Bathory was a Swedish black metal/viking metal band formed in Vällingby in … Read Full Bio ↴Bathory was a Swedish black metal/viking metal band formed in Vällingby in 1983 and named after the infamous Hungarian countess Elizabeth Báthory. The band's frontman and main songwriter was Quorthon (Tomas Forsberg). Bathory's first four albums were "the blueprint for Scandinavian black metal". The band departed from this style on their fifth album, Hammerheart (1990), which is often cited as the first Viking metal album. Bathory continued in the Viking metal style throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, although the band returned to thrash metal with the albums Requiem (1994) and Octagon (1995). Bathory ended when Quorthon died from heart failure in 2004.

Ace of Spades
Bathory Lyrics

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If you like to gamble
I tell you I'm your man
You win some, lose some
All the same to me
The pleasure is to play
Makes no difference what you say
I don't share your greed
The only card I need is

The ace of spades

Playing for the high one
Dancing with the devil
Going with the flow
It's all a game to me
Seven or eleven
Snake eyes watching you
Double up or quit
Double stake or split

The ace of spades

You know I'm born to lose
And gambling's for fools
But that's the way I like it baby
I don't wanna live forever
And don't forget the joker

Pushing up the ante
I know you've got to see me
Read 'em and weep
The dead man's hand again
I see it in your eyes
Take one look and die
The only thing you see
You know it's gonna be

The ace of spades

Overall Meaning

The song "Ace of Spades" by Bathory is an interpretation of the thrill of gambling, the love for it, and the fear that comes with it. The singer acknowledges that he is a gambler, and that he understands the highs and lows of the game. Winning and losing are part of the thrill of the game, and it doesn't matter to him. He enjoys the process of playing, the excitement and the enjoyment that comes with it. He doesn't share the same interest as those who play for greed; he is content with the only card he needs, "the ace of spades."

He is someone who is comfortable with taking risks, hence the line "playing for the high one, dancing with the devil." The pleasure of the game is what makes him happy, regardless of the outcome. The singer mentions different rules of the game like seven or eleven and double up or split, emphasizing the diversity of the game.

He acknowledges that gambling sometimes leads to huge losses, and that he is born to lose. Throughout the song, he mentions the joker and pushing up the ante, indicating that there is always a sense of danger that accompanies gambling. The final lines, "the dead man's hand again, take one look and die," accurately describe the moment when someone loses a game and loses everything.

Line by Line Meaning

If you like to gamble
If you enjoy taking risks

I tell you I'm your man
I am the person you want to gamble with

You win some, lose some
Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you fail

All the same to me
I am indifferent to the outcome

The pleasure is to play
I find joy in participating in the game

Makes no difference what you say
Your words do not affect me

I don't share your greed
I don't have the same desire for wealth as you

The only card I need is
The only playing card I require is

The ace of spades
The highest-ranking card in the game

Playing for the high one
Competing for a great reward

Dancing with the devil
Taking a dangerous risk