Eat the Rich Motorhead: The Song Written for a Comedy Film

Eat the Rich Motorhead is a satirical single the band wrote for a 1987 British comedy film of the same name.

The song skewers wealth and greed with the same blunt humor as the film it was written for.

It also appears on the band’s Rock ‘n’ Roll album, released the same year.

Here is the true story behind Eat the Rich Motorhead, from its film origins to its lasting cult status.

What Is Eat the Rich Motorhead About?

The lyrics satirize wealth and greed, framing the rich as targets rather than role models.

The song uses dark humor rather than a straightforward political lecture, matching the tone of the film it was written for.

Lemmy Kilmister and the band aimed the song at class inequality without pretending to offer a solution.

The result plays as a joke with teeth, closer to satire than a genuine call to violence.

Who Wrote Eat the Rich Motorhead?

Lemmy Kilmister, Wurzel, Phil Campbell, and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor wrote the song together as a full band composition.

Taylor had rejoined Motorhead on drums by this point, returning to the lineup after Pete Gill’s stint behind the kit.

Bill Laswell and Jason Corsaro recorded the original sessions, and Guy Bidmead later remixed the finished track.

The band recorded it at Master Rock Studios in London, running four minutes and thirty six seconds.

What Film Was Eat the Rich Written For?

The song was written for director Peter Richardson’s 1987 British comedy film Eat the Rich.

The film starred the regular cast of The Comic Strip, a British comedy troupe known for absurdist satire.

Motorhead’s contribution gave the film’s soundtrack a harder edged, more aggressive counterpoint to its comedy.

The pairing of Motorhead with a satirical comedy film was an unusual choice that helped the song stand out.

What Album Is It From?

The song also appears on Motorhead’s Rock ‘n’ Roll album, their eighth studio release from August 1987.

Critics have singled out the title track and this song as the two standout moments on an otherwise uneven record.

Rock ‘n’ Roll reached number 34 on the UK Albums Chart, the band’s lowest charting Top 40 album.

Joe Petagno, the designer behind Motorhead’s Snaggletooth logo, created the single’s cover artwork.

Did Eat the Rich Motorhead Chart as a Single?

No, the single did not enter the UK Singles Chart according to available chart records.

GWR Records released it on 2 November 1987, the same year as the Rock ‘n’ Roll album.

Despite missing the charts, the song became a cult favorite thanks to its film connection and dark humor.

It remains one of the more requested deep cuts from Motorhead’s late 1980s catalogue.

What Was on the B-Side of Eat the Rich Motorhead?

Both formats of the single carried the B-side track Cradle to the Grave.

The 12 inch pressing added a second B-side, Just Cos You Got the Power, exclusive to that format.

Collectors still hunt for the original 12 inch pressing because of that extra track.

Both B-sides remain available today on expanded reissues of the Rock ‘n’ Roll album.

The album’s title track, Rock n Roll, carries the same record’s energy into a more straightforward celebration of the genre.

Why Do Fans Still Discuss Eat the Rich Motorhead?

Fans still discuss the song because its satirical bite feels just as relevant to modern conversations about inequality.

Hawkwind, the band Lemmy played bass for before Motorhead, shaped the same anti establishment streak heard throughout this song.

As of 2026, read the complete lineup history of the members of Motorhead across four decades of the band.

Nearly four decades on, Eat the Rich Motorhead still lands as a sharp, funny jab at the wealthy.

People Also Ask

What is Eat the Rich by Motorhead about?

Eat the Rich is a satirical Motorhead song about wealth and class inequality, written in 1987 for director Peter Richardson’s British comedy film of the same name, which starred the cast of The Comic Strip.

The song also appears on Motorhead’s Rock ‘n’ Roll album, released the same year.

Who wrote Eat the Rich?

Lemmy Kilmister, Wurzel, Phil Campbell, and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor wrote Eat the Rich together in 1987, with Bill Laswell and Jason Corsaro producing the original sessions before Guy Bidmead remixed the track.

Taylor had rejoined the band on drums by this point in Motorhead’s history.

What film is Eat the Rich from?

Eat the Rich was written for director Peter Richardson’s 1987 British comedy film Eat the Rich, which starred the regular cast of the comedy troupe The Comic Strip.

Motorhead’s contribution gave the film’s soundtrack a harder edged, more aggressive tone.

Did Eat the Rich chart on the UK Singles Chart?

No, Eat the Rich did not enter the UK Singles Chart when GWR Records released it as a single on 2 November 1987.

It has remained a cult favorite deep cut despite missing the charts entirely.

Watch the Official Video

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Eat the Rich Motorhead endures as a sharp piece of satire wrapped in a heavy metal riff.

Nearly four decades later, Eat the Rich Motorhead still finds new listeners through its unlikely film connection.

Last updated: July 14, 2026