AMAZING RARE 1968 IBM INDUSTRIAL MUSICAL - IBM sales songs

$

103

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."

Here's a fabulous example from IBM, long before the days of desktop PC's, when the world of computers consisted of mainframes and punchcards that big business used.

IBM midwest region salesmen who'd made the 1967 "Hundred Club" -- selling 100% of their quota -- were feted in early '68 at the Chicago Hilton, and this souvenir album of the musical portions of the evening helped the fun live on for months - years - decades afterward!

Some industrial shows featured original music and lyrics. This record is an example of a song parody show, and the "MWR Quintet" performers were likely in-house IBM ringers. So it's a charming DIY effort, with the guys and orchestra barreling through rewrites of songs from "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," and others, all now packed with IBM sales specifics. Even now I haven't figured out all the source material -- maybe some songs were actually original.

The songs are fun in a corny sort of way, but to my mind what makes this record a big YES is that knockout cover. So good that you can't even object to the back being blank.

The cover is in very good, very presentable shape, with a little overall wear and one nick in the orange stripe on the upper right. The vinyl is in close-to-minty condition with just a couple small marks. The side 2 label displays some discoloration around the edge.

A terrific artifact of IBM history for anyone interested in early tech/computer memorabilia, and a great addition to an industrial show collection.

Check out my other listings for many more killer examples of this deliciously strange and secret slice of American musical and corporate history, as well as an assortment of other miscellaneous weird records from my hoard.

Buyers of multiple records get a break on shipping charges.