Burma Shave Slogans

September 2005

Burma Shave Slogans

In 1946, Bruce's parents were amongst the first Albertans to drive the newly completed Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). Ruth kept a diary of the trip and in the back of this diary wrote down numerous Burma Shave slogans that featured along the road sides. Here is a brief history of Burma Shave signs found along Canadian and American roadsides........

- Way back in 1925 young Allan Odell pitched this great sales idea to his father, Clinton. Use small, wooden roadside signs to pitch their product, Burma-Shave, a brushless shaving cream. Dad wasn't wild about the idea but eventually gave Allan $200 to give it a try.

- It didn't take long for sales to soar. Soon Allan and his brother Leonard were putting up signs all over the dang place. At first the signs were pure sales pitch but as the years passed they found their sense of humour extending to safety tips and pure fun. And some good old-fashioned down home wisdom.

- At their height of popularity there were 7,000 Burma-Shave signs stretching across America. The familiar white on red signs, grouped by four, fives and sixes, were as much a part of a family trip as irritating your kid brother in the back seat of the car. You'd read first one, then another, anticipating the punch line on number five and the familiar Burma-Shave on the sixth.

- The signs cheered us during the Depression and the dark days of World War II. But things began to change in the late Fifties. Cars got faster and superhighways got built to accommodate them. The fun little signs were being replaced by huge, unsightly billboards.

- 1963 was the last year for new Burma Shave signs. No more red and white nuggets of roadside wisdom to ease the journey.

Below are some of the slogans she wrote down along the way:

The click he wed Let out a hoop Felt his chin And flew the coop Burma Shave	Is he Lonesome Or just blind-- This guy who drives So close behind? Burma Shave
Big mistake Many make Rely on horn Instead of brake Burma Shave	The place to pass On curves You know Is only at A beauty show Burma Shave
His line was smooth But not his chin He took her out She took him in…. To buy some Burma Shave	We can't Provide you With a date But we do supply The best darn bait Burma Shave
It spreads as smooth It feels so slick Soft as velvet Acts so quick Burma Shave	Soap may do For lads with fuzz But sir, you ain't The kid you wuz Burma Shave
Why does a chick Cross the street Both hands on the wheel eyes on the road That’s the skillful Driver’s code Burma Shave	She eyed His beard And said no dice The wedding's off-- I'll COOK the rice Burma Shave
You can beat a mile a minute But there ain’t no future in it Burma Shave	A beard That's rough And overgrown Is better than A chaperone Burma Shave
Pa likes the cream Ma likes the jar Both like the price So there you are Burma Shave	A chin Where barbed wire Bristles stand Is bound to be A no ma'ams land Burma Shave
To most brush shavers It’s quite clear The yanks aren’t coming The yanks are here Use brushless Burma Shave	The wolf Is shaved So neat and trim Red Riding Hood Is chasing him Burma Shave
Stores are full of shaving aids But all you need is this and blades Burma Shave	Spring Has sprung The grass has riz Where last year's Careless drivers is Burma Shave
Drove to long Driver snoozing What happened next Is not amusing Burma Shave	Proper Distance To him was bunk They pulled him out Of some guy's trunk Burma Shave
Pa acted so tickled Ma thought he was pickled He just tried…. Burma Shave	Substitutes Can do More harm Than city fellers On a farm Burma Shave
Of all the drunks Who drove on Sunday Some are still alive on Monday Burma Shave	The hobo Lets his Whiskers sprout It's trains--not girls That he takes out Burma Shave
Substitutes like unseen garter Often make one sad but smarter Burma Shave	Drinking drivers-- Nothing worse They put The quart Before the hearse Burma Shave
His cheek Was rough His chick vamoosed And now she won't Come home to roost Burma Shave	At a quiz Pa ain't No whiz But he knows how To keep Ma his Burma Shave
The whale Put Jonah Down the hatch But coughed him up Because he scratched Burma Shave	The poorest guy In the Human race Can have a Million dollar face Burma Shave
The bearded lady Tried a jar Now she's a famous Movie star Burma Shave	When passing Through school zones Please drive slow Let's let our Little shavers Grow Burma Shave
Burma-Shave Was such a boom They passed The bride And kissed the groom Burma Shave	Around the corner Lickety-split Beautiful car Wasn't it? Burma Shave
Violets are blue Roses are pink On graves Of those Who drive and drink Burma Shave	Angels who guard you When you drive Usually retire At sixty-five Burma Shave
A guy Who drives A car wide open Is not thinkin' He's just hopin' Burma Shave	He played the sax, Had no B.O. But his whiskers scratched So she let him go Burma Shave
Altho insured Remember, kiddo They don't pay you They pay Your widow Burma Shave	Henry the 8th Sure had trouble Short term wives Long term stubble Burma Shave
Substitutes Can let you down Quicker Than a Strapless gown Burma Shave	Thirty days Hath September April, June, and the Speed Offender Burma Shave
Jar so big Cost so small Coolest Smoothest Shave of all Burma Shave	They missed the turn The car went whizzin' The fault was hern The FUNERAL hisn Burma Shave
Within this vale Of toil And sin Your head grows bald But not your chin Burma Shave	He had the ring He had the flat She felt his chin And that was that Burma Shave
Said farmer Brown Who's bald On top Wish I could Rotate the crop Burma Shave	The salesman Taught the Farmer's daughter To plant Her tu-lips Where she otter Burma Shave
Passing cars When you can't see May get you A glimpse Of eternity Burma Shave	Car in ditch Man in tree Moon was full So was he! Burma Shave
Henry VIII Sure Had Trouble Short Term Wives Long Term Stubble Burma Shave	Farewell O verse Along the road How sad to see You're out of mode Burma Shave


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