AMAZING RARE 1957 Ford Truck industrial musical - songs for truck salesmen
$
125
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Description
If you've seen "Bathtubs Over Broadway" or read "Everything's Coming Up Profits," you know that private pressing "industrial musical" souvenir albums are some of the rarest and weirdest records in existence. These motivational musicals were only for dealers, salesmen, distributors and other industry insiders at sales meetings and conventions, and the souvenir vinyl records were not available to the public. And many of these shows boasted outstanding music and performances along with the bizarre corporate subject matter.
I'm the collector and historian profiled in the documentary "Bathtubs Over Broadway," and the co-author of "Everything's Coming Up Profits - The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals." I'm thinning out my stash of duplicates, and offering an assortment of records that range from the scarce, to the very rare, to the "you'll probably never encounter this again."
This one is the functionally titled "Music from the 1957 Ford Truck Introductory Show." With industrial musicals becoming the hot new thing since Oldsmobile had pioneered them just a few years before, by 1956 Ford decided to do TWO shows unveiling their '57 lines to the dealers -- one for cars and one for trucks.
Uncredited, but my investigations revealed that the songs are by the late Lloyd Norlin, a very talented Chicago-based composer who did industrials for about 30 years as well as writing other kinds of songs. Often industrial show records didn't bother to list any credits, but when I tracked down Lloyd in conjunction with a Pepsi show he told me that he'd done several Ford shows, including this one.
I've seen a script, so I know this was actually a quite ambitious production that was apparently filmed (though the film hasn't turned up). There's a story about an eager young junior salesman who's got to prove to his boss and to customers that he's got what it takes if he wants to succeed (and get the girl)... luckily the '57 Ford truck line fires up his inspiration.
It's a one-sided lp, but dense with interesting and fun songs such as the truck-tastic "Tilt Cab Song," "Pickup Song," and "We're The Mediums and Heavies," plus "Ranchero," a sassy number about Ford's new car-based pickup. "We've Heard The News" is sung by curious truck prospects. "Francey's Song" is sung by our hero's love interest, making the point that today's top salesmen can sell both trucks and cars.
The striking cover design is the same front and back. The cover is in great shape with minimal wear, and the vinyl is minty.
A terrific early example of the industrial musical genre, and a wonderful item for Ford truck enthusiasts and weird vinyl aficionados.
Check out my other listings for many more killer examples of this deliciously strange and secret slice of American musical and corporate history.
Buyers of multiple records get a break on shipping charges.
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