A while back whilst browsing through a neighbor’s garage sale, I picked up a really spiffy copy of a Haynes Guide for Yellowstone National Park, printed in 1959. Aside from some dented corners and some kids’ scribbles on the cover, it’s in beautiful shape. Flipping through the pages when I got home, I discovered a bonus hidden inside; a Burma-Shave booklet. Volume X to be exact, printed in 1942. It’s a tiny little thing, about 2″ x 2″, printed on cheap paper that had yellowed badly over the years, but it’s still very much readable. The booklets were likely included in a package with a can or jar of Burma-Shave, as they had product use instructions printed inside, and as a bonus, 44 of the Burma-Shave roadside jingles.
Clever little idea, those Burma Shave jingles. The company leased space from farmers all over the country & placed signs along the highways and byways everywhere. It was always one verse per sign, with a number of signs spaced out in a row so passersby would read them in sequence as they drove by, with the Burma-Shave logo ending the series. I can imagine that most travelers would take notice of these signs, especially back in the days before radio signals covered the country and before every car was decked out with multimedia entertainment.
Click through to see the entire booklet, and a transcription of the jingles.
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How to Use BURMA-SHAVE
1. Wash the Face Thoroughly with Soap and Water, preferably warm.
This is very important as it removes the natural waterproof oil and enables Burma-Shave to properly soften the beard.
2. Leave Beard Moist.
3. Spread on Burma-Shave with Fingers. After Spreading, Pat — Don’t Rub.
Patting causes Burma-Shave to penetrate to the base of the whiskers. The application of it is simplified if Burma-Shave is spread on first and patted afterwards.
4. Allow a Minute for Burma-Shave to Soften Whiskers and to “Set” before Starting to Shave.
During this period assemble your razor, sharpen the blade or perform any customary toilet operation.
5. Shave
For a close shave apply a thin second coating of Burma-Shave or spread around the cream which remains on the face and shave against beard. No after shaving lotion required.
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Burma-Shave Road Signs
The Burma-Shave signs from which the following jingles have been selected are a feature of the landscape throughout the United States. Each set of signs is located on property leased from the farmer or other owner for an annual cash rental. The signs occupy very little space and their innocent fun is a continual source of amusement to highway travelers. Each year new verses, contributed by jinglers, amateur and professional, appear on the signs.
The following forty-four jingles have been selected from those that have been used on the Burma-Shave signs. We hope you will get the same big “kick” out of them that we do.
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1. Pa likes the cream Ma likes the jar Both like The price So there you are Burma-Shave |
3. Mid rising Taxes Soaring rents Still half a pound For fifty cents Burma-Shave |
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2. Brother speeders Let’s Rehearse All together “Good morning, nurse!” Burma-Shave |
4. Stores are full Of shaving aids But all you need Is this And blades Burma-Shave |
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5. Approached A crossing Without looking Who will eaat His widow’s cooking? Burma-Shave |
7. Drove too long Driver snoozing What happened next Is not Amusing Burma-Shave |
9. If you Don’t know Whose ads These are You can’t have Driven very far |
11. Let’s make Hitler And Hirohito Look as sick as Old Benito Buy war bonds Burma-Shave |
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6. Pa acted So tickled Ma thot He was pickled He’s just tried Burma-Shave |
8. Iceman’s grandson Now full grown Has cooling system All his own He uses Burma-Shave |
10. There’s no whisker It won’t soften Shave ’em close And not So often Burma-Shave |
12. If hugging On highways Is your sport Trade in your car For a davenport Burma-Shave |
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13. Can’t shave daily? Tender hide Now be honest Have you Tried Burma-Shave |
15. A girl Should hold on To her youth But not When he’s driving — Burma-Shave |
17. Maybe you can’t Shoulder a gun But you can shoulder The cost of one Buy war bonds Burma-Shave |
19. Of all The drunks Who drive on Sunday Some are still Alive on Monday Burma-Shave |
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14. Shaving brush In army pack Was straw that broke The rookie’s back Use brushless Burma-Shave |
16. “At ease” she said “Maneuvers begin When you get Those whiskers Off your chin” Burma-Shave |
18. Substitutes Like unseen barter Often make one Sad But smarter Burma-Shave |
20. Traveling men Know ease And speed Their shaving kits Hold what they need Burma-Shave |
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21. What you shouted May be true But Did you hear What he called you? Burma-Shave |
23. Buying war bonds Means money lent So they Don’t cost you One red cent Burma-Shave |
25. Tell The dear Who shops around That half a buck Buys half a pound Burma-Shave |
27. She kissed The hairbrush By mistake She thought it was Her husband Jake Burma-Shave |
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22. To most brush shavers It’s quite clear The Yanks aren’t coming The yanks are here Use brushless Burma-Shave |
24. They missed The turn Car was whizz’n Fault was her’n Funeral was his’n Burma-Shave |
26. Don’t stick Your elbow Out so far It might go home In another car Burma-Shave |
28. Soldier Sailor And Marine Now get a shave That’s quick and clean Burma-Shave |
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29. He used Umbrella For parachute Now rejects Every substitute Burma-Shave |
31. When better Shaving brushes Are mad We’ll still shave Without their aid Burma-Shave |
33. When Junior takes Your ties And car It’s time to buy An extra jar Burma-Shave |
35. Gets each Whisker At the base No ingrown hair On neck or face Burma-Shave |
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30. Remember this If you’d Be spared Trains don’t whistle Because they’re scared Burma-Shave |
32. If man bites doggie That is news If face Scares doggie Better use Burma-Shave |
34. Slap The Jap With Iron Scrap Burma-Shave |
36. Life is sweet But oh how bitter! To love a gal And then Not git ‘er Burma-Shave |
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37. Trains don’t wander All over the map For no one Sits on The engineer’s lap Burma-Shave |
39. Wild Dashes From by-ways Cause crashes On highways Burma-Shave |
41. Substitutes Resemble Tail-chasing pup Follow and follow But never catch up Burma-Shave |
43. Broken romance Stated fully She went wild When he Went wooly Burma-Shave |
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38. Rhyme and reason Every season You’ve read The rhyme Now try the reason Burma-Shave |
40. The answer to A maiden’s prayer Is a man Most anywhere Using Burma-Shave |
42. From Bar To car To Gates ajar Burma-Shave |
44. If every sip Fills you With zip Then your sipper Needs a zipper Burma-Shave |
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KEEP FROM FREEZING
Burma-Shave being an emulsion will not stand hard freezing, but if it has been frozen it may be returned to a usable condition by imersing the tube or jar for about thirty minutes in water at 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (a trifle warmer than the hand can stand).
Burma-Shave Big Value Sizes
10c tube — The big little tube
35c tube — Five ounces avoirdupois
50c jar — Half a pound for half a dollar
85c jar — One pound avoirdupois
Made in U.S.A. by BURMA-VITA CO.
Minneapolis, Minn.