Written by: Beck Hansen
Versions:
- Ace of Spade (version 1) (2:42)
Available on Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape and 1 other release.
CreditsBeck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals - Ace of Spade (version 2) (2:01)
Available on Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape.
CreditsBeck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Lyrics:
Ace of Spade (version 1) [Version (a)]:
Your silver blade, your ace of spade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
Then duck your head down the bend
Can't lie to the devil when he's your only friend
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
Hell is blue, I'm telling you
But your heart is black like I always knew
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
You're looking good, you're looking fine
Throw the chicken and break the wine
Well, you say it once and you say it twice
Everything's nice when you throw in the rice
Well your ace of spade, your silver blade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
You can hide your head around the bend
You can't lie to the devil when he's your only friend
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
Your silver blade, your ace of spade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
Then duck your head down the bend
Can't lie to the devil when he's your only friend
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
Hell is blue, I'm telling you
But your heart is black like I always knew
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
You're looking good, you're looking fine
Throw the chicken and break the wine
Well, you say it once and you say it twice
Everything's nice when you throw in the rice
Well your ace of spade, your silver blade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
You can hide your head around the bend
You can't lie to the devil when he's your only friend
If you want it, then you'll get it
And you got it and you're gone
Ace of Spade (version 2) [Version (b)]:
Your silver blade, your ace of spade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
You can hide your head around the bend
You can't lie to the devil when he's your only friend
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
Hell is blue, I'm telling you
But your heart is black like I always knew
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
So turn around, don't turn me town
It ain't your time to throw in the towel
You're livin' one foot in the grave
Oooh
Your silver blade, your ace of spade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
Your silver blade, your ace of spade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
You can hide your head around the bend
You can't lie to the devil when he's your only friend
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
Hell is blue, I'm telling you
But your heart is black like I always knew
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
So turn around, don't turn me town
It ain't your time to throw in the towel
You're livin' one foot in the grave
Oooh
Your silver blade, your ace of spade
Ain't gonna help you when your coffin's laid
You've been livin' one foot in the grave
The Song:
"Ace Of Spade" is folk tune from early in Beck's career. Beck rummages around in the blues and comes up with lyrics about silver blades, aces of spades, coffins, and devils. I don't think "everything's nice when you throw in the rice" comes from the blues, though.
The use of the Ace Of Spades comes from fortune-telling, where it is a card of bad omen. It is a predictor of malice, misfortune, perhaps even death.
There are two versions of this song, one on a version of Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape (and the 1992 Demo), and another on a second version of Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape.
"Ace Of Spade" (version one) is one of the strongest, catchiest performances on Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape. It's a neat song, highlighted by Beck's acoustic guitar.
The discovery of an alternate Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape brought with it alternate versions of a number of songs, including what we know as "Ace Of Spade." The main differences on this take of the song is that Beck's guitar and vocals are much more exuberant (perhaps it is earlier than the other?), the unfortunate loss of that "chicken and rice" verse, and of course the familiar chorus which shows up later in "One Foot In The Grave."
I don't know which version is older, but they're named versions 1 and 2 based on the order fans discovered them.
"Ace Of Spade" is folk tune from early in Beck's career. Beck rummages around in the blues and comes up with lyrics about silver blades, aces of spades, coffins, and devils. I don't think "everything's nice when you throw in the rice" comes from the blues, though.
The use of the Ace Of Spades comes from fortune-telling, where it is a card of bad omen. It is a predictor of malice, misfortune, perhaps even death.
There are two versions of this song, one on a version of Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape (and the 1992 Demo), and another on a second version of Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape.
"Ace Of Spade" (version one) is one of the strongest, catchiest performances on Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape. It's a neat song, highlighted by Beck's acoustic guitar.
The discovery of an alternate Don't Get Bent Out Of Shape brought with it alternate versions of a number of songs, including what we know as "Ace Of Spade." The main differences on this take of the song is that Beck's guitar and vocals are much more exuberant (perhaps it is earlier than the other?), the unfortunate loss of that "chicken and rice" verse, and of course the familiar chorus which shows up later in "One Foot In The Grave."
I don't know which version is older, but they're named versions 1 and 2 based on the order fans discovered them.
Notes:
- The Ace of Spades, as you'd expect, shows up in blues songs from way back. One interesting one is in Blind Willie McTell's "Dyin' Crapshooter Blues," which goes back to earlier songs and ballads. See here for some history.
The reason I note it here is the intro McTell gave one of his recordings of the song, which is transcribed at the above link. McTell tells the story of being at the bedside of someone he knew who had been shot. The man who was shot would tell McTell what he wanted. After he finally died, the man's father said to McTell, "Everything he wanted, he will get." This sounds somewhat related to the chorus of Beck's song: "if you want it, then you'll get it / and you got it, and you're gone." - Also the devil being "your only friend" shows up again later in "Steal My Body Home." The devil's friend is also a common blues image, most famously in the Grateful Dead song, "Friend of the Devil." Closer to Beck's usage is a line in the classic song "American Pie": "fire is the devil's only friend." Surely, the line arose out of the blues, but the closest I can find is in the Albert King song "Born Under A Bad Sign" where "bad luck and trouble is my only friend."