What makes a song better than another one? Well, when people make these rankings, the usual criteria are down to popularity and commercial success. But when we make our personal playlists, the only thing that matters is how much we like them or not.
Motorhead had such a long and incredible history influencing rock music that the most popular songs have qualities that are much more unique than how often they’re played in streaming services, or how many times they were certified with platinum numbers for sales of CDs back when this cultural reference still had some meaning to the zeitgeist.
A little dose of subjective preferences makes these lists better in the opinion of the writer. So, let’s jump into the glorious legacy of Lemmy and Motorhead.
1 – Ace of Spades: Ok, I said I wanted to go beyond common metrics, but some things are just obvious. Some bands are fortunate to have multiple songs that identify them, like Guns N’ Roses, but some bands are simply synonyms of their greatest hits, like Ace of Spades and Motorhead, Led Zeppelin and Stairway to Heaven and other examples.
To go a little beyond the commercial success, the way Lemmy’s voice sounded made it easier for countless bands to play it. It’s definitely easier for most singers to perform a cover of Ace of Spades and the low-pitched voice of Lemmy, than the high-pitched, legendary voice of Robert Plant in Stairway to Heaven, for example. For that reason, I feel like Ace of Spades is so special, as it helped rock n’ roll become what it is today as much as it is a great song, and a classic of bar bands to this day.
2 – Going to Brazil: The song is a perfect soundtrack to anyone going for a trip among single friends, and it certainly is the spirit of Lemmy depicted in the lyrics when the band made the long 12 hour trips from London to Brazil to perform. I was fortunate enough to see Motorhead perform in 2015, the year of Lemmy’s passing, in Brazil. So, in my list, this classic that is all about the fun of being single and travelling is a memorable one. It’s hard to describe the atmosphere of this song when it was played in Brazil. The song evokes all the party-style of the band, which involved Lemmy’s fondness for fruit machines, which can be enjoyed online these days.
The band even has a slot game dedicated to its legacy, and Motorhead slot game isn’t the only one out there: bands like Guns N’ Roses and artists like Jimi Hendrix and Ozzy Osbourne also have games inspired by their amazing music. If you want to try these music-themed casino games, you can use the 32Red First Deposit Bonus Casino offer to enhance your gaming experience.
3 – Overkill: The song shows an interesting side of Lemmy. The man behind the rock legend that had as many drinks as he felt like throughout his life and died relatively old. This song shows a more introspective Lemmy, which the most loyal fans knew that existed, for example, reflected in his interest in history, for example. A very interesting song to reflect about the personality of the late Lemmy Kilmister.
4 – Killed by Death: The heaviest songs have always been the base of the vibe of Motorhead and the live experience relied a lot on those elements. Killed by Death is simply one of the most exciting songs of Motorhead.
5 – Thunder & Lightning: The song from the final studio album Black Magic, released in 2015, the year that Lemmy passed away and the band was terminated, could certainly trick the ears of fans that don’t know much about the band and only know about their big hit Ace of Spades as the intro brings back the vibe from their best days
6 – Orgasmatron: Another heavy highlight from the concerts of Motorhead, Orgasmatron has lyrics that are far deeper and more complex than most sounds that you would expect with a name like this. Again, another reflection of the personality of the band and Lemmy.
7 – No Class: Some classics never die and this 1979 rock anthem was performed until the very last concert of Motorhead, on December 11th, 2015 in Berlin
8 – Whorehouse Blues: Another classic that evokes the usual topics around the band that perhaps lived the rock n’ roll style like no other. Present in the encore of Motorhead’s last show together with Overkill, it was there for a reason. Big songs like this were there because they were part of the identity of the band, and also because no one knew that the final concert was going to be the last one, as Lemmy’s health unfortunately worsened fast in his final days.
9 – Bomber: The song was the opening track in the last tour in 2015 and it’ll probably be remembered fondly by the fans as the wait to see the band had ended in that second. Another amazing heavy hit by Motorhead.
10 – Motorhead: The song that marked the beginning of Lemmy’s adventure as the leader of his project couldn’t be forgotten. An absolute classic.
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