TIL IBM had corporate songs

POSTED ON: Nov 16, 2022

In 1927, Watson ordered the company to publish a songbook titled “Songs of the IBM,” to be distributed to employees. As Network World reported, “Watson felt that song singing was a way to build character and instill company loyalty. ‘Songs of the IBM’ started with the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ and followed with more than 80 IBM-specific ditties.”

This is one of their songs:

Title: "TO THOS. J. WATSON, PRESIDENT, I. B. M.""

Tune: "Pack Up Your Troubles"

Pack up your troubles - Mr. Watson's here!
And smile, smile, smile.
He is the genius in our I. B. M.
He's the man worth while.
He's inspiring all the time,
And very versatile - oh!
He is our strong and able President!
His smile's worth while.

... more

via Ars Technica:

When viewed from the perspective of the Depression and post-Depression era, the singing is still silly—but it also makes a lot more sense. Watson reportedly wanted to inspire loyalty and cohesion among employees—and, remember, this was also an era where “normal” employee behavior was to work at a single company for most of one’s professional life, and then retire with a pension. It’s certainly a lot easier to sing a company’s praises if there’s paid retirement at the end of the last verse.

Btw - IBM no longer asks its employees to sing.

Their PDF is here: PDF via wayback machine

via HOW TO MAKE CORPORATE HOLIDAY PARTIES EVEN MORE AWKWARD?

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