All (of) the _x_ in (the) _Y_. More examples?

May 11, 2021 1:49 PM

I'm seeking out new and all those old stock phrases with this structure: All the Time in World. So far all I have is

• All the tea in China
• All the Vermeers in New York (1990)
• All the fish in the sea, and the title of my brother's recent Chernobyl podcast,
• All the Liquid Nitrogen in the Soviet Union

What else you got?

posted by Rash to Writing & Language (29 answers total)

Response by poster: Er, my first one should All the time in the World.
posted by Rash at 1:51 PM on May 11, 2021

"All the money in the world" also works!
posted by Threeve at 1:58 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

Best answer: "all the b**ches in the house" is a common lyrical shout out in many hip hop songs.

I just searched "all the dogs in the house" and apparently that's a pre-game motivational cheer for youth soccer leagues? The children chant that phrase and then start barking.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 2:11 PM on May 11, 2021

Best answer: All the colors of the rainbow
All the stars in the sky
posted by jedicus at 2:13 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]

All the stars in the sky.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 2:14 PM on May 11, 2021

All the gold in Fort Knox
All the colors of the wind?
posted by iamsuper at 2:18 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

All the fish in the sea

All the sand on the beach
posted by Jahaza at 2:22 PM on May 11, 2021

(doh, didn't read the more inside)
posted by Jahaza at 2:22 PM on May 11, 2021

All the trees of the forest
posted by Jahaza at 2:24 PM on May 11, 2021

Best answer: All the ships at sea
posted by Jahaza at 2:26 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

All the coal in Newcastle
posted by Jahaza at 2:31 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

All the tea in China
posted by Sublimity at 2:34 PM on May 11, 2021

All the infinities in infinity. (complements Georg Cantor)
posted by forthright at 2:39 PM on May 11, 2021

This Irving Berlin song has

Rice in China
Grapes in France
kilts in Scotland
Bulls in Spain
Onions in Bermuda
cheeses made by the swiss
Bees in Boston
knobs on doors
Sun in Perth
Clive Palmer's worth
posted by Jahaza at 2:39 PM on May 11, 2021 [9 favorites]

All the time in the world.
posted by FencingGal at 2:44 PM on May 11, 2021

I’ve also heard “All the rice in China,” but it’s probably a misquote/corruption of the “tea” saying.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:48 PM on May 11, 2021

Warren Zevon, Desperado under the Eaves has: "All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles"
posted by mark k at 3:02 PM on May 11, 2021 [4 favorites]

All the Birds in the Sky
posted by mumkin at 3:19 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Not sure how widespread this is but a friend said the other day, "All the beards in Brooklyn".
posted by AugustWest at 3:21 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]

this is an old one i last heard in the early 70's probably, and kind of a variant on the construct you
are requesting..but here goes:
"you've got more x than Carters got pills". (where x = problems, excuses, etc, etc).
posted by The_Auditor at 3:48 PM on May 11, 2021

The chorus of the Magnetic Fields song "All the Umbrellas in London":

All the umbrellas in London couldn't stop this rain
And all the dope in New York couldn't kill this pain
And all the money in Tokyo couldn't make me stay
All the umbrellas in London couldn't stop this rain
posted by phoenixy at 4:08 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]

If songs count, there’s ”All the Gold in California.”
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:18 PM on May 11, 2021

You might be interested in this AskMe about variants on Like carrying coals to Newcastle.
posted by zamboni at 4:44 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

All the gold in Fort Knox.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 4:54 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

For all the cheese in the moon. (Because the moon is made of cheese)
posted by nobeagle at 6:08 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]

At one point in DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, which I watched about thirty thousand times as a child, Scrooge McDuck exclaims he wouldn't miss something "for all the scones in Scotland"
posted by a feather in amber at 6:16 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]

All the difference in the world
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world..."
posted by eponym at 7:14 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]

I immediately thought of the Disney Pocahontas song: “Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?”
posted by keep it under cover at 7:46 PM on May 11, 2021

*"you've got more x than Carters got pills". (where x = problems, excuses, etc, etc).

my parents said this, too, but it is as many/more than carter's got little liver pills, referring to the old-timey patent medicine. /pedant, so i'll take this opportunity to coin "all the pedants on the internet."
posted by 20 year lurk at 9:25 PM on May 11, 2021