It's summer, otherwise known as the season for slacking off.

Could an inspiring company song keep us humming through these dog days?

Probably not.

Nevertheless, many companies have tried it.

Summer listens number four from WNYC's own Rex Dohn

tells the story behind the corporate anthem.

Early corporate anthems like this one for IBM

sounded more like fight songs for someone's dear old alma mater than anything else.

But by the 1950s, mere song and verse gave way to big, brassy industrial shows with multiple musical numbers dedicated to pushing product.

Standing on the corner, watching all the fords go by.

Standing on the corner, giving all the forts the eyes.

Steve Young is a writer for the late show at David Letterman

and is the foremost collector and researcher of industrial show souvenir albums.

They were very lavishly produced Broadway-style reviews,

often using legitimate Broadway talent and name-brand composers

to put on a whole musical to motivate the sales force and not only just inspire them to sell,

but also inspire them to feel good about the way of life they've chosen.

Coca-Cola, daily gaining in strength,

drawn from the experience of the past

and the opportunities of the here and now.

Some of the here and now. Some of the big corporations like GM and Coca-Cola have a lot of very bombastic material

that goes beyond just details about the product that may be at hand, but giving

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