ace of spades

1.A card which, as the legend has it, was being left by the American troops during the Vietnam war on dead bodies of those whom they had killed. They were also used to scare away Viet Congs soldiers without firefight since the latter believed a spade, according to the Vietnamese tradition, to be a herald of death and ill-fortune. In Coppola's 'Apocalypse Now' one of the American soldiers (presumably played by Robert Duvall) throws such a card onto the lifeless body of some Vietnamese. 2. A great song by Mr. Lemmy Kilmister and co. Often a background song for Tony Hawk's stunts. 3. The highest card in the deck as it is commonly believed.