Learning | Burma-Shave, Part 1.

I recently requested a book, that I remembered checking out from my neighborhood library when I was a child. I had started thinking about it when a friend posted something about Burma-Shave on Facebook--and that post had caused a lively discussion about rhymes and roadside signs.  

Every second without fail, some store rings up another sale. Burma-Shave.
(Lori's note: I recall roadside Burma-Shave signs spaced much farther apart.)
 Photo courtesy of Brent Moore's photostream on Flickr.com Some rights reserved.

Just in case you do not know what all the fuss is about, Burma-Shave was an innovative brushless shaving cream product that first appeared in the United States in 1925. Picture the days when people were riding around in Model-T Fords.

The manufacturer of Burma-Shave, the Burma-Vita company, began advertising with roadside signs, which evolved into clever rhymes. The signs were spaced far enough apart that one would have to wait to see what came next.

Photo courtesy of Orin Zebest's photostream on Flickr.com.

Some rights reserved.

Since SSJCPL does not own a copy of Frank Rowsome, Jr's The Verse By the Side of the Road: the Story of the Burma-Shave Signs and Jingles, I had to order it through the Link Plus program.

I regret to say that I don't have time to write everything I wanted to say about Burma-Shave, so I'll have to wait until next week.  

Photo courtesy of miss_curse_10's Photostream on Flickr.com.
Some rights reserved.

In the meantime, I'll share my favorite Burma-Shave jingle with you: 

Don't stick your elbow
out so far
it might go home
in another car
Burma-Shave.