The One to Sing the Blues

1990 single by Motörhead

"The One to Sing the Blues"

Single by Motörhead

from the album 1916

B-side

"Dead Man's Hand"

Released

24 December 1990

Recorded

1990

Genre

Speed metal

Length

3:07

Label

Epic

Songwriter(s)

Phil Campbell
Würzel
Lemmy
Phil Taylor

Producer(s)

Peter Solley

Motörhead singles chronology

"Ace of Spades (live)"
(1988)

"The One to Sing the Blues"
(1990)

"Hellraiser"
(1992)

Alternative cover

Shaped picture disc

"The One to Sing the Blues" is a song by the British rock band Motörhead, which Epic Records released in a number of formats; 7-inch and 12-inch singles, cassette-single, CD-single as well as a shaped picture disc.^[1] It reached number 45 in the UK Singles Chart.^[2] It is the opening track on the 1916 album. It was the band's first CD single.

Although its official release date is 5 January 1991, Lemmy stated it "came out a few weeks earlier – on my birthday, as a matter of fact", which is 24 December 1990 continuing to say "that's a really great song – maybe we'll put it back in the set one of these days".^[3]

Critical reception

In review of 5 January 1991 Paul Elliott of Sounds found the main riff of this song "somewhere between Thin Lizzy's 'Sha La La' and 'Massacre', with some killer lead from Würzel." In the end Elliott summarized: "Still the ugliest, still the loudest."^[4]

Single track listing

All songs were written by Lemmy, Würzel, Phil Campbell, and Phil Taylor.

7-inch single

"The One to Sing the Blues" – 3:07
"Dead Man's Hand" – 3:29

12-inch and CD singles

"The One to Sing the Blues" – 3:07
"Dead Man's Hand" – 3:29
"Eagle Rock" – 3:07
"Shut You Down" – 2:38

Personnel

Lemmy – bass guitar, lead vocals
Würzel – guitar
Phil "Wizzö" Campbell – guitar
Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor – drums

References

^ Burridge, Alan Illustrated Collector's Guide to Motörhead Published: 1995, Collector's Guide Publishing ISBN 0-9695736-2-6.
^ "Official Charts – The One to Sing the Blues". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
^ Kilmister, Ian Fraser and Garza, Janiss White Line Fever (2002) – Simon & Schuster pp. 178–179. ISBN 0-684-85868-1.
^ Elliott, Paul (5 January 1991). "Review: Motörhead – "The One to Sing the Blues"" (PDF). Sounds. Peterborough: United Newspapers. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022 – via World Radio History.