Las Vegas is built on two things, gambling and entertainment. Some of the greatest names in the music industry have regularly performed in Vegas casinos, from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, to more modern singers like Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar.
Some of them were so enchanted with Sin City that they wrote songs about gambling and Vegas. True gamblers know them by heart, but it doesn’t hurt to replay them again.
Motörhead – Ace of Spades
One of Motörhead’s greatest, if not the greatest, songs and the one that immortalized them among the heavy metal fans, Ace of Spades is an homage to Wild Bill Hancock and the Deadman’s Hand. The Deadman’s Hand is a poker combination Wild Bill had at the time when he was shot cowardly in the back.
It consists of two pairs, aces of clubs and spades, and two black eights. In essence, Ace of Spades is a song about death and how it supposedly perceives mortals’ struggles and endeavors.
Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Presley
You can’t really make a list of the best gambling songs and not mention the hymn of Las Vegas. Elvis Presley’s classic is one of the greatest songs about any city and it has been featured in numerous movies about Vegas. Even if you don’t frequent casinos on The Strip and prefer to play online (you can check out recent mobile casinos if you are looking for a new one), this song is a must-have on every gambler’s playlist.
The King spent a lot of his time in Las Vegas and is a part of Sin City’s legend as much as Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin. It is only fitting that he sang about the city he loved.
Kendrick Lamar – Vegas
Kendrick Lamar is the only non-jazz musician who won the Pulitzer Prize for music. That alone would immortalize him in the music industry, even without his numerous other achievements. Among his lesser-known works is the song Vegas, where he opens up about his gambling experiences and sings about Sin City.
The song was released on Kendrick’s Unreleased Songs album. Although it didn’t merit an appearance on one of his official albums, it is still an impactful song worthy of listening to.
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Lady Gaga is one of the best-known and most influential musicians in the world. Poker face was released on her debut album titled Fame. It is a metaphor about life and how she needs a poker face to go through it. The song is filled with poker and gambling expressions any gambler will recognize, which made it an instant hit among gambling fans.
The Animals – House of the Rising Sun
Depicting the life of an alcoholic and a gambling addict, House of the Rising Sun is actually an old folk song, called Rising Sun Blues. The Animals changed a bit and made a classic hit that is still listened to today, almost 80 years after its release.
Frank Sinatra – Luck Be a Lady
As the last entry on our list, we have the legend himself, Mr. Frank Sinatra, and his 1965 hit Luck Be a Lady. It was featured in the Hollywood movie Guys and Dolls, directed by Frank Loesser.
Many argue that the scene where the song is in the background is one of the most memorable in the entire movie and that Sky Masterton’s struggle to win Sarah Brown perfectly illustrates the life of Frank Sinatra. Sinatra himself was a part of Vegas and its history for more than 40 years and has left a huge imprint on the city and the way entertainment works in the casinos on the Strip.
