Killed by Death (single)

Infobox Single
Name = Killed by Death

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Artist = Motörhead
from Album = No Remorse
B-side = Under the Knife
Released = September 1, 1984
Format = 7"
12"
Recorded = 1984
Genre = Heavy Metal
Length = 4:40
Label = Bronze Records
Writer = Phil Campbell
Würzel
Lemmy
Pete Gill
Producer = Vic Maile
Guy Bidmead
Certification =
Chart position = * #51 (U.K. Singles)
Last single = "Shine"
(1983)
This single = "Killed by Death"
(1984)
Next single = "Deaf Forever"
(1986)"Killed by Death" is a song by the heavy metal band Motörhead. Released in 1984, in 7" and 12" vinyl pressings.

Its B-side is "Under the Knife", the 12" vinyls have a bonus track "Under the Knife" (a different song) and a free colour poster. The title song is taken from the No Remorse compilation album. Bronze Records also issued a shaped picture disc (approx 12") version of the 7" vinyl release, depicting the band's logo, some lapses in quality control allowed through a number of pressings that play King Kurt on the 'B' side. [Burridge, Alan "Illustrated Collector's Guide to Motörhead" Published: 1995, Collector's Guide Publishing ISBN 0-9695736-2-6.]

To assist its promotion in the States, Bronze/Island pressed a 12" radio play edition, with identical versions of "Killed by Death" on both sides of the vinyl, so that disc jockeys couldn't play the wrong track by mistake. It is one of the hardest Motörhead items of all to track down. [cite journal |quotes= |last=Burridge |first=Alan |authorlink= |coauthors=Mick Stevenson |year=1993 |month=July |title=Motörhead |journal=Record Collector |volume= |issue=167 |pages=73 and 75 |id= |url= |accessdate= ] There is also a video made for the track.

The original song is not included on any official release albums except the compilation album 'No Remorse', along with three other new songs, 'Snaggletooth', 'Steal Your Face' and 'Locomotive'. It is included on several other retrospective budget-release compilations and on live albums such as 'No Sleep At All'.

Despite relatively high profile exposure on TV programmes such as Channel 4's "The Tube", the single failed to make any significant impression on a UK Chart saturated with New Romantics. This proved particularly disappointing to Lemmy, who at live shows regularly made jokey references about its lack of sales.Fact|date=January 2008

The song itself has been a mainstay of live performances since release. As with many Motorhead songs, the lyrics show Lemmy's skill at composing songs which are at the same time menacing and tongue-in-cheek. Another common theme is Lemmy's use of animal images. Phrases such as "If you squeeze my lizard, I'll put my snake on you, I'm a romantic adventure, And I'm a reptile too" recall the song 'Love me Like a Reptile' from the earlier Ace of Spades album. The second verse also contains the line, "I'm a lone-wolf ligger".

ingle track listing

All tracks written by Lemmy, Würzel, Campbell, and Pete Gill.

7"

# "Killed by Death"
# "Under the Knife"

12"

# "Killed by Death" (Full-Length Version) - 4:39
# "Under the Knife" - 3:43
# "Under the Knife" - 4:31

Credits

* Guitars - Phil Campbell and Würzel
* Drums - Pete Gill
* Bass, lead vocals - Lemmy
* Photography - Fin Costello
* Designed - Steve Joule

References

External links

* [http://www.imotorhead.com/discography/albums8.htm Sample of the song at the Motörhead Official Site] (RealPlayer required).