Burma-Shave
I have often wondered about the ages
of viewers who visit this site. The only thing I have to go on is a small
sampling of people who volunteered to give their ages on a post several months
ago on another UNC message board Now I realize there are many imperfections is
using the figures generated there but its all I have. The figures from that
sampling revealed that the average age was 33 with the youngest viewer being 12
and the oldest 80.
Why, you say, does the age of viewers
matter and I answer that, at times, I try to write my articles to the audience
involved. If people are too young to remember what I am writing about, I might,
for example, want to give a little history. Maybe the safe thing to do in this
instance is to do just that.
In the late 20's a small brushless
shaving cream manufacturer was experiencing difficulty in achieving the desired
level of sales. One of the owners came up with the idea of placing small red and
white sign posts on the side of the road with short four line messages that
always ended with the words Burma-Shave. The first one posted in 1927 extolled
the virtues of the Burma-Shave product but later ones were philosophical, safety
and / or comical in nature. The signs were placed about 50 yards apart and one
of the pleasant diversions of the time while traveling was to be alert for a
Burma-Shave set of signs. When they were spotted, everyone in the automobile
would read them aloud and each person always tried to be the first one to read
the signs as they were approached. The very first Burma-Shave set of signs read
as follows:
Shave the modern way
No brush
No lather
No rub in
Big tube 35 cents drug stores
Burma-Shave
This one had more than 4 lines but
they later became standardized in style and consisted of 4 message signs plus
the Burma-Shave sign.
The last set of signs was erected in
1963 when the Burma-Shave Company was bought out by Phillip Morris but the
company still exists today under the American Safety Razor Company with
headquarters in Staunton, Va. At one time, before the emergence of billboards
and interstate highways, there were 8 traveling crews working the highways
erecting and repairing Burma-Shave signs. Usually the gift of a case of the
product was all that was paid to the farmer who owned the land being used.
The product is still being produced
today but most drug stores do not carry them and orders are generally filled
through the internet. Electric shavers gradually replaced razors but there is
nothing like a refreshing razor shave in the morning to get you ready for the
day.
A set of the signs are in the
Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. and they read as follows:
Shaving brushes
You'll soon see 'em
On the shelf
In some museum
Burma-Shave
I thought you might like to see some
samples of the catchy little poems that we old timers used to enjoy so much when
we were younger. Some of us still enjoy thoughts of them.
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 speeders
Let's rehearse
All together
Good morning nurse
Burma-Shave
Cautious rider
To her reckless dear
Let's have less bull
And lot's more steer
Burma-Shave
The midnight ride
Of Paul for beer
Led to a warmer
Hemisphere
Burma-Shave
Speed was high
Weather was not
Tires were thin
X marks the spot
Burma-Shave
Around the curve
Lickety split
It's a beautiful car
Wasn't it?
Burma-Shave
Passing cars
When you can't see
Might get you a glimpse
Of eternity
Burma-Shave
A guy who drives
A car wide open
Is not thinking
He's just hopin'
Burma Shave
There is a complete list of all the signs on the internet by year.