[QCWA] FW: Burma Shave

[Walcott, Paul]

I'm young enough (just turned 56) that I can only remember a few of the
classic Burma Shave signs, but I do remember that as recently as the
1980's there was one on Route 2 in Ohio.    Can't remember exactly what
it said, but it ended with something about: 

Jump and Shout
Burma Shave.

I used to pass it driving from the Detroit area to Cedar Point in
Sandusky, Ohio.

Paul
WD8H


-----Original Message-----
From: qcwa-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:qcwa-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Dick Thompson
Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 11:49 AM
To: qcwa at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [QCWA] FW: Burma Shave

Maybe this will relieve some of the reflector's tension that has been
going on.  I'm sure all of us old farts remember these signs.
 
Dick
WB0DUL


 


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




Remember these? 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 

And the all time favorite: 

PASSING SCHOOL ZONE 
TAKE IT SLOW 
LET OUR LITTLE 
SHAVERS GROW 
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! Still young at heart! 

And one I remember:

Hardly a man
Is now alive
That travels on curves
At seventy-five
Burma Shave





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