"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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
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
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 want to 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
The Ace of Spades, uh
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
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
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 want to 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
The Ace of Spades, uh
Lyrics submitted by a scar in the sky
Ace of Spades Lyrics as written by Edward Alan Clarke Philip John Taylor
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The gambling references are a metaphor for a hard-living, wreckless lifestyle; biking, drinking, drugs, fighting, etc. He knows that it will do him in eventually, that he'll eventually be dealt the "Ace of Spades" (the death card,) but that's the way he likes it; die with your boots on and all that.
@TonganDeathGrip the gambling reference is actually referring to Lemmy's Gambling 'problem'.
@TonganDeathGrip Yes, I agree with you
I love this song. It brings a tear to my eye. I think it's about the singer's repressed love for a girl, who doesn't love him in return. He's tried everything, but he can't win her over. It's tremedously sad. Someone give this song an oscar. In case you hadn't guessed, I'm ripping Ice-Dive. It's about gambling. Nothing else. Idiot.
LOLLLZZZZ...
Lemmy's vocals are that of gods!!
this is a great song by an awsome band. motorhead is underapreciated
It kicks my ass, that's what it does !!
Other than gambling... i would really have no other idea as to what this song really meant.
Because you must be stupid!
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.
I think this perfectly sums up what this song is about.
ok, i think i got it. This song, has multiple meanings, its plain obvious one (Gambling), the political power meaning, and just life itself, its a gamble, take a fucking risk, pussy. Thats what i came up, after another....10 or so minutes of analysis, lol. To be frank, all these meanings are good ones, Motorhead is a great fucking band (right up there with Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, and of course The "immortal" Clash
In short words: eventually you're gonna lose and there's nothing to do about it, so just go on and take a fucking chance while you can, goddammit!
Gotta love Lemmy's simplistic philosophy!
Lemmy said not to put much into his lyrics as he didn’t. It depended how he felt at the time, .sounds about right to me. Rip big guy