“Shaving Cream” is a song written by Benny Bell (a.k.a. Binyomin Zamberg) in 1946, and originally sung by Paul Wynn. It is a novelty song which uses innuendo with a rhyme scheme that implies that the last word in each verse is “s**t”, while the refrain begins with the words “Shaving Cream,” with exaggerated emphasis on the “sh” sound.
Lyrics:
It may hurt your feelings a bit
Last night when I walked into my bathroom
I stepped in a pile of …
Shaving cream, be nice and clean.
Shave everyday and you’ll always look keen.
End Chorus
I think I’ll break off with my girlfriend
Her antics are queer I’ll admit
Each time I say, ‘Darling, I love you’
She tells me that I’m full of …
But good luck was with her that morning
She fell in a barrel of …
She died from a terrible fit
In order to fulfill her wishes
She was buried in six feet of …
I thought I would find me a sandwich
But the darn thing was loaded with …
I think it is time I should quit
If any of you feel offended
Stick your head in a barrel of …
Taken from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaving_Cream_(song)
The original version of “Shaving Cream” was issued on Bell’s Cocktail Party Songs record label in 1946, with Phil Winston on vocals under the pseudonym Paul Wynn, and as that name was also used by Bell himself, Winston’s version has often been mistaken for Bell’s, and has appeared on Benny Bell compilation albums more frequently than Bell’s own version.
After the song began to be played on the Dr. Demento radio show in the 1970s, Vanguard Records reissued the song in 1975, and it became a hit, peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Early copies of the 1975 Vanguard single credited Bell as the performer. However, after controversy ensued, the same recording was re-released with revised labels crediting Paul Wynn as performer.
A remake of “Shaving Cream” performed as a duet with Dr. Demento was released on the albums, Dr. Demento’s Dementia Royale and Dr. Demento’s 25th Anniversary Collection. Dr. Demento occasionally performed the song live in concert with “Weird Al” Yankovic’s band (Yankovic playing accordion). Another 1970s cover version was recorded by a soca group, The Fabulous Five.
Dave Van Ronk famously performed this song at his shows over the years, and a version is included on the CD of rarities, The Mayor of MacDougal Street. He modifies the trick of the song by changing the last line to “stick your head in a bucket of shit” rather than “a bucket of shaving cream”.