Oldies but goodies…

I know most people won’t remember these, but I do…

These used to be on the rural highways throughout America, I remember seeing them when I was growing up in the South. There would be five signs, each with one line on it, the last was always the Burma Shave logo and name.

Old ‘Burma Shave’ Roadway Signs!

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

Comments

Oldies but goodies… — 17 Comments

  1. When I was a kid in the late 50’s~early 60’s, we took several cross-country trips to see some of my Dad’s far-flung relatives. The Burma Shave signs always made our trips less boring!
    My favorite one was:
    They missed their turn
    The car was whizzin’
    The fault was hers
    The funeral hisn’

    And:
    Within this vale
    Of toil and sin
    Your head grows bald
    But not your chin

  2. Thanks for the memories! MAD Magazine-at the height of the Cold War-paradied these with: Fat Nikita’s getting stronger, we can’t afford to wait much longer,
    Sherman Tanks.

  3. I wondered if the lack of the signs was the death of reading in the youth of America.

  4. I remember a long slog across Idaho and a billboard in the distance. The angle was such you couldn’t read it until you came around a small curve. My parents speculated as to the message which was, “Boring, isn’t it” and the name of some store.

  5. Loved them! The wife and I had a few good laughs after recalling seeing a few them on a couple of our USN induced cross country trips!

  6. George/Snigs- You’re welcome!

    Earl- Probably a contributor! I remember my mother/dad asking me to read them at about age 5, and I could!

    WSF- That is funny!

    Ev/ORPO- Yep, Military moves WERE good for that…

    Keads- Yep 🙂

  7. I dont remember those. And I sat in the back of an old Caddy on many car trips to florida from NJ.

    Guess I’m not old enough. =)