Motörhead: 40 years of Ace of Spades

Yo Ho, WeRCatz here!

This coming November 8, 2020, marks the 40th anniversary of Motörhead’s fourth studio album Ace of Spades.

Even though they did rock ‘n’ roll, Motörhead was labeled as part NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal); the band detested this term. As lead singer Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister would point out, Motörhead didn’t fit in any category other than rock ‘n’ roll; they were in the middle. Let’s take a brief look at this classic album with the international version:

“Ace of Spades” is THE song that Motörhead is well-known for. Lemmy stated that this song is about gambling. Filled with gambling metaphors, this track has become very popular since its release as a single.

“Love Me Like a Reptile” is a song about wanting love like a reptile: scaly, poisonous, venomous but hot!

“Dance” has a simple premise: let’s dance all night and have some fun.

“The Chase Is Better Than The Catch” is a song about the “hunt” where one wants to go after a potential lover. The thrill of the hunt excites the predator as the prey is almost caught.

Motörhead made their US debut with Ace of Spades and soon more success followed. However, Ace of Spades is the crown jewel of the band’s discography. Motörhead would be the defining influence of the heavy metal scene in the ’80s.