This Is Spinal Tap (soundtrack)
This Is Spinal Tap (or simply Spinal Tap) is the soundtrack to the film This Is Spinal Tap, released in 1984. It was re-released in 2000 with lyrics and two versions of "Christmas with the Devil" as bonus tracks. The cover art is identical to that of the fictional album Smell the Glove featured in the film.
| This Is Spinal Tap | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | March 2, 1984 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:36 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Spinal Tap chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | (B+)[2] |
| Record Mirror |  [3] |
| Select |   [4] |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Rob Reiner
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hell Hole" | 3:07 |
| 2. | "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" | 2:38 |
| 3. | "Heavy Duty" | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Rock and Roll Creation" | 4:08 |
| 5. | "America" | 3:31 |
| 6. | "Cups and Cakes" (arranged by Harlan Collins) | 1:33 |
| 7. | "Big Bottom" | 3:32 |
| 8. | "Sex Farm" | 3:20 |
| 9. | "Stonehenge" | 4:36 |
| 10. | "Gimme Some Money" | 2:26 |
| 11. | "(Listen to The) Flower People" | 2:38 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Christmas with the Devil" | 4:24 |
| 13. | "Christmas with the Devil" (Scratch Mix) | 4:42 |
Other appearances
"Gimme Some Money" was featured in the 1991 comedy film Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.
The song "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" is featured in the video game Guitar Hero II. When played as the encore song at the end of the career mode's second tier, the in-game band's drummer spontaneously combusts upon the song's completion, a direct reference to This Is Spinal Tap. Its riff is borrowed in the song "Athlete Cured" from the 1988 album by The Fall, The Frenz Experiment.
Seattle grunge band Soundgarden covered the song "Big Bottom" several times at their early live shows, documented on their live video Louder Than Live as well as on the Netherlands release of their 1992 "Rusty Cage" single.
San Francisco queercore band Pansy Division recorded a same-sex edit of "Big Bottom" in 1993. The track was included in their 1995 compilation album Pile Up.
"Stonehenge" is featured in the 2006 Supernatural season two episode, "Simon Said".
In early 2007, American Express Small Business Services used "Gimme Some Money" (with vocals) as background music in a television ad.
At the Live Earth concert during the summer of 2007, Spinal Tap performed "Big Bottom" at Wembley Stadium with members of many of the other acts from the festival, including members of Beastie Boys, Metallica, Foo Fighters, and many others, all playing bass guitars. Their set also included "Stonehenge" and "Warmer Than Hell."
Personnel
Spinal Tap
- David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) – lead vocals and guitar, bass guitar on "Big Bottom"
- Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) – lead guitar, mandolin, and vocals, bass guitar on "Big Bottom"
- Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) – bass guitar and vocals
- Viv Savage (David Kaff) – keyboards and vocals
- Mick Shrimpton (Ric Parnell) – drums and percussion
Additional personnel
- Harlan Collins – synthesizers
- John Sinclair – keyboards
Production
- Produced by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer
- Recorded, engineered and mixed by Patrick McDonald
- Editing: Kenneth Karman
References
- Adams, Bret. Spinal Tap: This Is Spinal Tap > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- Christgau, Robert. "Spinal Tap". Retrieved August 25, 2011.
- Twomey, Chris (June 10, 1989). "Review: Spinal Tap — This Is Spinal Tap" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 32. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2022 – via World Radio History.
- Cavanagh, David (September 1990). "Spinal Tap: This Is Spinal Tap". Select. No. 3. p. 106.
