BURMA SHAVE (Remember?)

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[ffusco]

Thanks. This week I've been shaving with a vintage Gilette double sided razor.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I have a paperback I purchased many years ago containing all the Burma Shave rhymes.

One of my favorites:

Paperhangers

with the hives

Shouldn't shave

with carving knives

Burma Shave

[VOA]

the way I heard it (but never saw it as I was too young)...

In this world
of toil and sin
your head grows bald
but not your chin

BURMA SHAVE


I don't have a citation, but now that I've used it more than a few times
with old college buddies...I'm afraid I'm stuck with this version!
Funny to think that my generation may be the last one for which this
littel verse gets a universal grin and moan from middle-aged men!

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

OOOOOOPPPPSEEE....I mean...."Now can shave with carving knives." Sorry!

[AnAmericanMother]

We're BOTH wrong - I looked it up in American Heritage.

Within this vale
Of toil and sin
Your head grows bald
But not your chin.

(. . . "always verify your references," she mutters to herself. )

[VOA]

Thanks for posting these great verses.
I'm suprised that these weren't posted around the room in my high school driver education class.

Some of the verses make you laugh, and also make you think about driving more safely.

[Oatka]

YEARS ago there was a newspaper article similar to this thread. They printed some that Burma Shave turned down, including

Listen birds
These signs cost money
So roost a while
But don't get funny

and a somewhat futuristic

Free! Free!
A trip to Mars
For 1000
Empty jars

[ErnBatavia]

Thanks for the post! Being 56 and having had parents that were great enough to give us chirrens 1950's and '60s driving trips through the great southwest, I sure do remember.

(Good thing Andrew Dice Clay was not being "published" at the time...)

[VOA]

(. . . "always verify your references," she mutters to herself. )

Heavens, AnAmericanMother, no time for critique or self-critique!
We're having too much fun here!

I'm still recovering from a LOL episode from post #17!

[AnAmericanMother]

Other rejected verse:

"My man won't shave,"
Says Elma Fuzz
"But I should worry - "
Dora's does."

Or,

The wife of bristly
Brushmug Zaymer
Bought twin beds
Who can blame her?

[kylaka]

Pepsodent.

[dalereed]

"Did you know shaving cream is just fluffed up soap?
Makes a great " in a pinch " spot remover!!!"

Great spot carpet spot remover, use cheap Barbasol, it works the best.

A friend of mine that was with a carpet cleaning machine manufacture laughed when I used it when he was at our house until he read the ingredients and found out that it contained all the things that they put in their expensive commercial product.

[Hank Kerchief]

the way I heard it (but never saw it as I was too young)...

In this world
of toil and sin
your head grows bald
but not your chin
BURMA SHAVE

That's right. In fact, the original Burma Shave signs with that very jingle are still in existence in New Hampshire, in Tuftenborough or Multenborough, I cannot remember which, although I've seen them many times.

(There is one minor difference. The word "world" is actually "vale" in the signs I've seen. Otherwise, your version is correct.)

Hank

[Vinnie]

Thanks for the memories.

Used to look forward to seeing the Burma-Shave signs.

Another sign that was plastered on every other barn roof in America. SEE ROCK CITY

[AnAmericanMother]

[nothingnew]

(. . . there is nothing new under the sun.)

I like that!

FMCDH

[kitkat]

HI Senator,
As long as we're traveling down memory lane, here's a singing commercial from the '40s which the young 'uns won't believe:

Pepsicola hits the spot
Twelve whole ounces, that's a lot
Twice as much for a NICKEL, too
Pepsicola is the drink for you

[AnAmericanMother]

Shameless crib from the Good Book. Ecclesiastes.

[AnAmericanMother]

Shameless crib from the Good Book. Ecclesiastes.

[AnAmericanMother]

("You can say that again!") :-D