This Is Spinal Tap (or simply Spinal Tap) was 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.
Spinal Tap (officially spelled "Sp?n?al Tap", with a non-functional umlaut over the letter n—n-diaeresis—and a dotless letter i) is a Grammy-nominated parody fictional heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called "The T.V. Show", starring Rob Reiner. The sketch, actually a mock promotional video for the song "Rock and Roll Nightmare", was written by Reiner and the band, and included songwriter/performer Loudon Wainwright III on keyboards. Later the band became the fictional subject of the 1984 rockumentary/?mockumentary film This Is Sp?n?al Tap. The band members are portrayed by Michael McKean (as David St. Hubbins), Christopher Guest (as Nigel Tufnel) and Harry Shearer (as Derek Smalls).

This Is Sp?n?al Tap was accompanied by a soundtrack album of the same name. In the years since the film was made, the actors who portrayed the band members have played concerts and released music under the Spinal Tap name.


1984's perfect, side-splitting rock documentary spoof This Is Spinal Tap wouldn't have succeeded if Spinal Tap's "original" music didn't properly mimic what it poked fun at. But not only does the music have the exact traits of hard rock and heavy metal, the lyrics are a scream. The soundtrack features the howlingly funny songs used in director Rob Reiner's film. The music was all co-written by Reiner, Michael McKean (aka vocalist/guitarist David St. Hubbins), Christopher Guest (aka lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel), and Harry Shearer (aka bassist Derek Smalls). McKean, Guest, and Shearer -- all extremely talented comic actors and writers -- are credited with performing the music along with a keyboardist, drummer, and synthesizer player. "Hell Hole" and "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" are mindlessly catchy. The appropriately melodramatic "Heavy Duty" has a cliched, hysterical chorus. "Rock and Roll Creation" and "Stonehenge" mock the music and image of mystical, allegedly demonic bands like Black Sabbath; "Stonehenge" in particular is a riot thanks to Tufnel's narration about the Druids. "Big Bottom" and "Sex Farm" are two more highlights that needle the rampant misogyny, sexism, and machismo in the heavy metal subculture. "America," "Cups and Cakes," "Gimme Some Money," and "(Listen to The) Flower People" show a keen sense of rock history because they are meant to illustrate the '60s pop and psychedelia that influenced heavy metal's originators. The fictional liner notes are very funny too; included are the album covers of "Rock ‘N' Roll Creation," "Brainhammer," "Shark Sandwich," "Heavy Metal Memories," "The Sun Never Sweats," and "Intravenus de Milo," as well as the band's bio in The Rocklopedia Brittanicus. The 2000 remastered CD -- re-released in conjunction with the DVD and VHS re-releases -- includes lyrics and two versions of "Christmas With the Devil" as bonus tracks.

-- Review by Bret Adams, allmusic.com


Tracklist:

01. Hell Hole
02. Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
03. Heavy Duty
04. Rock And Roll Creation
05. America
06. Cups And Cakes
07. Big Bottom
08. Sex Farm
09. Stonehenge
10. Gimme Some Money
11. (Listen To The) Flower People
12. Christmas With The Devil [Bonus Track]
13. Christmas With The Devil (Scratch Mix) [Bonus Track]

All Songs Written By Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean & Rob Reiner.
Produced by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer. Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Patrick McDonald.

- David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean): lead vocals and guitar
- Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest): lead guitar, mandolin, and vocals
- Viv Savage (David Kaff): keyboards and vocals
- Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer): bass guitar and vocals
- Mick Shrimpton (Ric Parnell): drums and percussion