"Shave 'Em Dry" is a

dirty blues Dirty blues (also known as bawdy blues) is a form of blues music that deals with socially taboo and obscene subjects, often referring to sexual acts and drug use. Because of the sometimes graphic subject matter, such music was often banned from rad ...

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 ...

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 (guitarist), Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramoun ...

in 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, 1893 or 1903August 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 19 ...

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 and William Jackson or H. Jackson (William Henry "Papa Charlie" Jackson) -- and also credited as 'traditional' in various sources. An earlier

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

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

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, by composer Sam Wishnuff.

Early versions

Papa Charlie Jackson William Henry "Papa Charlie" Jackson (November 10, 1887 – May 7, 1938) was an early African 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 l ...

'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 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 a ...

. With a

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

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

Lucille Bogan Lucille Bogan (née 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 noted tha ...

, 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. 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 Ameri ...

(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 Americ ...

(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 and boogie-woogie pianist, guitarist and singer, noted for his association with Lucille Bogan, Josh White and Sonny Scott. The music journalist Gérard He ...

(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 Sou ...

(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 Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

, ''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 Bl ...

''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 label, originally founded by the Aeolian Company, a piano and organ manufacturer before being bought out by Brunswick in 1924. History The label was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Company, a maker of pi ...

(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' 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. 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 database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

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 reco ...

Other versions

The Asylum Street Spankers 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 Edward 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 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 College of M ...

, 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, songwriter and pianist. His music combined New Orleans blues, jazz, R&B, soul and funk. Active as a session mus ...

, Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs, 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, songwriter and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spirit ...

, 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