in both men's and women's blues, however the emphasis on sexuality was greater for women artists. "The representations of love and sexuality in women's blues often blatantly contradicted mainstream ideological assumptions regarding women and being in love ... also challenged the notion that women's 'place' was in the domestic sphere" (11).
             Davis delves deep into the recordings of Ma Rainey, and this artist was a woman who was looking to make a statement through her music. Many of her songs dealt with sexuality and Ma Rainey especially was responsible for "shaping women's blues for many generations of blues women" (15). Song after song Davis devotes a lot of time to various songs regarding sexuality from these two powerful women of the blues. Among these songs are "Blame It on the Blues," "Barrel House Blues," "Prove It On Me," "Lawd, Send Me a Man Blues," "Black Eye Blues," "Sweet Rough Man," "Rough and Tumble Blues," and "Sissy Blues" all by Ma Rainey that will be looked at closer in this paper. Through each of these songs there is a story being told and many different emotions behind each story in the given song.
             Ma Rainey, or the "Mother of the Blues," was a powerful performer; the first song to look into deeper meanings is "Blame It on the Blues." Through this song, Davis claims that Ma "implicitly rejects the sexual exclusivity of marriage" (15). In the line "Can't blame it on my lover that held my hand," she never mentions whether or not that lover was a male or a female. This makes me feel as though this "lover" was a female. Obviously, Ma was not very monogamous in her marriage. Ma seems to be calling out to her lover, wanting her lover to be around more and wanting to "spread the news" but is scared to do so. W...