Black Feminism emerged in the late 1960s in response to the alienation that black women faced in their fight for equality. Social movements like the Women’s Rights Movement, which was mostly led by middle-class women, as well as the Black Power Movement, primarily advocated by black men, failed to be inclusive towards black women. According to theorist Patricia Hill Collins, Black Feminism remains needed as long as intersectionality, or the “intersecting oppressions of race, class, gender, sexuality, and nation persists” (Collins 22). The purpose of Black Feminism is to resist oppression and to empower Afro-American women in regards to the contradicting standards of U.S society. This very purpose is closely tied to the themes evident in the rise of women’s blues.
Blues music is deeply rooted in centuries of institutionalized slavery and the eventual emancipation efforts that occurred. Black people were deprived of the basic privilege of expression as they were denied the right to read and write during slavery. Davis describes the blues as a “descendant of work songs,” reflecting the changing social conditions in the aftermath of slavery, especially as more women sought indulgence in sexual autonomy (Davis 26). The end of slavery was a symbol of freedom and liberation for black people, particularly women. They were no longer forced to engage in sexual relations while also having the ability to marry whomever they pleased. This sense of freedom develops into a major theme used throughout women’s blues. Angela Davis’ exploration of “I Used to Be Your Sweet Mama” reveals how Bessie Smith uses satire and irony to demonstrate black feminist ideals in her song, “Yes, Indeed He Do.”
Bessie Smith, also known as “the Empress of Blues,” is perhaps one of the most prominent blues singers known to history. Smith was born in 1884 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and sang to earn money as a child. Additionally, she toured with blues singers Gertrude “Ma” Rainey before she began recording by 1923 (Duncan). In her 1928 song, “Yes, Indeed He Do,” Smith sings as a woman who is beaten by her husband and goes on with her day doing daily household chores. This song makes use of irony, referencing domesticity and the duties women are enforced to do for their loved ones. This is made clear in the lyrics, “I don’t have to do no work except to wash his clothes/ And darn his socks and press his pants and scrub the kitchen floor” (Genius). These lines reflect the expectations society had on women at the time, to be married and bear children “as evidence of their worth as human beings,” while men served as the provider of the family (Davis 11). Early women’s blues rarely make references to marriage and domestic life. When domesticity is mentioned, it is usually to call attention to women who have either been abused or left behind. Davis notes that the blues will often make use of humor and irony to “highlight the inhumanity of slave owners so that their targets were sure to misunderstand the intended meaning” (Davis 26). This connects to the context in which this song was released, during a period after slavery was abolished. Smith uses blues as a way to communicate the lack of compassion women deal with in their relationships. In addition to satirizing the role of women in the domestic sphere, Smith creates a caricature of a woman who appears to be controlling over her man. “But if some woman looks at him I’ll tear her half in two/ Oh, do my sweet, sweet daddy love me?” (Genius). These lyrics reveal the sardonic love that she has for the male character, enough that she is willing to harm another female if she dares to show interest in him. While people may perceive this line to be a bit too explicit, Smith is clearly using humor to reveal a deeper meaning to the lyrics. This possessive trait also reveals something about the woman, perhaps that she lacks strength and happiness and therefore feels compelled to assert her dominance as a way to regain control. It seems as if this possessive behavior is a response to what the woman actually feels on the inside: unimportant, left out, and insecure. The woman may also have used this threat as a way to intimidate her lover in case he decides to betray her. Davis clarifies this idea of women “asserting their right to be respected not as appendages or victims of men but as truly independent human beings with vividly articulated sexual desires” (Davis 20). Smith effectively uses sarcasm to characterize the male chauvinism women are subject to.
“Yes, Indeed He Do” acknowledges domestic violence as a problem, a subject mostly seen as too taboo to even mention in conversation, let alone music. Domestic abuse is considered a private matter, and the fact that blues artists like Bessie Smith are willing to sing about these issues is a testament to their strength and courage. As Davis suggests, women’s blues has more of an emphasis on loss, betrayal, and promiscuity, usually contradicting mainstream ideologies of being in love (Davis 13). Smith directly points to the violent behavior of the male figure in the fifth stanza of her song when she proclaims, “And when I ask him where he’s been, he grabs a rocking chair/ Then he knocks me down and says, ‘It’s just a little love lick, dear’ ” (Genius). After this statement, she goes on to say that the man does indeed love her. When Bessie wrote the lyrics to “Yes, Indeed He Do,” she may have been inspired by her personal experiences of being in an abusive relationship. Considering Smith grew up without her parents, it is possible that she portrays herself as a victim of violence. Although this song is noted for accepting emotional and physical abuse, it is clear that Smith employs satire as a tool to criticize domestic abuse, a trope often used in women’s blues. Smith does not merely romanticize marriage, but instead gives voice to the social realities many women may have faced. This, in turn, promotes a sense of unity in the idea of common suffering amongst many black women.
It becomes apparent that forgiveness is a major recurring theme in women’s blues. The female narrator is oblivious to the pain she endures. Despite his animosity, she is convinced that her lover is the charming and affectionate man she believes him to be. In the last stanza, Bessie sings, “I wouldn’t take a million or my sweet, sweet daddy Jim/ And I wouldn’t give a quarter for another man like him/” (Genius). The repetition of “Yes, Indeed He Do” shows Smith’s sarcasm in considering her man’s behavior to be acceptable while also representing the denial of being mistreated by her lover. This cycle of forgiveness reveals that women, although beaten and hurt, will always overlook the wrongdoings of their lover if he shows the slightest bit of affection. Similar songs have received negative response due to the “Anti Feminist” outlook to domestic violence. Although Smith appears to approve and see the goodness in the man’s attitude, she actually makes use of satire to communicate her love for “sweet daddy Jim.” By taking the measures to name the problem, Smith sheds a light on a topic not many were brave enough to confront. Not only was Smith a singer, she also was noted for being an actor and comedian, therefore she was very familiar with using “mock praise and elation” to chastise male violence (Davis 27). She exaggerates her adoration for her partner, while also revealing the sexism that men impose on women. The culture of domesticity was challenged by Smith, who ridicules the assumption of the women’s place being in the household. Davis describes this authentic and sincere approach as “fearless, unadorned realism,” as opposed to the traditional narrative of American popular song (Davis 23). “Yes, Indeed He Do” is an example of protest music because it gives voice to women who go through similar experiences by bringing more of an awareness to male batterers in the public sphere.
Blues music exemplifies the challenges of the dominant culture during the 1920s and 1930s. Smith’s song takes the core themes of Black Feminist ideals and transforms them into a new meaning, aiming to empower black women and encourage resistance. Bessie Smith’s “Yes, Indeed He Do” offers a glimpse of the perceptions of love and sexuality in a post-slavery context in the United States. This song is a musically ironic piece due to its upbeat nature juxtaposed with dark connotation within the lyrics. Smith, along with many other female artists alike, challenged the gender politics prevalent in mainstream representations of marriage and heterosexual relationships. With the end of slavery came the possibility of blues to help form a cultural identity amongst the black community. Bessie Smith asserts herself as an independent, strong woman who defies the patriarchal society in the face of violence and sexism.