Remember Burma Shave

[norgeskog]

There is supposed to be a large BURMA SHAVE sign here but it disappeared. Ah well, you will get the message. Used to love these along the highway. We would try to outguess the signs.


Trains don't wander
All over the map
'Cause nobody sits
In the engineer's lap
Burma Shave

She kissed the hairbrush
By mistake
She thought it was
Her husband Jake
Use Burma Shave

For those who never saw the Burma shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930s and '40's. Before the Interstates, when everyone drove the old 2 lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers' fields. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4 line couplet and the obligatory 5th sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream. Here are more of the actual signs:

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD
TO GAIN A MINUTE
YOU NEED YOUR HEAD
YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT
Burma Shave

DROVE TOO LONG
DRIVER SNOOZING
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
IS NOT AMUSING
Burma Shave

BROTHER SPEEDER
LET'S REHEARSE
ALL TOGETHER
GOOD MORNING NURSE
Burma Shave

SPEED WAS HIGH
WEATHER WAS NOT
TIRES WERE THIN
X MARKS THE SPOT
Burma Shave

THE MIDNIGHT RIDE
OF PAUL FOR BEER
LED TO A WARMER
HEMISPHERE
Burma Shave

AROUND THE CURVE
LICKETY-SPLIT
ITS A BEAUTIFUL CAR
WASN'T IT?
Burma Shave

NO MATTER THE PRICE
NO MATTER HOW NEW
THE BEST SAFETY DEVICE
IN THE CAR IS YOU
Burma Shave

A GUY WHO DRIVES
A CAR WIDE OPEN
IS NOT THINKIN'
HE'S JUST HOPIN'
Burma Shave

AT INTERSECTIONS
LOOK EACH WAY
A HARP SOUNDS NICE
BUT ITS HARD TO PLAY
Burma Shave

BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL
EYES ON THE ROAD
THAT'S THE SKILLFUL
DRIVER'S CODE
Burma Shave

THE ONE WHO DRIVES
WHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKING
DEPENDS ON THE CAR
TO DO HIS THINKING
Burma Shave

CAR IN DITCH
DRIVER IN TREE
THE MOON WAS FULL
AND SO WAS HE.
Burma Shave

PASSING SCHOOL ZONE
TAKE IT SLOW
LET OUR LITTLE
SHAVERS GROW
Burma Shave

Deadly thoughts
About lights that shine
If he won't dim his
Then I won't dim mine
Burma Shave

And the all time favorite:

Don't stick your arm
Out the window too far
It might go home
In another car
Burma Shave

Do these bring back memories?? If not, you are such a child. If they do, you're older than dirt, like me!

Have a great day! Stay young at heart!

 

[wasabi]

Thanks for posting that norg. It is against the law to have billboards here in Hawaii, and I can see why when I visit the mainland.

 

[norgeskog]

Thanks for posting that norg. It is against the law to have billboards here in Hawaii, and I can see why when I visit the mainland.

OMG wasabi, it is so overdone here, absolutely awful. Here in Oregon I have not seen any of the big ones they have in California. Ours are usually showing directions to an off-highway B&B, winery, restaurant or something. Not the hugh ones the PD hide behind.

 

[Dove]

I sure do remember the signs on "Route 66"

 

[Barbara L]

I guess I'm kind of weird, but I've always enjoyed billboards. Of course they can be overdone, and I don't like all of them, but there are some pretty interesting ones.

Barbara

 

[keen kook]

They are ugly and, even worse they sre DISTRACTING!

Would a few more directions not be more helpful? The number of times I have come to an intersection in the middle of nowhere, only to find that the only sign in sight is urging me to buy ACME Wonderpowder or some such nonsense is beyond counting!

When I am in that situation, I want to know if Hicksville is to the right and how far it is - NOT that Joe's Barber shop is doing halfprice haircuts!

 

[buckytom]

i remember seeing the series of little signs along the side of the road in florida a few years ago, each sign had a line from the advert, then another sign with the next line was a few feet down the road. i thought it was neat, but i can see how big billboards are annoying.

 

[norgeskog]

I sure do remember the signs on "Route 66"

One of my favorite vacations was with my roommate in about 1968 or so, we drove in her bright orange MGB convertable via route 66 from Newport Beach, CA to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, what a trip and we did the signs. amused us a lot.