Remember these? For those who never saw the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's and '40's. Before the Interstates, when everyone drove the old 2 lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside on the side of the road.  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 the popular shaving cream, 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
Use 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 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
It's 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 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

Passing school zone
Take it slow
Let our little 
Shaver grow
Burma Shave

and here is one recently submitted by one of my viewers (thanks Ed!):

Don't stick your elbow
Out so far
It might go home
In another car
Burma Shave

and here is another submitted by another viewer (Thanks Marlaine!)

Within this vale 
Of toil and sin
Your head grows bald
But not your chin
Burma Shave!

and still another submitted by a viewer (Thanks Earl!)

This cream makes
The farmer's daughter
Plant her tulips
Where she autter
Burma Shame

and still another! (Thanks Mel!)

The safest rule
No ifs or buts
Just drive like
Everyone else is nuts
Burma Shave

and three more! (Thanks Jim!)

They're picking up the pieces 
With a shovel and a rake,
He grabbed a silken knee 
When he should have grabbed the brake
Burma Shave


A nut at the wheel,
A peach by his side.
A turn in the road,
Fruit Salad!
Burma Shave 

A peach looks good
With lots of fuzz,
But man's no peach
And never was
Burma Shave

and another (thanks Ken!)

Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
Where last years
Careless driver is.
Burma Shave

and two more! (thanks Bob!)

Rip a fender 
Off your car
Send it in 
For a half pound jar 
Burma Shave 

Birdie birdie in the sky
Dropping whitewash in my eye
Gee I'm glad 
That cows can't fly
Burma Shave

and still another! (Thanks Tracy!)

Drunken drivers
Enhance their chance
To hiball home
In an ambulance
Burma Shave

they just keep coming! (thanks, W.L.)

Pity all
The mighty Caesars
They pulled each whisker
Out with tweezers.
Burma Shave

thanks to Jim for this one:

If necking while driving
Is your sport
Trade in your car
For a Davenport
Burma Shave

and another from Mel; thanks Mel

Beneath this slab
John Brown is stowed
He watched the ad
And not the road
Burma Shave

and thanks to Jane for this one:

Round the bend
Lickety split
Beautiful car
Wasn't it
Burma Shave

and thanks to Christopher for this one:

Our cream is like
A parachute
There isn't
Any substitute
Burma Shave

and another one from Jim....thanks Jim!

Thirty Days
Hath September
April, June,
And the speed offender
Burma Shave

and here's one from Glenda......thanks Glenda!

   Although insured
Remember kiddo
They don't pay you
They pay your widow
Burma Shave

and another from Ken.........thanks Ken!

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

and one from Thomas and Dan.....thanks folks!

He Lit A Match
To Check His Tank
That's Why They Call Him
Skinless Frank 
Burma Shave

and another from Dan.......thanks Dan!

His tenor voice
She thought divine
Til his whiskers scratched
Sweet Adeline
Burma Shave

thanks David for this one!

Don't go passing
On a slope
Unless you have 
A periscope
Burma Shave

And here's three from Dick and Judy......thanks folks!

Big mistake
Many make
Rely on horn
Instead of brake 
Burma Shave

Car in ditch
Driver in tree
The moon was full
And so was he
Burma Shave

Women leap 
From fire escapes
To get away
From hairy apes
Burma Shave

and a couple from Ed.......thanks Ed!

Angels who guard you
When you Drive
Usually Retire
At 65
Burma  Shave

He saw the train
And tried to duck it
kicked first the gas
And then the bucket
Burma  Shave

and one from David......thanks David!

Cattle crossing 
Means go slow 
That old Bull 
Is some cow's beau
Burma Shave

and, from an unknown contributor.....thanks!

Tempted to try It
Follow your hunch
Be top banana
Not one of the bunch
Burma Shave

and one from Karie....thanks Karie!

Dim your lights 
Behind a car
Let folks see
How bright YOU are!
Burma Shave

thanks to Scott for this one!

Henry the Eighth
Sure had trouble
Short term wives
Long term stubble
Burma Shave

and thanks to Ann for this one!

Listen birds
Don't get funny
You can rest
But signs cost money
Burma Shave

and one more from Bob; thanks Bob!

Free, free
A trip to Mars
For 900 
Empty jars
Burma Shave

and still another from Len and Nancy; thanks folks!

Ben met Anna
Made a hit
Neglected beard
Ben and Anna split
Burma Shave

and here's one from Ron; thanks Ron!

These signs are not 
For laughs alone 
The face they save 
May be your own
Burma Shave

and one from Frenchie; thanks!

For all the fools 
That drive on Sunday
Some are still
Alive on Monday 
Burma Shave 

and here are two from Dan; thanks Dan!

He lit a match
To check the gas tank
That's why they call him
Skinless Frank
Burma Shave

and, my Barbershop buddies will appreciate this one:

His tenor voice
She thought devine
''Til his whiskers scratched
Sweet Adeline
Burma Shave

And here is one from Nora: thanks Nora!

Do these bring back memories?? If not, you're just a child. If they do,  you're older than dirt, like me. I can remember my Dad taking the family for Sunday afternoon drives and we always looked for the Burma Shave signs....and we had to read them out loud!

(Background music: A fitting one written and made famous by that great group, The Statler Bros, Do You Remember These?)

Thanks for dropping by; hope this brought back some fond memories for you.

Singing Man's Home