20th Century Boy - wikipedia 20th Century Boy For the manga series, see 20th Century Boys. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2010 ) `` 20th Century Boy '' Picture sleeve from Germany Single by T. Rex B - side `` Free Angel '' Released 1973 Format 7 '' single Genre Glam rock hard rock Length 3 : 39 Label T. REX ( UK ) Ariola ( Germany ) Songwriter ( s ) Marc Bolan Producer ( s ) Tony Visconti T. Rex singles chronology `` Solid Gold Easy Action '' ( 1972 ) `` 20th Century Boy '' ( 1973 ) `` The Groover '' ( 1973 ) `` Solid Gold Easy Action '' ( 1972 ) `` 20th Century Boy '' ( 1973 ) `` The Groover '' ( 1973 ) `` 20th Century Boy '' is a song by T. Rex, written by Marc Bolan. It was released as a single in 1973 and reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was not featured on an original studio album but was included as a bonus track on a reissue of 1973 album Tanx. It later returned to the UK Top 20 in 1991, peaking at No. 13, fourteen years after Bolan 's death, when it was used in a Chris Hartwill - directed commercial for Levi 's starring Brad Pitt. It plays a key role on the science fiction - mystery manga 20th Century Boys. Contents 1 Recording 1.1 20th Century Boy 1.2 `` Free Angel '' 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 Def Leppard version 5 Other cover versions 6 Further appearances 7 Chart performance 7.1 T. Rex version 7.2 Chalk Circle version 8 References Recording 20th Century Boy 20th Century Boy was recorded on 3 December 1972 in Toshiba Recording Studios in Tokyo, Japan at a session that ran between 15 : 00 and 1 : 30. Backing vocals, hand claps, acoustic guitar and saxophones were recorded in England when T. Rex returned to the country after their tour. The single version of the track fades out at three minutes thirty nine seconds, however the multi track master reveals that the song ended in nearly a full three minutes worth of jamming. A rough mix of the full length version can be found on the Bump ' n ' Grind compilation. 20th Century Boy 's lyrics are, according to Marc Bolan, based on quotes taken from notable celebrities such as Muhammad Ali. This can be seen through the inclusion of the line `` sting like a bee '', which is taken from one of Ali 's 1969 speeches. Although the lyrical content of a lot of Marc Bolan 's songs is ambiguous, analysis of the multi track recordings of 20th Century Boy reveals the first line of the song to be `` Friends say it 's fine, friends say it 's good / Everybody says it 's just like Robin Hood, '' and not the often misquoted ``... just like rock ' n ' roll. '' `` Free Angel '' `` Free Angel '' was recorded during the first session for the Tanx album, between 1 and 4 August 1972. The single was mixed for release at Air Studios on 16 December 1972. Track listing `` 20th Century Boy '' `` Free Angel '' Personnel Marc Bolan -- lead vocals, guitar Mickey Finn -- handclaps Steve Currie -- bass Bill Legend -- drums Tony Visconti -- production Sue and Sunny -- backing vocals Howard Casey -- saxophone Def Leppard version `` 20th Century Boy '' Single by Def Leppard from the album Yeah ! Released 2006 Format CD Genre Hard rock Label Mercury Songwriter ( s ) Marc Bolan Producer ( s ) Def Leppard Def Leppard singles chronology `` Rock On '' ( 2006 ) `` 20th Century Boy '' ( 2006 ) `` Nine Lives '' ( 2008 ) `` Rock On '' ( 2006 ) `` 20th Century Boy '' ( 2007 ) `` Nine Lives '' ( 2008 ) English hard rock band Def Leppard covered the song on their 2006 album, Yeah !, which features cover versions of 1970s rock hits. It was released as the third and final single from the album, on 21 August 2006. The band used the song extensively as promotion for including two TV appearances and a regular rotation in the setlist of their 2006 Yeah ! Tour. Def Leppard performed `` 20th Century Boy '' on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 23 May 2006 two days before performing the song with Queen 's Brian May on VH1 Rock Honors broadcast on 31 May. Other cover versions Since its release it has been covered by artists such as Ty Segall, Adam Lambert, Bang Tango, Naked Raygun, Kiyoharu, Adam Ant, Drain STH, Chalk Circle, The Replacements, Girlschool, Pink Cream 69, R.E.M., The Three Johns, Scott Weiland, Placebo, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. It has also been covered live by X Japan, playing the song at many of their earlier performances, one of which was used as the live B - side to their 1989 single `` Kurenai ''. Count Zero, a Boston - based experimental rock band, has released a live performance of the song for download on their website. The song has been covered by Bang Tango in their live album Ai n't No Jive... Live !. Avant - garde metal guitarist Buckethead also covered it on a 1998 tribute, Great Jewish Music : Marc Bolan. On 29 September 2007, Moby joined Richard Barone onstage for `` 20th Century Boy '' at the T. Rex tribute in Central Park, NYC, with Tony Visconti on bass. British rockabilly band The Big Six recorded a version for the 1998 movie The Truman Show. During their cameo in 1998 film Velvet Goldmine, Placebo performed this song as fictitious band The Flaming Creatures. It also appeared as a Double A-Side on their single `` You Do n't Care About Us '' and in their album Covers. The band also performed it live at the 1999 BRIT Awards with David Bowie. Powerman 5000 covered the song on their 2011 album Copies, Clones & Replicants. A slightly different segment of the song, with the addition of a harp, was used in a Jameson Irish Whiskey television advertisement. Further appearances Japanese band Buck - Tick cites the chorus in their 2001 single `` 21st Cherry Boy ''. Another Japanese band, Fake ?, covered the song live in September 2013. The Spike Network series Lip Sync Battle uses the song as its opening theme song, and it was featured during a shootout in the pilot episode of The Good Guys. Chart performance T. Rex version Chart ( 1973 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 57 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 8 Ireland ( IRMA ) Norway ( VG - lista ) 9 Spain ( AFE ) 28 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) Chart ( 1991 -- 1992 ) Peak position Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) 13 Ireland ( IRMA ) 8 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 9 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 39 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 27 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 13 Chalk Circle version Chart ( 1987 ) Peak position Canada ( Cancon ) 9 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 44 References Jump up ^ Savage, Jon ( 1 February 2013 ). `` The 20 best glam - rock songs of all time ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2016. Jump up ^ Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian ( 2004 ). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 4th ed. ). Simon & Schuster. p. 822. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7432 - 0169 - 8. Bolan (... ) started writing manic chant - along glam - rock hits such as `` Metal Guru, '' `` 20th Century Boy, '' `` Solid Gold Easy Action, '' and `` Children of the Revolution. '' Jump up ^ Paytress, Mark ( 2009 ). Bolan : The Rise And Fall Of A 20th Century Superstar. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978 - 1 - 8460 - 9147 - 6. ^ Jump up to : `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 July 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 July 2013. ^ Jump up to : Danielz ( 2000 ). Bump ' n ' Grind ( Media notes ). Japan : Thunderwing Productions. ^ Jump up to : Campbell, Irving ( 2007 ). A Guide to the Outtakes of Marc Bolan. Wellington, New Zealand : Great Horse Productions. pp. 66 -- 67. ISBN 978 - 0 - 473 - 12076 - 4. Jump up ^ Peel, John ( 1973 ). `` Review of 20th Century Boy ''. Disc Magazine. Jump up ^ `` Def Leppard -- 20th Century Boy ''. Defleppardworld.com. Retrieved 22 March 2014. Jump up ^ Def Leppard 20th Century Boy 2006 on YouTube ^ Jump up to : `` Top Cancon Singles ''. RPM. Vol. 47 no. 3. 24 October 1987. Retrieved 21 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Placebo -- You Do n't Care About Us ( # 1 ) ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ True, Chris. `` Siouxsie and the Banshees -- Downside Up ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ Proefrock, Stacia. `` Various Artists -- Great Jewish Music : Marc Bolan ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` 21st Cherry Boy ''. This is NOT Greatest Site. Retrieved 30 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` FAKE ? Setlist at Daikanyama UNIT, Tokyo, Japan ''. Setlist.fm. Retrieved 30 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Forum -- ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts -- CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989 ''. Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- T. Rex -- 20th Century Boy ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- 20 th century boy ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- T. Rex -- 20th Century Boy ''. VG - lista. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ Salaverri, Fernando ( September 2005 ). Sólo éxitos : año a año, 1959 -- 2002 ( in Spanish ) ( 1st ed. ). Spain : Fundación Autor - SGAE. ISBN 84 - 8048 - 639 - 2. Jump up ^ `` Forum -- General -- Finnish singles chart archive ''. Finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- 20 th century boy ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- T. Rex -- 20th Century Boy ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- T. Rex -- 20th Century Boy ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- T. Rex -- 20th Century Boy ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 0887. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 9 May 2016. T. Rex Marc Bolan Mickey Finn Steve Currie Bill Legend Steve Peregrin Took Gloria Jones Jack Green Dino Dines Davy Lutton Miller Anderson Herbie Flowers Tony Newman Studio albums As Tyrannosaurus Rex My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They 're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows Prophets, Seers & Sages : The Angels of the Ages Unicorn A Beard of Stars As T. Rex T. Rex Electric Warrior The Slider Tanx Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow Light of Love Bolan 's Zip Gun Futuristic Dragon Dandy in the Underworld Posthumous albums You Scare Me to Death ( as Marc Bolan ) Billy Super Duper Dance in the Midnight ( as Marc Bolan ) Compilation albums Bolan Boogie Film Born to Boogie Singles `` Ride a White Swan '' `` Hot Love '' `` Get It On '' `` Jeepster '' `` Telegram Sam '' `` Metal Guru '' `` Children of the Revolution '' `` Solid Gold Easy Action '' `` 20th Century Boy '' `` The Groover '' `` Truck On ( Tyke ) '' `` Teenage Dream '' `` Light of Love '' `` Zip Gun Boogie '' `` New York City '' `` Dreamy Lady '' `` London Boys '' `` I Love to Boogie '' `` Laser Love '' Related articles Discography John 's Children Great Jewish Music : Marc Bolan Marc Mickey Finn 's T - Rex Def Leppard Joe Elliott Rick Savage Rick Allen Phil Collen Vivian Campbell Tony Kenning Pete Willis Steve Clark Studio albums On Through the Night High ' n ' Dry Pyromania Hysteria Adrenalize Slang Euphoria X Yeah ! Songs from the Sparkle Lounge Def Leppard Live albums Mirror Ball -- Live & More Viva ! Hysteria Compilations Retro Active Vault : Def Leppard Greatest Hits ( 1980 -- 1995 ) Best of Def Leppard Rock of Ages : The Definitive Collection EPs The Def Leppard E.P. Live : In the Clubs, in Your Face Videography Historia Live : In the Round, in Your Face Visualize Video Archive Historia / Live : In the Round, in Your Face Visualize / Video Archive Best of the Videos Rock of Ages : The DVD Collection CMT Crossroads -- Taylor Swift and Def Leppard Viva ! Hysteria And There Will Be A Next Time - Live From Detroit Concert tours Def Leppard Early Tours 1978 -- 1979 On Through the Night World Tour Pyromania World Tour Hysteria World Tour Slang World Tour Yeah ! Tour Downstage Thrust Tour Songs from the Sparkle Lounge Tour Mirror Ball Tour Viva ! Hysteria Heroes Tour World Tour 2015 Related Articles Discography Members Awards & Nominations Hysteria -- The Def Leppard Story Groups Cybernauts Man Raze Down ' n ' Outz Atomic Mass Gogmagog People Robert John `` Mutt '' Lange Jeff Rich Ross Halfin Frank Noon Def Leppard singles discography On Through the Night `` Rocks Off '' `` Wasted '' `` Rock Brigade '' `` Hello America '' High ' n ' Dry `` Let It Go '' `` Bringin ' On the Heartbreak '' `` Bringin ' On the Heartbreak '' ( 1984 Remix ) Pyromania `` Photograph '' `` Rock of Ages '' `` Foolin ' '' `` Too Late for Love '' Hysteria `` Women '' `` Animal '' `` Pour Some Sugar on Me '' `` Hysteria '' `` Armageddon It '' `` Love Bites '' `` Rocket '' Adrenalize `` Let 's Get Rocked '' `` Make Love Like a Man '' `` Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad '' `` Heaven Is '' `` Stand Up ( Kick Love into Motion ) '' `` Tonight '' `` I Wanna Touch U '' ( Promo ) Retro Active `` Two Steps Behind '' `` Desert Song '' `` Action '' `` Miss You in a Heartbeat '' Vault `` When Love & Hate Collide '' Slang `` Slang '' `` Work It Out '' `` All I Want Is Everything '' `` Breathe a Sigh '' Euphoria `` Promises '' / `` Back In Your Face '' `` Paper Sun '' `` Goodbye '' `` Day After Day '' `` 21st Century Sha La La La Girl '' X `` Now '' `` Long, Long Way to Go '' `` Four Letter Word '' Yeah ! `` No Matter What '' `` Rock On '' `` 20th Century Boy '' Songs from the Sparkle Lounge `` Nine Lives '' ( Featuring Tim McGraw ) `` C'mon C'mon '' Mirror Ball -- Live & More `` Undefeated '' `` It 's All About Believin ' '' Viva ! Hysteria `` Love and Affection '' ( live ) Def Leppard `` Let 's Go '' `` Dangerous '' `` Man Enough '' `` We Belong '' Other songs `` Rock ! Rock ! ( Till You Drop ) '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=20th_Century_Boy&oldid=798034384 '' Categories : 1973 singles 1973 songs Buckethead songs Chalk Circle ( Canadian band ) songs Def Leppard songs Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti Songs written by Marc Bolan T. Rex ( band ) songs X Japan songs Hidden categories : CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) EngvarB from June 2014 Use dmy dates from June 2014 Articles needing additional references from March 2010 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2016 Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart called without artist Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without song Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for United Kingdom Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Italiano 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Português Edit links This page was last edited on 30 August 2017, at 16 : 07. 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Question: 20th century boy lyrics robin hood or rock n roll
Answer: Robin Hood