Motörhead released 23 studio albums, 10 live recordings, 12 compilation albums and five EPs over a career spanning 40 years. Usually a power trio, they had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Top 40 chart. The albums Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades and, particularly, the live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith cemented Motörhead's reputation as a top-tier rock band. The band are ranked number 26 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. As of 2016, they have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.
Most often classified as heavy metal, Motörhead has been credited with being part of and influencing numerous musical scenes, thrash metal and speed metal especially. Lemmy, however, always insisted that they were a rock and roll band. He said that they had more in common with punk bands, but with their own unique sound, Motörhead is embraced in both punk and metal scenes. Their lyrics typically covered such topics as war, good versus evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse and, most famously, gambling, the latter theme being the focus of their hit song "Ace of Spades".
Lemmy died on 28 December 2015 from cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The day after his death, drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell both confirmed that Motörhead had disbanded. By 2018, all three members of Motörhead's best-known line-up (Lemmy, Taylor and Clarke) had died.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motörhead
Discography
Motörhead (1977)
Overkill (1979)
Bomber (1979)
On Parole (1979)
Ace of Spades (1980)
Iron Fist (1982)
Another Perfect Day (1983)
Orgasmatron (1986)
Rock 'n' Roll (1987)
1916 (1991)
March ör Die (1992)
Bastards (1993)
Sacrifice (1995)
Overnight Sensation (1996)
Snake Bite Love (1998)
We Are Motörhead (2000)
Hammered (2002)
Inferno (2004)
Kiss of Death (2006)
Motörizer (2008)
The Wörld Is Yours (2010)
Aftershock (2013)
Bad Magic (2015)
Ace of Spades '08
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You win some, lose some, it's all the same to me
The pleasure is to play, it makes no difference what you say
I don't share your greed, the only card I need is
The ace of spades
The ace of spades
Playing for the high one, dancing with the devil
Seven or eleven, snake eyes watching you
Double up or quit, double stake or split
The ace of spades
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
The ace of spades
The lyrics of Motörhead's song "Ace of Spades '08" appear to be about a gambler who is a risk-taker, living for the rush of gambling and the thrill of winning, regardless of the outcome. He is proud of his freedom from greed and doesn't care about the opinions of others regarding his lifestyle. The chorus of the song alludes to the ace of spades being the only card the singer needs to win, suggesting that he is confident in his abilities and that he isn't afraid of losing.
The verse about "dancing with the devil" could be an allusion to gambling addiction, which can become dangerous and a potentially unhealthy lifestyle. The line about the joker is interesting, as it is not directly related to the game of poker, but it is associated with playing cards. The joker may represent a wildcard or unpredictable element within the game, potentially signifying the singer's enjoyment of unexpected outcomes.
Line by Line Meaning
If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man
If you enjoy taking risks, know that I am skilled in games of chance.
You win some, lose some, it's all the same to me
I don't get too upset about losing because in gambling, there is always a chance of winning and losing.
The pleasure is to play, it makes no difference what you say
Playing the game itself is enjoyable, and what others think or say doesn't change that for me.
I don't share your greed, the only card I need is
I am not motivated by the same greed as others; I only need one specific card to win.
The ace of spades
The card representing my sure win is the Ace of Spades.
Playing for the high one, dancing with the devil
I am risking everything and may be getting into trouble by playing for the highest stakes.
Going with the flow, it's all a game to me
I'm just following the game's natural course, and for me, gambling is just a game.
Seven or eleven, snake eyes watching you
These numbers in roll of the dice can determine my fate, and my opponents are carefully watching me.
Double up or quit, double stake or split
I have to decide whether to increase the ante or take half of what I already have if I'm not confident in winning.
The ace of spades
Regardless of what I choose, my win is certain with the Ace of Spades.
You know I'm born to lose
I'm not a lucky person in life or gambling, and others can predict my losses.
And gambling's for fools
In general, gambling is a foolish pursuit because you have to take risks with no guarantees of a reward.
But that's the way I like it, baby
Despite the risks and inevitable losses, gambling is still something I enjoy doing.
I don't wanna live forever
I know that a gamble may not always be worth the risk of losing everything and that life has its limits.
And don't forget the joker
It's important to remember that there is always an element of unpredictability (the joker) in any game of chance.
Pushing up the ante, I know you've got to see me
I'm increasing the bet, and I'm confident that my opponent will keep betting against me.
Read 'em and weep, the dead man's hand again
I know my hand is strong, and my opponent will be extremely disappointed when they later lose to me.
I see it in your eyes, take one look and die
I can see the fear and disappointment on my opponent's face, and the result will be their loss.
The only thing you see, you know it's gonna be
The only thing I have shown you is the Ace of Spades. You already know what's going to happen.
The ace of spades
My winning card, the Ace of Spades, once again reigns supreme.
Contributed by Cooper W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sully gaming
By far one of Lemmy's greatest
R.I.P. Lemmy and Eddie
Rodrigo Luna
Eddie van halen didnt die two years ago though
Sunny Deee
No no Eddie van halen 😭😭
SolidSnakeMg22
mini eilish Edward Richtofen
mini eilish
Which eddie?
Dominic Spence
When I go skydiving I want to listen to this song
Ralph Lorenz Perolino
@Davidish That's the one, comrade.
Say hello to wodka!!
Davidish
Stalingrad, maybe?
Fractured Frame
@Ralph Lorenz Perolino oh shit that sounds lit man
Ralph Lorenz Perolino
@Fractured Frame We going to Stalingrad with dragons flying in the sky and the city turning into a hellhole with a Soviet driving in a mech, and zombies invading the area.