For those who never saw any of the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's-'50's. Before there were 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.

I'm sure that Burma Shave actually saved some lives. People laughed and they were more careful! It was a REAL "service" to America, even though it was an advertisement and it was one of the RARE "really useful" ones!


A car, a curve.
He kissed the miss,
And missed the curve.
Burma Shave


DON'T STICK YOUR ELBOW
OUT SO FAR
IT MAY GO HOME
IN ANOTHER CAR.
Burma Shave

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.
Burma Shave

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

CAUTIOUS RIDER
TO HER RECKLESS DEAR
LET'S HAVE LESS BULL
AND A LITTLE MORE STEER.
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
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 IT'S 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 YOU
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

Your post brings back memories. One of the fun things on a long trip were the Burma Shave signs.

quote:

Originally posted by ggile:
Your post brings back memories. One of the fun things on a long trip were the Burma Shave signs.

Yep.

I marvel at how creative my parents were on trips. We didn’t go many places, but when we did, we were encouraged to look for and read signs, spot and identify cars by make and model, much easier 65 years ago when two lane “highways” carried negligible traffic, crops growing in passing fields, what town is next, etc.

Now, I suppose one can drive all the way to Houston without looking up from one’s iPad.

quote:

Burma Shave

Love it.

I remember seeing a few of these on our trips between Tennessee and Ohio. Wikipedia says they were removed in ‘63 but a few must have survived until the late ‘60s when we were doing that drive.

I saw another one somewhere in North Alabama (I think) about 15 or 20 years ago and pointed it out to my then young daughters. My wife and I guessed this one was a reproduction and probably wasn’t associated with Burma Shave since the company no longer existed, but Wikipedia surprised me and said it was reintroduced in 1997. I don’t know if they did any signs then, but the timeframe was about right.

My fave:

TWINKLE TWINKLE
ONE-EYED CAR
HOW I WONDER
WHERE YOU ARE
Burma Shave

(Two-lane highways in those days.)

quote:

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

I remember that one, at least.
But were they all safety admonitions?

How many played "highway alphabet"?

How about naming car makes (a lot easier in those days with NO imports). My Dad bragged that I could "tell any car on the road" when I was three.

I was reminded of Burma Shave last month when I was driving I-10 and had just left Arizona and entered New Mexico eastbound. I saw several groups of 4 or 5 signs each warning about dust storms and what to do. The way they were phrased just minded me of the old Burma Shave signs.

Anybody else seen these signs in New Mexico? It appeared to be in a very dusty barren sandy valley.

I knew about the BS signs but don't remember them. We would identify cars and count VW bugs to pass time.

How about the South of the Border signs heading towards South Carolina?

I remember those signs well. Thanks for posting.

Link to original video: https://youtu.be/8qaJpxkamsE

Lets not forget Barbasol.

In the 1930s, after the Raytheon Tube put a radio in everyman’s home, America would be familiar with Singin’ Sam the Barbasol Man. “Barbasol, Barbasol … No brush, no lather, no rub-in … Wet your razor, then begin.” Actors, sports figures, even NASCAR has advertised for Barbasol. - ATB

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
But were they all safety admonitions?

No. See the video below.
As a kid they were bright spots on long, tedious trips.

This all reminds me too of "Bardahl Did It Again"

"The Verse by the Side of the Road" is a small book from the late 70's that tells the story of the signs and lists all of them. Still available on Amazon. And remember -

When approaching crossings,
Please use care.
That train ain't whistling
'Cause it's scared.
Burma Shave

quote:

Originally posted by UTsig:
I knew about the BS signs but don't remember them. We would identify cars and count VW bugs to pass time.

How about the South of the Border signs heading towards South Carolina?

Never saw any of the signs in real life myself, but counted many a VW! I have a dim memory of being in a car with other kids and driving past a parking lot full of bugs! Their poor parents!

Up here in Michigan, we called that game “Slug Bug”. For you youngsters, you’re a little kid and every time you are the first to spot a VW Bug, you yelled “Slug Bug” and punched the closest unbuckled kid running around the back of the station wagon with you! Good times!

I’m sure that game has different names around the country. What are some other ones?

Along my grandfather's field:

Men with whiskers

'Neath their noses

Ought to kiss

Like Eskimoses.

BS

When they stopped paying rent he used them to close off feed bins.

quote:

Originally posted by np149:
Never saw any of the signs in real life myself, but counted many a VW!

The Burma Shave signs were a highlight of my youth when my family twice drove across the country. The three of us kids did a lot to stay entertained. We played "license plate bingo" (tabulate the different states), counted horses, and "spot the {red} truck..."

As an adult, my daughter and I would spy "punch buggies" (VWs) as we drove. The one who spied one would yell, "Punch buggy" and tag (punch) the other on the arm.

Outside Seligman, AZ on old 66.

Burma Shave

Burma Shave


Burma Shave

Burma Shave

Burma Shave