# If I Say "It Goes Up to 11," Do You Know What I'm Talking About? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616 "2011-02-16T18:51:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/41 "2011-02-17T14:42:15Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > …but if while you are there you see a real sunburst Les Paul, just pick it up - don’t plug it in - and listen to that sustain.😉 Don’t touch it! Don’t even look at it! ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/42 "2011-02-17T15:31:57Z")
I went to a modern guitar music performance two years ago with a bunch of old people in their suits and fancy dresses and I was endlessly amused by the fact one of the songs was called “This goes all the way to 11”. My dad didn’t know where it was from, though. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/43 "2011-02-17T15:41:34Z")
Well I’m 40, and British, and had no idea what you were talking about. But then I’ve always thought that memorizing and reciting lines from films is a bit of a boy thing. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/44 "2011-02-17T16:02:53Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Well I’m 40, and British, and had no idea what you were talking about. But then I’ve always thought that memorizing and reciting lines from films is a bit of a boy thing. Are you serious or are you whooshing us (me?)by ironically quoting a film? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/45 "2011-02-17T16:11:56Z")
One of my all time favorite stories. Most people don’t remember that _This is Spinal Tap_ wasn’t a big success at the movies and back in the 80s cult video releases were few and far between. Mostly when I mentioned it to people they had never heard of it. One Saturday night I was at the video store renting stuff and a bunch of high school guys, with long hair, stoned were checking out the music videos. They skipped past _This is Spinal Tap_ and I said to them, “So you know about Stumpy Joe?” They looked puzzled and I asked if they had ever seen _This is Spinal Tap._ They hadn’t because they didn’t know who \*Spinal Tap \* were. I excitedly explained that they weren’t a real band and gave them a hint of what the movie was about and promised them that if they left it to be watched when everyone was really stoned, they were in for the time of their lives. The next week I was back in the store and the teens were there. They came over to tell me how much fun they had and how they too were spreading the word. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/46 "2011-02-17T17:10:14Z")
When I was in college, one of our roommates hadn’t heard of _Spinal Tap_. The rest of us decided to prank them. For about a week, we really played up the band. Then one of us mentioned the documentary, and mentioned that we should watch it. We all pretended to be surprised that made a documentary, and we went to the video store and rented it. Guess you had to be there, but it was funny as the prankee realized that the whole thing was a farce. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/47 "2011-02-17T17:43:47Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Don’t touch it! Don’t even look at it! [/QUOTE] I didn’t touch it… I was just pointing! Due to curcumstances too convoluted to explain just now I once got to show _This is Spinal Tap_ and _The Song Remains the Same_ to a captive audience of not particularly rock savvy guys. I don’t think they could tell them apart\* - Of course I can, Spinal Tap is the one with Fran Drescher ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/48 "2011-02-17T18:20:02Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Don’t touch it! Don’t even look at it! “It’s pure evil!” Wait, I think I have my films mixed up… ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/49 "2011-02-17T19:00:04Z")
Too much fucking perspective for me in this thread… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/50 "2011-02-17T19:33:00Z")
> [@Small\_Clanger](#): > > Due to curcumstances too convoluted to explain just now I once got to show _This is Spinal Tap_ and _The Song Remains the Same_ to a captive audience of not particularly rock savvy guys. I don’t think they could tell them apart\* I used to think TSRTS was the coolest thing ever. Then I saw Spinal Tap a bunch of times. Then I saw TSRTS again. It looked so ridiculous. Apparently it made a lot of rock stars feel pretty foolish. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/51 "2011-02-17T20:13:30Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Are you serious or are you whooshing us (me?)by ironically quoting a film? See?? I have no idea what you’re talking about ! ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/52 "2011-02-17T20:54:45Z")
The best part of the movie is the stuff they made fun of that hadn’t happened yet. Like the drummer dying in a tragic gardening accident. (Jeff Porcaro, Toto) Or the perfectly black cover of an album. (Metallica, ‘Black Album’) Or getting lost backstage. (Also Metallica, IIRC.) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/53 "2011-02-17T21:20:32Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > See?? I have no idea what you’re talking about ! All right, wise guy, enlighten my wee brain. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/54 "2011-02-17T21:23:06Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I used to think TSRTS was the coolest thing ever. Then I saw Spinal Tap a bunch of times. Then I saw TSRTS again. It looked so ridiculous. > > Apparently it made a lot of rock stars feel pretty foolish. Good point. I remember when the “Anvil!” commercials were in heavy rotation and once I realized it wasn’t a mockumentary I was kind of surprised they’d even make such a movie. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/55 "2011-02-17T21:37:12Z")
It’s so funny that so many people remember this movie. But how many remember the sequel? All I remember is David talking about having to take a job coaching a girls soccer team. “I don’t get paid money, I get paid a stipend, which is like money, only… less.” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/56 "2011-02-17T21:49:22Z")
I just did a poll of all the Realtors in my office at the moment. All 3 of them hadn’t the slightest idea what “It goes to 11” meant. One said she had heard about the movie, but the name sounded too gory. Realtor #2 said he hadn’t heard of the movie or the group, and the last said, “Does it mean the movie lasts until 11PM?” I guess my coworkers don’t blend well with the SDMB crowd. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/57 "2011-02-17T21:58:25Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I just did a poll of all the Realtors in my office at the moment. All 3 of them hadn’t the slightest idea what “It goes to 11” meant. One said she had heard about the movie, but the name sounded too gory. Realtor #2 said he hadn’t heard of the movie or the group, and the last said, “Does it mean the movie lasts until 11PM?” Wow. That sounds like industrial-strength ignorance, but that’s from my assumption that everyone in the world knows this movie. Gory? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/58 "2011-02-17T22:04:12Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Gory? I think “gory” came from the movie’s title only, in the absence of any knowledge of anything else. A true spinal tap isn’t a walk in the park on a fine Spring day, or so I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/59 "2011-02-17T22:06:30Z")
I’m in the UK, I’m 46, and I’m struggling to think of anyone that wouldn’t get the reference. When the biggest music festival in Scotland (T in the Park) had its 11th year, the advertising slogan was “Turn up to 11!” with a graphic of an amp dial. Pure, a manufacturer of digital radios, produced a special edition shaped like a mini Marshall amp, with logo and everything. It had a dedicated button for the classic rock station Planet Rock. And the volume control was numbered - and went up to 11. It’s got to be up there with “I am your father”. Although my favourite quote from the film is actually “Lick my love pump”. Oh, and beware slagging The Song Remains the Same in my presence. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616/60 "2011-02-17T22:10:59Z")
[The scene in question, done with Legos](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At887GsraAQ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-say-it-goes-up-to-11-do-you-know-what-im-talking-about/571616.md?page=4)