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

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

 

HE SAW THE TRAIN
AND TRIED TO DUCK IT 
HE KICKED THE GAS 
AND THEN THE BUCKET! 
Burma Shave

 

A MAN, A MISS, 

A CAR, A CURVE, 

HE KISSED THE MISS, 

AND MISSED THE CURVE. 

BURMA SHAVE

 

Do these bring back any memories? 

If not, you're young!!!