All Hail The Glorious Future, 1941-Style

[DaveM]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120362179566&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=002

"a vintage IBM Song Book titled Songs of the IBM. Includes Ever Onward, Hail to IBM, March on with IBM, etc."

Doesn't this sound rather oddly like events that were taking place in Germany at the same time? Or the soundtrack to "Metropolis"? Or something out of "1984"? I can't help but wonder what the book was used for....did IBM employees gather for a "corporate singalong" before starting their work day? Was this music played before a rollerball match?

Truly, the future just isn't what it used to be. And yes, I hope to buy the book. How could anyone resist?

Big Brother is singing with you....

[DaveM]

Music, lyrics, and mp3s may be found at http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/music/music_clips.html

All hail to T.J. Watson!

[Bat]

Oh, Yes...that goes right along with these:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles/a55_redarmy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.oddee.com/item_66536.aspx&usg=__t31FBm-0rk-jfrepWFbJtYWxshg=&h=522&w=350&sz=23&hl=en&start=11&tbnid=hyS1nWcQU4YHLM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3D1941%2Bposters%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26 sa%3DG%26ie%3DUTF-8

[Mary6906]

Music, lyrics, and mp3s may be found at http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/music/music_clips.html

All hail to T.J. Watson!

LOL... I loved those, DaveM... what an interesting find, and made me think of a funny little musical I went to see a few years ago.

I have an actor friend who workshopped the musical comedy N.E.R.D.S. up at Vassar College back in 2004. He actually played the character T.J. Watson president of I.B.M.

N.E.R.D.S. is a musical comedy which satirizes the very early days of computer pioneers Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. It's one of my absolute favorite/funniest things my friend has done. It's gone on to the NY musical theatre festivals and a couple of rewrites since 2004, and as of recently was a staged reading out in LA in 2007... so hopefully, one of these days we'll see it in NYC on broadway.

That's all... my 2 cents worth. :p

[DaveM]

Apart from the lettering, those posters contain so much material that seems....well, oddly familiar from recent years.

I have a small collection of propaganda leaflets dating from WWII to the Desert Storm era. They're surprisingly easy to find, since in areas that were showered with the things, people generally collected them for use as toilet paper.

No, none of mine were "used".

[hoops]

good to know dave. when i meet you it will be safe to shakee your hand.
peace
hoops
PS if theye weren't so scary they might be funny

[DaveM]

The line between scary and funny is narrower than most people think.

[DaveM]

EVER ONWARD IBM
Verse:
There's a thrill in store for all
for we're about to toast
the corporation that we represent.
we're here to cheer each pioneer
and also proudly boast,
of that man of men
our friend and guiding hand
the name of T.J. Watson means
a courage none can stem
and we feel honored to be
here to toast the IBM.

Chorus:

Ever onward! ever onward!
that's the spirit that has brought us fame.
we're big but bigger we will be,
we can't fail for all can see,
that to serve humanity has been our aim.
our products now are known
in every zone.
our reputation sparkles like a gem.
we've fought our way through
and new fields we're sure to conquer, too,
for the ever onward IBM!

Ever onward! ever onward!
we're bound for the top to never fall,
right here and now we thankfully
pledge sincerest loyalty
to the corporation that's the best of all
our leaders we revere
and while we're here,
let's show the world just what we think of them!
so let us sing men - sing men
once or twice, then sing again
for the ever onward IBM!

There's a feeling everywhere of bigger things in store
Of new horizons coming into view
Our aim is clear: To make each year exceed the one before
Staying in the lead in everything we do
The "will to win" is built right in, it will not be denied
And we will go ahead, we know, working side by side....


Doesn't this have more than a few echoes of "The Internationale" or something that would be sung to commemorate the onset of a new Five Year Plan? Come to think of it, I can also imagine a few recent Republicans singing along with this.....the ones who never discovered how much IBM Thinkpads sucked back in the day.

[Bat]

If I had to work for a company like that, there would be a spate of most interesting posters start to appear on those hallowed walls...of course, I'd have to wear gloves to hang them and not leave any prints on the tape... there! That should do it!!

http://www.despair.com/lithographs.html

[hoops]

Bat, those a GREAT! hahahahaha!
peace
hoops

[Bat]

If I had wall space, I'd hang every one of them...all the series! :D

[DaveM]

I love those....most, unless you take the time to read the caption, actually look like genuine insipid motivational prints. They're probably mroe realistic, mind.

A newspaper editor I worked with ages ago had a large poster over his desk, which featured a lovely Antarctic landscape with a penguin and the caption: "I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no class".

Can't help but wonder if the company involved may have been the ancestor of despair.com