She first appeared on stage in Columbus in "A Bunch of Blackberries" at the age of 14. She then joined a traveling vaudeville troupe, the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. After hearing a blues song at a theater in St. Louis sung by a local girl in 1902, she started performing in a blues style. She claimed at that time that she was the one who coined the name "blues" for the style that she specialized in. Musicians and singers who had sang and played in the style said there were no such origins and that the blues had always been. A pioneer in the style, Bunk Johnson said that in the 1880s the blues had already been developed.
She married fellow vaudeville singer William 'Pa' Rainey in 1904, changing her name to Ma Rainey. The pair toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels as Rainey & Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues, singing a mix of blues and popular songs. In 1912, she took the young Bessie Smith into the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, trained her, and worked with her until Smith left in 1915.
Also known, though less discussed, is the fact that she was bisexual. Rainey never shied away from her feelings in her music, as is apparent in the lyrics of "Prove It On Me":
"Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must have been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan, Talk to gals just like any old man
'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me."
Rainey was outspoken on women's issues and a role model for future women entertainers who took control of their own careers.
Ma Rainey was already a veteran performer with decades of touring with African-American shows in the U.S. Southern States when she made her first recordings in 1923. Rainey signed with Paramount Records and, between 1923 and 1928, she recorded 100 songs, sometimes accompanied such jazz notables as Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Fletcher Henderson and others. Rainey was extremely popular among southern blacks in the 1920s, but the Great Depression and changing tastes ended her career by 1933, when she retired.
Rainey died of a heart attack in 1939.
The 1982 August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was based on her.
Shave 'Em Dry Blues
Ma Rainey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why a good-Iookin′ woman loves a workin' man
Eeh, hey, daddy won't you shave ′em dry?
Goin′ 'way to wear you off my mind
You keeps me broke and hungry, daddy all the time
Eeeh, hey, daddy let me shave ′em dry
Don't see how you hungry women can sleep
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave ′em dry
Goin' downtown to spread the news
State Street women wearing brogan shoes
Hey, hey, daddy let me shave ′em dry
If it wasn't for their powder and sto' bought hair
State Street gals couldn′t go nowhere
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave ′em dry
There's one thing I don′t understand
Some women walkin' State Street like a man
Eeh, hey, hey, daddy let me shave ′em dry
Went to the show the other night
Everybody on State Street tryin' to fight
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave ′em dry
Ain't crazy 'bout my yeller, I ain′t wild about my brown
Makes no difference when the sun goes down
Eeh, hey, daddy won′t you shave 'em dry
When you see two women runnin′ hand in han'
You can bet your life they got the other one′s man
Eeh, hey, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Don′t let that man come in my home
If his wife is here I don't mean no harm
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
"Shave 'Em Dry Blues" is a blues song performed by Ma Rainey, considered one of the early pioneers of the genre. The lyrics explore themes of love, poverty, and the dynamics between men and women in relationships. In the first verse, Ma Rainey expresses her confusion about why a good-looking woman would love a working man. She pleads with her partner to let her go and forget about him, as his constant demands for money keep her broke and hungry all the time.
The second verse addresses the struggles of women who are so hungry they can't even sleep. Ma Rainey comments on State Street women who are always shimmies (dancing) but don't have enough to eat. The chorus, "daddy let me shave 'em dry," is a plea to her partner to let her go and forget about these women.
In the third verse, Ma Rainey mentions going downtown to spread the news about State Street women, who wear cheap shoes. She comments that without their makeup and store-bought hair, these women would be nowhere, highlighting the influence of appearance in society. The following verse touches on the behavior of some women who walk State Street like men, a comment on the changing roles and identities of women during that time.
The fifth verse describes a chaotic night at a show on State Street, where everyone is trying to fight. Ma Rainey then sings about her preference for neither light-skinned nor dark-skinned men, emphasizing that it makes no difference to her when the sun goes down. The final verse comments on the dynamics of relationships, suggesting that when two women are seen running hand in hand, they are likely involved with each other's partners. Ma Rainey concludes by asking her partner not to bring his wife into her home, as she means no harm to her.
Overall, "Shave 'Em Dry Blues" reflects the everyday struggles and complexities of relationships and life in early 20th century African-American communities.
Line by Line Meaning
There's one thing I don't understand
I have a question that I can't figure out
Why a good-Iookin' woman loves a workin' man
I wonder why an attractive woman would be attracted to a man who works
Eeh, hey, daddy won't you shave 'em dry?
Oh, hey, father, can you please satisfy my needs?
Goin' 'way to wear you off my mind
I'm going away to forget about you
You keeps me broke and hungry, daddy all the time
You always leave me financially struggling and hungry
Eeeh, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, father, let me fulfill my desires
Don't see how you hungry women can sleep
I don't understand how you women who are hungry can still rest
Shimmies all day without a bite to eat
You dance all day without having anything to eat
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, father, let me satisfy my desires
Goin' downtown to spread the news
I'm going to the city center to share some information
State Street women wearing brogan shoes
Women on State Street are wearing sturdy shoes
Hey, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Hey, hey, father, let me fulfill my desires
If it wasn't for their powder and sto' bought hair
Without their makeup and store-bought hair, they wouldn't be attractive
State Street gals couldn't go nowhere
The women from State Street wouldn't have anywhere to go
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, father, let me satisfy my desires
There's one thing I don't understand
I have a question that I can't figure out
Some women walkin' State Street like a man
Certain women on State Street are behaving like men
Eeh, hey, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, hey, father, let me fulfill my desires
Went to the show the other night
I went to the theater the other night
Everybody on State Street tryin' to fight
Everyone on State Street was attempting to start a fight
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, father, let me satisfy my desires
Ain't crazy 'bout my yeller, I ain't wild about my brown
I'm not particularly fond of light skin or dark skin
Makes no difference when the sun goes down
It doesn't matter when nighttime arrives
Eeh, hey, daddy won't you shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, father, can you please satisfy my needs?
When you see two women runnin' hand in han'
When you witness two women running while holding hands
You can bet your life they got the other one's man
You can be certain that each of them has the other woman's partner
Eeh, hey, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, hey, father, let me fulfill my desires
Don't let that man come in my home
Do not let that man enter my house
If his wife is here I don't mean no harm
I don't intend to cause any trouble if his wife is present
Eeh, hey, daddy let me shave 'em dry
Oh, hey, father, let me satisfy my desires
Writer(s): Ma Rainey
Contributed by Aaliyah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@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.