Burma Shave

Here in the east you would have to be at least 60 or more to remember seeing these signs.......jk



Anybody remember these on the old highways?





A man, a miss,

A car, a curve,

He kissed the miss,

And missed the curve. Burma Shave



I'm sure that Burma Shave actually saved some lives. People laughed and then 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!





For those who never saw any of the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's and '40'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.





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

In this world
of toil and sin
your head goes bald
but not your chin
Burma Shave

Up until about ten years ago there were still Burma Shave signs up along Rt. 54 North. There might still be, I started going a different way to camp.

Said the farmer

Who's bald on top

I wish I could

Rotate the crop

Burma Shave

She put a bullet
Thru his hat
But he's had closer
Shaves than that
Burma Shave

Driving is risky
When frisky on whiskey

I like Tequila too.

There is a complete set of Burma Shave signs in the Smithsonian. I remember them along the road as a kid.

To look sharp and be on the ball
Burma shave is best of all.

I miss those signs and the Red Man tobacco signs on the sides of barns.

"the signs on the side of the road" A book of BURMA SHAVE signs. I have it here somewhere.

I remember those signs , but they were only on main roads and only in certain places, with room for them.
Like the old rest stops on all the main roads , small little picnic areas, with an outhouse, sometimes with a water hand pump .
All gone with the years.

I lived in central Iowa for 5ish years.

They used to be all over up there.

Don't know if they still are or not.