Going to Brazil Motorhead: Inside the 1916 Deep Cut
Going to Brazil Motorhead is the road song that turned a real touring memory into one of the 1916 album’s tightest cuts.
The track runs two minutes and thirty one seconds, track four on the band’s ninth studio album.
Lemmy Kilmister, Michael Wurzel Burston, Phil Campbell, and Phil Taylor all share the writing credit.
Motorhead played the song live on tour in 1989 and 1990 before it ever reached a studio.
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⚡ Key Takeaways
- Going to Brazil Motorhead is track four on the 1916 album, released 21 January 1991 through WTG Records.
- Lemmy Kilmister, Wurzel, Phil Campbell, and Phil Taylor share the songwriting credit on the track.
- The band performed the song live on tour in 1989 and 1990 before recording it in the studio.
- Producer Ed Stasium recorded this track along with No Voices in the Sky and Love Me Forever before leaving the 1916 sessions.
- 1916, Motorhead’s ninth studio album, peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart in 1991.
What Is Going to Brazil Motorhead About?
Going to Brazil Motorhead is about the chaos and exhaustion of touring, told through the lens of a single flight.
The lyrics turn a real stretch of the band’s late 1980s road schedule into a fast, half joking travelogue.
Lemmy had a habit of writing about whatever was actually happening to the band, and constant flying was the reality of that era.
The song captures the restless energy of a band that rarely stayed in one country for long.
Who Wrote Going to Brazil Motorhead?
Lemmy Kilmister wrote Going to Brazil together with guitarists Wurzel and Phil Campbell and drummer Phil Taylor.
All four members share the songwriting credit, a rarity for a band where Lemmy usually wrote the lyrics alone.
The band road tested the song live throughout 1989 and 1990 before it was ever recorded.
That live seasoning gave the studio version a tightness that comes from months of playing it on stage first.
Where Was Going to Brazil Motorhead Recorded?
Motorhead recorded Going to Brazil in 1990 after Lemmy relocated to West Hollywood, California.
Producer Ed Stasium handled this track along with No Voices in the Sky and Love Me Forever before departing the 1916 sessions.
Peter Solley took over production duties for the remainder of the album.
Engineer Paul Hemingson worked the sessions that produced the final version fans hear today.
Phil Philthy Animal Taylor co-wrote Going to Brazil during his second stint drumming for Motorhead.
Image Credit: Photo by Andrew King, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Album Is Going to Brazil Motorhead From?
Going to Brazil comes from 1916, Motorhead’s ninth studio album, released on 21 January 1991 through WTG Records.
The record marked a deliberate change of pace, closing with the somber title track instead of a speed metal anthem.
Going to Brazil sits early on the tracklist, giving the album an upbeat, road worn opening stretch.
The album became one of the most acclaimed records of Motorhead’s early 1990s run.
How Did 1916 Chart in the UK?
1916 peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart in 1991.
The placing marked one of Motorhead’s stronger chart showings of the decade.
Critics praised the record for stretching the band’s sound beyond pure speed and aggression.
Going to Brazil, with its wry travel narrative, became one of the fan favorite tracks from that acclaimed run.
Why Does Going to Brazil Motorhead Stand Out on 1916?
Going to Brazil stands out on 1916 because of its sheer economy, wrapping the whole story into two and a half minutes.
The song moves at a breakneck pace even by Motorhead’s own standards, matching the frantic feeling of the lyrics.
Its shared songwriting credit among all four band members gives it a group written energy rare in the catalog.
The track offers a lighter moment on an album otherwise remembered for the somber, reflective title song.
How Is Going to Brazil Motorhead Remembered Today?
Going to Brazil is remembered today as a deep cut favorite among longtime Motorhead fans rather than a radio staple.
The band revived it for select live sets long after 1916 left the charts, including festival performances at Wacken.
Its road worn spirit still connects with fans who followed the band’s relentless touring schedule.
Discover more of the era’s material in Iron Fist, We Are the Road Crew, and Damage Case.
Phil Taylor’s final Motorhead recording came a year later on I Ain’t No Nice Guy, the guest heavy March or Die track.
Phil Campbell has called the 1916 era one of the most creatively open periods of his time in the band.
As of 2026, read the complete lineup history of the members of Motorhead across four decades of touring and recording.
People Also Ask
What album is Going to Brazil by Motorhead on?
Going to Brazil appears as track four on 1916, Motorhead’s ninth studio album, released 21 January 1991 through WTG Records and produced mainly by Peter Solley.
The album peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart.
Who wrote Going to Brazil by Motorhead?
Lemmy Kilmister, Wurzel, Phil Campbell, and Phil Taylor co-wrote Going to Brazil, a rare four way songwriting credit for a band where Lemmy usually wrote lyrics alone.
The band road tested the song live in 1989 and 1990 before recording it for 1916.
What is the Motorhead album 1916 about?
1916 is Motorhead’s ninth studio album, a record known for stretching beyond pure speed metal into more varied songwriting, including the somber World War One themed title track.
Going to Brazil offers a faster, road themed counterpoint to that title song within the same record.
How long is the song Going to Brazil?
Going to Brazil runs two minutes and thirty one seconds, making it one of the shortest, most compact tracks on the 1916 album.
Its brevity matches the frantic, on the road energy of the lyrics.
Watch Going to Brazil and Shop Motorhead Albums
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1916
1991
The album that paired speed with the somber title track.
Reached number 24 on the UK Albums Chart.
Orgasmatron
1986, Deluxe Import
The record that began the four piece twin guitar era.
Lemmy’s darkest, most political lyrics.
Rock ‘n’ Roll
1987, Deluxe Edition
The album right before 1916 in the band’s timeline.
Features a live bonus disc.
March or Die
1992
The follow up album, recorded after Phil Taylor’s final sessions.
Features guest spots from Ozzy Osbourne and Slash.
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Going to Brazil Motorhead captures a band that spent more time on planes and stages than at home.
Its four way writing credit and road tested arrangement make it one of the most collaborative moments on 1916.
As of 2026, Going to Brazil Motorhead still stands as a fan favorite reminder of the band’s nonstop touring years.
Last updated: July 15, 2026