X is the Y of Z

“X is the Y of Z” is a snowclone–an adaptable, Mad Libs-like idiom like “May I compare thee to an X?”, “X is the new Y,” and “I for one welcome our new X overlords.” This snowclone touches on every subject imaginable, including music. So without further adieu, today’s topic is…

Spinal Tap

Just as cleave means both to bring to together and push apart, the notorious name of Spinal Tap has two opposite senses.

On the one hand, it is one of the most awesome comedies that ever comedied. On the other, being the Spinal Tap of something is probably not a compliment, unless putting tin-foiled wrapped cucumbers down your pants (or mini-Stonehenges on your stage) is a plus in your current line of work.

Personally, I’d be ticked, even in those hard-to-reach spots, if someone called me the Spinal Tap of language columnists, but I won’t hold my breath. In the meantime, enjoy these comparisons—all turned up to eleven, of course.

“Guitar Hero has achieved legendary status in the metal world. It’s the Spinal Tap of video gaming and virtual pedestal to ‘Rock God’ status. I had the immense privilege to try my hand at the competition in front of roughly 3000 people.”

(May 31, 2009, Patrick Purcell, Mirror.co.uk)

“Prelude to a Super Airplane is the ‘Spinal Tap’ of novels – something that is intentionally, ridiculously bad, but also intensely funny.”

(May 17, 2009, Henry Baum, Self-publishing Review)

“When better to show a movie billed as ‘the Spinal Tap of Christian dance-pop’ than during GMA Week? By the time you read this, all the tickets may have been given away for the Nashville premiere of Jesus People tomorrow night, but it’s still worth a try for all you backsliders.”

(April 20, 2009, Jim Ridley, Nashville Scene)

“Why is Colin Powell even an issue of discussion? I can’t think of anybody in this country more overrated, who has been wrong about any issue of substance, and is nothing but a self-promoting pimp, cloaked in faux righteousness by an equally worthless and self-serving MSM.

Powell is the Spinal Tap of generals and politicians.”

(Dec. 17, 2008, Pajamas Media)

“Megs #105 the Spinal Tap of polishes”

(April 3, 2008, Detailing World)

“For what it’s worth, I think the site is pure pharmaparody of the best kind; that is, the kind that you can’t be sure whether it’s serious or not. Big Pharma/Real People is the Spinal Tap of pharmablogs. Its line is so rabid that it just has to be a parody of blogs like Drug Wonks or some PhRMA publications.”

(Jan. 7, 2008, Pharmalot)

“Fast forward many years. . . . Because of my association with The End (of course, Eric eventually replaced me), I met drummer Dave Willyard (who’d also played with The End)—we were the Spinal Tap of suburban high school rock bands—who joined the Zen Pirates not long after we started rehearsing at original ZP singer Gary Maxwell’s house with John Oliphant on drums. Come to think of it, Zen Pirates had its Tap moments, too. . . .”

(Dec. 12, 2007, A Writer’s Notes)

“(And don’t tell me that Zoolander is the Spinal Tap of men’s fashion either. It ain’t even close.)”

(Oct. 12, 2007, MTLB)

“The ‘Spinal Tap’ of Zoology!”

(April 1, 2007, Tetrapod Zoology)

“The Spinal Tap of Vagina Poems”

(March 18, 2006, Livejournal)

“These guys are playing us for fools. They’re the Spinal Tap of brooding hipsterdom”

(Feb. 28, 2006, Southpaw Grammar)

Mark Peters is a language columnist and humorist who writes for Good, Visual Thesaurus and other mags, while maintaining too many blogs, including Wordlustitude, The Rosa Parks of Blogs, and The Pancake Proverbs.

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