Shave 'Em Dry

"Shave 'Em Dry"
Single by Ma Rainey
B-side"Farewell Daddy Blues"
ReleasedSeptember 6, 1924 (1924-09-06)
RecordedChicago, August 1924
GenreDirty blues
Length2:34
LabelParamount
Songwriter(s)Ma Rainey, William Jackson (credited)

"Shave 'Em Dry" is a dirty blues song, first recorded by Ma Rainey[1] in August 1924 in Chicago.[2] It was released on Paramount Records on September 6, 1924. Rainey was accompanied on the recording by two unknown guitarists (one of them was possibly Miles Pruitt).[3][4] The record was advertised in The Chicago Defender 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 stated "Shave 'em dry is what you call makin' it with a woman; you ain't doin' nothin', just makin' it."[5] However, Ma Rainey in her version made no specific reference to its meaning or content. Rudi Blesh commented upon its importance as an archaic eight-bar blues which was "complete, harmonically and poetically".[6] 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)[7] -- and also credited as 'traditional' in various sources. An earlier ragtime piano tune entitled "Shave 'Em Dry" was copyrighted in May 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri, by composer Sam Wishnuff.[8]

  1. ^ Eagle, Bob L.; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. ABC-CLIO. p. 87. ISBN 9780313344244.
  2. ^ Dixon, Robert M. W.; Godrich, John; Rye, Howard W. (1997). Blues and Gospel Records 1890–1943. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198162391.
  3. ^ "Ma Rainey | Encyclopedia.com". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of 'The Mother of the Blues'". Jasobrecht.com. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Paul was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Rudi Blesh (1949). Shining Trumpets. Cassell. p. 126.
  7. ^ Lieb, Sandra R. (1981). Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey. University of Massachusetts Press. pp. 52, 195. ISBN 9780870233944.
  8. ^ Jasen, David A.; Tichenor, Trebor Jay (1989). Rags and Ragtime: A Musical History. Courier Corporation. p. 210. ISBN 9780486259222 – via Google Books.