In the history of music, gambling and its lifestyle have been the subject of many a song. Those songs have often found their way onto the iPhones and Spotify playlists of many a poker player while they sit at the tables. But what is the best song? Online poker powerhouse PokerStars thought it would ask its members this question and the results of the survey turned out to be quite surprising.
NWOBHM Stalwarts Thunder Past Pop Chanteuse
PokerStars submitted a list of songs for 1000 European customers to choose from in a May poll and, in the end, it was a veteran of the hard rock/metal world that prevailed over a Grammy and Emmy-winning performer.
London’s Motörhead in 1980 placed “Ace of Spades” on their classic album of the same name and it quickly became one of their anthems. The song, which mixes the imagery of gambling with the ominous nature of death (the Ace of spades has often been called the “death” card), is considered one of the classic songs of the genre. But it didn’t have a great deal of popularity when it came out, save for the hard rockers that follow the late trio of Lemmy Kilmister, Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor and “Fast” Eddie Clarke.
When it came out in 2009, pop chanteuse Lady Gaga captured the poker world’s attention with her breakout hit, “Poker Face.” The song, once again using the terminology of poker (all-in, bluff, bankroll, etc.), was actually about Gaga’s (also known as Stefani Germanotta) self-professed bisexuality and her male paramour’s inability to see it through her “poker face.” The song was so popular it finished off 2009 as the #2 song of the year behind only “Boom Boom Pow” from the Black-Eyed Peas.
With two songs battling it out for supremacy, would the worldwide sensation of the Haus of Gaga overwhelm the ‘leather and guitars’ approach of the boys from London? In the end, it was Motörhead emerging victorious, with Eric Burdon and the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun,” country music legend Johnny Cash’s “Big River” and “The King,” Elvis Presley’s “Luck Be a Lady,” rounding out the Top Five on the list.
Other Surprises on the List
While the choice of Motörhead is a bit of a shock, some of the other choices on the
list are questionable too. Children’s tunes like Bob the Builder’s “Big Fish,
Little Fish” and Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark” also make the list over such tunes as AC/DC
(“The Jack”) and even “The Chairman of the Board” himself, Frank Sinatra (“Luck
Be a Lady”). Here’s a look at the Top 16 selections:
1. Motorhead, Ace of Spades
2. Lady Gaga, Poker Face
3. Eric Burdon and the Animals, House of the Rising Sun
4. Johnny Cash, Big River
5. Elvis Presley, Luck be a Lady
6. Eric Clapton, Little Queen of Spades
7. Salt’n’Pepa, Push It
8. Bob the Builder, Big Fish, Little Fish
9. LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
10. Kenny Rogers, The Gambler
11. Pinkfong, Baby Shark
12. AC/DC, The Jack
13. Bob Dylan, Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
14. Fleetwood Mac, Lazy Poker Blues
15. Justin Timberlake, Cry Me a River
16. Frank Sinatra, Luck be a Lady
What SHOULD Be on the List?
There are certainly some songs that have been overlooked by PokerStars and their customers. How about…
“Still the Same,” Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band – the Detroit rocker’s song about the life of a gambler is one that would fit in Las Vegas perfectly.
“Waking up in Vegas,” Katy Perry and “Leaving Las Vegas,” Sheryl Crow – While they aren’t necessarily “gambling” songs, they do give a very good look at Las Vegas, what goes on in the city and its denizens.
“Viva Las Vegas,” ZZ Top – Originally done by Elvis Presley, the ZZ Top version is a rocker that will energize any poker player at the tables.
Are there more out there? What are some of your favorites? And what do you think of the list? Let us know here at Poker News Daily and let’s put together the “Ultimate Poker/Gambling Playlist” as the World Series of Poker prepares to start.