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Remember - Burma Shave signs?

Started by Bill Caddyshack, August 05, 2013, 12:37:11 PM

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Bill Caddyshack


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


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


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


Do these bring back any old memories?
If not, you're merely a child.



If they do - then you're old as dirt.. LIKE ME!


Have a great day

gary griffin


  I love your post but as I seem to recall in Washington state they were white with black lettering.  Possibly  my memory is fading or they were white having to do with the fact stop lights are red. 

  I hope someone comes up with more of the wording and clarifies the color differences.

   I seem to recall? They existed into the early 50's I think or when they stopped posting them no one was responsible for taking them down.
Gary Griffin

1940 LaSalle 5029 4 door convertible sedan
1942 Cadillac 6719 restoration almost complete?
1957 Cadillac 60-special (Needs a little TLC)
2013 Cadillac XTS daily driver

D.Yaros

Everyone I ever saw back in the day, and I did see more than a few (but none in WA) were white lettering on a red background.
Dave Yaros
CLC #25195
55 Coupe de Ville
92 Allante
62 Olds  

You will find me on the web @:
http://GDYNets.atwebpages.com  -Dave's Den
http://graylady.atwebpages.com -'55 CDV site
http://www.freewebs.com/jeandaveyaros  -Saved 62 (Oldsmobile) Web Site
The home of Car Collector Chronicles.  A  monthly GDYNets newsletter focusing on classic car collecting.
http://www.scribd.com/D_Yaros/

Doug Houston

The signs were 11" X 41". I have a real one;.

At the time this house was in planning, I also had a little project in the back of my warped mind. It was a set of half scale Burma shave signs for my driveway, to be set in place for special occasions.  They did get made, and used a few times. I used a genuine limerick for them, and they are cute. I have a picture somewhere with them in place. I'll try to find it.

The red I used was Chrysler Impact red from around 1960, as I recall. It was a good match for the real sign I have.

Inca-dentally, on the real sign, it was a last sign in the sequence, so the Burma Shave logo was on both sides. Of course, the lettering on all of he real signs had been silk screening. It turned out that he logo on one side of the sign I have was done with a different silk screen. When it was shot for silk screening my signs, I had to be careful which side was used. They are very different from each other.

There are several books, so it seems, that have a complete listing of the limericks by year. The backgrounds did indeed, vary from the original red. My memory of those signs is vivid, as I was growing up when they were on the roads. It's a wonderful memory. l
38-6019S
38-9039
39-9057B
41-6227D
41-6019SF
41-6229D
41-6267D
56-6267
70-DeV Conv
41-Chev 41-1167
41 Olds 41-3929

KD

That sure brings back memories,
Thanks for the post
Ken D CLC#26801
Ken Dennison

1935 Auburn S/C Cabroilet
1940 Cadillac V16 7 passenger Imperial Sedan (9033)
1929 Ford Closed Cab Pick Up
1960 Austin Healey Sprite

signart

You mean like this?
Art D. Woody

Doug Houston

38-6019S
38-9039
39-9057B
41-6227D
41-6019SF
41-6229D
41-6267D
56-6267
70-DeV Conv
41-Chev 41-1167
41 Olds 41-3929