"Shave 'Em Dry" is a

dirty blues Dirty blues encompasses forms of blues music that deal with socially taboo and obscene subjects, often referring to sexual acts and drug use. Due to the sometimes graphic subject matter, such music was often banned from radio and only available on ...

song, first recorded by

Ma Rainey Gertrude "Ma" Rainey ( Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early blues recording artist. Dubbed the "Mother of the Blues", she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of s ...

in August 1924 in Chicago. It was released on

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramount Records was formed in 19 ...

on September 6, 1924. Rainey was accompanied on the recording by two unknown guitarists (one of them was possibly Miles Pruitt). The record was advertised in ''

The Chicago Defender ''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...

'' on the same date as the record's release. As a turn of phrase, "Shave 'Em Dry" can be interpreted as referring to mean any aggressive action, alternatively (as here) as meaning sexual intercourse without any preliminary 'love-making'.

Big Bill Broonzy Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African American audiences. In the 1930s ...

stated "Shave 'em dry is what you call makin' it with a woman; you ain't doin' nothin', just makin' it." However, Ma Rainey in her version made no specific reference to its meaning or content.

Rudi Blesh Rudolph Pickett Blesh (January 21, 1899 – August 25, 1985) was an American jazz critic and enthusiast. Biography Blesh studied at Dartmouth College and held jobs writing jazz reviews for the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and the '' New York ...

commented upon its importance as an archaic eight-bar blues which was "complete, harmonically and poetically". Rainey, previously a minstrel and tent-show singer, quite possibly knew of the broad outline of the number and "Shave' Em Dry" was probably in her repertoire from her earliest professional years. The song has been credited as being written by Ma Rainey, William Jackson, (or H. Jackson) and 'traditional' in various sources. An earlier

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...

piano tune entitled "Shave 'Em Dry" was copyrighted in May 1917 in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, by composer Sam Wishnuff.

Other early versions

Papa Charlie Jackson Papa Charlie Jackson (November 10, 1887 – May 7, 1938) was an early American bluesman and songster who accompanied himself with a banjo guitar, a guitar, or a ukulele. His recording career began in 1924. Much of his life remains a mystery, ...

's version was recorded around February 1925 in Chicago, and released by Paramount Records in April that year. He was accompanied on guitar by

Blind Blake Arthur Blake (1896 – December 1, 1934), known as Blind Blake, was an American blues and ragtime singer and guitarist. He is known for recordings he made for Paramount Records between 1926 and 1932. Early life Little is known of Blake's life. ...

James "Boodle It" Wiggins James "Boodle It" Wiggins was an American blues singer and musician. His best known recordings were "Keep Knockin' An You Can't Get In", a precursor of both "Keep A-Knockin'" and "I Hear You Knocking"; plus his versions of "Corrine, Corrina" an ...

recorded his version around October 1929 in

Grafton, Wisconsin Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The village incorporated in 1896, and at ...

. With a

boogie-woogie Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, developed in African-American communities since 1870s.Paul, Elliot, ''That Crazy American Music'' (1957), Chapter 10, p. 229. It was eventually extended from pian ...

accompaniment by the pianist,

Charlie Spand Charlie Spand (born May 8, 1893; died after 1958) was an American blues and boogie-woogie pianist and singer, noted for his barrelhouse style. He was deemed one of the most influential piano players of the 1920s. Little is known of his life out ...

, it was also issued by Paramount Records (12916). Possibly the most significant version was recorded by

Lucille Bogan Lucille Bogan (born Lucile Anderson; April 1, 1897August 10, 1948) was an American classic female blues singer and songwriter, among the first to be recorded. She also recorded under the pseudonym Bessie Jackson. Music critic Ernest Borneman note ...

, although billed as 'Bessie Jackson', on March 5, 1935. It was released in July that year by the

Banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also, ...

label of

ARC ARC may refer to: Business * Aircraft Radio Corporation, a major avionics manufacturer from the 1920s to the '50s * Airlines Reporting Corporation, an airline-owned company that provides ticket distribution, reporting, and settlement services * ...

. It was also released on Melotone Records (M 13342), Oriole Records (8487),

Romeo Records Romeo Records was an American jazz record label that started in 1926 as a subsidiary of Cameo Records. The discs were sold exclusively at S. H. Kress & Co. department stores and retailed for 25 cents each. In 1931 Romeo was acquired by the Ame ...

(5487), and

Perfect Records Perfect Records was a United States-based record label, founded in 1922 by Pathé Records to produce cheap 78 rpm discs. From the start, Perfect Records sold well. The Pathé and Perfect labels were part of the merger that created the American ...

(0332). Bogan's original recording of "Shave 'Em Dry" (with

Walter Roland Walter Roland (possibly December 20, 1902 – October 12, 1972) was an American blues, boogie-woogie and jazz pianist, guitarist and singer, noted for his association with Lucille Bogan, Josh White and Sonny Scott. The music journalist Gé ...

(piano) and

Josh White Joshua Daniel White (February 11, 1914 – September 5, 1969) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names Pinewood Tom and Tippy Barton in the 1930s. White grew up in the Sout ...

(guitar)) appears to be a cleaned up version. Nevertheless, Bogan's record company did not renew her contract in 1935. There were two takes of "Shave 'Em Dry". An even more explicit cut was issued much later on a

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

, ''Raunchy Business: Hot Nuts & Lollypops'' (1991). The unexpurgated alternate take has explicit sexual references, a unique record of the lyrics sung in after-hours adult clubs. According to Keith Briggs' liner notes for

Document Records Document Records is an independent record label, founded in Austria and now based in Scotland, that specializes in reissuing vintage blues and jazz. The company has been recognised by The Blues Foundation, being honoured with a Keeping the ...

''Complete Recordings'', these were recorded either for the fun of the recording engineers, or for "clandestine distribution as a 'Party Record.'" Briggs notes that Bogan seems to be unfamiliar with the lyrics, reading them as she sings them, potentially surprised by them herself. In November 1936, Lil Johnson recorded "New Shave 'Em Dry", with Alfred Bell (trumpet) and Black Bob (piano). Her lightness in voice and melodic sympathy did not disguise the relation to Wiggins styled tune. It was released by

Vocalion Records Vocalion Records is an American record company and label. History The label was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Company, a maker of pianos and organs, as Aeolian-Vocalion; the company also sold phonographs under the Vocalion name. "Aeolian" was ...

(13428).

Lyrical variations

In Ma Rainey's original recording, using her strong but relaxed voice, she sang the verse before hollering the refrain. Her opening lines are: Bogan's two versions show a more radical variation. Her originally issued recording has the warning: The more notorious recording, albeit with Walter Roland again accompanying and yelling out encouragement, commenced in a '

dirty talk Erotic talk, also known as dirty talk, gross talk, love talk, naughty talk, sexting, sexy talk, talking dirty, or talking gross is the practice of using explicit word imagery to heighten sexual excitement before and during (or instead of) physica ...

' manner:

Later re-releases

Rainey's original version appeared on the compilation album ''Counting the Blues'' (2001) on

TKO Records TKO Records is an independent punk rock record label in Portland, Oregon. The label is primarily known for its role in the late 1990s American street punk scene and has continued its notability as a source of new releases, reissues, and archival ...

. Bogan's rendition appears on a various artists compilation album, ''Street Walkin' Blues'', issued in 1990 by

Stash Records Stash Records was an American independent jazz record label based in New York City that flourished from 1975 through the late 1990s. Its name was drawn from the subject of its first album, ''Reefer Songs'' (1976). Bernie Brightman ''(né'' Berna ...

. The song was included on the 1994 album, ''Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1934-1935)'', released by

. This third and final volume of Lucille Bogan's complete works included three versions of "Shave 'Em Dry".

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

noted: The song was also included on ''Shave 'Em Dry: The Best of Lucille Bogan'', issued in May 2004 by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

Other versions

The

Asylum Street Spankers Asylum Street Spankers was an American acoustic blues and roots rock band from Austin, Texas, United States. The band played cover versions of early jazz and comical, often risqué original songs. In 2006, the band's satirical antiwar video "Stic ...

recorded a version of the song on their 1996 album, ''Spanks for the Memories''. Others who have recorded versions of the track include;

Jimmy Yancey James Edwards Yancey (February 20, c. 1895 – September 17, 1951) was an American boogie-woogie pianist, composer, and lyricist. One reviewer described him as "one of the pioneers of this raucous, rapid-fire, eight-to-the-bar piano style". Bio ...

Donald Harrison Donald Harrison Jr. (born June 23, 1960) is an African-American jazz saxophonist and the Big Chief of The Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans Cultural Group from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Berklee Col ...

, Brett Marvin,

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs were an English novelty band that issued a few recordings in the early 1970s. The band was an alias adopted by Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts but signed to a different record label. Terry Dactyl and the Dinos ...

, Miraculous Mule (on ''Two Tonne Testimony'' (2017)),

Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sister Rosetta Tharpe (born Rosetta Nubin, March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her Gospel music, gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spir ...

, and

The Dinner Is Ruined The Dinner Is Ruined is a Canadian indie rock band. the band plays an experimental and improvisational brand of blues rock. The band members are Dale Morningstar, Dave Clark and Dr. Johnny Pee. History The Dinner Is Ruined was formed in 1991 by ...

References

{{Reflist 1924 songs Blues songs Paramount Records singles