John R.T.Davies, Sound Preservationist. Ma Rainey, Prove It On Me Blues

 

I've just bought a rare 78 rpm record by Gertrude 'Ma Rainey, issued by Ristic Records in 1956 (one of 100 copies issued).

Hear Me Talking To You/ Prove It On Me Blues

Here's an interesting interview with John R.T. Davies (1927-2004), once known as  "the world's leading specialist in the art of sound restoration":

http://www.vjm.biz/articles9.htm

More information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._T._Davies

"Prove It On Me Blues" is featured in the new Netflix film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom:

Went out last night, had a great big fight
Everything seemed to go on wrong
I looked up, to my surprise
The gal I was with was gone.
Where she went, I don't know
I mean to follow everywhere she goes;
Folks say I'm crooked. I didn't know where she took it
I want the whole world to know.
They say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
Sure got to prove it on me;
Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
It's true I wear a collar and a tie,
Makes the wind blow all the while
Don't you say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
You sure got to prove it on me.
Say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
Sure got to prove it on me.
I went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
It must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan
Talk to the gals just like any old man
Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
Sure got to prove it on me.

I've also just received the book Blues Legacies and Black Feminism by Angela Y. Davis, which I look forward to reading, in relation to "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday.

Hear Me Talking To You

Ramblin' man makes no change in me
I'm gonna ramble back to my used-to-beah
Hear me talkin' to you, I don't bite my tongue
You want to be my man, you got to fetch it with you when you come
Eve and Adam, in the Garden takin' a chance
Adam didn't take time to get his pants, ah
Hear me talkin' to you, I don't bite my tongue
You want to be my man, you got to fetch it with you when you come
Our old cat swallowed a ball of yarn
When the kittens was born, they had sweaters on
Hear me talkin' to you, I don't bite my tongue
You want to be my man, you got to fetch it with you when you come
Hello, Central, give me 609
What it takes to get it in these hips of mine
Hear…