Overnight Sensation is a 1996 album by the heavy metal band, Motörhead.
Following the departure of Würzel in 1995, the band returned to the same three man formula as "the classic Motörhead line up"; Bass Guitar/Vocals, Lead Guitar and Drums. This album is also the first, since Ace of Spades, to have a picture of the band on the cover. Despite being only a three piece, the band have a heavier style on this work than on their last album, Sacrifice.
Lemmy recalls that amidst the touring, the record took about four weeks writing and four weeks in the studio. Kilmister, Ian and Garza, Janiss White Line Fever (2002) — Simon & Schuster pp. 276—277 ISBN 0-684-85868-1. Lemmy talked about the return to being a three piece: ...it went the same as a four-piece except one guy wasn't there! Or the same as the Everly Brothers plus one. It was a bit more fraught, but that was just because Phil, being the only guitarist, felt that there was a lot riding on his shoulders (which there was). So he was under added pressure, but he proved himself well. Overnight Sensation is a great album for him. Mikkey was his usual perfect self - he always finishes his drums tracks well ahead of schedule. This time around he did them in one day. Overnight Sensation was the band's first official record for CMC — Sacrifice was already partly in the States on import but the label proved itself with Overnight Sensation and it became the best-distributed record the band had for some time.
The band being three piece was fine with some, who saw Würzel as a mediocre guitarist and thought that on this album, the band captured the heaviness and powerful sound present on Sacrifice and included some songs to slow down to the pace.
Overnight Sensation begins with a tight speed metal song, "Civil War". "Crazy Like a Fox", the next song, is a fast paced song with a harmonica solo by Lemmy. "I Don’t Believe a Word" starts with a bass solo, before turning into a slow paced and bluesy song with a strong guitar riff. "Eat the Gun" is a fast metal song with prominent lead guitar, rolling bass lines and a tongue-in-cheek final line: "Your gun is so big, your gun is so big, Oh wow". The title track, "Overnight Sensation", is a mid tempo song with a catchy chorus and consistent drum work. "Love Can't Buy You Money" has a heavy and sludgy riff with some humorous lyrics. "Broken" is a heavy mid tempo song with another good chorus. "Them Not Me" is a fast song with a thick and heavy main riff. "Murder Show" is similar but is a more catchy and repetitive song. "Shake the World" is a heavy, slow tune with a sludgy riff. The final song, "Listen to Your Heart", has acoustic guitars over the riff and some happy sounding vocals from Lemmy.
