Barry Wolk Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 For those who never saw any of the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's, 40s and '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, (Isn't funny, back then it seemed we would never get to the next sign, at the speed Dad was driving? Now days you would have to be a speed reader!) 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 STICK YOUR ELBOWOUT SO FARIT MAY GO HOMEIN ANOTHER CARBURMA SHAVE TRAINS DON'T WANDERALL OVER THE MAP'CAUSE NOBODY SITSIN THE ENGINEER'S LAPBURMA SHAVE SHE KISSED THE HAIRBRUSHBY MISTAKESHE THOUGHT IT WASHER HUSBAND JAKEBURMA SHAVEDON'T LOSE YOUR HEADTO GAIN A MINUTEYOU NEED YOUR HEADYOUR BRAINS ARE IN ITBURMA SHAVE DROVE TOO LONGDRIVER SNOOZINGWHAT HAPPENED NEXTIS NOT AMUSINGBURMA SHAVE BROTHER SPEEDERLET'S REHEARSEALL TOGETHERGOOD MORNING, NURSEBURMA SHAVECAUTIOUS RIDERTO HER RECKLESS DEARLET'S HAVE LESS BULLAND A LITTLE MORE STEERBURMA SHAVESPEED WAS HIGHWEATHER WAS NOTTIRES WERE THINX MARKS THE SPOTBURMA SHAVETHE MIDNIGHT RIDEOF PAUL FOR BEERLED TO A WARMERHEMISPHEREBURMA SHAVEAROUND THE CURVELICKETY-SPLITBEAUTIFUL CARWASN'T IT?BURMA SHAVENO MATTER THE PRICENO MATTER HOW NEWTHE BEST SAFETY DEVICEIN THE CAR IS YOUBURMA SHAVEA GUY WHO DRIVESA CAR WIDE OPENIS NOT THINKIN'HE'S JUST HOPIN'BURMA SHAVEAT INTERSECTIONSLOOK EACH WAYA HARP SOUNDS NICEBUT IT'S HARD TO PLAYBURMA SHAVEBOTH HANDS ON THE WHEELEYES ON THE ROADTHAT'S THE SKILLFULDRIVER'S CODEBURMA SHAVETHE ONE WHO DRIVESWHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKINGDEPENDS ON YOUTO DO HIS THINKINGBURMA SHAVECAR IN DITCHDRIVER IN TREETHE MOON WAS FULLAND SO WAS HE.BURMA SHAVEPASSING SCHOOL ZONETAKE IT SLOWLET OUR LITTLESHAVERS GROW BURMA SHAVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thanks, Barry. I remember those well. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Looks to me like the photo Barry Wolk posted was probably taken fairly recently along the route of old US66 in northern Arizona. Kingman or Oatman maybe.According to my old copy of The Verse by the Side of the Road, Arizona is one state that did not have Burma Shave signs as it was not populated enough. I recall seeing them as a child on our trips from our home in Southern Arizona to Southern California. But I guess they were on the California side of the river. I mostly recall them in the Imperial Valley.So if my guess about the location is correct then, aside from the close spacing and uneven height of the signs, the photo is historically inaccurate.By the early 1960s those signs were the signs were at the end of their lives and were pretty ratty. So bright freshly painted signs with a 1960s car showing "patina" is also historically inaccurate.But even with those complaints, I do like the picture and thank you for posting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 My personal favorite, from 1947.OLD DOBBINREADS THESE SIGNSEACH DAYYOU SEE HE GETS HIS CORN THAT WAYBurma ShavePaul Dobbin(If it needs an exlpanation, PM me.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 My personal favorite, from 1947....If we are doing favorites...Does your husbandmisbehavegrunt and grumblerant and raveshoot the brute someBurma-ShaveTwinkle, twinkleone-eyed carwe all wonderwhereyou areBurma-ShaveAt crossroadsdon't justtrust to luckthe other carmay be a truckBurma-Shave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Don't forget If one arm driving is your sporttrade your car for a davenport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4 bufords Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 good to see you on here old guy,haven;t seen you here for a while,hope all is well,4 bufords from ct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Simmons Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 The only I can remember at the moment is the one that goes "Round the curve The car went wizzin The fault was hers The funeral Hiisn Burma Shave.... This thread reminds me of barn advertizing for all sorts of goods tobacco, milk, tractors, paint, chewing gum, etc you name it it was probably painted on some farmers by an old two lane highway. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I had a book of Burma Shave slogans when I was a kid, but only one stuck with me (perhaps because it appealed to a 9-year-old's sense of humor):ONE FELLOW USED A MATCHTO CHECK HIS TANK,THAT'S WHY THEY CALL HIMSKINLESS FRANK.BURMA SHAVE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friartuck Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Rip a FenderOff a CarSend It In For a 1/2 pound JarBurma-ShaveAnd People Did!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenHupp20 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Do no passing On a slope Unless you have A PeriscopeUsed to be along Rte. 31 Windsor ,N.H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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