Motörhead – Ace Of Spades - Meaning of the song
The "Ace Of Spades" is the dead man's hand, which was Wild Bill Hancock's hand as he was shot dead (he was an American sheriff who was killed during a game of poker). The hand consists of aces and eights, including the ace of spades.
This is Motörhead's most famous song; it is about gambling and risks. Lemmy explained:
"'Ace of Spades' is unbeatable, apparently, but I never knew it was such a good song. Writing it was just a word-exercise on gambling, all the clichés. I'm glad we got famous for that rather than for some turkey, but I sang 'the eight of spades' for two years and nobody noticed."
Lemmy recorded a new down-tempo blues version with bandmates Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee in 2010 for a Kronenbourg 1664 commercial. This updated more leisurely rendition, which sees Lemmy playing harmonica, emphasises the brand's assertion that this is a beer that should be "enjoyed slowly."
It was the first time Lemmy had taken the song back into the studio since it was originally released 30 years previously and director Matt Doman, who shot the ad for Kronenbourg, said it was a challenge working with the rock icon. "But it's really because he's very protective of the track," he explained. "Spending a day with him in the recording studio was a roller coaster."
Ace Of Spades - Lyrics
If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man, You win some, lose some, it's 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 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
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