# Remember Burma  Shave



## norgeskog (Feb 23, 2005)

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 (Feb 23, 2005)

*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 (Feb 23, 2005)

wasabi said:
			
		

> *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 (Feb 23, 2005)

*I sure do remember the signs on "Route 66" *


----------



## Barbara L (Feb 24, 2005)

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 (Feb 24, 2005)

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 (Feb 24, 2005)

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 (Feb 24, 2005)

Dove said:
			
		

> *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.


----------

