Irvin Character Analysis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Irvin is a white executive in the music industry. He works alongside Sturdyvant, though he’s technically Ma Rainey’s manager. However, he spends at least as much of his energy trying to please Sturdyvant as he does working for Ma, often acting as a neutral party between Sturdyvant’s racist condescension and Ma’s strong will. Ma recognizes that, although Irvin is her manager, he only cares about her because her music makes him money. He often talks to her about “sticking together,” but it’s clear to her that he just wants to make sure he doesn’t lose her as a client—not because he actually has her best interests in mind. Still, though, she holds a lot of power in their relationship, forcing Irvin to advocate for her by threatening to leave the recording session.

Irvin Quotes in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

The Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom quotes below are all either spoken by Irvin or refer to Irvin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

STURDYVANT: I don’t care what she calls herself. I’m not putting up with it. I just want to get her in here...record those songs on that list...and get her out. Just like clockwork, huh?

IRVIN: Like clockwork, Mel. You just stay out of the way and let me handle it.

STURDYVANT: Yeah...yeah...you handled it last time. Remember? She marches in here like she owns the damn place...doesn’t like the songs we picked out...says her throat is sore…doesn’t want to do more than one take...

Related Characters: Sturdyvant (speaker), Irvin (speaker), Ma Rainey

Page Number and Citation: 18

Explanation and Analysis:

STURDYVANT: Irv, that horn player...the one who gave me those songs...is he gonna be here today? Good. I want to hear more of that sound. Times are changing. This is a tricky business now. We’ve got to jazz it up...put in something different. You know, something wild...with a lot of rhythm.

(Pause.)

You know what we put out last time, Irv? We put out garbage last time. It was garbage. I don’t even know why I bother with this anymore.

IRVIN: You did all right last time, Mel. Not as good as you did before, but you did all right.

STURDYVANT: You know how many records we sold in New York? You wanna see the sheet? And you know what’s in New York, Irv? Harlem. Harlem’s in New York, Irv.

Related Characters: Sturdyvant (speaker), Irvin (speaker), Levee, Ma Rainey

Page Number and Citation: 19

Explanation and Analysis:

LEVEE: See, I told you! It don’t mean nothing when I say it. You got to wait for Mr. Irvin to say it. Well, I told you the way it is.

CUTLER: Levee, the sooner you understand it ain’t what you say, or what Mr. Irvin say...it’s what Ma say that counts.

SLOW DRAG: Don’t nobody say when it come to Ma. She’s gonna do what she wants to do. Ma says what happens with her.

LEVEE: Hell, the man’s the one putting out the record! He’s gonna put out what he wanna put out!

SLOW DRAG: He’s gonna put out what Ma want him to put out

Related Characters: Levee (speaker), Cutler (speaker), Slow Drag (speaker), Ma Rainey, Sturdyvant, Irvin

Related Symbols: The Song (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)

Page Number and Citation: 36

Explanation and Analysis:

The white man knows you just a leftover. ‘Cause he the one who done the eating and he know what he done ate. But we don’t know that we been took and made history out of. Done went and filled the white man’s belly and now he’s full and tired and wants you to get out the way and let him be by himself. Now, I know what I’m talking about. And if you wanna find out, you just ask Mr. Irvin what he had for supper yesterday. And if he’s an honest white man...which is asking for a whole heap of a lot...he’ll tell you he done ate your black ass and if you please I’m full up with you...so go on and get off the plate and let me eat something else.

Related Characters: Toledo (speaker), Levee, Ma Rainey, Sturdyvant, Irvin

Page Number and Citation: 57

Explanation and Analysis:

IRVIN: Ma, that’s what the people want now. They want something they can dance to. Times are changing. Levee’s arrangement gives the people what they want. It gets them excited…makes them forget about their troubles.

MA RAINEY: I don’t care what you say, Irvin. Levee ain’t messing up my song. If he got what the people want, let him take it somewhere else. I’m singing Ma Rainey’s song. I ain’t singing Levee’s song. Now that’s all there is to it.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Irvin (speaker), Levee

Related Symbols: The Song (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)

Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Analysis:

MA RAINEY: I’m gonna tell you something, Irvin...and you go on up there and tell Sturdyvant. What you all say don’t count with me. You understand? Ma listens to her heart. Ma listens to the voice inside her. That’s what counts with Ma. Now, you carry my nephew on down there...tell Cutler he’s gonna do the voice intro on that “Black Bottom” song and that Levee ain’t messing up my song with none of his music shit. Now, if that don’t set right with you and Sturdyvant...then I can carry my black bottom on back down South to my tour, ‘cause I don’t like it up here no ways.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Levee, Cutler, Sturdyvant, Irvin

Related Symbols: The Song (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)

Page Number and Citation: 63

Explanation and Analysis:

MA RAINEY: They don’t care nothing about me. All they want is my voice. Well, I done learned that, and they gonna treat me like I want to be treated no matter how much it hurt them. They back there now calling me all kinds of names…calling me everything but a child of god. But they can’t do nothing else. They ain’t got what they wanted yet. As soon as they get my voice down on them recording machines, then it’s just like if I’d be some whore and they roll over and put their pants on. Ain’t got no use for me then.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Cutler, Slow Drag, Sturdyvant, Irvin, Sylvester

Page Number and Citation: 79

Explanation and Analysis:

MA RAINEY: If you colored and can make them some money, then you all right with them. Otherwise, you just a dog in the alley. I done made this company more money from my records than all the other recording artists they got put together. And they wanna balk about how much this session is costing them.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Cutler, Sturdyvant, Irvin

Page Number and Citation: 79

Explanation and Analysis:

LEVEE: It don’t matter what you talking about. I ain’t no imitation white man. And I don’t want to be no white man. As soon as I get my band together and make them records like Mr. Sturdyvant done told me I can make, I’m gonna be like Ma and tell the white man just what he can do. Ma tell Mr. Irvin she gonna leave...and Mr. Irvin get down on his knees and beg her to stay! That’s the way I’m gonna be! Make the white man respect me!

CUTLER: The white man don’t care nothing about Ma. The colored folks made Ma a star. White folks don’t care nothing about who she is...what kind of music she make.

Related Characters: Levee (speaker), Cutler (speaker), Ma Rainey, Sturdyvant, Irvin

Page Number and Citation: 94

Explanation and Analysis:

STURDYVANT: Hey, Ma…come on, sign the forms, huh?

IRVIN: Ma...come on now.

MA RAINEY: Get your coat, Sylvester. Irvin, where’s my car?

IRVIN: It’s right out front, Ma. Here...I got the keys right here. Come on, sign the forms, huh?

MA RAINEY: Irvin, give me my car keys!

IRVIN: Sure, Ma...just sign the forms, huh? (He gives her the keys, expecting a trade-off.)

MA RAINEY: Send them to my address and I’ll get around to them.

IRVIN: Come on, Ma...I took care of everything, right? I straightened everything out.

MA RAINEY: Give me the pen, Irvin.

(She signs the forms.)

You tell Sturdyvant…one more mistake like that and I can make my records someplace else.

Related Characters: Ma Rainey (speaker), Sturdyvant (speaker), Irvin (speaker), Sylvester

Page Number and Citation: 105

Explanation and Analysis:

STURDYVANT: Well, Levee, I don’t doubt that really. It’s just that...well, I don’t think they’d sell like Ma’s records. But I’ll take them off your hands for you.

LEVEE: The people’s tired of jug-band music, Mr. Sturdyvant. They wants something that’s gonna excite them! They wants something with some fire! I don’t know what fellows you had playing them songs...but if I could play them! I’d set them down in the people’s lap! Now you told me I could record them songs!

STURDYANT: Well, there’s nothing I can do about that. Like I say, it’s five dollars a piece. That’s what I’ll give you. I’m doing you a favor. Now, if you write any more, I’ll help you out and take them off your hands. The price is five dollars apiece. Just like now.

Related Characters: Levee (speaker), Sturdyvant (speaker), Ma Rainey, Irvin

Page Number and Citation: 108

Explanation and Analysis:

Irvin Character Timeline in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

The timeline below shows where the character Irvin appears in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Ma Rainey’s manager, Irvin, sets up a microphone in a recording studio. Meanwhile, Sturdyvant—the owner of the studio—talks to... (full context)

History, Tradition, and Change Theme Icon

...like the last record they made with Ma. Sturdyvant thinks that record was terrible, but Irvin reminds him it made a lot of money. Still, Sturdyvant is upset because it didn’t... (full context)

Cutler, Slow Drag, and Toledo arrive at the studio. Irvin nervously asks these band members where Ma is, but Cutler just says she should be... (full context)

Collaboration vs. Independence Theme Icon

...that they have to play the song his way, which is more exciting and modern. Irvin even told him that the studio wants his version. But Cutler doesn’t care. The band... (full context)

...agree how to play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” the band rehearses a different song. But Irvin interrupts to ask about Ma, clearly nervous because of the pressure Sturdyvant is putting on... (full context)

Toledo dislikes the way Levee deferred to Irvin and Sturdyvant. He argues that the Black man will never “find out who he is... (full context)

Irvin calls down to tell the band that sandwiches have arrived upstairs in the studio. He... (full context)

Irvin takes the policeman aside. The officer was just bringing Ma to the station but decided... (full context)

After the policeman leaves, Irvin greets Ma and tells her to take a seat while the band finishes rehearsing, but... (full context)

Irvin returns and assures Ma that everything is sorted out with her car, though she warns... (full context)

Irvin doesn’t let the matter go. He and Sturdyvant decided that it would be best to... (full context)

Catching Levee making eyes at Dussie Mae, Ma tells Cutler to get him in line. Irvin’s voice then sounds over speaker system, as he tells Ma they’re going to start the... (full context)

...him to do the intro. It doesn’t matter how long it takes—he’ll get it eventually. Irvin tries to say there isn’t time to wait for him to get it right, but... (full context)

...always has Coke when she sings, and the studio should know this. Over Sturdyvant and Irvin’s objections, she stops the entire session, saying she won’t sing until she has her soda.... (full context)

...to come back with the Coke, Ma pulls Cutler aside and chastises him for telling Irvin that Sylvester can’t do the part. She’s the one who makes those decisions, she reminds... (full context)

...her what to do or how to sing, but she won’t take it. People like Irvin and Sturdyvant want to take her voice and profit off it, but they can’t do... (full context)

...breaks the news that something went wrong—Sylvester’s microphone wasn’t working because it got unplugged. As Irvin follows the cord, he says that Levee must have tripped over it and disconnected it.... (full context)

Irvin rushes after Ma, pleading with her to stay as Sturdyvant yells that her career will... (full context)

Although Levee thinks Ma has a certain authority over white men like Irvin and Sturdyvant, Cutler notes that this isn’t real power. After all, she can’t even hail... (full context)

...he doesn’t need the band. Once he leaves and the band starts to pack up, Irvin approaches Ma and tells her that, though he tried to talk him out of it,... (full context)

Down in the band room, the musicians sit around and wait for Irvin to pay them. As Levee fumes, the others worry that Irvin will try to pay... (full context)

...signed the release forms for the record yet. As she turns to leave, Sturdyvant and Irvin both beg her to sign the forms, and though she hesitates, she eventually obliges. (full context)