# If "Coxswain" is the perfect metaphor, what is the best less silly sounding metaphor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944 "2012-08-09T12:26:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/1 "2012-08-09T12:26:27Z")
I’m putting together a new music project for which I am the songwriter and head of the project but I am not performing as part of the project. In the music circles I run in, pretty much everyone is mostly locked into a singer-songwriter model- so, it takes a little explaining on my part to really communicate what I’m doing with this new project. I can handle the detailed description of my role, but I also am trying to put together a humorous short-hand explanation. As the guy directing all the other participants, I am the . . . Whip Cracker (Guy cracking the whip)? Too harsh and unpleasant sounding. It struck me that “Coxswain” is _nearly_ the perfect metaphor to use. The only problem, the _only_ problem, with “Coxswain” is that it is too silly a word and provokes inappropriate giggling. So, if “Coxswain” is the perfect metaphor, what is the next best metaphor? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/2 "2012-08-09T13:04:38Z")
Boat rowing yeller guy. Rolls right off the tongue. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/3 "2012-08-09T13:18:22Z")
Sheepdog ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Cornholio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Cornholio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Cornholio)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/4 "2012-08-09T13:22:45Z")
You are the Organ-grinder. (The others are the monkeys) Or You are the Engine-driver (They are the oily rags) ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/5 "2012-08-09T13:23:37Z")
Sheepdog is great for people who have a real understanding of what sheep dogs _do_. I don’t know how fully appreciated a reference it is for us city-folk. Still, it’s one I hadn’t thought of on my own- and it’s pretty good. Hmmmm, I like organ-grinder. Bonus for the musical imagery. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/6 "2012-08-09T13:36:23Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > I’m putting together a new music project for which I am the songwriter and head of the project but I am not performing as part of the project. In the music circles I run in, pretty much everyone is mostly locked into a singer-songwriter model- so, it takes a little explaining on my part to really communicate what I’m doing with this new project. “I’m the fifth wheel. The steering wheel.” ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/7 "2012-08-09T14:18:13Z")
You’re dealing with getting artistic types to all do something? Cat-wrangler. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/8 "2012-08-09T15:31:35Z")
The Whip. As in the Conservative Party’s Whip in the House of Commons ensured that all the Conservative Members of Parliament were present to vote for the money bill. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/9 "2012-08-09T15:52:47Z")
From the movie _Airplane!_: “It’s his ship now, his command. He’s in charge. He’s the boss, head man, top dog, big cheese, …” ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/10 "2012-08-09T16:28:11Z")
Well, you’re directing a bunch of musicians, but not actually playing or singing yourself? Seems like ‘conductor’ is a pretty apt description. That, or ‘producer’ if you want to go less classical. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/11 "2012-08-09T16:54:58Z")
“I drive the fire truck.” “I’m the plumber: keep shit moving in the right direction.” “I’m the herd dog.” Bell cow? Lead dog? Ring Master? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/12 "2012-08-09T18:34:08Z")
From a music recording terminology standpoint, how are you not **The Producer**? The person who takes the musicians and organizes them with the intent to record them? If you are discussing someone in a band who manages things on stage - calling out tricky changes, catching mistakes and getting back on track, etc. - that is a role I usually play in my bands with many/most of our songs, and we refer to it as a **Field General** … ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/13 "2012-08-09T21:31:16Z")
I’m guessing “invigilator” isn’t quite right, and that “hortator” is right out. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/14 "2012-08-09T21:32:51Z")
I say stick with coxswain. Let the immature losers have their giggles. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/15 "2012-08-09T22:00:49Z")
Boss. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/16 "2012-08-10T01:03:46Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Well, you’re directing a bunch of musicians, but not actually playing or singing yourself? > > Seems like ‘conductor’ is a pretty apt description. That, or ‘producer’ if you want to go less classical. > [@WordMan](#): > > From a music recording terminology standpoint, how are you not **The Producer**? The person who takes the musicians and organizes them with the intent to record them? Producer and Conductor describe specific duties that I myself am not undertaking. But, they’d both be too specific for the purposes of this thread anyway. I don’t have any problem actually giving a descriptive explanation of my role- what I’m looking for is a shorthand humorous metaphor. As such, I think I agree with **Knorf** : > [@Knorf](#): > > I say stick with coxswain. Let the immature losers have their giggles. So, in the shorthand I describe myself as: **bienville** : songwriter, coxswain, bean counter ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-coxswain-is-the-perfect-metaphor-what-is-the-best-less-silly-sounding-metaphor/630944/17 "2012-08-10T03:51:56Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > So, in the shorthand I describe myself as: > > **bienville** : songwriter, coxswain, bean counter That brings a tear to my eye!