She was born Lucille Anderson in Amory, Mississippi, United States, and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1914, she married Nazareth Lee Bogan, a railwayman, and gave birth to a son, Nazareth Jr., in either 1915 or 1916. Lucille later divorced Nazareth and married James Spencer, who was 22 years younger than herself.
She first recorded vaudeville songs for Okeh Records in New York in 1923, with pianist Henry Callens. Later that year she recorded "Pawn Shop Blues" in Atlanta, Georgia, which was the first time a black blues singer had been recorded outside New York or Chicago. In 1927 she began recording for Paramount Records in Grafton, Wisconsin, where she recorded her first big success, "Sweet Petunia", which was covered by Blind Blake. She also recorded for Brunswick Records, backed by Tampa Red and Cow Cow Davenport.
By 1930 her recordings had begun to concentrate on drinking and sex, with songs such as "Sloppy Drunk Blues" (covered by Leroy Carr and others) and "Tricks Ain't Walkin' No More" (later recorded by Memphis Minnie). She also recorded the original version of "Black Angel Blues", which (as "Sweet Little Angel") was covered by B.B. King and many others. Trained in the rowdier juke joints of the 1920s, many of Bogan's songs, most of which she wrote herself, have thinly-veiled humorous sexual references. The theme of prostitution, in particular, featured prominently in several of her recordings.
In 1933 she returned to New York, and, apparently to conceal her identity, began recording as Bessie Jackson for the Banner (ARC) label. She was usually accompanied on piano by Walter Roland, with whom she recorded over 100 songs between 1933 and 1935, including some of her biggest commercial successes including "Seaboard Blues", "Troubled Mind", and "Superstitious Blues".
Her other songs included "Stew Meat Blues", "Coffee Grindin' Blues", "My Georgia Grind", "Honeycomb Man", "Mr. Screw Worm In Trouble", and "Bo Hog Blues". Her final recordings with Roland and Josh White included two takes of "Shave 'Em Dry", recorded in New York on Tuesday March 5, 1935. The unexpurgated alternate take is notorious for its explicit sexual references, a unique record of the lyrics sung in after-hours adult clubs. Another of her songs, "B.D. Woman's Blues", takes the position of a "bull dyke" ("B.D."), with the line "Comin' a time, B.D. women, they ain't gonna need no men" "They got a head like a sweet angel and they walk just like a natural man." "They can lay their jive just like a natural man."
She appears not to have recorded after 1935, and spent some time managing her son's jazz group, Bogan's Birmingham Busters, before moving to Los Angeles shortly before her death from coronary sclerosis in 1948.
She is interred at the Lincoln Memorial Park, Compton, Los Angeles County, California.
Shave 'Em Dry
Lucille Bogan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Big as the end of my thumb
I got somethin between my legs
That'll make a dead man come
Oh, daddy
Baby, won't you shave 'em dry?
(Now, draw it out)
Want you to grind me, baby
Grind me until I cry (uh-huh)
Say, I fucked all night
And all the night before, baby
And I feel just like I wanna fuck some more
Oh, great God, daddy
Grind me, honey, and shave me dry
And when you hear me holler, baby
Want you to shave it dry
I got nipples on my titties
Big as the end of my thumb
Daddy, you say that's the kind of woman you want
And you can make 'em come
Oh, daddy, shave me dry
And I'll give you something, baby
Swear it'll make you cry
I'm gonna turn back my mattress
And let you oil my springs
I want you to grind me, daddy
'Til the bells do ring
Oh, daddy
Want you to shave 'em dry
Oh, great God, daddy
If you can't shave 'em, baby, won't you try?
Now if fuckin' was the thing that would take me to heaven
I'd be fuckin' in the studio 'til the clock strike eleven
Oh, daddy, daddy, shave 'em dry
I would fuck you, baby
Honey, I'd make you cry
Now your nuts hang down
Like a damn bell clapper
And your dick stands up like a steeple
Your goddam asshole
Stands open like a church door
And the crab walks in like people
Ow, shit
Shucks, woo
Baby, won't you shave 'em dry?
A big sow gets fat from eatin' corn
And a pig gets fat from suckin'
Reason you see this whore, fat like I am
Great God, I got fat from fuckin'
Eeh, shave 'em dry
My back is made of whalebone
And my cock is made of brass
And my fuckin' is made for workin' men's two dollars
If they had gotten 'round to kiss my ass
Wow, woo, daddy, shave 'em dry
Lucille Bogan’s song “Shave ‘Em Dry” is a blues song, first recorded in 1935. The song is known for its explicit and sexual lyrics, which were considered taboo in that time. The lyrics of the song describe a woman’s sexual desire, her body parts, and what she wants her partner to do to her. The opening line, “I got nipples on my titties, big as the end of my thumb” sets the tone for the entire song, which describes a woman who is sexually confident and in control. The song’s lyrics are raw and explicit, and it’s not surprising that it was banned from radio and public performance for many years.
The song’s refrain “Shave ‘em dry” is a sexual innuendo that means to have sexual intercourse without using any lubricant. The song describes a woman’s sexual pleasure and desire, and asks her partner to pleasure her. The lyric “And when you hear me holler, baby, want you to shave it dry” is a direct request to her partner to continue even when she is experiencing pain. The song also includes an explicit description of male genitalia, along with other sexual references.
Despite its controversial lyrics, “Shave ‘Em Dry” still stands out as a powerful blues song that broke barriers and challenged social norms. Lucille Bogan’s powerful voice and explicit lyrics gave her a reputation as a “racy” artist, who pushed the boundaries of sexual expression in music. The song has been covered by many artists, including Bonnie Raitt and Karen Elson, and remains a classic in the blues genre.
Line by Line Meaning
I got nipples on my titties
Big as the end of my thumb
I am a sexually confident woman with prominent features.
I got somethin between my legs
That'll make a dead man come
I have a powerful and satisfying sexual prowess.
Oh, daddy
Baby, won't you shave 'em dry?
(Now, draw it out)
Want you to grind me, baby
Grind me until I cry (uh-huh)
I want you to stimulate me until I reach orgasm.
Say, I fucked all night
And all the night before, baby
And I feel just like I wanna fuck some more
Oh, great God, daddy
Grind me, honey, and shave me dry
And when you hear me holler, baby
Want you to shave it dry
I have been sexually active and I desire more pleasure, so stimulate me until I climax and shave me dry.
Daddy, you say that's the kind of woman you want
And you can make 'em come
Oh, daddy, shave me dry
And I'll give you something, baby
Swear it'll make you cry
You desire a sexually confident woman with prominent features and strong sexual prowess, and if you shave me dry, I will please you so much it will make you cry.
I'm gonna turn back my mattress
And let you oil my springs
I want you to grind me, daddy
'Til the bells do ring
Oh, daddy
Want you to shave 'em dry
Oh, great God, daddy
If you can't shave 'em, baby, won't you try?
I am preparing my bed for sexual activity and I want you to stimulate me until I climax, or shave me dry if you can.
Now if fuckin' was the thing that would take me to heaven
I'd be fuckin' in the studio 'til the clock strike eleven
Oh, daddy, daddy, shave 'em dry
I would fuck you, baby
Honey, I'd make you cry
If sexual activity was the way to heaven, I would die while engaging in intercourse with you, and it would bring you so much pleasure you would cry.
Now your nuts hang down
Like a damn bell clapper
And your dick stands up like a steeple
Your goddam asshole
Stands open like a church door
And the crab walks in like people
Ow, shit
Shucks, woo
Baby, won't you shave 'em dry?
You have sagging testicles and an erect penis, and your anus is wide open and susceptible to crab infestation, so please shave me dry.
A big sow gets fat from eatin' corn
And a pig gets fat from suckin'
Reason you see this whore, fat like I am
Great God, I got fat from fuckin'
Eeh, shave 'em dry
A pig becomes fat from eating and a prostitute like me becomes fat from having sex, so shave me dry.
My back is made of whalebone
And my cock is made of brass
And my fuckin' is made for workin' men's two dollars
If they had gotten 'round to kiss my ass
Wow, woo, daddy, shave 'em dry
My back is strong like a whale's bone and my sexuality is valuable like brass. My sexual services are worth two dollars from working men. Shave me dry, daddy.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jimmy James Yancey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@YouAreCreators
Ain't nothing new under the sun 😆
@loganbruh8932
Why tf are u here😂😂
@desireesimmons1539
Lmao I said the same thing! Wow smh
@desireesimmons1539
@Logan Bruh lmao
@bbb8997
just a new crowd doing it
@lashellpitts6651
💯
@NicholasTamachaski
I want someone to cover this song, make it a hit, then have older generations complain about how raunchy our music is
@LilDrummergurl48
The first version was perfect. I just want someone to sample it, preferably someone who is also black.
@laylajanesmommy
@LilDrummergurl48 yes preferably a black woman artist. It would be so neat to have a verse or two of this, one of the more raunchy ones (plenty to choose from!) included in a modern beat today. Could pique some interest in history for the youngins!
@jovanharris3565
Not all garbage should be recycled, some should rot away or be burned. IMO.