{"id":205,"date":"2007-07-08T15:37:02","date_gmt":"2007-07-08T19:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/daveandyvonne.com\/davintosh\/?p=205"},"modified":"2007-07-08T15:37:02","modified_gmt":"2007-07-08T19:37:02","slug":"the-burma-shave-booklet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/2007\/07\/08\/the-burma-shave-booklet\/old-things\/","title":{"rendered":"The Burma-Shave Booklet"},"content":{"rendered":"

burmashave_fc_lr.jpg<\/p>\n

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<\/a>, 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<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Click through to see the entire booklet, and a transcription of the jingles.
\n<\/p>\n\n\n
\nburmashave_01-02.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

How to Use BURMA-SHAVE<\/p>\n

1. Wash the Face Thoroughly with Soap and Water, preferably warm.<\/strong>
\nThis is very important as it removes the natural waterproof oil and enables Burma-Shave to properly soften the beard.
\n2. Leave Beard Moist.
\n3. Spread on Burma-Shave with Fingers. After Spreading, Pat — Don’t Rub.<\/strong>
\nPatting 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.
\n4. Allow a Minute for Burma-Shave to Soften Whiskers and to “Set” before Starting to Shave.<\/strong>
\nDuring this period assemble your razor, sharpen the blade or perform any customary toilet operation.
\n5. Shave<\/strong>
\nFor 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.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n
\nburmashave_03-04.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Burma-Shave Road Signs<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n1.
\nPa likes the cream
\nMa likes the jar
\nBoth like
\nThe price
\nSo there you are
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n3.
\nMid rising
\nTaxes
\nSoaring rents
\nStill half a pound
\nFor fifty cents
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n2.
\nBrother speeders
\nLet’s
\nRehearse
\nAll together
\n“Good morning, nurse!”
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n4.
\nStores are full
\nOf shaving aids
\nBut all you need
\nIs this
\nAnd blades
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n
\nburmashave_05-06.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n5.
\nApproached
\nA crossing
\nWithout looking
\nWho will eaat
\nHis widow’s cooking?
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n7.
\nDrove too long
\nDriver snoozing
\nWhat happened next
\nIs not
\nAmusing
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n9.
\nIf you
\nDon’t know
\nWhose ads
\nThese are
\nYou can’t have
\nDriven very far\n<\/td>\n		\n11.
\nLet’s make Hitler
\nAnd Hirohito
\nLook as sick as
\nOld Benito
\nBuy war bonds
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n6.
\nPa acted
\nSo tickled
\nMa thot
\nHe was pickled
\nHe’s just tried
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n8.
\nIceman’s grandson
\nNow full grown
\nHas cooling system
\nAll his own
\nHe uses
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n10.
\nThere’s no whisker
\nIt won’t soften
\nShave ’em close
\nAnd not
\nSo often
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n12.
\nIf hugging
\nOn highways
\nIs your sport
\nTrade in your car
\nFor a davenport
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n
\nburmashave_07-08.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n13.
\nCan’t shave daily?
\nTender hide
\nNow be honest
\nHave you
\nTried
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n15.
\nA girl
\nShould hold on
\nTo her youth
\nBut not
\nWhen he’s driving —
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n17.
\nMaybe you can’t
\nShoulder a gun
\nBut you can shoulder
\nThe cost of one
\nBuy war bonds
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n19.
\nOf all
\nThe drunks
\nWho drive on Sunday
\nSome are still
\nAlive on Monday
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n14.
\nShaving brush
\nIn army pack
\nWas straw that broke
\nThe rookie’s back
\nUse brushless
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n16.
\n“At ease” she said
\n“Maneuvers begin
\nWhen you get
\nThose whiskers
\nOff your chin”
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n18.
\nSubstitutes
\nLike unseen barter
\nOften make one
\nSad
\nBut smarter
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n20.
\nTraveling men
\nKnow ease
\nAnd speed
\nTheir shaving kits
\nHold what they need
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n
\nburmashave_09-10.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n21.
\nWhat you shouted
\nMay be true
\nBut
\nDid you hear
\nWhat he called you?
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n23.
\nBuying war bonds
\nMeans money lent
\nSo they
\nDon’t cost you
\nOne red cent
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n25.
\nTell
\nThe dear
\nWho shops around
\nThat half a buck
\nBuys half a pound
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n27.
\nShe kissed
\nThe hairbrush
\nBy mistake
\nShe thought it was
\nHer husband Jake
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n22.
\nTo most brush shavers
\nIt’s quite clear
\nThe Yanks aren’t coming
\nThe yanks are here
\nUse brushless
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n24.
\nThey missed
\nThe turn
\nCar was whizz’n
\nFault was her’n
\nFuneral was his’n
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n26.
\nDon’t stick
\nYour elbow
\nOut so far
\nIt might go home
\nIn another car
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n28.
\nSoldier
\nSailor
\nAnd Marine
\nNow get a shave
\nThat’s quick and clean
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n
\nburmashave_11-12.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n29.
\nHe used
\nUmbrella
\nFor parachute
\nNow rejects
\nEvery substitute
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n31.
\nWhen better
\nShaving brushes
\nAre mad
\nWe’ll still shave
\nWithout their aid
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n33.
\nWhen Junior takes
\nYour ties
\nAnd car
\nIt’s time to buy
\nAn extra jar
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n35.
\nGets each
\nWhisker
\nAt the base
\nNo ingrown hair
\nOn neck or face
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n30.
\nRemember this
\nIf you’d
\nBe spared
\nTrains don’t whistle
\nBecause they’re scared
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n32.
\nIf man bites doggie
\nThat is news
\nIf face
\nScares doggie
\nBetter use
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n34.
\nSlap
\nThe Jap
\nWith
\nIron
\nScrap
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n36.
\nLife is sweet
\nBut oh how bitter!
\nTo love a gal
\nAnd then
\nNot git ‘er
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n
\nburmashave_13-14.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n37.
\nTrains don’t wander
\nAll over the map
\nFor no one
\nSits on
\nThe engineer’s lap
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n39.
\nWild
\nDashes
\nFrom by-ways
\nCause crashes
\nOn highways
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n41.
\nSubstitutes
\nResemble
\nTail-chasing pup
\nFollow and follow
\nBut never catch up
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n43.
\nBroken romance
\nStated fully
\nShe went wild
\nWhen he
\nWent wooly
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n38.
\nRhyme and reason
\nEvery season
\nYou’ve read
\nThe rhyme
\nNow try the reason
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n40.
\nThe answer to
\nA maiden’s prayer
\nIs a man
\nMost anywhere
\nUsing
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n42.
\nFrom
\nBar
\nTo car
\nTo
\nGates ajar
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n		\n44.
\nIf every sip
\nFills you
\nWith zip
\nThen your sipper
\nNeeds a zipper
\nBurma-Shave\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n
\nburmashave_bc.jpg<\/a>\n<\/td>\n\nClick on the thumbnail to
\nview a high-resolution scan.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

KEEP FROM FREEZING<\/strong>
\nBurma-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).<\/p>\n

Burma-Shave Big Value Sizes<\/strong>
\n10c tube — The big little tube
\n35c tube — Five ounces avoirdupois
\n50c jar — Half a pound for half a dollar
\n85c jar — One pound avoirdupois<\/p>\n

Made in U.S.A. by BURMA-VITA CO.
\nMinneapolis, Minn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fun","category-old-things"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davintosh.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}