375 --> 00:14:14.458 [piano music playing] 265 00:14:17.291 --> 00:14:19.125 [blues music playing] 266 00:14:49.541 --> 00:14:52.333 Don't nobody say when it comes to Ma. She gonna do what she wanna do. 267 00:14:52.416 --> 00:14:54.500 Mr. Irvin the one putting out the record. 268 00:14:54.583 --> 00:14:55.875 He gonna put out what she want him to put out. 269 00:14:55.958 --> 00:14:58.458 Levee confused about who the boss is. He don't know Ma's the boss. 270 00:14:58.541 --> 00:15:00.500 You know how many records she sold in New York? 271 00:15:00.583 --> 00:15:03.666 And you know what's in New York? Harlem. Harlem's in New York. 272 00:15:03.750 --> 00:15:05.166 [Slow Drag] So what if they didn't sell in New York? 273 00:15:05.250 --> 00:15:07.083 We packed them in in Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta. 274 00:15:07.166 --> 00:15:10.291 We ain't in Memphis. We in Chicago. We in a recording session. 275 00:15:10.375 --> 00:15:12.625 Mr. Sturdyvant and Mr. Irvin say what's gonna be here. 276 00:15:12.708 --> 00:15:14.291 [blues music continues] 277 00:15:28.541 --> 00:15:30.166 You heard what the man told you. 278 00:15:30.250 --> 00:15:32.875 "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Levee's arrangement. 279 00:15:32.958 --> 00:15:34.875 There you go. That's what he told you. 280 00:15:34.958 --> 00:15:37.125 I don't know why y'all want to pick with me about it. 281 00:15:37.208 --> 00:15:39.666 I'm with Slow Drag. Let's go and get it rehearsed. 282 00:15:39.750 --> 00:15:42.500 All right, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," Levee's version. 283 00:15:42.583 --> 00:15:45.000 [Toledo] How that first part go again there, Lev? 284 00:15:45.083 --> 00:15:46.041 It go like this. 285 00:15:47.333 --> 00:15:49.250 [playing lively tune on trumpet] 286 00:15:52.125 --> 00:15:53.708 That's to get the people's attention. 287 00:15:53.791 --> 00:15:56.583 That's when you and Slow Drag come in with the rhythm, 288 00:15:56.666 --> 00:15:58.333 me and Cutler play on the breaks. 289 00:15:58.416 --> 00:16:00.291 The man asked how the part go. Ain't ask for all that. 290 00:16:00.375 --> 00:16:01.750 "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." 291 00:16:02.333 --> 00:16:04.750 One, two, you know what to do. 292 00:16:13.125 --> 00:16:17.791 Hey, hey, hey. Y'all gotta keep up now. You playing in the wrong time. 293 00:16:17.875 --> 00:16:20.666 Will you let us play this song? We been playing before you was born. 294 00:16:20.750 --> 00:16:22.291 Trying to tell us how to play. 295 00:16:22.375 --> 00:16:24.000 All right. Let's try again. 296 00:16:24.083 --> 00:16:25.625 Wait a minute. Let me fix this. 297 00:16:25.708 --> 00:16:27.333 This string starting to unravel, 298 00:16:27.416 --> 00:16:29.875 and you know I want to play Levee's music right. 299 00:16:29.958 --> 00:16:32.458 If you was any kind of musician, you'd take care of your instrument. 300 00:16:32.541 --> 00:16:34.125 Keep it in tip-top order. 301 00:16:34.208 --> 00:16:37.208 If you was any kind of musician, I'd let you be in my band. 302 00:16:37.291 --> 00:16:38.666 -Shit. -Damn! 303 00:16:39.666 --> 00:16:41.708 Slow Drag, watch them big-ass shoes you got. 304 00:16:41.791 --> 00:16:43.250 Ain't nobody done nothing to you. 305 00:16:43.333 --> 00:16:44.250 You done stepped on my shoes. 306 00:16:44.333 --> 00:16:45.833 Then move them out the way. 307 00:16:45.916 --> 00:16:47.458 You was in my way. I wasn't in your way. 308 00:16:47.541 --> 00:16:50.291 Any man who takes a whole week's pay and puts it on some shoes, 309 00:16:50.375 --> 00:16:51.625 understand what I mean, 310 00:16:51.708 --> 00:16:53.958 what you walk around on the ground with, is a fool. 311 00:16:54.041 --> 00:16:55.166 And I don't mind telling him. 312 00:16:55.250 --> 00:16:56.833 What difference it make to you? 313 00:16:56.916 --> 00:16:59.083 Ain't nothing wrong with having nice shoes. 314 00:16:59.958 --> 00:17:01.625 -Look at Toledo. -[Levee] Ooh! 315 00:17:01.708 --> 00:17:02.750 [all laughing] 316 00:17:02.833 --> 00:17:04.041 What? 317 00:17:06.208 --> 00:17:07.541 What was that about Toledo? 318 00:17:08.125 --> 00:17:11.041 Nigga got them clodhoppers. Old brogans. 319 00:17:11.125 --> 00:17:13.375 He ain't nothing but a sharecropper. 320 00:17:14.250 --> 00:17:15.416 Hey, Slow Drag. 321 00:17:17.166 --> 00:17:18.541 Play something for me. 322 00:17:18.625 --> 00:17:20.083 [playing upbeat tune] 323 00:17:23.166 --> 00:17:26.291 A man gotta have some shoes to dance like this. 324 00:17:27.333 --> 00:17:30.583 He can't dance like this with them clodhoppers Toledo got. 325 00:17:30.666 --> 00:17:33.791 That's the trouble with colored folks, always looking to have a good time. 326 00:17:33.875 --> 00:17:35.791 More niggas have got killed trying to have a good time 327 00:17:35.875 --> 00:17:37.458 than God got ways to count. 328 00:17:38.250 --> 00:17:41.875 ♪ When the world goes wrong And I got the blues ♪ 329 00:17:41.958 --> 00:17:45.333 What the hell having a good time mean? That's what I want to know. 330 00:17:45.416 --> 00:17:47.541 Got to be more to life than just having a good time. 331 00:17:47.625 --> 00:17:49.958 If there ain't, then this is a piss-poor life we're living 332 00:17:50.041 --> 00:17:51.833 if that's all there is to be got out of it. 333 00:17:53.541 --> 00:17:56.000 Niggas been having a good time before you was born, 334 00:17:56.083 --> 00:17:58.583 and they gonna keep having a good time after you gone. 335 00:17:58.666 --> 00:18:01.458 Nobody talking about making the lot for the colored man 336 00:18:01.541 --> 00:18:02.958 better for him here in America. 337 00:18:03.041 --> 00:18:05.458 Ain't nobody thinking about what kind of life, 338 00:18:05.541 --> 00:18:07.000 the world they gonna leave for the young'uns. 339 00:18:07.083 --> 00:18:10.208 It's just, "Show me a good time. That's all I want." 340 00:18:10.291 --> 00:18:12.333 Aw. It just makes me sick. 341 00:18:12.416 --> 00:18:14.125 Good times is what makes life worth living. 342 00:18:14.208 --> 00:18:15.083 Uh-huh. 343 00:18:15.166 --> 00:18:18.208 Hey, I know how to have a good time as well as the next man. 344 00:18:18.708 --> 00:18:20.166 Yeah. 345 00:18:20.250 --> 00:18:23.666 I just said there's got to be more to life than just having a good time. 346 00:18:23.750 --> 00:18:26.125 I said, the colored man ought to be doing more 347 00:18:26.208 --> 00:18:28.458 than trying to have a good time all the time. 348 00:18:30.666 --> 00:18:32.458 Well, what is you doing, nigga? 349 00:18:32.541 --> 00:18:34.208 You're talking all them highfalutin ideas 350 00:18:34.291 --> 00:18:36.125 about making a better world for the colored man. 351 00:18:36.208 --> 00:18:37.875 What is you doing to make it better? 352 00:18:37.958 --> 00:18:42.000 You playing the music and looking for your next piece of pussy same as we is. 353 00:18:42.083 --> 00:18:43.583 What is you doing? 354 00:18:43.666 --> 00:18:46.750 It ain't just me, fool. I said everybody. 355 00:18:46.833 --> 00:18:50.250 You think I'm gonna solve the colored man's problem all by myself? 356 00:18:50.333 --> 00:18:53.083 I said "we." You understand that? 357 00:18:53.166 --> 00:18:56.250 We? That's every living colored man in the world 358 00:18:56.333 --> 00:18:59.000 got to do his share, got to do his part. 359 00:18:59.083 --> 00:19:01.416 I ain't talking about what I'm gonna do or you gonna do, 360 00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:04.083 or Cutler, Slow Drag, anybody else. 361 00:19:04.166 --> 00:19:08.291 I'm talking about what all of us gonna do together. 362 00:19:08.375 --> 00:19:10.250 That's what I'm talking about, nigga. 363 00:19:11.666 --> 00:19:13.750 Well, why ain't you just say that then? 364 00:19:13.833 --> 00:19:15.291 [Slow Drag laughing] 365 00:19:16.125 --> 00:19:19.166 Toledo, I don't know why you waste your time with this fool. 366 00:19:19.791 --> 00:19:21.291 I ain't gonna be too many more of your fools. 367 00:19:21.375 --> 00:19:22.875 Ain't nobody studying you. 368 00:19:22.958 --> 00:19:25.416 All right, I ain't nobody. Don't pay me no mind. 369 00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:27.000 Ain't nobody but the devil. 370 00:19:27.083 --> 00:19:28.625 There you go. That's who I am. 371 00:19:28.708 --> 00:19:30.375 I'm the devil. I ain't nothing but the devil. 372 00:19:30.458 --> 00:19:33.333 -I know a man sold his soul to the devil. -[all groan] 373 00:19:33.416 --> 00:19:36.916 Name of Eliza Cotter. Lived in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. 374 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:37.875 [laughs] 375 00:19:37.958 --> 00:19:40.791 Devil came by and he upped and sold him his soul. 376 00:19:40.875 --> 00:19:43.958 Nigga, how you know this man done sold his soul to the devil? 377 00:19:44.041 --> 00:19:46.208 You talking some old-woman foolishness. 378 00:19:46.291 --> 00:19:48.583 Everybody know. It wasn't no secret. 379 00:19:48.666 --> 00:19:51.041 He went around working for the devil and everybody knowed it. 380 00:19:51.125 --> 00:19:53.708 Carried him a bag. One of them carpet bags. 381 00:19:53.791 --> 00:19:56.333 Folks say he carried the devil's papers and whatnot 382 00:19:56.416 --> 00:19:58.750 where he put your fingerprint on the paper with blood. 383 00:19:58.833 --> 00:20:00.541 Where he at now? That's what I want to know. 384 00:20:00.625 --> 00:20:02.875 He can have my whole handprint if he want to. 385 00:20:02.958 --> 00:20:04.625 Showed up one day all fancied out 386 00:20:04.708 --> 00:20:07.416 in the finest clothes you ever seen on a colored man. 387 00:20:08.166 --> 00:20:11.166 Pocketful of money, just living the life of a rich man. 388 00:20:11.833 --> 00:20:14.000 Had him a string of women he run around with 389 00:20:14.083 --> 00:20:15.666 and throw his money away on. 390 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:18.166 One of the fellas of them gals he was messing with 391 00:20:18.250 --> 00:20:20.625 got fixed on him wrong and Eliza killed him. 392 00:20:20.708 --> 00:20:22.625 And laughed about it. 393 00:20:22.708 --> 00:20:25.000 Sheriff come and arrest him and let him go. 394 00:20:25.083 --> 00:20:27.333 Trial come up. Judge cut him loose. 395 00:20:27.416 --> 00:20:28.250 Cut him loose 396 00:20:28.333 --> 00:20:30.666 -and give him a bottle of whiskey. -[Cutler whistles] 397 00:20:30.750 --> 00:20:32.541 Folks ask what done happened to make him change, 398 00:20:32.625 --> 00:20:35.875 and he tell them straight-out he done sold his soul to the devil 399 00:20:35.958 --> 00:20:37.625 and asked them if they wanted to sell theirs, too, 400 00:20:37.708 --> 00:20:39.416 'cause he could arrange it for them. 401 00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:42.375 Hold on. What happened to this fella? That's what I want to know. 402 00:20:42.458 --> 00:20:45.250 Last I heard, he headed up north with that bag of his, 403 00:20:45.333 --> 00:20:47.208 handing out $100 bills on the spot 404 00:20:47.291 --> 00:20:49.625 to whoever wanted to sign on with the devil. 405 00:20:49.708 --> 00:20:51.958 Hmm. I sure wish I knew where he went. 406 00:20:52.041 --> 00:20:53.458 He wouldn't have to convince me long. 407 00:20:53.541 --> 00:20:55.125 Hell, I'd even help him sign people up. 408 00:20:55.208 --> 00:20:59.166 Nigga, God gonna strike you down with that blasphemy you talking. 409 00:20:59.250 --> 00:21:01.875 Oh, shit. God don't mean nothing to me. 410 00:21:01.958 --> 00:21:04.458 Let him strike me. Here I am, standing right here. 411 00:21:04.541 --> 00:21:05.958 What you talking about he gonna strike me? 412 00:21:06.041 --> 00:21:08.750 Here I am. Let him strike me. I ain't scared of him. 413 00:21:08.833 --> 00:21:10.625 All right. You gonna be sorry. 414 00:21:10.708 --> 00:21:12.250 You gonna fix yourself to have bad luck. 415 00:21:12.333 --> 00:21:13.750 Ain't nothing gonna work out for you. 416 00:21:13.833 --> 00:21:15.250 -Bad luck? -Yeah. 417 00:21:15.333 --> 00:21:16.833 What I care about bad luck? 418 00:21:17.708 --> 00:21:19.208 You talking simple. 419 00:21:19.291 --> 00:21:21.250 I ain't had nothing but bad luck all my life. 420 00:21:21.333 --> 00:21:24.250 Couldn't get no worse. What the hell I care about bad luck? 421 00:21:24.333 --> 00:21:26.083 I eat it every day for breakfast. 422 00:21:26.166 --> 00:21:29.041 You dumber than I thought you was, talking about bad luck. 423 00:21:29.833 --> 00:21:30.833 All right, nigga. 424 00:21:32.125 --> 00:21:34.000 You'll see. [chuckles] 425 00:21:34.583 --> 00:21:35.916 Can't tell a fool nothing. 426 00:21:37.125 --> 00:21:38.250 You'll see. 427 00:21:39.708 --> 00:21:41.000 [horns honking] 428 00:21:47.875 --> 00:21:49.000 Oh. There you go. 429 00:21:50.583 --> 00:21:51.666 Over there. 430 00:21:51.750 --> 00:21:53.583 -Whoa! -[crashing] 431 00:21:53.666 --> 00:21:54.958 [horns honking] 432 00:22:00.375 --> 00:22:01.666 [man] What are you doing? 433 00:22:02.333 --> 00:22:04.958 Cutler, your boys' sandwiches are here. 434 00:22:05.458 --> 00:22:07.125 -Cutler? -[policeman] Lady-- 435 00:22:07.208 --> 00:22:08.833 -[Ma Rainey] This is a brand new car. -Lady-- 436 00:22:08.916 --> 00:22:10.125 Ain't had but a ding. 437 00:22:10.208 --> 00:22:13.291 -Okay, lady-- -[Ma Rainey] What you gonna do? 438 00:22:13.375 --> 00:22:14.208 -Ma! -[policeman] I'm talking-- 439 00:22:14.291 --> 00:22:16.250 [Ma Rainey] I got eyes, you got eyes. What are you gonna do? 440 00:22:16.333 --> 00:22:17.375 -Listen to me-- -What happened? 441 00:22:17.458 --> 00:22:18.958 Tell this man who I am. Get him straight. 442 00:22:19.041 --> 00:22:20.875 Tell this man who he's messing with. 443 00:22:20.958 --> 00:22:23.333 Officer, what's the matter? What's the problem? 444 00:22:23.416 --> 00:22:24.916 When I walked up on the incident, this lady-- 445 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:27.833 -Sylvester wrecked Ma's car. -I… I did not. The man hit me. 446 00:22:27.916 --> 00:22:29.416 [policeman] You want it in a nutshell? 447 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.833 We got her charged with assault and battery. 448 00:22:30.916 --> 00:22:33.083 -Assault and what for what? -Sylvester was driving-- 449 00:22:33.166 --> 00:22:34.833 I can tell you what happened if you wanna know. 450 00:22:34.916 --> 00:22:37.375 That's my nephew. That's Sylvester. He was driving my car-- 451 00:22:37.458 --> 00:22:39.625 -We don't know whose car it is. -That's Ma's car. 452 00:22:39.708 --> 00:22:41.041 I bought and paid for that car. 453 00:22:41.125 --> 00:22:42.833 That's what you say. We gotta check it out. 454 00:22:42.916 --> 00:22:44.125 What's the problem? 455 00:22:44.208 --> 00:22:45.125 I was calling the paddy wagon 456 00:22:45.208 --> 00:22:47.666 to haul them to the station, sort everything out. 457 00:22:47.750 --> 00:22:49.833 -She's aggressive with the other driver-- -He got ugly with me. 458 00:22:49.916 --> 00:22:52.125 -I don't know why you tell that lie. -You let me tell the story? 459 00:22:52.208 --> 00:22:54.333 Well, if you gonna tell it, tell it right. 460 00:23:00.750 --> 00:23:04.041 Like I said, while I was waiting for the paddy wagon, 461 00:23:04.125 --> 00:23:05.791 I turn to hear this guy's side of the story. 462 00:23:05.875 --> 00:23:07.458 She won't let him get a word in edgeways. 463 00:23:07.541 --> 00:23:10.208 He steps in front of her to tell his version of things, 464 00:23:10.291 --> 00:23:11.125 she pushes him to the ground. 465 00:23:11.208 --> 00:23:12.583 She ain't hit him. He just fell. 466 00:23:12.666 --> 00:23:14.541 If that don't beat all to hell. I ain't touched the man. 467 00:23:14.625 --> 00:23:17.250 All right, Ma. Officer, can I speak to you for a minute? 468 00:23:17.333 --> 00:23:18.333 I got things to do. 469 00:23:18.416 --> 00:23:20.291 He bumped into me and fell down. 470 00:23:20.375 --> 00:23:22.333 Flopping on the ground like a rag doll. 471 00:23:23.541 --> 00:23:24.958 I ain't touch the man. 472 00:23:26.750 --> 00:23:28.208 [imperceptible] 473 00:23:32.750 --> 00:23:33.875 [Irvin] All right, Ma. 474 00:23:33.958 --> 00:23:35.500 Come on. Let's go. Move it out. 475 00:23:36.083 --> 00:23:37.041 I got it all taken care of. 476 00:23:37.125 --> 00:23:38.750 Clear it out. Come on. Let's go. 477 00:23:38.833 --> 00:23:40.208 What's going on? What did you do? 478 00:23:40.291 --> 00:23:41.166 Sturdyvant, get on away from me. 479 00:23:41.250 --> 00:23:43.291 That's the last thing I need, to go through your shit. 480 00:23:43.375 --> 00:23:45.666 -[policeman] Everybody move along. -It's not the place. 481 00:23:45.750 --> 00:23:47.000 Here, Ma. 482 00:23:47.916 --> 00:23:49.250 Let me take your things. 483 00:23:50.875 --> 00:23:52.625 -I don't believe we've met. -Hi. 484 00:23:52.708 --> 00:23:54.666 That's my nephew Sylvester, and that there's Dussie Mae. 485 00:23:54.750 --> 00:23:56.583 -Oh, hello. -[Ma Rainey] Everybody here? 486 00:23:56.666 --> 00:23:58.125 They're in the band room. 487 00:23:58.208 --> 00:24:01.375 -Ma, why don't you sit and relax? -I ain't for no sitting. 488 00:24:01.458 --> 00:24:03.916 -Where's the bathroom? -Uh, down that hall. 489 00:24:04.416 --> 00:24:07.916 Honey, call down there and see about my car. I need my car fixed today. 490 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:09.416 Why y'all keep it so hot in here? 491 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:11.916 Y'all want to make records, better get a fan on. 492 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:14.458 I got it, Ma. I'll take care of everything. 493 00:24:29.750 --> 00:24:31.041 [Mel] She's late and already-- 494 00:24:31.125 --> 00:24:33.750 I talked to her last night. Got everything straight. 495 00:24:33.833 --> 00:24:35.958 You stay out of the way. Let me handle it. 496 00:24:36.041 --> 00:24:37.833 You handled it last time, remember? 497 00:24:37.916 --> 00:24:41.500 She marches in like she owns the place, complains about the building being cold, 498 00:24:41.583 --> 00:24:44.000 trips over a mic wire, then threatens to sue me. 499 00:24:48.291 --> 00:24:49.458 [playing piano] 500 00:24:50.416 --> 00:24:52.541 [humming softly] 501 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:02.291 I ain't never been in a recording studio. 502 00:25:03.416 --> 00:25:04.583 Where the band at? 503 00:25:04.666 --> 00:25:06.583 They off somewhere rehearsing. 504 00:25:08.166 --> 00:25:10.250 Come over here and let me see that dress. 505 00:25:11.875 --> 00:25:13.416 That dress look nice. 506 00:25:15.250 --> 00:25:17.833 I'm gonna take you tomorrow to get you some things 507 00:25:17.916 --> 00:25:19.666 before I take you down to Memphis. 508 00:25:20.416 --> 00:25:23.666 They got some clothes up here they ain't got in Memphis. 509 00:25:24.458 --> 00:25:26.791 -I want you to look nice for me, hmm? -Mmm-hmm. 510 00:25:26.875 --> 00:25:29.750 You gonna travel with the show, you gotta look nice. 511 00:25:29.833 --> 00:25:32.458 I just need me some new shoes. These hurt my feet. 512 00:25:32.541 --> 00:25:35.916 Oh, don't you be messing around with no shoes that pinch your feet. 513 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.875 Ma knows something about bad feet. Mmm. 514 00:25:42.083 --> 00:25:44.916 ♪ Oh, Lord ♪ 515 00:25:47.208 --> 00:25:50.333 ♪ These dogs of mine ♪ 516 00:25:51.208 --> 00:25:55.041 ♪ They sure do hurt me ♪ 517 00:25:55.125 --> 00:25:58.375 ♪ All the time ♪ 518 00:26:00.333 --> 00:26:02.500 ♪ Reason why? ♪ 519 00:26:02.583 --> 00:26:05.625 ♪ I don't know ♪ 520 00:26:05.708 --> 00:26:07.083 [Dussie Mae chuckles] 521 00:26:07.833 --> 00:26:13.708 ♪ Lord, I beg to be excused ♪ 522 00:26:14.708 --> 00:26:16.875 [growling] 523 00:26:18.791 --> 00:26:20.041 [both laugh] 524 00:26:20.125 --> 00:26:21.166 [Ma Rainey] Okay. 525 00:26:21.916 --> 00:26:24.500 Go on, get my slippers out my bag over yonder. 526 00:26:24.583 --> 00:26:26.208 [plays notes on piano] 527 00:26:30.375 --> 00:26:34.291 ♪ I can't wear me no sharp-toed shoes ♪ 528 00:26:36.083 --> 00:26:38.666 ♪ I went for a walk ♪ 529 00:26:39.541 --> 00:26:41.041 ♪ I stopped to talk ♪ 530 00:26:43.833 --> 00:26:50.125 ♪ Oh, how my corns did bark ♪ 531 00:26:50.833 --> 00:26:53.833 [sighs] I just want some of them yellow ones. 532 00:26:53.916 --> 00:26:55.666 About a half size bigger. 533 00:26:55.750 --> 00:26:58.541 We'll get you whatever you need. Sylvester too. 534 00:26:58.625 --> 00:26:59.875 Sylvester, tuck your clothes in. 535 00:26:59.958 --> 00:27:02.458 Straighten them up and look nice. Like a gentleman. 536 00:27:02.541 --> 00:27:03.791 Look at Sylvester with that hat on. 537 00:27:03.875 --> 00:27:07.250 [Ma Rainey] Take that hat off inside. Come over here and leave that piano. 538 00:27:07.333 --> 00:27:10.875 [stammering] I ain't doing nothing  to the… piano. I'm… l… looking at it. 539 00:27:10.958 --> 00:27:13.208 Baby, come over here and sit down. Come on. 540 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:16.083 Soon as Mr. Irvin come back, 541 00:27:16.166 --> 00:27:18.833 I'm gonna have him take you down, introduce you to the band. 542 00:27:19.583 --> 00:27:21.791 Cutler gonna show you how your part go. 543 00:27:21.875 --> 00:27:24.666 When you get your money, send some of it home to your mama. 544 00:27:24.750 --> 00:27:27.916 -Let her know you're doing all right. -Okay. 545 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.250 Ma, I called down to the garage and checked on your car. 546 00:27:32.333 --> 00:27:36.000 It's just a scratch, and they'll have it ready for you this afternoon. 547 00:27:36.083 --> 00:27:38.250 They'll send it over with one of their fellows. 548 00:27:38.333 --> 00:27:39.708 Better have my car fixed right. 549 00:27:39.791 --> 00:27:43.166 I ain't going for that. Brand-new car. They better fix it like new. 550 00:27:43.250 --> 00:27:45.000 [lively music playing faintly] 551 00:27:52.458 --> 00:27:54.583 Irvin, what is that I hear? 552 00:27:54.666 --> 00:27:56.708 I know they ain't rehearsing Levee's "Black Bottom." 553 00:27:56.791 --> 00:27:58.166 I know I ain't hearing that. 554 00:27:58.250 --> 00:28:00.208 Ma, it's what I wanted to talk to you about. 555 00:28:00.291 --> 00:28:02.500 Levee's version, it really picks it up. 556 00:28:02.583 --> 00:28:06.208 I ain't studying Levee nothing. I know what he done to that song. 557 00:28:06.291 --> 00:28:08.833 I don't like to sing it that way. I'm doing it the old way. 558 00:28:08.916 --> 00:28:11.416 That's why I brought my nephew in here to do the voice intro. 559 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:15.000 That's what people want now, Ma. They want something they can dance to. 560 00:28:15.083 --> 00:28:17.208 Levee's arrangement gives the people what they want. 561 00:28:17.291 --> 00:28:20.000 It makes them excited, forget about their troubles. 562 00:28:20.083 --> 00:28:24.166 I don't care what you say, honey. Levee ain't messing up my song. 563 00:28:24.250 --> 00:28:26.916 If he got what the people want, let him take it somewhere else. 564 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:29.416 I'm singing Ma Rainey's song, not Levee's song. 565 00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:31.083 Now that's all there is to it. 566 00:28:31.666 --> 00:28:34.750 Carry my nephew on down there. Introduce him to the band. 567 00:28:34.833 --> 00:28:36.958 I promised my sister I'd look out for him, 568 00:28:37.041 --> 00:28:40.291 so he's gonna do the voice intro to the song my way. 569 00:28:40.375 --> 00:28:41.458 [Irvin] We just figured-- 570 00:28:41.541 --> 00:28:45.541 Who's this "we"? What you mean "we"? Come talking this "we" stuff. Who "we"? 571 00:28:46.125 --> 00:28:47.708 Me and Sturdyvant. We decided-- 572 00:28:47.791 --> 00:28:50.250 You decided, huh? I'm just a bump on a log. 573 00:28:50.333 --> 00:28:52.125 I'm just gonna go whichever way the river drift. 574 00:28:52.208 --> 00:28:54.000 Is that it? You and Sturdyvant decided? 575 00:28:54.083 --> 00:28:56.125 -No. We just thought-- -I ain't got no good sense. 576 00:28:56.208 --> 00:28:59.541 I know nothing about music or what a good song is or what ain't. 577 00:28:59.625 --> 00:29:01.208 You know more about my fans than I do. 578 00:29:01.291 --> 00:29:03.833 It's not that. It's more of what the people want. 579 00:29:05.291 --> 00:29:09.458 Tell you something, Irvin, and you can go up there and you can tell Sturdyvant too. 580 00:29:10.083 --> 00:29:13.375 What you all say don't count with me, you understand? 581 00:29:13.458 --> 00:29:16.375 Ma listen to her heart. Ma listen to the voice inside her. 582 00:29:16.458 --> 00:29:17.833 That's what count with Ma. 583 00:29:18.625 --> 00:29:20.250 Carry my nephew on down there. 584 00:29:20.333 --> 00:29:23.500 Tell Cutler he'll do the voice intro to the "Black Bottom" song. 585 00:29:23.583 --> 00:29:25.166 Levee ain't messing up my song. 586 00:29:25.250 --> 00:29:27.000 If that don't set right with you and Sturdyvant, 587 00:29:27.083 --> 00:29:29.583 I can carry my black bottom on back down South to my tour, 588 00:29:29.666 --> 00:29:31.625 'cause I don't like it up here noways. 589 00:29:32.291 --> 00:29:34.125 Okay, Ma. 590 00:29:35.125 --> 00:29:36.083 I don't care. 591 00:29:38.583 --> 00:29:40.625 -I just thought-- -Damn what you thought! 592 00:29:40.708 --> 00:29:43.125 What you look like trying to tell me how to sing my song. 593 00:29:43.208 --> 00:29:45.833 That Levee and Sturdyvant shit, I ain't going for it. 594 00:29:47.708 --> 00:29:51.041 Sylvester, go introduce yourself. I'm through playing with Irvin. 595 00:29:51.125 --> 00:29:53.875 Uh… Where I go? Which way they at? 596 00:29:55.041 --> 00:29:57.375 Come on. I'll carry you down there myself. 597 00:29:57.458 --> 00:29:59.208 Can I go? I want to see the band. 598 00:29:59.291 --> 00:30:00.541 No. Come on, Sylvester. 599 00:30:01.166 --> 00:30:03.708 Okay, Ma. Have it your way, 600 00:30:04.291 --> 00:30:06.166 but we'll be ready to go in 15 minutes. 601 00:30:06.250 --> 00:30:08.291 We'll be ready to go when Madam says so. 602 00:30:08.375 --> 00:30:10.083 That's the way it go around here. 603 00:30:12.166 --> 00:30:13.208 Perfect. 604 00:30:13.291 --> 00:30:14.666 [upbeat music playing] 605 00:30:32.291 --> 00:30:34.250 Cutler, this here my nephew Sylvester. 606 00:30:34.333 --> 00:30:37.541 He'll do the voice intro on "Black Bottom" using the old version. 607 00:30:37.625 --> 00:30:39.916 What? Mr. Irvin said we're using my version. 608 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:41.541 I ain't studying you or Mr. Irvin. 609 00:30:41.625 --> 00:30:43.541 Cutler, get him straightened out on how to do his part. 610 00:30:43.625 --> 00:30:44.750 I ain't thinking about Levee. 611 00:30:44.833 --> 00:30:47.000 These folks done messed with the wrong person. 612 00:30:47.083 --> 00:30:50.791 Cutler gonna teach you how to do your part. Go ahead and get it straight. 613 00:30:50.875 --> 00:30:52.958 Don't worry about what nobody else say. 614 00:30:53.041 --> 00:30:54.125 [Cutler laughing] 615 00:30:55.666 --> 00:30:58.250 Hey, come on in, boy. I'm Cutler. [chuckles] 616 00:30:58.333 --> 00:31:01.875 That's Toledo, Levee, and Slow Drag over there. 617 00:31:01.958 --> 00:31:04.166 -Sylvester, huh? -Sylvester Brown. 618 00:31:04.250 --> 00:31:05.750 I wrote a version of that song, 619 00:31:05.833 --> 00:31:08.541 what picks it up and sets it down in the people's lap, 620 00:31:08.625 --> 00:31:10.416 and here she come talking this. 621 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:14.000 You don't need that old circus bullshit. I know what I'm talking about. 622 00:31:14.083 --> 00:31:16.291 You gonna mess up the song, Cutler, and you know it. 623 00:31:16.375 --> 00:31:17.750 I ain't gonna mess up nothing. Ma say-- 624 00:31:17.833 --> 00:31:19.458 I don't care what Ma say! 625 00:31:20.041 --> 00:31:22.500 I'm talking about what the intro gonna do to the song. 626 00:31:22.583 --> 00:31:25.333 The peoples in the North ain't gonna go for that old tent-show nonsense. 627 00:31:25.416 --> 00:31:27.041 -They wanna hear some music. -[Cutler] Nigga. 628 00:31:27.125 --> 00:31:29.791 I done told you time and again. Ma say what to play, not you. 629 00:31:29.875 --> 00:31:32.833 You ain't here to be doing no creating. You play whatever Ma say. 630 00:31:32.916 --> 00:31:35.208 I might not play nothing. I might just quit. 631 00:31:35.291 --> 00:31:38.208 Nigga, don't nobody care if you quit. Whose heart you gonna break? 632 00:31:38.291 --> 00:31:39.458 Levee ain't gonna quit. 633 00:31:39.541 --> 00:31:41.666 He need to make money to keep him in shoe polish. 634 00:31:41.750 --> 00:31:44.250 -[scoffs] -[all laughing] 635 00:31:44.333 --> 00:31:47.583 I done told y'all you don't know me. You don't know what I'll do. 636 00:31:47.666 --> 00:31:50.125 I don't think nobody give a damn. Sylvester, look here. 637 00:31:50.208 --> 00:31:52.791 The band plays the intro, and then you say, 638 00:31:52.875 --> 00:31:55.208 "All right, boys, you done seen the rest." 639 00:31:55.291 --> 00:31:56.833 "Now I'm gonna show you the best." 640 00:31:56.916 --> 00:31:59.833 "Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black bottom." 641 00:32:00.416 --> 00:32:03.541 You got that? Heh. All right, let me hear you do it one time. 642 00:32:05.791 --> 00:32:08.083 All right, boys, you done s… s… [stuttering] 643 00:32:09.583 --> 00:32:10.625 …seen the rest. 644 00:32:11.333 --> 00:32:12.458 [stammering] 645 00:32:12.541 --> 00:32:14.166 Now I'm gonna show you the best. 646 00:32:15.125 --> 00:32:19.166 Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black b… b… b… 647 00:32:19.250 --> 00:32:21.083 [stuttering] 648 00:32:21.166 --> 00:32:22.250 …bottom. 649 00:32:22.333 --> 00:32:26.791 [scoffs] All right, Cutler. Let me see you fix that. 650 00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:28.958 Straighten that out. 651 00:32:29.041 --> 00:32:31.750 Slow Drag, whoo, you hear this shit? 652 00:32:31.833 --> 00:32:34.583 How in the hell the boy gonna do the part if he can't even talk? 653 00:32:34.666 --> 00:32:37.750 [stuttering] Who… Who's you to tell me what to do, nigga? 654 00:32:37.833 --> 00:32:41.041 This ain't your band. Ma tell me to d… do it, I'mma do it. 655 00:32:41.625 --> 00:32:44.375 So you can go to hell… n… n… nigga. 656 00:32:45.250 --> 00:32:46.958 [laughs] 657 00:32:47.041 --> 00:32:50.625 [mockingly] B… Boy, ain't nobody studying you. Cutler, go on and fix that. 658 00:32:51.208 --> 00:32:53.750 You fix that and I'll shine your shoes for you. 659 00:32:53.833 --> 00:32:55.375 Go on and fix that one. 660 00:32:55.458 --> 00:32:58.958 You say, uh, you Ma's nephew? 661 00:32:59.041 --> 00:33:00.750 Yeah, so what that mean? 662 00:33:00.833 --> 00:33:03.250 Oh, I ain't meant nothing. I was just asking. 663 00:33:03.333 --> 00:33:05.250 Let's rehearse so the boy can get it right. 664 00:33:05.333 --> 00:33:07.083 I ain't rehearsing nothing. 665 00:33:07.166 --> 00:33:08.750 Just wait till I get my band together. 666 00:33:08.833 --> 00:33:11.458 I'm gonna record that song and show you how it's supposed to go. 667 00:33:11.541 --> 00:33:14.375 We can do it without Levee. Sylvester, you remember your part? 668 00:33:14.458 --> 00:33:17.666 Yeah, I… I remember pretty g… good. 669 00:33:18.666 --> 00:33:20.958 Well, come on. Let's do it then. All right? 670 00:33:21.750 --> 00:33:23.958 [piano music playing] 671 00:33:24.041 --> 00:33:24.916 Levee. 672 00:33:25.583 --> 00:33:27.000 [footsteps approaching] 673 00:33:30.583 --> 00:33:32.625 Good, you boys are rehearsing, I see. 674 00:33:32.708 --> 00:33:36.375 Yessir, we rehearsing. We know them songs real good. 675 00:33:36.458 --> 00:33:39.041 Good. Say, Levee, did you finish that song? 676 00:33:39.750 --> 00:33:41.750 Yessir, Mr. Sturdyvant. I got it right here. 677 00:33:42.333 --> 00:33:45.041 I wrote that other part just like you say. It go like… 678 00:33:45.625 --> 00:33:48.125 ♪ You can swing it You can bring it ♪ 679 00:33:48.208 --> 00:33:51.041 ♪ You can dance at any hall ♪ 680 00:33:51.125 --> 00:33:54.291 ♪ You can slide across the floor You'll never have to stall ♪ 681 00:33:54.375 --> 00:33:56.250 ♪ My jelly roll ♪ 682 00:33:56.333 --> 00:33:58.333 Then I wrote that part for the other people to dance, 683 00:33:58.416 --> 00:34:00.125 like you say, for them to forget about their troubles. 684 00:34:00.208 --> 00:34:03.083 Good. I'll see about your songs as soon as I get the chance. 685 00:34:03.166 --> 00:34:05.750 -I'll just take this. -Yessir, Mr. Sturdyvant. 686 00:34:06.416 --> 00:34:08.083 Soon as you get the chance. 687 00:34:09.166 --> 00:34:11.250 [all laughing] 688 00:34:11.333 --> 00:34:12.875 [Cutler] You hear Levee? You hear this nigga? 689 00:34:12.958 --> 00:34:14.583 "Yessir, we's rehearsing, boss." 690 00:34:14.666 --> 00:34:17.583 I heard him. Seen him too. Shuffling them feet. 691 00:34:17.666 --> 00:34:20.041 [Toledo] Yeah, well, Levee can't help it none. 692 00:34:20.125 --> 00:34:24.291 He's spooked up by the white man. Ain't had time to study 'em. 693 00:34:24.375 --> 00:34:27.125 I studies the white man, I got him studied good. 694 00:34:27.208 --> 00:34:30.666 The first time one fixes on me wrong, I'm gonna show him just how much I study. 695 00:34:30.750 --> 00:34:32.708 Come tell me I'm spooked up by the white man. 696 00:34:32.791 --> 00:34:35.541 You let one mess with me, I'll show you how spooked up I am. 697 00:34:35.625 --> 00:34:38.541 The man come in here, call you a boy, 698 00:34:38.625 --> 00:34:41.208 tell you to get up off your ass and rehearse, 699 00:34:41.291 --> 00:34:43.458 and you ain't had nothing to say except, "Yessir!" 700 00:34:43.541 --> 00:34:44.833 [all laughing] 701 00:34:46.166 --> 00:34:49.375 I can say "yessir" to whoever I please. What you got to do with it? 702 00:34:49.458 --> 00:34:52.458 I know how to handle white folks. I been handling them for 32 years. 703 00:34:52.541 --> 00:34:54.041 You gonna tell me how to do it? 704 00:34:54.125 --> 00:34:56.541 Just 'cause I say "yessir," don't mean I'm spooked up by him. 705 00:34:56.625 --> 00:34:59.000 I know what I'm doing. Let me handle him my way. 706 00:34:59.083 --> 00:35:00.500 [Cutler] Well, go and handle it then. 707 00:35:00.583 --> 00:35:02.416 Toledo, you always messing with somebody. 708 00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:06.125 Always agitating somebody with that old philosophy bullshit. 709 00:35:06.208 --> 00:35:08.541 You stay out of my way about what I do and say. 710 00:35:08.625 --> 00:35:11.083 I'm my own person. Just let me alone. 711 00:35:11.166 --> 00:35:15.000 All right, all right. Levee, you right. I apologize. 712 00:35:15.083 --> 00:35:17.791 Ain't none of my business you spooked up by the white man. 713 00:35:17.875 --> 00:35:20.250 -[all laughing] -See, that's the shit I'm talking about. 714 00:35:20.333 --> 00:35:22.166 Y'all back up and leave Levee alone. 715 00:35:22.250 --> 00:35:24.833 Oh, come on, Levee. We was all just having fun. 716 00:35:24.916 --> 00:35:27.125 Toledo ain't said nothing about you he ain't said about me. 717 00:35:27.208 --> 00:35:28.333 You just taking it all wrong. 718 00:35:28.416 --> 00:35:29.625 I ain't meant nothing by it. 719 00:35:29.708 --> 00:35:31.500 Levee got to be Levee! 720 00:35:32.125 --> 00:35:35.041 He don't need nobody messing with him about the white man! 721 00:35:35.875 --> 00:35:39.000 'Cause you don't know nothing about me. You don't know Levee. 722 00:35:39.083 --> 00:35:41.333 You don't know nothing about what kind of blood I got! 723 00:35:41.416 --> 00:35:43.375 What kind of a heart I got beating here! 724 00:35:46.125 --> 00:35:47.708 I was eight years old 725 00:35:48.291 --> 00:35:50.708 when a gang of white mans come into my daddy's house 726 00:35:50.791 --> 00:35:53.208 and have to do with my mama any way they want. 727 00:35:54.708 --> 00:35:59.291 We was living in Jefferson County, about eight miles outside of Natchez. 728 00:35:59.375 --> 00:36:02.666 My daddy's name was Memphis. Memphis Lee Green. 729 00:36:02.750 --> 00:36:07.041 Had him near 50 acres of good farming land. I'm talking good land. 730 00:36:07.125 --> 00:36:08.708 Grow anything you want. 731 00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:11.500 He done gone off of shares and bought this land 732 00:36:11.583 --> 00:36:14.125 from Mr. Hallie's widow woman after he done passed on. 733 00:36:14.208 --> 00:36:17.166 Folks called him a uppity nigger 'cause he done saved and borrowed 734 00:36:17.250 --> 00:36:19.875 to where he could buy this land and be independent. 735 00:36:21.125 --> 00:36:22.833 It was coming on planting time, 736 00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:26.916 and my daddy went into Natchez to get him some seed and fertilizer. 737 00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:31.500 Called me, say, "Levee, you the man of the house now." 738 00:36:33.333 --> 00:36:35.458 "Take care of your mama while I'm gone." 739 00:36:38.416 --> 00:36:39.958 I wasn't but a little boy. 740 00:36:41.541 --> 00:36:42.875 Eight years old. 741 00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:47.083 My mama… 742 00:36:48.291 --> 00:36:51.416 was frying up some chicken when them mans come in the house. 743 00:36:52.333 --> 00:36:54.125 Must have been eight or nine of 'em. 744 00:36:55.458 --> 00:36:59.875 She's standing there frying that chicken when them mans come and took a hold of her 745 00:36:59.958 --> 00:37:04.541 just like you take hold of a mule and make it do what you want. 746 00:37:08.541 --> 00:37:10.041 There was my mama… 747 00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:13.208 with a gang of white mans. 748 00:37:17.750 --> 00:37:19.666 She tried to fight 'em off. 749 00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:23.750 I could see where  it wasn't gonna do her any good. 750 00:37:25.041 --> 00:37:27.125 I didn't know what they was doing to her, 751 00:37:27.208 --> 00:37:30.541 but I figured whatever it was, they might as well do to me too. 752 00:37:32.666 --> 00:37:36.625 My daddy had a knife he kept around there for hunting and working and whatnot. 753 00:37:36.708 --> 00:37:39.708 And I knew where he kept it. I went and got it. 754 00:37:42.125 --> 00:37:47.125 I'm gonna show you how spooked up I was by the white man. 755 00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:51.875 I tried my damnedest to cut one of them's throat. 756 00:37:53.208 --> 00:37:54.750 I hit him on the shoulder. 757 00:37:55.875 --> 00:37:57.541 He reached back, grabbed hold of that knife, 758 00:37:57.625 --> 00:38:00.041 and whacked me across the chest with it. 759 00:38:03.916 --> 00:38:05.000 [sniffles] 760 00:38:05.833 --> 00:38:07.416 That's what made them stop. 761 00:38:08.833 --> 00:38:11.041 They was scared I was gonna bleed to death. 762 00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:14.791 My mama wrapped me in a blanket, 763 00:38:14.875 --> 00:38:18.000 carried me two miles down to the Furlow place 764 00:38:18.083 --> 00:38:20.333 and they drove me up to Doc Albans. 765 00:38:20.416 --> 00:38:23.958 He was waiting on a calf to be born, and he say he ain't had time to see me. 766 00:38:25.125 --> 00:38:27.375 They carried me to Miss Etta, the midwife, 767 00:38:28.541 --> 00:38:30.000 and she fixed me up. 768 00:38:32.333 --> 00:38:33.791 My daddy came back 769 00:38:34.791 --> 00:38:37.708 and acted like he done accepted the facts of what happened. 770 00:38:38.208 --> 00:38:40.583 He got the names of them mans from Mama. 771 00:38:41.708 --> 00:38:43.000 He found out who they was, 772 00:38:43.083 --> 00:38:45.333 and then we announced we was moving out that county. 773 00:38:45.416 --> 00:38:47.916 We said goodbye to everybody, all the neighbors. 774 00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:50.291 [breathes deeply] 775 00:38:50.375 --> 00:38:53.375 My daddy went and smiled in the face of one of them crackers 776 00:38:53.458 --> 00:38:54.916 who had been with my mama. 777 00:38:57.125 --> 00:38:58.708 Smiled in his face… 778 00:38:59.958 --> 00:39:01.625 and sold him our land. 779 00:39:03.833 --> 00:39:06.500 We moved over with relations in Caldwell. 780 00:39:07.208 --> 00:39:09.000 He got us settled in, 781 00:39:09.708 --> 00:39:12.875 and then he took off one day. I ain't never seen him since. 782 00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.958 [chuckles sadly] 783 00:39:18.041 --> 00:39:19.375 He sneaked back. 784 00:39:21.125 --> 00:39:22.666 Hiding up in the woods, 785 00:39:23.541 --> 00:39:26.083 laying to get them eight or nine men. 786 00:39:29.083 --> 00:39:31.500 He got four of them before they got him. 787 00:39:33.125 --> 00:39:34.291 [chuckles] 788 00:39:38.083 --> 00:39:39.583 [inhales deeply] 789 00:39:39.666 --> 00:39:41.625 They tracked him down in the woods. 790 00:39:44.166 --> 00:39:45.625 Caught up with him, hung him… 791 00:39:47.166 --> 00:39:48.333 set him afire. 792 00:39:53.208 --> 00:39:56.875 My daddy wasn't spooked up by the white man. No, sir. 793 00:39:57.958 --> 00:40:00.208 And that taught me how to handle them. 794 00:40:01.291 --> 00:40:05.791 I seen my daddy go up and grin in this cracker's face. 795 00:40:05.875 --> 00:40:08.291 [laughs scornfully] 796 00:40:08.375 --> 00:40:11.541 Smile in his face and sell him his land. 797 00:40:11.625 --> 00:40:15.208 All the while, he's planning how he's gonna get him 798 00:40:16.083 --> 00:40:17.625 and what he's gonna do to him. 799 00:40:19.333 --> 00:40:21.208 That taught me how to handle them. 800 00:40:23.166 --> 00:40:27.000 So you all just back up and leave Levee alone about the white man. 801 00:40:27.833 --> 00:40:31.416 I can smile and say "yessir" to whoever I please. 802 00:40:31.500 --> 00:40:33.458 I got my time coming to me. 803 00:40:36.791 --> 00:40:39.416 You all just leave Levee alone about the white man. 804 00:40:57.500 --> 00:41:00.583 [Toledo] ♪ Everybody ♪ 805 00:41:03.375 --> 00:41:06.666 Everybody come from different places in Africa, right? 806 00:41:06.750 --> 00:41:08.416 Different tribes and things. 807 00:41:09.500 --> 00:41:11.958 Soon awhile they began to make one big stew. 808 00:41:12.666 --> 00:41:16.583 You had your, uh, carrots and your peas, 809 00:41:16.666 --> 00:41:18.541 and your potatoes over here. 810 00:41:18.625 --> 00:41:21.000 And over there, you had your meat and nuts, 811 00:41:21.083 --> 00:41:23.208 uh, okra, corn. 812 00:41:23.291 --> 00:41:28.041 And you mix it up, cook it real good to where the flavors flow through. 813 00:41:28.125 --> 00:41:29.875 And then you got one thing. 814 00:41:29.958 --> 00:41:32.041 You got a stew. 815 00:41:33.041 --> 00:41:36.041 Now you take and you eat that stew. 816 00:41:36.125 --> 00:41:40.541 You take and you make your history with that stew. 817 00:41:41.708 --> 00:41:45.250 But you look around and you see some carrots over there, 818 00:41:45.333 --> 00:41:48.083 and some peas over here. 819 00:41:48.875 --> 00:41:53.208 And… that stew is still there. 820 00:41:54.583 --> 00:41:58.708 Hmm. You done made your history and it's still there. 821 00:42:00.708 --> 00:42:03.541 You can't eat it all. [laughs] 822 00:42:06.875 --> 00:42:07.958 What you got? 823 00:42:08.916 --> 00:42:12.000 You got some leftovers. That's what it is. 824 00:42:13.416 --> 00:42:15.500 [plays piano] 825 00:42:15.583 --> 00:42:21.875 See, we's the leftovers. The colored man, he is the leftovers. Huh. 826 00:42:21.958 --> 00:42:23.250 [piano continues playing] 827 00:42:36.166 --> 00:42:38.083 What's the colored man gonna do with himself? 828 00:42:39.500 --> 00:42:40.708 [sighs] 829 00:42:40.791 --> 00:42:42.708 That's what we're waiting to find out. 830 00:42:48.750 --> 00:42:53.875 But first he's got to know that he's a leftover. 831 00:43:03.166 --> 00:43:04.833 [upbeat jazz music playing] 832 00:43:22.750 --> 00:43:23.750 [Cutler] Mr. Irvin. 833 00:43:27.416 --> 00:43:29.500 I ain't got nothing to do with it, but… 834 00:43:31.041 --> 00:43:32.541 the boy can't do the part. 835 00:43:32.625 --> 00:43:34.625 He stutters right through it every time. 836 00:43:35.500 --> 00:43:38.875 It's a whole different bottom, though. It's a whole different style. 837 00:43:38.958 --> 00:43:41.875 [Cutler] Relax and breathe, and everything's gonna be all right. 838 00:43:41.958 --> 00:43:44.208 I'm just gonna cue you in… 839 00:43:44.291 --> 00:43:47.166 [Slow Drag] I know where the four is, man. Don't got to tell me nothing. 840 00:43:47.250 --> 00:43:51.125 [Cutler] You're gonna smile and say the line. Then we gonna get goin'. 841 00:43:51.208 --> 00:43:53.208 -Cutler. -Ma'am? 842 00:43:53.291 --> 00:43:55.750 [Slow Drag] I know it's on the four… 843 00:43:55.833 --> 00:43:58.875 Levee got his eyes in the wrong place. You better school him, Cutler. 844 00:43:58.958 --> 00:44:02.208 Come on, Levee. Let's get ready to play. Keep your mind on your work. 845 00:44:02.291 --> 00:44:05.500 Okay, boys. Here we go. Here we go. Here we go. 846 00:44:06.083 --> 00:44:09.000 "Moonshine Blues" first. "Moonshine Blues," Ma. 847 00:44:09.083 --> 00:44:11.666 I ain't doing no moonshine nothing. I'm doing "Black Bottom" first. 848 00:44:11.750 --> 00:44:13.583 Come on, Sylvester. Where's Sylvester's mic? 849 00:44:13.666 --> 00:44:15.250 Irvin, get him a mic. 850 00:44:15.333 --> 00:44:18.833 Uh… Ma, the boys say he can't do it. 851 00:44:19.416 --> 00:44:22.958 Who? Who say he can't do it? What boys say he can't do it? 852 00:44:24.125 --> 00:44:25.791 The band, Ma. The boys in the band. 853 00:44:27.916 --> 00:44:28.958 What band? 854 00:44:30.833 --> 00:44:31.958 Band work for me. 855 00:44:32.041 --> 00:44:34.625 [Irvin] He stutters, Ma. They say he stutters. 856 00:44:34.708 --> 00:44:36.541 I don't care if he do. 857 00:44:36.625 --> 00:44:39.791 I promised the boy he could do the part, so he gonna do it. 858 00:44:39.875 --> 00:44:43.458 And that's all there is to it. He don't stutter all the time. 859 00:44:43.541 --> 00:44:45.166 Get a microphone down here for him. 860 00:44:45.250 --> 00:44:46.625 We don't have time. We can't-- 861 00:44:46.708 --> 00:44:48.458 If you wanna make a record, find the time. 862 00:44:48.541 --> 00:44:51.125 I ain't playing with you. I could walk out of here right now. 863 00:44:51.208 --> 00:44:53.458 Go back to my tour. I don't need to go through all this. 864 00:44:53.541 --> 00:44:55.916 Go get the boy a microphone. 865 00:45:01.625 --> 00:45:04.208 Levee, I know you had something to do with this. Watch yourself. 866 00:45:04.291 --> 00:45:05.291 It was Cutler. 867 00:45:05.375 --> 00:45:08.250 It was you. You the only one… [stuttering] 868 00:45:08.333 --> 00:45:09.958 The boy stutter. He can't do the part. 869 00:45:10.041 --> 00:45:11.541 Can or can't, he gonna do it. 870 00:45:11.625 --> 00:45:13.791 -You ain't got nothing to do with it. -I don't care. 871 00:45:13.875 --> 00:45:17.083 -He can sing the whole song. -Well, all right. Thank you. 872 00:45:17.166 --> 00:45:19.125 He's only getting one chance. The cost of this-- 873 00:45:19.208 --> 00:45:21.750 Damn the cost. You always talking about the cost. 874 00:45:21.833 --> 00:45:24.708 I make more money for this outfit than anybody else you got put together. 875 00:45:24.791 --> 00:45:27.416 If he mess up, he'll do it till he get it right. 876 00:45:30.875 --> 00:45:33.291 Come on, baby. Come on. Come. 877 00:45:33.916 --> 00:45:37.416 Stand right there. Hold your hands like I told you to. Okay. Come on. 878 00:45:38.625 --> 00:45:40.541 All right. Don't worry about messing up. 879 00:45:40.625 --> 00:45:42.708 You mess up, we'll do it till you get it right. 880 00:45:42.791 --> 00:45:44.958 All right. Play it for him, Cutler. 881 00:45:45.041 --> 00:45:45.916 All right. 882 00:45:46.000 --> 00:45:49.583 One, two, you know what to do. 883 00:45:51.375 --> 00:45:52.333 All right, boys, 884 00:45:53.208 --> 00:45:57.041 [stuttering] you done seen the best. 885 00:45:57.833 --> 00:45:59.125 Now I'm gonna show you the rest. 886 00:45:59.750 --> 00:46:03.666 Ma Rainey's gonna show you her b… b… b… 887 00:46:03.750 --> 00:46:06.041 black b… bottom. 888 00:46:06.583 --> 00:46:10.000 That's real good, baby. You take your time. You'll get it right. 889 00:46:10.083 --> 00:46:12.083 [Irvin] Okay, Ma. We're ready to go. 890 00:46:12.166 --> 00:46:14.875 -Where's my Coke? -"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," boys. 891 00:46:14.958 --> 00:46:18.750 Where's my Coke? I need a Coke. Hot as it is. Shit. I need a Coke. 892 00:46:18.833 --> 00:46:19.750 What's the matter, Ma? 893 00:46:19.833 --> 00:46:21.916 Where's my Coke? I need a cold Coca-Cola. 894 00:46:22.458 --> 00:46:23.833 Uh, Ma, look… 895 00:46:24.875 --> 00:46:26.125 I forgot the Coke. 896 00:46:26.708 --> 00:46:29.416 Let's do it without it, huh? Just this one song. What say, boys? 897 00:46:29.500 --> 00:46:33.083 Damn what the band say. You supposed to have my Coca-Cola. You knew that. 898 00:46:33.166 --> 00:46:34.791 I ain't doing nothing without my Coca-Cola. 899 00:46:35.416 --> 00:46:36.916 -Shit. -[Mel] Just a minute here, Ma. 900 00:46:37.000 --> 00:46:38.375 You come in an hour late-- 901 00:46:38.458 --> 00:46:40.958 Get out my face. Irvin, I told you keep him away from me. 902 00:46:41.041 --> 00:46:43.041 I'm tired of her nonsense. I'm not gonna put up with this. 903 00:46:43.125 --> 00:46:45.000 Let me. Ma, listen. 904 00:46:45.083 --> 00:46:48.375 I'll call down to the deli and get you a Coke. But let's get started. 905 00:46:48.458 --> 00:46:51.291 Sylvester's standing there ready to go, the band's all set up. 906 00:46:51.375 --> 00:46:52.833 Let's do this one song. 907 00:46:52.916 --> 00:46:55.000 Too cheap to buy me a Coca-Cola. I'll buy my own. 908 00:46:55.083 --> 00:46:57.083 Slow Drag, Sylvester. Go on, baby. 909 00:46:57.166 --> 00:47:01.125 Get me three bottles of Coca-Cola, ice cold. Get y'all something too. 910 00:47:01.208 --> 00:47:02.250 -Keep the change. -Yes, ma'am. 911 00:47:03.208 --> 00:47:04.958 Irvin, get away from me. Shit. 912 00:47:05.041 --> 00:47:07.458 You can wait till I get my Coca-Cola. Ain't gonna kill you. 913 00:47:07.541 --> 00:47:09.958 Okay, Ma. Get your Coke. 914 00:47:10.041 --> 00:47:11.500 Gentlemen, the band room. 915 00:47:12.083 --> 00:47:14.166 Christ sakes, get your Coke. 916 00:47:18.708 --> 00:47:19.875 Cutler. 917 00:47:21.500 --> 00:47:23.208 Come here a minute. I need to talk to you. 918 00:47:28.416 --> 00:47:30.125 [horns honking] 919 00:47:34.291 --> 00:47:36.375 -[bell dinging] -[indistinct chatter] 920 00:47:36.458 --> 00:47:37.875 [chatter stops] 921 00:47:41.916 --> 00:47:45.125 What's all this shit about "the boys in the band said"? 922 00:47:45.208 --> 00:47:47.166 I tells you what to do. 923 00:47:47.250 --> 00:47:50.625 I says what the matter is with the band. I say who can and can't do what. 924 00:47:50.708 --> 00:47:52.250 We just say 'cause the boy stutter. 925 00:47:52.333 --> 00:47:54.416 I know he stutters. Don't you think I know? 926 00:47:54.500 --> 00:47:55.833 This is what gonna help him. 927 00:47:55.916 --> 00:47:57.166 We thought it'd be easier-- 928 00:47:57.250 --> 00:47:58.916 He gonna do the part. I don't wanna hear any more of this shit 929 00:47:59.000 --> 00:48:01.000 about what the boys in the band says. 930 00:48:05.916 --> 00:48:09.625 And I want you to find somebody to replace Levee when we get to Memphis. 931 00:48:09.708 --> 00:48:11.333 Levee ain't nothing but trouble. 932 00:48:11.416 --> 00:48:12.666 Levee all right. 933 00:48:12.750 --> 00:48:15.250 He plays good music when he puts his mind to it. 934 00:48:15.333 --> 00:48:17.500 -He know how to write music too. -I don't care. 935 00:48:17.583 --> 00:48:18.625 He ain't nothing but bad news. 936 00:48:18.708 --> 00:48:21.166 Find somebody else. He the ringtail leader. 937 00:48:21.250 --> 00:48:23.666 I know it was his idea who to say who can do what. 938 00:48:23.750 --> 00:48:27.208 Dussie Mae! Sit your ass down and stop flaunting yourself around. 939 00:48:27.291 --> 00:48:28.375 I ain't doing nothing. 940 00:48:28.458 --> 00:48:30.583 Just go somewhere and stay out of the way. 941 00:48:38.333 --> 00:48:39.250 [door shuts] 942 00:48:45.708 --> 00:48:48.541 [humming] 943 00:48:48.625 --> 00:48:51.458 ♪ You can slide across the floor ♪ 944 00:48:51.541 --> 00:48:54.916 ♪ You'll never have to stall My jelly roll ♪ 945 00:48:55.000 --> 00:48:59.833 ♪ Oh, my jelly roll My jelly roll ♪ 946 00:48:59.916 --> 00:49:02.833 Hi. I just wanted to see what it look like down here. 947 00:49:03.625 --> 00:49:04.958 Well, come on in. 948 00:49:05.791 --> 00:49:06.791 I don't bite. 949 00:49:09.125 --> 00:49:10.541 I didn't know you could write music. 950 00:49:10.625 --> 00:49:13.416 I just thought you was jiving me at the club last night. 951 00:49:13.500 --> 00:49:15.666 No, baby. I knows how to write music. 952 00:49:15.750 --> 00:49:18.000 I done give some of my songs to Mr. Sturdyvant. 953 00:49:18.083 --> 00:49:19.583 He say he gonna let me record 'em. 954 00:49:19.666 --> 00:49:21.375 I'm gonna have my own band. 955 00:49:21.458 --> 00:49:25.541 Hey, Toledo. Ain't I give Mr. Sturdyvant some of my songs I wrote? 956 00:49:26.125 --> 00:49:27.916 Don't get Toledo mixed up in nothing. 957 00:49:29.708 --> 00:49:31.666 You gonna have your own band, sure enough? 958 00:49:32.250 --> 00:49:36.333 -Levee Green and his Footstompers. -[giggles] 959 00:49:36.416 --> 00:49:39.791 A man what's gonna get his own band need to have a woman like you. 960 00:49:39.875 --> 00:49:43.166 A woman like me need a man to bring it and put it in my hand. 961 00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:45.583 I don't need nobody getting something for nothing 962 00:49:45.666 --> 00:49:47.458 and leave me standing in my door. 963 00:49:47.541 --> 00:49:51.041 That ain't Levee's style, sugar. I knows how to treat a woman. 964 00:49:51.625 --> 00:49:54.625 Buy her presents and things. Treat her like she want to be treated. 965 00:49:54.708 --> 00:49:57.833 That's what they all say till it come time to be buying the presents. 966 00:49:57.916 --> 00:50:01.625 When we get down to Memphis, I'm gonna take you out, 967 00:50:01.708 --> 00:50:03.375 show you a good time. 968 00:50:04.208 --> 00:50:06.291 Show you Levee know how to treat a woman. 969 00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:13.000 Ma. 970 00:50:14.750 --> 00:50:18.916 This "Moonshine Blues," that's one of them songs that Bessie Smith sangs, I believe. 971 00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:19.916 Bessie what? 972 00:50:20.500 --> 00:50:21.791 I ain't thinking about Bessie. 973 00:50:22.333 --> 00:50:24.958 Shit. I taught Bessie. Bessie ain't doing nothing but imitating me. 974 00:50:25.041 --> 00:50:28.166 What I care about Bessie? I don't care if she sell a million record. 975 00:50:28.250 --> 00:50:31.250 She got her people. I got mine. I don't care what nobody else do. 976 00:50:31.333 --> 00:50:33.000 Ma was the first. Don't you forget it. 977 00:50:33.083 --> 00:50:34.416 Nobody said nothing about all that. 978 00:50:34.500 --> 00:50:36.541 -I'm saying that's the song she sang. -I've been doing this a long time. 979 00:50:36.625 --> 00:50:39.666 Ever since I was a little girl. I don't care what nobody else do. 980 00:50:39.750 --> 00:50:42.250 Shoot. That's what get me so mad with Irvin. 981 00:50:43.583 --> 00:50:45.375 White folks try to be put out with you all the time. 982 00:50:45.458 --> 00:50:47.750 Too cheap to buy you a damn Coca-Cola. 983 00:50:47.833 --> 00:50:50.291 I lets them know it, though. Ma don't stand for no shit. 984 00:50:51.041 --> 00:50:52.083 Shoot. 985 00:50:52.166 --> 00:50:55.166 They wanna take your voice and trap it in all them fancy boxes 986 00:50:55.250 --> 00:50:59.666 with all them buttons and dials, and then too cheap to buy you a Coca-Cola. 987 00:51:00.250 --> 00:51:02.166 Don't cost but a nickel a bottle. 988 00:51:04.791 --> 00:51:05.708 [door slams shut] 989 00:51:06.833 --> 00:51:08.791 They don't care nothing about me. 990 00:51:11.958 --> 00:51:15.083 All they want is my voice. 991 00:51:18.750 --> 00:51:20.083 Well, I done learned that. 992 00:51:22.125 --> 00:51:24.208 And they gonna treat me the way I want to be treated 993 00:51:24.291 --> 00:51:25.916 no matter how much it hurt 'em. 994 00:51:29.666 --> 00:51:32.500 They back there right now calling me all kinds of names. 995 00:51:32.583 --> 00:51:34.541 Calling me everything but a child of God. 996 00:51:35.166 --> 00:51:38.541 But they can't do nothing else 'cause they ain't got what they wanted yet. 997 00:51:39.375 --> 00:51:43.000 As soon as they get my voice down on one them recording machines, 998 00:51:43.750 --> 00:51:48.291 then it's just like I'd be some whore and they roll over and put their pants on. 999 00:51:48.375 --> 00:51:50.125 They ain't got no use for me then. 1000 00:51:52.000 --> 00:51:54.083 I know what I'm talking about. You watch. 1001 00:51:54.791 --> 00:51:57.500 And Irvin, he right there with the rest of them. 1002 00:51:57.583 --> 00:51:59.333 He don't care nothing about me either. 1003 00:52:00.041 --> 00:52:03.250 He's been my manager for six years, and the only time he had me over his house 1004 00:52:03.333 --> 00:52:05.083 was to sing for some of his white friends. 1005 00:52:05.166 --> 00:52:07.000 Huh. I know how they do. 1006 00:52:07.083 --> 00:52:09.666 Yeah. Shit, you colored and you can make 'em some money, 1007 00:52:09.750 --> 00:52:14.041 then you all right with them, otherwise you just a dog in the alley. 1008 00:52:14.958 --> 00:52:16.666 I done made them more money from my records 1009 00:52:16.750 --> 00:52:19.208 than all them other recording artists they got put together, 1010 00:52:19.291 --> 00:52:23.125 and then they wanna balk about how much this session is costing them. 1011 00:52:23.208 --> 00:52:25.375 I can't see how it's costing as much as they say. 1012 00:52:25.458 --> 00:52:28.208 Shit, it ain't. I don't pay that kind of talk no mind. 1013 00:52:32.250 --> 00:52:35.000 -I already got my fellas picked out. -Mmm-hmm. 1014 00:52:35.083 --> 00:52:39.208 I'm getting me some good fellas. Know how to play real sweet music. 1015 00:52:39.291 --> 00:52:42.583 You get your own band, we'll see about this stuff you talking. 1016 00:52:43.208 --> 00:52:45.916 I just wanna show you I knows what the womens like. 1017 00:52:46.000 --> 00:52:48.875 They don't call me Sweet Lemonade for nothing. 1018 00:52:48.958 --> 00:52:50.666 Stop it now. Somebody gonna come in here. 1019 00:52:50.750 --> 00:52:51.708 No, they ain't. 1020 00:52:53.166 --> 00:52:54.166 Look here, sugar. 1021 00:52:55.000 --> 00:52:56.666 What I wants to know is, 1022 00:52:57.416 --> 00:53:02.250 can I introduce my red rooster to your brown hen. 1023 00:53:09.208 --> 00:53:13.000 You get your own band and we'll see if your red rooster know how to crow. 1024 00:53:13.083 --> 00:53:15.625 -[Dussie Mae giggling] -[Levee whoops] 1025 00:53:15.708 --> 00:53:17.333 [Levee moaning] 1026 00:53:19.333 --> 00:53:20.666 [Dussie Mae laughing] 1027 00:53:21.708 --> 00:53:24.250 [Levee] Mmm. Damn, baby. 1028 00:53:24.333 --> 00:53:27.166 Now I know why my grandpappy sat on the front porch 1029 00:53:27.250 --> 00:53:30.375 with a straight razor when my grandma hung out the wash. 1030 00:53:30.458 --> 00:53:32.000 You crazy! 1031 00:53:32.083 --> 00:53:34.250 -[Dussie Mae laughing] -[Levee] Whoo! 1032 00:53:36.958 --> 00:53:40.958 I bet you sound like the midnight train to Alabama 1033 00:53:41.041 --> 00:53:43.625 when it crosses the Mason-Dixon Line. 1034 00:53:43.708 --> 00:53:44.750 [moans] 1035 00:53:47.833 --> 00:53:50.083 [Dussie Mae] How you get so crazy? 1036 00:53:50.166 --> 00:53:53.333 It's women like you that drive me so… 1037 00:53:54.958 --> 00:53:56.666 -Good God. -[laughing] 1038 00:53:57.250 --> 00:53:59.833 Happy birthday to the lady with the cakes. 1039 00:54:00.416 --> 00:54:02.875 [discordant notes play on piano] 1040 00:54:02.958 --> 00:54:04.416 [Dussie Mae moaning] 1041 00:54:04.500 --> 00:54:06.375 [both laugh] 1042 00:54:13.208 --> 00:54:15.000 Sure done got quiet in here. 1043 00:54:19.125 --> 00:54:21.208 I never could stand no silence. 1044 00:54:22.333 --> 00:54:25.458 I always got to have some music going on in my head somewhere. 1045 00:54:26.250 --> 00:54:27.875 It keeps things balanced. 1046 00:54:27.958 --> 00:54:30.125 Music will do that. It fills things up. 1047 00:54:31.458 --> 00:54:34.875 The more music you have in the world, the fuller it is. 1048 00:54:34.958 --> 00:54:37.916 I can agree with that. I got to have my music too. 1049 00:54:38.541 --> 00:54:40.875 White folk don't understand about the blues. 1050 00:54:41.875 --> 00:54:44.541 They hear it come out, but they don't know how it got there. 1051 00:54:46.208 --> 00:54:49.041 They don't understand that that's life's way of talking. 1052 00:54:50.208 --> 00:54:51.750 You don't sing to feel better. 1053 00:54:52.625 --> 00:54:55.500 You sing 'cause that's a way of understanding life. 1054 00:54:57.750 --> 00:55:00.208 The blues help you get out of bed in the morning. 1055 00:55:02.041 --> 00:55:04.250 You get up knowing you ain't alone. 1056 00:55:05.958 --> 00:55:07.791 There's something else in the world. 1057 00:55:09.208 --> 00:55:12.666 Something's been added by that song. 1058 00:55:15.458 --> 00:55:16.375 Mmm. 1059 00:55:19.541 --> 00:55:22.125 This be an empty world without the blues. 1060 00:55:22.208 --> 00:55:23.541 [both laugh] 1061 00:55:24.333 --> 00:55:25.166 Yeah. 1062 00:55:25.250 --> 00:55:28.708 I try to take that emptiness and fill it up with something. 1063 00:55:29.500 --> 00:55:31.125 Ooh! [chuckles] 1064 00:55:33.833 --> 00:55:37.208 I ain't started blues way of singing. Blues always been there. 1065 00:55:37.291 --> 00:55:39.000 But if they wanna call me the Mother of Blues, 1066 00:55:39.083 --> 00:55:41.208 that's all right with me. It don't hurt none. 1067 00:55:41.291 --> 00:55:42.625 [both laugh] 1068 00:55:43.708 --> 00:55:46.500 Sure did take y'all a long time. Sylvester, get Irvin. 1069 00:55:46.583 --> 00:55:47.708 Tell him we ready to go. 1070 00:55:47.791 --> 00:55:48.708 I'll grab Levee. 1071 00:55:53.041 --> 00:55:54.208 [Dussie Mae moans] 1072 00:55:54.291 --> 00:55:56.666 [Levee exhales] 1073 00:55:59.083 --> 00:56:00.041 [Levee] Ah… 1074 00:56:05.541 --> 00:56:07.250 [knocking at door] 1075 00:56:07.333 --> 00:56:09.708 Ma got her Coke, Levee. We about ready to start. 1076 00:56:09.791 --> 00:56:11.791 -[Levee whispers] Get this off me. -[Dussie Mae] Okay. 1077 00:56:11.875 --> 00:56:15.833 -[Levee whispers] Okay, gotta go. -[Dussie Mae whispers] Just go! 1078 00:56:15.916 --> 00:56:17.750 [Ma Rainey sipping loudly] 1079 00:56:30.041 --> 00:56:33.583 Okay, boys. "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," take one. 1080 00:56:34.916 --> 00:56:37.625 Two, you know what to do. 1081 00:56:38.208 --> 00:56:40.041 [blues music playing] 1082 00:56:40.125 --> 00:56:45.250 All right, boys, you… you… d… done… 1083 00:56:48.208 --> 00:56:49.333 Take two. 1084 00:56:50.125 --> 00:56:51.208 All right, boys, 1085 00:56:51.291 --> 00:56:54.458 you done seen the rest. Now I'm gonna show you the best. 1086 00:56:54.541 --> 00:56:58.208 Ma Rainey's gonna show you her… B… B… B… 1087 00:57:01.875 --> 00:57:03.000 Take… 1088 00:57:05.250 --> 00:57:06.166 [Ma Rainey] Hmm. 1089 00:57:07.166 --> 00:57:08.000 [sips loudly] 1090 00:57:12.416 --> 00:57:15.208 Ma, can we just do it without the… 1091 00:57:17.375 --> 00:57:18.458 Take six. 1092 00:57:22.875 --> 00:57:23.708 [yawns] 1093 00:57:26.375 --> 00:57:27.500 Take seven. 1094 00:57:29.708 --> 00:57:30.791 [blues music playing] 1095 00:57:30.875 --> 00:57:31.916 All right, boys, 1096 00:57:32.625 --> 00:57:36.000 you done seen the rest. Now I'm gonna show you the best. 1097 00:57:36.708 --> 00:57:38.958 Ma Rainey's gonna show you her black bottom. 1098 00:57:39.583 --> 00:57:42.875 ♪ Way down South in Alabamy ♪ 1099 00:57:44.250 --> 00:57:47.541 ♪ I got a friend they call Dancin' Sammy ♪ 1100 00:57:48.791 --> 00:57:52.416 ♪ Who's crazy About all the latest dances ♪ 1101 00:57:53.041 --> 00:57:57.333 ♪ Black bottom stomps And the new baby prances ♪ 1102 00:57:57.416 --> 00:58:01.833 ♪ The other night at a swell affair ♪ 1103 00:58:02.416 --> 00:58:05.916 ♪ Soon as the boys Found out that I was there ♪ 1104 00:58:06.000 --> 00:58:10.541 ♪ They said, "Come on, Ma Let's go to the cabaret" ♪ 1105 00:58:11.625 --> 00:58:15.208 ♪ When I got there, they began to say ♪ 1106 00:58:16.250 --> 00:58:19.916 ♪ "I wanna see that dance They call the black bottom" ♪ 1107 00:58:20.958 --> 00:58:23.083 ♪ "I wanna learn that dance" ♪ 1108 00:58:24.916 --> 00:58:29.458 ♪ "Wanna see the dance They call your big black bottom" ♪ 1109 00:58:30.166 --> 00:58:32.833 ♪ It'll put you in a trance ♪ 1110 00:58:34.500 --> 00:58:38.166 ♪ All the boys in the neighborhood ♪ 1111 00:58:38.250 --> 00:58:42.958 ♪ They say "Your black bottom is really good" ♪ 1112 00:58:44.250 --> 00:58:48.041 ♪ "Come on and show me Your black bottom" ♪ 1113 00:58:48.958 --> 00:58:52.208 ♪ "I wanna learn that dance" ♪ 1114 00:58:53.583 --> 00:58:57.583 ♪ I wanna see the dance They call the black bottom ♪ 1115 00:58:58.416 --> 00:59:01.041 ♪ I wanna learn that dance ♪ 1116 00:59:02.750 --> 00:59:07.750 ♪ Wanna see you do the dance You call your big black bottom ♪ 1117 00:59:07.833 --> 00:59:10.666 ♪ It'll put you in a trance ♪ 1118 00:59:12.208 --> 00:59:15.958 ♪ Early one morning 'Bout the break of day ♪ 1119 00:59:17.208 --> 00:59:21.041 ♪ Grandpa told Grandma, I heard him say ♪ 1120 00:59:21.916 --> 00:59:25.916 ♪ "Get on up and show your old man Your black bottom" ♪ 1121 00:59:26.416 --> 00:59:30.416 ♪ I wanna learn that dance Yes, sir ♪ 1122 00:59:31.500 --> 00:59:34.833 ♪ I wanna learn that dance ♪ 1123 00:59:38.583 --> 00:59:41.625 Okay, that's good, Ma. That sounded great. Good job, boys. 1124 00:59:41.708 --> 00:59:43.625 -See? I told you you could do it! -[laughs] 1125 00:59:43.708 --> 00:59:45.625 -[Cutler] He did good. -All you gotta do is set your mind to it. 1126 00:59:45.708 --> 00:59:47.250 -He did better than I thought he would. -My baby. 1127 00:59:47.333 --> 00:59:51.208 -Mwah. That's my baby. -Hey, boy. Hey, boys, Ma. 1128 00:59:51.291 --> 00:59:55.416 -Yeah! -Hey, let's do "Moonshine Blues" next? 1129 00:59:56.083 --> 00:59:57.125 "Moonshine Blues," boys. 1130 00:59:57.208 --> 01:00:00.958 Irv? Something happened with the recording. Check that mic. 1131 01:00:01.500 --> 01:00:03.583 One, one, one, two, check, one-- 1132 01:00:03.666 --> 01:00:05.375 No. The problem's with the kid's mic. 1133 01:00:06.791 --> 01:00:08.666 Oh, Christ Almighty! 1134 01:00:09.250 --> 01:00:11.000 -Ma, we didn't record the song. -Shit! 1135 01:00:11.083 --> 01:00:12.625 What you mean you didn't record the song? 1136 01:00:12.708 --> 01:00:14.208 What were you and Sturdyvant doing up there? 1137 01:00:14.291 --> 01:00:15.541 [Irvin] Levee must have kicked the plug out. 1138 01:00:15.625 --> 01:00:16.541 I ain't kicked nothing. 1139 01:00:16.625 --> 01:00:18.333 If Levee had his mind on what he was doing. 1140 01:00:18.416 --> 01:00:21.250 If it ain't one thing, it's another. Straighten your black ass out. 1141 01:00:21.333 --> 01:00:23.208 Hell, it ain't my fault. I ain't done nothing. 1142 01:00:23.291 --> 01:00:24.333 It's the cord, Mel. 1143 01:00:24.416 --> 01:00:26.333 The cord's all chewed up. We need another cord. 1144 01:00:26.416 --> 01:00:28.041 -The most disorganized… -[Irvin] Ma? 1145 01:00:28.125 --> 01:00:29.541 -[Ma Rainey] Waste of my time. -Where's she going? 1146 01:00:29.625 --> 01:00:31.083 -Shit. -[Irvin] Ma? Ma! 1147 01:00:31.666 --> 01:00:32.500 Ma? 1148 01:00:32.583 --> 01:00:35.458 If you walk out of this studio, you're through. You're washed-up. 1149 01:00:35.541 --> 01:00:37.291 Chrissakes, Mel! Ma! 1150 01:00:37.375 --> 01:00:40.250 Ma, come back here! Ma, please! 1151 01:00:43.083 --> 01:00:43.916 Listen, Ma. 1152 01:00:45.125 --> 01:00:46.833 These records are gonna be hits. 1153 01:00:47.541 --> 01:00:49.458 They are gonna sell like crazy. 1154 01:00:49.541 --> 01:00:51.416 Hell, even Sylvester will be a star. 1155 01:00:52.666 --> 01:00:53.833 Fifteen minutes. 1156 01:00:55.125 --> 01:00:58.583 That is all I am asking, Ma. Just 15 minutes. 1157 01:01:03.333 --> 01:01:06.208 Fifteen minutes. You hear me, Irvin? Fifteen minutes. 1158 01:01:06.291 --> 01:01:09.375 Then I'm gonna carry my black bottom on back down to Georgia, you hear me? 1159 01:01:09.458 --> 01:01:11.208 Fifteen minutes. [scoffs] 1160 01:01:14.958 --> 01:01:17.166 [exhales] You boys go ahead and take a break. 1161 01:01:17.250 --> 01:01:19.541 Fifteen minutes. We'll be ready to go. 1162 01:01:20.500 --> 01:01:22.333 Don't make no difference to me if she leave. 1163 01:01:22.416 --> 01:01:24.375 I'm ready to get on outta here, anyway. 1164 01:01:24.458 --> 01:01:25.583 If I was Mr. Irvin, 1165 01:01:25.666 --> 01:01:28.458 I'd go on and get them cords and things hooked up right. 1166 01:01:28.541 --> 01:01:31.333 If Levee kept his mind on his work, we wouldn't be in this fix. 1167 01:01:31.416 --> 01:01:32.625 We'd be up there finishing up. 1168 01:01:32.708 --> 01:01:35.041 Now we gotta see if that boy can get that part right. 1169 01:01:35.125 --> 01:01:37.375 He got one eye on the gal and the other on his trumpet. 1170 01:01:37.458 --> 01:01:39.125 [Cutler] Nigga, don't you know that's Ma's gal? 1171 01:01:39.208 --> 01:01:42.208 I ain't done nothing to her. I just talk to her like I talk to anybody else. 1172 01:01:42.291 --> 01:01:44.750 Your ass gonna be out there scraping the concrete, lookin' for a job, 1173 01:01:44.833 --> 01:01:45.791 you keep messing around with her. 1174 01:01:45.875 --> 01:01:48.583 I ain't done nothing to the gal. I just asked her her name. 1175 01:01:48.666 --> 01:01:51.000 If you sayin' I can't do that, Ma'll just have to go to hell. 1176 01:01:51.083 --> 01:01:53.708 I'm through with it. [scoffs] Try talking to a fool. 1177 01:01:53.791 --> 01:01:57.666 Some mens got it worse than others. Some mens is excited to be a fool. 1178 01:01:57.750 --> 01:01:59.375 [chuckles] 1179 01:01:59.458 --> 01:02:02.083 I knows about it. The excitement is something else. 1180 01:02:02.166 --> 01:02:05.875 I done experienced it. Make you feel good to be a fool. 1181 01:02:06.458 --> 01:02:07.791 But it don't last long. 1182 01:02:07.875 --> 01:02:11.083 Over in a minute, then you got to tend with the consequences. 1183 01:02:11.166 --> 01:02:14.541 That's the best sense you made all day, talking about being a fool. 1184 01:02:14.625 --> 01:02:17.833 That's the only sensible thing you said today, admitting you was a fool. 1185 01:02:17.916 --> 01:02:21.375 Oh, I admits it, all right. Ain't nothing wrong with it. 1186 01:02:21.458 --> 01:02:24.375 I done been a little bit of everything. [chuckles] 1187 01:02:24.458 --> 01:02:27.166 Gonna be a bit more things before I'm finished with it. 1188 01:02:27.250 --> 01:02:29.375 But I ain't never been the same fool twice. 1189 01:02:29.458 --> 01:02:30.791 That's where we part ways. 1190 01:02:30.875 --> 01:02:33.208 But you been a fool. That's what counts. 1191 01:02:33.291 --> 01:02:35.416 Talking about I'm a fool for asking the girl her name, 1192 01:02:35.500 --> 01:02:37.125 and here you is one yourself. 1193 01:02:37.208 --> 01:02:39.000 I married a woman. A good woman. 1194 01:02:39.083 --> 01:02:42.125 To this day, I can't say nothing bad about this woman. 1195 01:02:42.208 --> 01:02:45.583 I married her with all the good intentions and graces of being hooked up, 1196 01:02:45.666 --> 01:02:47.875 bound to her for the rest of my life. 1197 01:02:47.958 --> 01:02:49.833 Looking for this woman to put me in my grave, 1198 01:02:50.416 --> 01:02:52.666 but she went out and joined the church. 1199 01:02:54.000 --> 01:02:58.625 She got up there and got to seeing them good Christian men 1200 01:02:58.708 --> 01:03:00.791 and wondering why I ain't like that. 1201 01:03:01.375 --> 01:03:04.125 Soon she figured she hooked up to a heathen. 1202 01:03:04.208 --> 01:03:05.500 Couldn't live like that. 1203 01:03:06.750 --> 01:03:07.750 So she left. 1204 01:03:08.500 --> 01:03:09.625 Hmm. 1205 01:03:09.708 --> 01:03:14.416 I just sat down and I figured I was a fool 1206 01:03:14.500 --> 01:03:18.000 not to see that she needed something that I wasn't giving her, 1207 01:03:18.083 --> 01:03:20.416 else she wouldn't have been up there at the church. 1208 01:03:21.000 --> 01:03:21.958 So, yeah… 1209 01:03:22.833 --> 01:03:25.041 Toledo been a fool about a woman. 1210 01:03:26.416 --> 01:03:27.791 That's part of making life. 1211 01:03:28.958 --> 01:03:31.041 Toledo, what you call a fool 1212 01:03:31.125 --> 01:03:33.416 and what I call a fool are two different things. 1213 01:03:33.500 --> 01:03:37.666 A fool is responsible for what happen to him. 1214 01:03:37.750 --> 01:03:40.291 A fool cause it to happen. Like Levee. 1215 01:03:40.791 --> 01:03:44.583 He keep messing around with Ma's gal, his feet be out there scraping the ground. 1216 01:03:44.666 --> 01:03:46.750 -That's a fool. -Nothing gonna happen to Levee. 1217 01:03:46.833 --> 01:03:48.416 Levee ain't gonna let nothing happen to him. 1218 01:03:48.500 --> 01:03:51.375 Better not let Ma see you ask her. That's what the man's trying to tell you. 1219 01:03:51.458 --> 01:03:53.208 I don't need nobody to tell me nothing. 1220 01:03:53.291 --> 01:03:55.958 Toledo, all I'm saying is, from the looks of it, 1221 01:03:56.041 --> 01:03:58.375 from your story, I don't think life treated you fair. 1222 01:03:58.458 --> 01:03:59.750 Oh, life's fair. 1223 01:03:59.833 --> 01:04:00.958 Life ain't shit. 1224 01:04:01.041 --> 01:04:03.208 You can put it in a paper bag and carry it around with you. 1225 01:04:03.291 --> 01:04:05.500 -It ain't got no balls. -[door clangs] 1226 01:04:05.583 --> 01:04:08.333 Now death? Death got some style. 1227 01:04:08.416 --> 01:04:11.000 Death will kick your ass and make you wish you never been born. 1228 01:04:11.083 --> 01:04:12.500 That's how bad death is. 1229 01:04:12.583 --> 01:04:14.791 But you can rule over life. Life ain't nothing. 1230 01:04:14.875 --> 01:04:17.625 Nigga talking about life is fair and ain't got a pot to piss in. 1231 01:04:17.708 --> 01:04:19.708 All right. Now I'm gonna tell you something. 1232 01:04:19.791 --> 01:04:22.166 A nigga gonna be dissatisfied no matter what. 1233 01:04:22.250 --> 01:04:24.250 Niggas got a right to be dissatisfied. 1234 01:04:24.333 --> 01:04:27.291 Is you gonna be satisfied with a bone somebody done throwed you 1235 01:04:27.375 --> 01:04:29.458 when you done seen them eating a whole hog? 1236 01:04:29.541 --> 01:04:32.625 You lucky they let you be an entertainer. You're lucky and don't even know it. 1237 01:04:32.708 --> 01:04:36.458 I'm talking about being satisfied with a bone somebody done throwed you. 1238 01:04:36.541 --> 01:04:40.125 That's what's the matter with y'all, you're satisfied sitting in one place. 1239 01:04:40.208 --> 01:04:41.750 Soon as I get my band together 1240 01:04:41.833 --> 01:04:44.333 and record them songs Mr. Sturdyvant done told me I can make, 1241 01:04:44.416 --> 01:04:47.500 I'm gonna be like Ma and tell the white man just what he can do. 1242 01:04:48.083 --> 01:04:49.625 Ma tell Mr. Irvin she leaving? 1243 01:04:49.708 --> 01:04:53.125 Mr. Irvin get down on his knees and beg her to stay. 1244 01:04:53.208 --> 01:04:56.333 That's the way I'm gonna be. Make the white man respect me. 1245 01:04:56.416 --> 01:04:58.375 The white man don't care nothing about Ma. 1246 01:04:58.458 --> 01:05:00.625 The colored folks made Ma a star. 1247 01:05:00.708 --> 01:05:03.375 The white folks don't care nothing about who she is 1248 01:05:03.458 --> 01:05:04.958 or what kind of music she make. 1249 01:05:05.041 --> 01:05:07.916 Let her go to one of them white folks hotel and see how big she is. 1250 01:05:08.000 --> 01:05:10.666 [scoffs] Hell, she can't even get a cab up here in the North. 1251 01:05:10.750 --> 01:05:13.083 I'mma tell you something. Reverend Gates. 1252 01:05:13.166 --> 01:05:15.500 Slow Drag, you know who I'm talking about. Reverend Gates. 1253 01:05:15.583 --> 01:05:19.333 Reverend Gates was, uh, coming up from Tallahassee to Atlanta 1254 01:05:19.416 --> 01:05:22.875 to see his sister who was sick at that time with the consumption. 1255 01:05:23.708 --> 01:05:26.583 The train come up through Thomasville, then past Moultrie, 1256 01:05:26.666 --> 01:05:29.083 and then ended up in this little town called Sigsbee. 1257 01:05:29.166 --> 01:05:31.166 You can stop telling that right there. 1258 01:05:31.250 --> 01:05:35.166 Ain't but one train come out of Tallahassee headed north to Atlanta. 1259 01:05:35.250 --> 01:05:36.458 It don't stop at Sigsbee. 1260 01:05:36.541 --> 01:05:38.875 The only train that stop at Sigsbee is the Santa Fe, 1261 01:05:38.958 --> 01:05:40.541 and you gotta transfer at Moultrie to get it. 1262 01:05:40.625 --> 01:05:42.291 Maybe that's what he done. I don't know. 1263 01:05:42.375 --> 01:05:44.458 I'm just telling you he got off at Sigsbee. 1264 01:05:44.541 --> 01:05:47.208 You telling it. Tell it your way. Just make up anything. 1265 01:05:47.291 --> 01:05:49.125 Leave him alone and let him finish. 1266 01:05:49.208 --> 01:05:50.708 Go on, tell it your way. 1267 01:05:50.791 --> 01:05:54.000 Reverend Gates got off this train in Sigsbee. 1268 01:05:54.083 --> 01:05:55.458 Figured he'd check the schedule 1269 01:05:55.541 --> 01:05:59.333 to make sure he arrived in time for somebody to pick him up. All right? 1270 01:05:59.416 --> 01:06:03.791 While he's there, it come upon him that he had to go to the bathroom. 1271 01:06:03.875 --> 01:06:05.875 Now, the only colored restroom they had 1272 01:06:05.958 --> 01:06:09.791 was an outhouse they had sitting way back, 200 yards or so from the train station. 1273 01:06:10.541 --> 01:06:13.916 While he's in the outhouse, the train go off and leave without him. 1274 01:06:14.541 --> 01:06:17.833 Now, he don't know where he is in this town. 1275 01:06:17.916 --> 01:06:19.875 In fact, he ain't never heard of it before. 1276 01:06:19.958 --> 01:06:22.083 I heard of it, and he ain't got off no train 1277 01:06:22.166 --> 01:06:24.208 coming outta Tallahassee in Sigsbee. 1278 01:06:24.791 --> 01:06:28.125 The man's standing there trying to figure out what he gonna do, 1279 01:06:28.208 --> 01:06:30.500 where this train done left him in this strange town. 1280 01:06:32.416 --> 01:06:33.625 It started getting dark. 1281 01:06:34.333 --> 01:06:36.708 He sees where the sun's getting low in the sky, 1282 01:06:36.791 --> 01:06:39.166 and he's trying to figure out what he gonna do, 1283 01:06:39.250 --> 01:06:40.750 when he noticed a couple of white fellas 1284 01:06:40.833 --> 01:06:42.875 standing across the street from the station. 1285 01:06:42.958 --> 01:06:44.875 Just standing there, watching him. 1286 01:06:46.000 --> 01:06:48.750 Then two or three more fellas come up and join the other one. 1287 01:06:49.250 --> 01:06:53.250 Now he look around the station. He don't see no colored folks nowhere. 1288 01:06:53.750 --> 01:06:55.583 He don't know what's getting into these fellas' minds, 1289 01:06:55.666 --> 01:06:57.791 so he commence to walking. 1290 01:06:57.875 --> 01:07:01.000 He don't know where he walking. He walking down the railroad tracks 1291 01:07:01.083 --> 01:07:03.416 when he hear, "Hey, nigger." 1292 01:07:04.833 --> 01:07:06.250 Just like that. 1293 01:07:07.041 --> 01:07:08.458 "Hey, nigger." 1294 01:07:10.041 --> 01:07:11.208 He keep walking. 1295 01:07:12.083 --> 01:07:15.125 They call him some more. He kept walking. 1296 01:07:16.291 --> 01:07:19.833 Then he heard a gunshot. Yeah. He stopped then, you know. 1297 01:07:20.708 --> 01:07:21.916 They crowded around him. 1298 01:07:22.666 --> 01:07:23.791 He's standing there, 1299 01:07:24.583 --> 01:07:26.166 cross around his neck, 1300 01:07:26.250 --> 01:07:29.291 and the little Bible that he keep with him all the time. 1301 01:07:30.458 --> 01:07:34.083 They ask who he was. He said he was Reverend Gates 1302 01:07:34.166 --> 01:07:35.666 and he was on his way to see his sister 1303 01:07:35.750 --> 01:07:37.958 who was sick, and the train went off and left him. 1304 01:07:38.041 --> 01:07:40.916 And they said, "Yeah, nigger?" 1305 01:07:41.500 --> 01:07:43.166 "But can you dance?" 1306 01:07:47.125 --> 01:07:48.416 He looked at them 1307 01:07:49.125 --> 01:07:50.583 and commenced to dancing. 1308 01:07:53.333 --> 01:07:56.416 One of them reached up and tore his cross off his neck, 1309 01:07:56.500 --> 01:08:00.000 said he was committing heresy by dancing with a cross and a Bible. 1310 01:08:02.375 --> 01:08:04.958 Took his Bible and tore it up, 1311 01:08:05.041 --> 01:08:07.833 and had him dancing till they got tired of watching him. 1312 01:08:09.125 --> 01:08:13.708 -That's the only way that man-- -What I wants to know is, he a man of God. 1313 01:08:13.791 --> 01:08:16.416 Where the hell was God when all this was going on? 1314 01:08:17.458 --> 01:08:19.458 Why didn't God strike down them crackers 1315 01:08:19.541 --> 01:08:21.666 with some of this lightning you talking about to me? 1316 01:08:22.166 --> 01:08:23.958 Levee, you gonna burn in hell. 1317 01:08:24.041 --> 01:08:26.750 Why didn't God strike some of them crackers down? Tell me that. 1318 01:08:26.833 --> 01:08:29.875 That's the question. Don't come telling me this burning-in-hell shit. 1319 01:08:30.541 --> 01:08:31.958 He a man of God, 1320 01:08:32.041 --> 01:08:34.500 why didn't God strike some of them crackers down? 1321 01:08:35.541 --> 01:08:38.666 I'll tell you why. I'll tell you the truth. 1322 01:08:39.541 --> 01:08:41.875 God ain't never listened to no nigga's prayers. 1323 01:08:41.958 --> 01:08:44.250 God take the nigga's prayers and throw them in the garbage. 1324 01:08:44.333 --> 01:08:48.666 God don't pay niggas no mind. In fact, God hate niggas. 1325 01:08:49.291 --> 01:08:51.583 Hate them with all the fury in his heart. 1326 01:08:51.666 --> 01:08:54.333 Jesus don't love you, nigga. Jesus hate your black ass. 1327 01:08:54.416 --> 01:08:56.958 Come talking that shit to me. Talking about burning in hell. 1328 01:08:57.041 --> 01:08:58.916 God can kiss my ass. 1329 01:08:59.000 --> 01:09:00.250 [grunts] 1330 01:09:00.333 --> 01:09:04.666 You wanna blaspheme my God! That's my God! My God, you worthless-- 1331 01:09:04.750 --> 01:09:06.125 Let him go! 1332 01:09:06.208 --> 01:09:07.416 -You worthless! -Let him go! 1333 01:09:07.500 --> 01:09:10.541 -That's my God! Blaspheme my God. -Let it go! It don't mean nothing! 1334 01:09:11.500 --> 01:09:13.000 It don't mean nothing! 1335 01:09:13.583 --> 01:09:16.125 It's your God, huh? Is that right? 1336 01:09:18.708 --> 01:09:21.083 All right, I'm gonna give your God a chance. 1337 01:09:21.708 --> 01:09:23.583 I'm gonna give your God a chance. 1338 01:09:23.666 --> 01:09:25.916 I'm gonna give him a chance to save your black ass. 1339 01:09:26.458 --> 01:09:28.916 -Put that knife up! -Stay out of this, Toledo. 1340 01:09:29.000 --> 01:09:30.166 -That's no way to solve nothing. -Put that knife up! 1341 01:09:30.250 --> 01:09:33.166 I'm talking to Cutler's God! You hear me? 1342 01:09:33.250 --> 01:09:36.500 Cutler's God! I'm calling Cutler's God! 1343 01:09:37.708 --> 01:09:39.291 Come on and save this nigga. 1344 01:09:39.875 --> 01:09:42.125 Strike me down before I cut his throat. 1345 01:09:42.208 --> 01:09:45.041 -You gonna burn in hell, nigga. -I'm calling your God. 1346 01:09:45.666 --> 01:09:49.416 I'm gonna give him a chance to save you. I'm calling your God! 1347 01:09:50.166 --> 01:09:51.416 Cutler's God? 1348 01:09:51.500 --> 01:09:53.375 Come on and save this nigga. 1349 01:09:54.208 --> 01:09:56.416 Come on and save him like you did my mama. 1350 01:09:57.750 --> 01:10:00.000 Save him like you did my mama! 1351 01:10:02.541 --> 01:10:04.375 I heard her when she call you. 1352 01:10:06.083 --> 01:10:10.750 I heard her when she said, "Lord have mercy. Jesus help me." 1353 01:10:11.750 --> 01:10:15.375 "Please, God, have mercy on me, Lord. Jesus help me." 1354 01:10:16.958 --> 01:10:18.708 Did you turn your back? 1355 01:10:21.541 --> 01:10:24.083 Did you turn your back, motherfucker? 1356 01:10:25.500 --> 01:10:27.125 Did you turn your back? 1357 01:10:29.166 --> 01:10:30.000 Come on. 1358 01:10:31.375 --> 01:10:33.375 Come on and turn your back on me. 1359 01:10:35.416 --> 01:10:37.166 Turn your back on me! 1360 01:10:38.291 --> 01:10:39.625 Come on. Where is you? 1361 01:10:41.208 --> 01:10:43.333 Come on and turn your back on me! 1362 01:10:44.791 --> 01:10:48.625 Turn your back on me, motherfucker! I'll cut your heart out! 1363 01:10:49.791 --> 01:10:53.166 Come on. What's the matter? Where is you? 1364 01:10:54.125 --> 01:10:56.041 Come on and turn your back on me. 1365 01:10:57.041 --> 01:10:59.166 Come on, what you scared of? 1366 01:11:00.666 --> 01:11:04.500 Turn your back on me! Come on! 1367 01:11:06.416 --> 01:11:07.750 [scoffs] 1368 01:11:10.500 --> 01:11:12.333 Coward motherfucker! 1369 01:11:14.541 --> 01:11:17.125 [panting] 1370 01:11:17.208 --> 01:11:18.833 Your God ain't shit, Cutler. 1371 01:11:22.208 --> 01:11:23.625 Your God ain't shit. 1372 01:11:28.208 --> 01:11:29.291 [exhales] 1373 01:11:30.333 --> 01:11:31.958 [panting] 1374 01:11:36.916 --> 01:11:38.708 [trumpet playing] 1375 01:11:39.916 --> 01:11:44.041 ♪ Hello, central, give me 609 ♪ 1376 01:11:44.750 --> 01:11:48.250 ♪ What it takes to get it In these hips of mine ♪ 1377 01:11:48.333 --> 01:11:51.000 ♪ Oh, you'll hear me talking to you ♪ 1378 01:11:51.583 --> 01:11:54.625 ♪ I don't bite my tongue ♪ 1379 01:11:56.958 --> 01:11:59.416 ♪ You wanna be my man ♪ 1380 01:11:59.500 --> 01:12:03.041 ♪ You better bring it with you When you come ♪ 1381 01:12:06.375 --> 01:12:08.916 ♪ You wanna be my man ♪ 1382 01:12:09.000 --> 01:12:12.958 ♪ Bring it with you when you come ♪ 1383 01:12:23.916 --> 01:12:25.708 Wonderful. We got that, boys. 1384 01:12:25.791 --> 01:12:26.875 Whoo-hoo! 1385 01:12:26.958 --> 01:12:29.250 Good session, Ma. We've got ourselves some winners! 1386 01:12:29.333 --> 01:12:31.333 Slow Drag, where you learn to play that bass at? 1387 01:12:31.416 --> 01:12:33.250 I heard it singing. I heard you. 1388 01:12:33.333 --> 01:12:35.041 You had that bass jumping all over the place. 1389 01:12:35.125 --> 01:12:36.291 I was following Toledo. 1390 01:12:36.375 --> 01:12:38.500 Nigga got them long fingers striding all over the piano. 1391 01:12:38.583 --> 01:12:41.125 -I was trying to keep up with him. -That's what you supposed to do. 1392 01:12:41.208 --> 01:12:42.916 -Play the music. -Cutler, you hear Slow Drag 1393 01:12:43.000 --> 01:12:44.875 on that bass spanking like you spank a baby? 1394 01:12:44.958 --> 01:12:46.666 -[spanks] -Boom! 1395 01:12:47.291 --> 01:12:49.666 Levee, what were you doing? Why you playing all them notes? 1396 01:12:49.750 --> 01:12:52.958 Playing ten notes for every one you supposed to play. Don't call for all that. 1397 01:12:53.041 --> 01:12:55.500 You're supposed to improvise on the theme. That's what I was doing. 1398 01:12:55.583 --> 01:12:57.416 You're supposed to play the song like I sing it. 1399 01:12:57.500 --> 01:12:59.625 [chuckling] The way everybody else play it. 1400 01:12:59.708 --> 01:13:01.666 I was playing the song the way I felt it. 1401 01:13:01.750 --> 01:13:04.791 I'm trying to sing my song and you messing up my ear. 1402 01:13:04.875 --> 01:13:07.750 -You call that playing music? -Hey, I know what I'm doing. 1403 01:13:08.583 --> 01:13:10.583 Y'all back up and leave me alone about my music. 1404 01:13:10.666 --> 01:13:13.458 I done told you it ain't about your music. It's about Ma's music. 1405 01:13:13.541 --> 01:13:14.958 That's all right. I told you what to do. 1406 01:13:15.041 --> 01:13:17.000 What I care about what you and Cutler do? 1407 01:13:21.333 --> 01:13:24.583 Y'all gonna fire me. I don't care. I'll go get my own band anyway. 1408 01:13:24.666 --> 01:13:27.083 -You keep messing with me-- -Nobody studying you. 1409 01:13:27.166 --> 01:13:29.000 All right, nigga. You fired. 1410 01:13:35.041 --> 01:13:37.666 You think I care about being fired? I don't care. 1411 01:13:37.750 --> 01:13:39.791 -You doing me a favor. -Cutler, Levee's out. 1412 01:13:39.875 --> 01:13:43.000 -He ain't playing in my band no more. -I'm fired? Good! 1413 01:13:43.083 --> 01:13:45.166 Best thing that ever happened to me. 1414 01:13:46.500 --> 01:13:48.250 I don't need this shit. 1415 01:13:54.083 --> 01:13:55.166 [door slams shut] 1416 01:14:03.791 --> 01:14:05.833 [breathing heavily] 1417 01:14:20.958 --> 01:14:22.500 [door rattling] 1418 01:14:23.125 --> 01:14:24.875 [grunting] 1419 01:14:27.875 --> 01:14:28.708 [grunts] 1420 01:14:31.791 --> 01:14:33.041 Okay. 1421 01:14:36.583 --> 01:14:38.208 [grunting] 1422 01:14:41.458 --> 01:14:43.000 [breathes deeply] 1423 01:14:44.541 --> 01:14:45.833 [grunts] 1424 01:14:53.375 --> 01:14:54.666 [exhales] 1425 01:14:56.916 --> 01:14:58.750 [breathes heavily] 1426 01:15:00.250 --> 01:15:01.791 [upbeat jazz music playing] 1427 01:15:12.833 --> 01:15:14.625 Mel will be out with your money in a minute. 1428 01:15:14.708 --> 01:15:16.833 That's cash money. I don't want no check. 1429 01:15:17.375 --> 01:15:20.041 I'll see what I can do. I can't promise you nothing. 1430 01:15:20.125 --> 01:15:22.625 As long as it ain't no check. I ain't got no use for a check. 1431 01:15:22.708 --> 01:15:26.708 Listen, Ma. I talked to Sturdyvant, and he said… 1432 01:15:26.791 --> 01:15:28.625 Now I tried to talk him out of it, 1433 01:15:28.708 --> 01:15:32.583 but he said the best he can do is take $25 of your money 1434 01:15:32.666 --> 01:15:34.625 and give it to Sylvester. 1435 01:15:34.708 --> 01:15:36.166 Take what and do what? 1436 01:15:37.958 --> 01:15:41.583 If I wanted the boy to have $25 of my money, I'd give it to him. 1437 01:15:42.791 --> 01:15:44.041 He's supposed to have his own money. 1438 01:15:44.125 --> 01:15:45.958 He's supposed to get paid like everybody else. 1439 01:15:46.541 --> 01:15:48.666 You go on up there, and you tell Sturdyvant 1440 01:15:48.750 --> 01:15:50.708 that he better pay the boy his own money. 1441 01:15:50.791 --> 01:15:53.416 -Yeah, I talked to him-- -[Ma Rainey] Talk to him again. 1442 01:15:53.500 --> 01:15:55.125 Tell him if he don't pay the boy his own money, 1443 01:15:55.208 --> 01:15:57.958 he'll never make another record of mine again. Tell him that. 1444 01:15:59.250 --> 01:16:02.166 You supposed to be my manager. Always talking about sticking together. 1445 01:16:02.250 --> 01:16:03.333 Start sticking. 1446 01:16:06.250 --> 01:16:08.500 -Get the boy his money! -Okay. 1447 01:16:09.208 --> 01:16:10.375 I'll see what I can do. 1448 01:16:14.458 --> 01:16:17.583 [door opens and shuts] 1449 01:16:22.208 --> 01:16:24.083 [breathing heavily] 1450 01:16:38.208 --> 01:16:39.375 [door opens] 1451 01:16:41.541 --> 01:16:42.666 Hey, Ma. 1452 01:16:44.000 --> 01:16:45.416 Is there something wrong? 1453 01:16:45.500 --> 01:16:46.750 Is there a problem? 1454 01:16:47.416 --> 01:16:49.541 I want you to pay the boy his money. 1455 01:16:49.625 --> 01:16:51.166 Sure, Ma. I got it right here. 1456 01:16:52.000 --> 01:16:55.208 It's, uh, 200 for you and 25 for the kid, right? 1457 01:16:58.333 --> 01:16:59.500 Irvin misunderstood me. 1458 01:16:59.583 --> 01:17:01.708 It was all a mistake. It was all a mistake. 1459 01:17:02.541 --> 01:17:05.125 -A mistake, huh? -Sure, Ma. Made a mistake. 1460 01:17:05.791 --> 01:17:07.166 But he's paid, right? 1461 01:17:07.250 --> 01:17:08.541 The only mistake… 1462 01:17:09.541 --> 01:17:12.375 was when you found out I hadn't signed the release forms. 1463 01:17:12.458 --> 01:17:13.541 That was a mistake. 1464 01:17:14.333 --> 01:17:16.208 Come on. Sign the forms, huh? 1465 01:17:16.291 --> 01:17:18.625 -Dussie Mae, Sylvester, come on. -Ma, sign the forms. 1466 01:17:18.708 --> 01:17:20.458 [Ma Rainey] Irvin, where's my car? 1467 01:17:20.541 --> 01:17:22.791 It's right out front. I got the keys right here. 1468 01:17:22.875 --> 01:17:25.291 Come on and sign these forms, huh? 1469 01:17:27.958 --> 01:17:28.958 [Irvin sighs] 1470 01:17:31.166 --> 01:17:32.333 Irvin, give me my keys. 1471 01:17:33.250 --> 01:17:36.166 Sure, Ma. Just… sign these forms. 1472 01:17:43.250 --> 01:17:45.125 Send them to my address. I'll get around to 'em. 1473 01:17:45.208 --> 01:17:47.916 Come on, Ma. I took care of everything, didn't I? 1474 01:17:48.000 --> 01:17:49.541 I straightened everything out. 1475 01:17:50.375 --> 01:17:51.208 Ma? 1476 01:17:55.208 --> 01:17:56.041 Please? 1477 01:17:57.375 --> 01:17:58.666 [man whistling] 1478 01:18:15.875 --> 01:18:17.500 And you tell Sturdyvant, 1479 01:18:17.583 --> 01:18:20.500 any more mistakes and I can make my records someplace else. 1480 01:18:21.166 --> 01:18:23.083 [car starting] 1481 01:18:41.541 --> 01:18:42.958 [instrument clattering] 1482 01:18:47.416 --> 01:18:51.250 [Cutler] I ain't gonna stand for it. Ain't gonna bring me no check down here. 1483 01:18:53.041 --> 01:18:54.750 Man give me a check last time. What happened? 1484 01:18:54.833 --> 01:18:56.583 We had to go all over Chicago to get it cashed. 1485 01:18:56.666 --> 01:18:59.500 See a nigga with a check, first thing they think is he stole it. 1486 01:18:59.583 --> 01:19:01.375 I ain't had no trouble cashing mine. 1487 01:19:01.458 --> 01:19:02.916 I don't visit no whore houses. 1488 01:19:03.000 --> 01:19:04.791 You don't know my business, so don't start nothing. 1489 01:19:04.875 --> 01:19:08.333 I'm tired of you as it is. I ain't but two seconds off your ass, noway. 1490 01:19:08.416 --> 01:19:09.625 Don't y'all start nothing now. 1491 01:19:09.708 --> 01:19:11.875 What the hell I care what you're tired of? I wasn't talking to you. 1492 01:19:11.958 --> 01:19:14.208 -I was talking to this man. -Boys, I've got your pay. 1493 01:19:15.250 --> 01:19:18.500 Mr. Irvin told me you boys prefer cash, and that's what I have for you. 1494 01:19:19.083 --> 01:19:21.083 That was a good session you boys put in. 1495 01:19:21.166 --> 01:19:22.000 There's 25 for you. 1496 01:19:22.083 --> 01:19:24.958 Yes, sir, you boys really know your business. Twenty-five for you. 1497 01:19:25.041 --> 01:19:28.166 We're gonna get you back in here real soon. Twenty-five. 1498 01:19:28.250 --> 01:19:31.416 And have another session, so you can make some more money. 1499 01:19:31.500 --> 01:19:32.708 And 25 for you. 1500 01:19:33.500 --> 01:19:35.125 [Levee] Uh, Mr. Sturdyvant, sir? 1501 01:19:37.875 --> 01:19:39.416 About them songs I give you? 1502 01:19:41.041 --> 01:19:43.500 Oh, yeah. Oh, Levee. Uh, I thought about it. 1503 01:19:43.583 --> 01:19:45.583 I don't think that people will buy them. 1504 01:19:45.666 --> 01:19:47.541 They're not the type of songs we're looking for. 1505 01:19:47.625 --> 01:19:50.666 Mr. Sturdyvant, sir. I done already got my band picked out. 1506 01:19:50.750 --> 01:19:54.291 I got some real good fellas. They know how to play real good music. 1507 01:19:54.375 --> 01:19:57.083 I know if the peoples hear the music, they'll buy it. 1508 01:19:57.166 --> 01:20:00.250 Uh, Levee, I'll be fair with you. They're not the right songs. 1509 01:20:00.333 --> 01:20:03.250 Mr. Sturdyvant, peoples is tired of hearing jug-band music. 1510 01:20:03.333 --> 01:20:06.291 The people in the big city? They want something with some fire to it. 1511 01:20:06.375 --> 01:20:08.458 Harlem, Detroit, DC. 1512 01:20:08.541 --> 01:20:11.666 Okay, I'll tell you what. I'll give you $5 apiece for 'em. 1513 01:20:11.750 --> 01:20:16.583 I don't want $5, Mr. Sturdyvant. I wants to record them songs like you say. 1514 01:20:16.666 --> 01:20:18.750 Like I say, they're not the kind of songs we're looking for. 1515 01:20:18.833 --> 01:20:21.250 Mr. Sturdyvant, you asked me to write them songs. 1516 01:20:21.333 --> 01:20:23.791 Why didn't you tell me that when I first give them to you? 1517 01:20:23.875 --> 01:20:25.791 You told me you was gonna let me record them. 1518 01:20:25.875 --> 01:20:27.291 What's the difference between then and now? 1519 01:20:27.375 --> 01:20:30.166 -I'll pay you for your trouble. -What's the difference? 1520 01:20:30.250 --> 01:20:31.583 That's what I wanna know. 1521 01:20:32.166 --> 01:20:34.041 I had my fellas play your songs. 1522 01:20:34.125 --> 01:20:37.500 When I heard them, they didn't sound like the kind I'm looking for right now. 1523 01:20:37.583 --> 01:20:39.541 You got to hear me play them. 1524 01:20:39.625 --> 01:20:42.666 You ain't heard me play them. That's what's gonna make them sound right. 1525 01:20:42.750 --> 01:20:44.083 Levee, I don't doubt that. 1526 01:20:44.166 --> 01:20:47.125 It's just that, I don't think they'd sell like Ma's records. 1527 01:20:48.458 --> 01:20:50.208 But I'll take 'em off your hands for you. 1528 01:20:51.916 --> 01:20:54.166 [chuckles] Mr. Sturdyvant, sir. 1529 01:20:55.041 --> 01:20:58.500 I don't know what fellas you had playing them songs, 1530 01:20:58.583 --> 01:21:02.583 but if I could play them, I'd set them down in the people's lap. 1531 01:21:02.666 --> 01:21:05.416 Now, you told me I could record them songs. 1532 01:21:05.500 --> 01:21:06.958 There's nothing I can do about that. 1533 01:21:07.041 --> 01:21:10.666 Like I say, it's $5 apiece. That's what I'll pay ya. 1534 01:21:10.750 --> 01:21:12.041 I'm doing you a favor. 1535 01:21:12.125 --> 01:21:15.541 If you write any more, I'll help you out and take 'em off your hands. 1536 01:21:15.625 --> 01:21:18.750 The price is $5 apiece. Just like now. 1537 01:21:43.250 --> 01:21:44.458 Hey, watch it, now. 1538 01:21:45.041 --> 01:21:47.041 Shit. You stepped on my shoe. 1539 01:21:47.125 --> 01:21:48.375 Excuse me there, Levee. 1540 01:21:48.458 --> 01:21:49.333 Look at that. 1541 01:21:50.500 --> 01:21:52.375 Nigga, you stepped on my shoe. 1542 01:21:52.458 --> 01:21:54.916 -What you do that for? -Said I'm sorry. 1543 01:21:55.708 --> 01:21:59.541 You gonna step on my goddamn shoe. You done fucked up my shoe. 1544 01:22:00.875 --> 01:22:02.666 Look at what you done to my shoe, nigga. 1545 01:22:03.458 --> 01:22:05.958 I ain't step on your shoe. What you wanna step on my shoe for? 1546 01:22:06.041 --> 01:22:06.958 Man said he was sorry. 1547 01:22:07.041 --> 01:22:10.125 How the hell he gonna be sorry when he done ruined my shoe? 1548 01:22:10.791 --> 01:22:12.083 Come talk about sorry. 1549 01:22:12.166 --> 01:22:14.708 Nigga, you stepped on my shoe, you know that? 1550 01:22:16.791 --> 01:22:20.708 -See what you done done? -I said, "Excuse me." Now it's over. 1551 01:22:20.791 --> 01:22:23.666 -What you want me to do, huh? -Wanna go and fuck up my shoe like that. 1552 01:22:23.750 --> 01:22:26.208 I ain't step on your shoe. Huh? Look at this. 1553 01:22:26.291 --> 01:22:29.666 -Okay, come on, now. -Naw, naw. Look at what you done. 1554 01:22:30.250 --> 01:22:32.541 Look at that. That's my shoe. 1555 01:22:32.625 --> 01:22:35.458 You did it. You did it! 1556 01:22:35.541 --> 01:22:37.000 You fucked up my shoe. 1557 01:22:37.666 --> 01:22:40.750 You stepped on my shoe with them raggedy-ass clodhoppers. 1558 01:22:40.833 --> 01:22:43.833 Ain't nobody studying about you and your shoe. 1559 01:22:44.375 --> 01:22:46.250 I said, "Excuse me." 1560 01:22:46.333 --> 01:22:49.333 If you can't accept that, then the hell with it. 1561 01:22:50.958 --> 01:22:52.208 What you want me to do? 1562 01:22:54.041 --> 01:22:55.875 You stepped on my shoe. 1563 01:22:55.958 --> 01:22:57.833 [gasps, groans] 1564 01:22:58.916 --> 01:23:00.083 [Toledo whimpers] 1565 01:23:01.750 --> 01:23:04.500 He… He stepped on my shoe. He did. 1566 01:23:05.958 --> 01:23:08.833 Honest. Cutler, he stepped on my shoe. 1567 01:23:08.916 --> 01:23:11.375 What he do that for? Toledo, what you do that for? 1568 01:23:11.458 --> 01:23:14.000 [gasping, groans] 1569 01:23:14.083 --> 01:23:14.958 Cutler, help. 1570 01:23:16.166 --> 01:23:17.625 He stepped on my shoe. 1571 01:23:17.708 --> 01:23:18.541 Cutler! 1572 01:23:19.083 --> 01:23:20.750 [Levee breathing heavily] 1573 01:23:20.833 --> 01:23:22.625 It's okay, Toledo. I'll help you. 1574 01:23:23.208 --> 01:23:24.125 Come on, Toledo. 1575 01:23:24.833 --> 01:23:27.333 [Levee grunting] 1576 01:23:27.916 --> 01:23:29.541 [panting] 1577 01:23:35.000 --> 01:23:35.916 Oh, no. 1578 01:23:43.250 --> 01:23:44.833 [Levee breathing heavily] 1579 01:23:47.625 --> 01:23:48.833 Don't… 1580 01:23:51.666 --> 01:23:53.625 [breathing shakily] 1581 01:23:53.708 --> 01:23:55.708 Don't look at me like that. 1582 01:23:58.666 --> 01:24:00.250 Don't look at me like that. 1583 01:24:03.875 --> 01:24:05.416 [somber music playing] 1584 01:24:09.791 --> 01:24:11.333 [breathing heavily] 1585 01:25:22.625 --> 01:25:24.500 [upbeat music playing] 1586 01:25:29.416 --> 01:25:32.583 ♪ You can swing it, you can bring it ♪ 1587 01:25:32.666 --> 01:25:35.791 ♪ You can dance at any hall ♪ 1588 01:25:35.875 --> 01:25:39.208 ♪ You can slide across the floor ♪ 1589 01:25:39.291 --> 01:25:42.291 ♪ You'll never have to stall Oh, my jelly roll ♪ 1590 01:25:42.375 --> 01:25:43.833 ♪ My jelly roll ♪ 1591 01:25:43.916 --> 01:25:45.375 ♪ Oh, my jelly roll ♪ 1592 01:25:45.458 --> 01:25:47.041 ♪ My jelly roll ♪ 1593 01:25:47.125 --> 01:25:49.583 ♪ Oh, my jelly roll ♪ 1594 01:25:49.666 --> 01:25:52.333 ♪ Please, baby, let me have it all ♪ 1595 01:26:21.791 --> 01:26:24.000 [blues music playing] 1596 01:26:26.583 --> 01:26:28.583 [vocalizing] 1597 01:26:53.000 --> 01:26:56.375 line:5% ♪ My bell rang this morning ♪ 1598 01:26:56.458 --> 01:27:00.750 line:5% ♪ Didn't know which way to go ♪ 1599 01:27:04.250 --> 01:27:08.291 line:5% ♪ My bell rang this morning ♪ 1600 01:27:08.375 --> 01:27:12.291 line:5% ♪ Didn't know which way to go ♪ 1601 01:27:15.541 --> 01:27:19.166 line:5% ♪ I had the blues so bad ♪ 1602 01:27:19.250 --> 01:27:23.875 line:5% ♪ I sit right down on my floor ♪ 1603 01:27:27.416 --> 01:27:30.916 line:5% ♪ I felt like going on the mountain ♪ 1604 01:27:31.000 --> 01:27:35.166 line:5% ♪ Jumping over in the sea ♪ 1605 01:27:38.500 --> 01:27:42.041 line:5% ♪ I felt like going in the mountain ♪ 1606 01:27:42.125 --> 01:27:46.250 line:5% ♪ Jumping over in the sea ♪ 1607 01:27:49.208 --> 01:27:52.708 line:5% ♪ When my daddy stay out late ♪ 1608 01:27:52.791 --> 01:27:57.041 line:5% ♪ He don't care a thing for me ♪