Everything's Coming Up Profits
The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals
Will be published approx. on 28. November 2013
Book
Hardback
252 pages
978-0-922233-44-1 (ISBN)
Description
From the 1950s to the 1980s, American corporations commissioned a vast array of lavish, Broadway-style musical shows that were only for the eyes and ears of employees. These improbable productions were meant to educate and motivate the sales force to sell cars, appliances, tractors, soda, and a thousand other products. Though most of these shows were lost to the universe, some were recorded and distributed to convention attendees via souvenir vinyl records. The little-known world of industrial shows is reconstructed through the record collection of author Steve Young, who has spent twenty years finding the extremely rare souvenir albums as well as tracking down and interviewing the writers and performers. Through the records themselves as well as behind-the-scenes stories, a new perspective on American history, culture, and business emerges. Eye-popping visuals, samples of confounding and hilarious lyrics, and witty commentary by Young and co-author Sport Murphy (who also contributes original artwork) bring the topic to vivid, astonishing life.
A companion website will offer streaming audio of the songs which seem too crazy to be real--but not only are they real, they're often a revelation.
A companion website will offer streaming audio of the songs which seem too crazy to be real--but not only are they real, they're often a revelation.
Reviews / Votes
"A wildly entertaining, gorgeous tribute to a world we never knew existed. Anyone interested in American history, music, or culture should buy this book by the fistful." --Dave Letterman "The world of industrial musicals is magical, weird, and funny. Mssrs. Young and Murphy escort you into that world with panache and not nearly enough guilt. Like Steve, I amassed a collection of these records--souvenirs of the days when corporations were rich enough to care about the morale of their employees--and like him, I thought I was 'the only one.' Now these idiots have spent serious time and energy producing a freaking book on the subject. Humor them. Buy this book and let it change your life." --Harry Shearer "As a veteran of many an industrial, I can attest that Everything's Coming Up Profits is accurate as well as fascinating and hysterical. If I had friends, I'd tell them about it." --Martin Short "All Singing! All Dancing! All Selling! This delightful history reveals the corny glories of corporate America's fling with motivational musicals, and its vintage graphics are like a peek at an alternate world where the hit songs were about Ford tractors." --James Lileks, author The Gallery of Regrettable Food "Young and Murphy map us to a nether-universe Brill Building located at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Tin Pan Alley. The songcraft is stupefyingly absurd, but thanks to this book a lot of product music has outlived the products." --Irwin Chusid, WFMU Radio, author Songs in the Key of ZMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Product notice
Paper over boards
Illustrations
Color photos throughout
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 241 mm
Weight
1516 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-922233-44-1 (9780922233441)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Steve Young is a writer for The Late Show with David Letterman. He has also written for The Simpsons. Sport Murphy is a writer, artist, and musician who has released albums on the Kill Rock Stars label.