No. 81: T.Rex, ‘Bang A Gong (Get It On)’ – Top 100 Classic Rock Songs No. 81: T.Rex, ‘Bang A Gong (Get It On)’ – Top 100 Classic Rock Songs REDDIT Universal T. Rex has probably the only song on our Top 100 Classic Rock Songs list with two different titles. ‘Get It On’ was the single’s original U.K. title and Marc Bolan and his group took the track, originating from the album ‘Electric Warrior,’ to No. 1 in 1971. Later, when the single was released in the USA (Jan. 1972) it was re-titled ‘Bang A Gong (Get It On)’ to distinguish it from another song with the same name by a band called Chase . The single went to No. 10 on the Billboard chart and turned out to be T.Rex’s shining moment and their biggest selling hit. The hypnotic groove of this Tony Visconti produced song begs you to play it repeatedly.

The boogie-like piano, the Flo and Eddie (The Turtles) back-up vocals and Bolan’s sassy guitar give way to the simple but suggestive lyrics that radiate like the “hub-cap-diamond-star-halo” that the author sings about. Bolan found rhythm in his language and will long be remembered as a poet turned superstar. 40 years later ‘Bang A Gong (Get It On)’ still plays a crucial part in pop culture, most recently heard in the trailer for the upcoming ‘ Dark Shadows ’ film. Rewind through the decades and you’ll recall that the Power Station had a smash hit with it, Blondie have covered and recorded it live and last but not least, Joan Jett told Sirius radio that this single was one of the songs she used to learned to play guitar. Top 10 T. Rex Songs Top 10 T. Rex Songs By Dave Swanson September 16, 2012 11:59 AM REDDIT Gary Merrin/Hulton Archive, Getty Images Marc Bolan left us way too soon, killed in a car accident just a couple weeks shy of his 30th birthday leaving us to wonder what might have been.

We tip our top hat to the electric warrior with this list of the Top 10 T. Rex Songs. From his early ’60s adventures rolling down a Dylan -inspired folk path, through his time with pop art rockers John’s Children, Bolan eventually found his own unique voice with Tyrannosaurus Rex, a folk-hippie duo who would eventually morph into the electric fire that was T. Rex. Essentially launching the Glam rock scene in the UK, T. Rex has inspired countless rock and rollers over the years and Bolan remains a true rock and roll legend. So let’s get it on, bang a gong and count down the Top 10 T. Rex Songs. 10 T. Rex | Download Music, Tour Dates & Video | eMusic Group Members: Gloria Jones , Mickey Finn's T Rex , Tony Visconti , Steve Peregrine Took , Steve Took's Horns , Marc Bolan All Music Guide: Initially a British folk-rock combo called Tyrannosaurus Rex, T. Rex was the primary force in glam rock, thanks to the creative direction of guitarist/vocalist Marc Bolan (born Marc Feld).

Bolan created a deliberately trashy form of rock & roll that was proud of its own disposability. T. Rex's music borrowed the underlying sexuality of early rock & roll, adding dirty, simple grooves and fat distorted guitars, as well as an overarching folky/hippie spirituality that always came through the clearest on ballads. While most of his peers concentrated on making cohesive albums, Bolan kept the idea of a three-minute pop single alive in the early '70s. In Britain, he became a superstar, sparking a period of "T. Rextacy" among the pop audience with a series of Top Ten hits, including four number one singles. Over in America, the group only had one major hit -- the Top Ten "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" -- before disappearing from the charts in 1973. T. Rex's popularity in the U.K. didn't begin to waver until 1975, yet they retained a devoted following until Marc Bolan's death in 1977. Over the next two decades, Bolan emerged as a cult figure and the music of T. Rex has proven quite influential on hard rock, punk, new wave, and alternative rock.

Following a career as a teenage model, Marc Bolan began performing music professionally in 1965, releasing his first single, "The Wizard," on Decca Records. Bolan joined the psychedelic folk-rock combo John's Children in 1967, appearing on three unsuccessful singles before the group disbanded later that year. Following the breakup, he formed the folk duo Tyrannosaurus Rex with percussionist Steve Peregrine Took. The duo landed a record deal with a subsidiary of EMI in February 1968, recording their debut album with producer Tony Visconti. "Debora," the group's first single, peaked at number 34 in May of that year, and their debut album, My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair...But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brow, reached number 15 shortly afterward. The duo released their second album, Prophets, Seers & Sages, the Angels of the Ages, in November of 1968. By this time, Tyrannosaurus Rex was building a sizable underground following, which helped Bolan's book of poetry, The Warlock of Love, enter the British best-seller charts.

In the summer of 1969, the duo released their third album, Unicorn, as well as the single "King of the Rumbling Spires," the first Tyrannosaurus Rex song to feature an electric guitar. Following an unsuccessful American tour that fall, Took left the band and was replaced by Mickey Finn. The new duo's first single did not chart, yet their first album, 1970's A Beard of Stars, reached number 21. The turning point in Bolan's career came in October of 1970, when he shortened the group's name to T. Rex and released "Ride a White Swan," a fuzz-drenched single driven by a rolling backbeat. "Ride a White Swan" became a major hit in the U.K., climbing all the way to number two. The band's next album, T. Rex, peaked at number 13 and stayed on the charts for six months. Encouraged by the results, Bolan expanded T. Rex to a full band, adding bassist Steve Currie and drummer Bill Legend (born Bill Fifield).

The new lineup recorded "Hot Love," which spent six weeks at number one in early 1971. That summer, T. Rex released "Get It On" (retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" in the U.S.), which became their second straight U.K. number one; the single would go on to be their biggest international hit, eventually reaching number ten in the U.S. By now, "T. Rextacy" was in full swing in England. The band had captured the imaginations of both teenagers and the media with its sequined, heavily made-up appearance. The image of Marc Bolan in a top hat, feather boa, and platform shoes, performing "Get It On" on the BBC became as famous as his music. Electric Warrior, the first album recorded by the full band, was released in the fall of 1971; it was number one for six weeks in Britain and cracked America's Top 40. At the beginning of 1972, T. Rex signed with EMI, setting up a distribution deal for Bolan's own T.Rex Wax Co.

record label, and the group's next two singles -- "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru" -- both spent multiple weeks at the top of the charts during early 1972. The Slider, released in the summer of 1972, shot to number one upon its release, allegedly selling 100,000 copies in four days; the album was also T. Rex's most successful American release, reaching number 17. Appearing in the spring of 1973, Tanx was another Top Five hit for T. Rex; the singles "20th Century Boy" and "The Groover" soon followed it to the upper ranks of the charts. However, those singles would prove to be the band's last two Top Ten hits. In the summer of 1973, rhythm guitarist Jack Green joined the band, as did three backup vocalists, including the American soul singer Gloria Jones; Jones would soon become Bolan's girlfriend. At the beginning of 1974, drummer Bill Legend left the group and was replaced by Davy Lutton, as Jones became the group's keyboardist.

In early 1974, the single "Teenage Dream" was the first record to be released under the name Marc Bolan and T. Rex. The following album, Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow, was the last Bolan recorded with Tony Visconti. Throughout the year, T. Rex's popularity rapidly declined -- by the time "Zip Gun Boogie" was released in November, it could only reach number 41. Finn and Green left the group at the end of the year, while keyboardist Dino Dins joined. The decline of T. Rex's popularity was confirmed when 1975's Bolan's Zip Gun failed to chart. Bolan took the rest of the year off, returning in the spring of 1976 with Futuristic Dragon, which peaked at number 50. Released in the summer of 1976, "I Love to Boogie," a disco-flavored three-chord thumper, became Bolan's last Top 20 hit. Bolan released Dandy in the Underworld in the spring of 1977; it was a modest hit, peaking at number 26.

While "The Soul of My Suit" reached number 42 on the charts, T. Rex's next two singles failed to chart. Sensing it was time for a change of direction, Bolan began expanding his horizons in August. In addition to contributing a weekly column for Record Mirror, he hosted his own variety television show, Marc. Featuring guest appearances by artists like David Bowie and Generation X, Marc helped restore Bolan's hip image. Signing with RCA Records, the guitarist formed a new band with bassist Herbie Flowers and drummer Tony Newman, yet he never was able to record with the group. While driving home from a London club with Bolan, Gloria Jones lost control of her car, smashing into a tree. Marc Bolan, riding in the passenger's seat of the car, was killed instantly. While T. Rex's music was intended to be disposable, it has proven surprisingly influential over the years. Hard rock and heavy metal bands borrowed the group's image, as well as the pounding insistence of their guitars. Punk bands may have discarded the high heels, feather boas, and top hats, yet they adhered to the simple three-chord structures and pop aesthetics that made the band popular.

Bang A Gong (Get It On) by T. Rex Songfacts Songfacts In England, this was called "Get It On (Bang A Gong)." The title was changed on the American release so it would be less offensive. This is about sex, but most of the imagery is vague enough that many people did not pick up on it. This is a great example of "Glam Rock." There was nothing all that distinctive about glam music, but it was characterized by the outrageous, often effeminate costumes the performers wore and the very theatrical stage shows. The last line, "Meanwhile, I'm still thinking..." was a nod to a Chuck Berry song called "Little Queenie," which contains the same lyric and inflection. In the US, this was the only hit for T-Rex. They had several hits in England before glam rock fell out of favor. Mark Volman and Howard Kaylen sang backup vocals. Known as "Flo and Eddie," Volman and Kaylen were members of The Turtles. >> Suggestion credit: Paul Miller - Chandler, AZ The band released this a year after they shortened their name. They had been Tyrannosaurus Rex.

After falling from fame a few years after this came out, lead singer Marc Bolan was killed in 1977 when his girlfriend crashed their car into a tree. In 1985, the "Supergroup" Power Station, which included Robert Palmer and members of Duran Duran, released this as a single. They used the original title on both sides of the Atlantic: "Get It On" >> Suggestion credit: Marc Bolan took his name from Bob Dylan... BO from Bob and LAN from Dylan. >> Suggestion credit: Blondie recorded a live version for their 1978 Parallel Lines album. >> Suggestion credit: T. Rex | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography by Mark Deming The most iconic band of the U.K. glam rock scene of the '70s, T. Rex were the creation of Marc Bolan , who started out as a cheerfully addled acolyte of psychedelia and folk-rock until he turned to swaggering rock & roll with boogie rhythm and a tricked-up fashion sense. For a couple years, T. Rex were the biggest band in England and a potent cult item in the United States.

If their stardom didn't last, their influence did, and T. Rex 's dirty but playful attitude and Bolan 's sense of style and rock star moves would show their influence in metal, punk, new wave, and alternative rock; it's all but impossible to imagine the '80s new romantic scene existing without Bolan 's influence. Marc Bolan was born Mark Feld on September 30, 1947 in Stoke Newington, London, England. The youngster seemed cut out for a career in showbiz nearly from the start; he started playing guitar at the age of nine when he and some friends formed a skiffle band, and he made his professional acting debut in 1963, playing a minor role on the children's television series Orlando. After a brief run as a child model, Bolan (his stage name a contraction of Bob Dylan ) dove into music, and released his first single, "The Wizard," in November 1965, shortly after he signed a deal with Decca Records.

After cutting a few more unsuccessful singles, which found Bolan moving into a direction clearly inspired by Dylan and Donovan , Simon Napier-Bell took over as his manager, and in 1967 Bolan became a member of the notorious psychedelic band John's Children . While he was in John's Children long enough to write and sing lead on their single "Desdemona" and tour Europe as the Who 's opening act, Bolan left the group after a mere four months, and quickly began writing songs for his next project. Before 1967 was out, Bolan had launched his new group, Tyrannosaurus Rex , with a show at London's Electric Garden. However, Bolan booked the gig before he finalized the band's lineup; legend has it he was still auditioning musicians the day of the show, and by all reports the debut was disastrous. Abandoning his original concept of a four-piece band, Bolan reworked Tyrannosaurus Rex into an acoustic duo, with Marc on guitar and vocals and Steve Peregrin Took on percussion.

Bolan 's loopy but engaging lyrical sensibility and Eastern-influenced melodies, coupled with Took 's use of hand drums and unconventional percussion devices, helped to earn the group a loyal following in London's hippie community, and they were championed by the legendary BBC disc jockey John Peel . The duo scored a deal with Regal Zonophone Records, and their debut album, My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows , was released in July 1968; the album was produced by Tony Visconti , who would go on to produce nearly all of Bolan 's subsequent work. The second Tyrannosaurus Rex album, Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages , appeared just three months later, and the third, Unicorn , came out in May 1969, shortly after the publication of The Warlock of Love, a book of poems written by Bolan . However, Bolan and Took found themselves increasingly at odds, as Took 's behavior became more outré, especially during a largely unsuccessful American tour, and Unicorn proved to be his last album with Tyrannosaurus Rex .

Mickey Finn took over as the duo's percussionist, and in 1970 they recorded the album A Beard of Stars as well as the single "Ride a White Swan," and both saw the band moving in a new direction, venturing away from the fading U.K. hippie scene. Bolan had begun playing electric guitar, giving the songs a bigger and buzzier sound, and Finn 's handclaps and percussion provided a stompdown backbeat that turned Tyrannosaurus Rex from a folk act into a potent if minimal rock band. The duo acknowledged their shift in direction with their fifth album, which bore their new name, T. Rex . "Ride a White Swan" was a surprise smash in the U.K., and the T. Rex album also fared well, and Bolan doubled down on the group's new proto-boogie sound by expanding T. Rex to a quartet with the addition of trap drummer Bill Legend and bassist Steve Currie .

Bolan also took to sporting top hats, feather boas, and glittery outfits on-stage, giving their shows a welcome sense of flash, and while some of Bolan 's older fans blanched at his abandonment of his folkie impulses, the release of Electric Warrior in September 1971 was all the consolation he needed. The album was a major hit, rising to the top of the U.K. album charts and establishing T. Rex as one of Britain's biggest bands, while also helping to launch the glam rock era that would dominate U.K. rock for the next several years. The album spawned two U.K. hit singles, "Jeepster" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," and while the former made little impact in the United States, the latter cracked the American Top 40, and T. Rex developed a growing cult following in the United States, especially on the West Coast, where the glam crusade found its greatest American success. As "T. Rexstasy" took hold in the U.K.

and Europe, Bolan and his crew released The Slider in July 1972, which offered more of the group's crunchy hard rock boogie and Bolan 's sly, playful lyrics; the album was another smash in the U.K., rising to number four on the album charts, while it peaked at a more than respectable number 17 in the United States. The album was also recorded while a film was being made about Bolan and T. Rex , Born to Boogie, directed by none other than Ringo Starr . But neither of the two singles, "Telegram Sam" nor "Metal Guru," made much of an impression in the United States, and neither did the non-album single "20th Century Boy," though it was a smash in the U.K. Surprisingly, T. Rex opted not to feature the song on Tanx , issued in January 1973, and the album rose no further than number 102 in America, and it received lukewarm reviews in the U.K. and Europe, though sales there were still impressive. By the time T. Rex released their next album, Gloria Jones had joined T.

Rex on keyboards and backing vocals (she was also in a romantic relationship with Bolan , despite the fact he was married at the time), and the group displayed a new R&B influence on 1974's Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow . However, the album's reception confirmed the bloom was off the rose for T. Rex ; the single "Teenage Dream" failed to crack the U.K. Top Ten, and the LP wasn't even released in the United States. Early 1975 saw the release of Bolan's Zip Gun , which was produced by Bolan after Tony Visconti bowed out, and only featured drummer Bill Legend on one track, with drummer Davy Lutton and keyboard man Dino Dines joining the group. Once again, the album wasn't issued in America, though a combination of tracks from Zinc Alloy and Zip Gun was released stateside by Casablanca Records as Light of Love . Bolan became a tax exile who relocated to California, which made him the target of more unfriendly reports in the British music press. Bolan was on the rebound in early 1976 with the release of Futuristic Dragon , an ambitious set that featured a bigger sound than T.

Rex 's last few albums, and while it once again went unreleased in the United States, reviews were positive and the album was a modest commercial success. Bolan also became a father with the birth of Rolan Bolan , his son by Gloria Jones , and he returned to England, where he became the host of a pop music show, Marc, that featured performances by Bolan , artists from the height of the glam rock days (including David Bowie ), and rising stars on the punk rock scene, including the Jam , Generation X , and the Boomtown Rats . As Bolan 's star was on the rise, he returned to the studio to make a new album; Dandy in the Underworld was credited to T. Rex , but was almost entirely the work of studio musicians after the final breakup of the classic T. Rex lineup. The album received positive press in the U.K., but Bolan had little opportunity to bask in its success; he died in an auto accident on September 16, 1977. While both Mickey Finn and Bill Legend toured with bands calling themselves T. Rex in the wake of Bolan 's death, for nearly all fans the notion of T.

Rex without Marc Bolan seemed absurd, and the band's legacy has been kept alive through reissues of T. Rex 's recordings and archival collections of rarities from Bolan and the group, and by covers of their songs from acts as diverse as Guns N' Roses , the Violent Femmes , Siouxsie and the Banshees , the Replacements , the Power Station , and the Bongos . T Rex Bang a Gong - Best Classic Bands T Rex Bang a Gong by Best Classic Bands Staff Share This: The pioneering glam rock band T Rex (originally Tyrannosaurus Rex) could do no wrong in their native England. From 1970 to 1973, they had an astonishing ten Top 5 singles, including four #1’s. (Yes, you read that right.) The band was formed in 1967 by guitarist Marc Bolan, who was not quite 20 years-old at the time, and he teamed with producer Tony Visconti to shape the group’s records, a relationship that would continue for eight albums.

In 1971, their British label, Fly, released “Get It On” and it became the band’s second consecutive #1 chart hit. Their U.S. record label changed the name of the song to “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” to avoid confusion with a song also called “Get It On” which was released that same year by a jazz rock band named Chase. American radio programmers never warmed to the band. Only four of their singles even made the pop charts and “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” peaked at just #10. It’s one of those cases where the song simply took on a life of its own it later years and became to be appreciated only well after it was released. T Rex’s British label released over a dozen more singles and their Top 5 string continued. But in the U.S., the influential band was essentially “one and done” on the pop charts. 1973’s terrific “20th Century Boy” never even charted in America.

On September 16 1977, just two weeks shy of his 30th birthday, Bolan – who never learned to drive – was a passenger in a car driven by his girlfriend, the American singer Gloria Jones, after a night out. The vehicle crashed, killing Bolan. Many prominent classic rock giants attended his funeral including Visconti, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart and Les Paul. Just try to not tap your foot while watching our Classic Video. We’ve done extensive testing and we’ve determined that it’s impossible not to… Never miss a post! Sign up for Best Classic Bands‘ Newsletter; form is on every page. <br /> Urban Dictionary: Marc Bolan marc bolan a 20th century superstar, glam rock elfin legend and all-round cool dude with corkscrew hair. main man of t rex, one of the best bands ever in the world, singing songs about wizards, pixies and dancing. died when his mini was driven into a tree by his tit of a fiance/wife.

"sat with a cat, on your head alone at last, you cry with a sigh, resurrecting all your past, life's an elevator, it goes up and down, life's an elevator, can't you dig the sound, swift is the kill, shadows fill the empty walls, wild is the word, that engulfs love's sacred halls, life's an elevator, it goes up and down, life's an elevator, can't you dig the sound, scenes from your past spread, before the flaming dawn, have faith in the hearts of the world they're rocking on, life's an elevator, it goes up and down, life's an elevator, can't you dig the sound" LIFE'S AN ELEVATOR BY MARC BOLAN by failure33object April 24, 2005 Marc Bolan Beautiful and talented musician and spirit who was the lead of T. Rex (previously Tyrannosaurus Rex which was acoustic, and prior John's Children).

Some of his best-known songs include: "Get It On (Bang a Gong)"; "20th Century Boy"; "Jeepster"; "Metal Guru"; "Cosmic Dancer"; "Hot Love"; "Children of the Revolution"; "Telegram Sam"; "The Slider"; and many others. He starred in a film (produced by Ringo Starr) called "Born to Boogie." He was born in East London in 1947, and died in London almost exactly 30 years later. He was the passenger in a purple Mini driven by his girlfriend (and mother of his child, Rolan). The car went out of control and crashed into a sycamore tree. There is a shrine dedicated to him at the site. He was an influence to many others and is considered the prototype Glam Rocker, though this moniker doesn't do him justice. Marc Bolan is likened to an Elfin Prince because of his diminutive stature and etheric boyish good looks. Marc Bolan and T. Rex's music, though 30 years and more old, still rocks and is radio-played and used in many films.

"Metal Guru" topped the chart in 1972, blocking Elton John's "Rocket Man." Robert Palmer and Power Station covered Marc Bolan and T. Rex's song "Get it On," which was released in the USA as "Bang A Gong." "Keep a little Marc in your heart." Lyrics for "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" by T. Rex Well you're dirty and sweet, clad in black Don't look back and I love you You're dirty and sweet, oh yeah Well you're slim and you're weak You've got the teeth of a hydra upon you You're dirty sweet and you're my girl. Get it on, bang the gong, get it on Get it on, bang the gong, get it on You're built like a car, You've got a hub cap diamond star halo You're built like a car, oh yeah You're an untamed youth that's the truth With your cloak full of eagles You're dirty sweet and you're my girl.

Get it on, bang the gong, get it on Get it on, bang the gong, get it on You're windy and wild, You've got the blues in your shoes and your Stockings You're windy and wild, oh yeah You're built like a car, You've got a hub cap diamond star halo You're dirty sweet and you're my girl. Get it on, bang the gong, get it on Get it on, bang the gong, get it on You're dirty and sweet, Clad in black, don't look back And I love you You're dirty and sweet, oh yeah You dance when you walk so let's dance, Take a chance, understand me You're dirty sweet and you're my girl. Get it on, bang the gong, get it on Get it on, bang the gong, get it onWriter/s: MARC BOLAN Publisher: Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, NORTH HUDSON MUSIC Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" - T. Rex "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" T.

Rex Billboard: #10 ere's a good example of how things began to get really weird in the '70s. No sooner had a series of new trends begun to remove rock and roll from its original intention (spontaneous anarchy and fun) and toward a more cranial approach (the singer/songwriter trend, the progressive rock trend) than a series of backlashes took things thoroughly too far in the opposite direction. Marc Bolan, the mastermind of T. Rex, gave new meaning to the word "dumb." If you were a hyperactive teenager who needed to rebel against all these sensitive singers with sad eyes and acoustic guitars, or bands whose only goal was to get thoroughly lost while jamming, then Bolan was your cup of tea. Just try to recite any of his lyrics aloud without breaking into hysterics: "I got stars in my beard, and I feel real weird, for you," or "Rocking in the nude, I'm feeling such a dude, it's a rip-off," or "Just like a car, you're pleasing to behold. I'll call you Jaguar if I may be so bold." Need I extract more?

If truth be told, though, his lyrics are so phenomenally dumb that they transcend themselves and manage to be quite entertaining (in a dumb sort of way). The thing is, his riffs are so mind-suckingly good (and simple) that it is easy to convince yourself that he really was heavy after all. In 1971, more than a few fans thought Bolan's ideas could hold up not just for a few hits, but for an entire career. Times have changed. Judging from the sobering distance of twenty-odd years, I'd say that his albums sound painfully dated and that his material lacks any sense of variety. Over the years, his musical ideas (all three of them) have become transparently threadbare. His songs all share similar rhythmic ideas and lyrical thrust, while his singing never varies from the double-tracked, whispering frenzy technique that he developed. Released in Nov. 1971, T. Rex's second album peaked at #32 on the Billboard Hot 200 and remained on the charts for 34 weeks. "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" was his only American Top 40 hit. As on most T.

Rex material from this period, including Bolan's endless series of English hits, that's Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (a.k.a. Flo and Eddie) from the Turtles who are moaning delightedly in the background. With a heavily pedaled bass line and strutting guitar riff, "Bang a Gong" represents Bolan's most powerfully driving rhythm. Did I say driving? That reminds me, what exactly was it with this guy and his auto-erotic imagery? "You're built like a car, you got a hubcap diamond-star halo. You're built like a car, oh yeah" is only a sample lyric from his catalog of songs that use the automobile as a metaphor for sex. Before his chrome-finish fetish became public knowledge, Bolan's music was actually quite different. Originally, he was a folkie from Donovan's School of Outer-Space Sensitivity and called his partnership with a bongo player Tyrannosaurus Rex, because he expected to become the biggest thing on earth. When this slightly pudgy and inarticulate guy with luminescent blue skin decided to drop his sad-eyed, acoustic guitar act and trade it in for electric glamour and a new bongo player, T. Rex was born.

From that point on, English critics treated Bolan as though he were a treasonous phony. The kids loved him. American critics had trouble putting him into perspective. Seemingly out of nowhere, here comes this supposedly sensitive guy dressed in the most campy attire, wearing heels and women's mascara while singing to teenagers. The unisex styles of the '60s, such as love beads and long hair, had begun to develop into the androgyny of the '70s, and Bolan was intelligent enough to aim it at the kids who were open-minded and eager to develop their own identity separate from the hippies. It took American kids a while to catch on. "Bang a Gong" was a hit in America almost a full year after it topped the English charts. By then, Bolan had opened the door for other acts who subscribed to the decidedly English phenomenon of glam-rock, such as Sweet, Slade, Gary Glitter, and Mott the Hoople. Over the years, David Bowie would be elevated to superstar status as he developed glam-rock into a futuristic amalgam of sex and theater. Overshadowed by these later acts, Bolan's popularity decreased, despite his attempt to remain in the spotlight.

While riding in a car driven by his girlfriend, Gloria Jones ("Tainted Love"), he was killed in a crash on September 6, 1977. - Thomas Ryan, T. Rex on Apple Music To preview a song, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to buy and download music. Biography The most iconic band of the U.K. glam rock scene of the '70s, T. Rex were the creation of Marc Bolan, who started out as a cheerfully addled acolyte of psychedelia and folk-rock until he turned to swaggering rock & roll with boogie rhythm and a tricked-up fashion sense. For a couple years, T. Rex were the biggest band in England and a potent cult item in the United States. If their stardom didn't last, their influence did, and T. Rex's dirty but playful attitude and Bolan's sense of style and rock star moves would show their influence in metal, punk, new wave, and alternative rock; it's all but impossible to imagine the '80s new romantic scene existing without Bolan's influence.

Marc Bolan was born Mark Feld on September 30, 1947 in Stoke Newington, London, England. The youngster seemed cut out for a career in showbiz nearly from the start; he started playing guitar at the age of nine when he and some friends formed a skiffle band, and he made his professional acting debut in 1963, playing a minor role on the children's television series Orlando. After a brief run as a child model, Bolan (his stage name a contraction of Bob Dylan) dove into music, and released his first single, "The Wizard," in November 1965, shortly after he signed a deal with Decca Records. After cutting a few more unsuccessful singles, which found Bolan moving into a direction clearly inspired by Dylan and Donovan, Simon Napier-Bell took over as his manager, and in 1967 Bolan became a member of the notorious psychedelic band John's Children. While he was in John's Children long enough to write and sing lead on their single "Desdemona" and tour Europe as the Who's opening act, Bolan left the group after a mere four months, and quickly began writing songs for his next project.

Before 1967 was out, Bolan had launched his new group, Tyrannosaurus Rex, with a show at London's Electric Garden. However, Bolan booked the gig before he finalized the band's lineup; legend has it he was still auditioning musicians the day of the show, and by all reports the debut was disastrous. Abandoning his original concept of a four-piece band, Bolan reworked Tyrannosaurus Rex into an acoustic duo, with Marc on guitar and vocals and Steve Peregrin Took on percussion. Bolan's loopy but engaging lyrical sensibility and Eastern-influenced melodies, coupled with Took's use of hand drums and unconventional percussion devices, helped to earn the group a loyal following in London's hippie community, and they were championed by the legendary BBC disc jockey John Peel. The duo scored a deal with Regal Zonophone Records, and their debut album, My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows, was released in July 1968; the album was produced by Tony Visconti, who would go on to produce nearly all of Bolan's subsequent work.

The second Tyrannosaurus Rex album, Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages, appeared just three months later, and the third, Unicorn, came out in May 1969, shortly after the publication of The Warlock of Love, a book of poems written by Bolan. However, Bolan and Took found themselves increasingly at odds, as Took's behavior became more outré, especially during a largely unsuccessful American tour, and Unicorn proved to be his last album with Tyrannosaurus Rex. Mickey Finn took over as the duo's percussionist, and in 1970 they recorded the album A Beard of Stars as well as the single "Ride a White Swan," and both saw the band moving in a new direction, venturing away from the fading U.K. hippie scene. Bolan had begun playing electric guitar, giving the songs a bigger and buzzier sound, and Finn's handclaps and percussion provided a stompdown backbeat that turned Tyrannosaurus Rex from a folk act into a potent if minimal rock band. The duo acknowledged their shift in direction with their fifth album, which bore their new name, T. Rex.

"Ride a White Swan" was a surprise smash in the U.K., and the T. Rex album also fared well, and Bolan doubled down on the group's new proto-boogie sound by expanding T. Rex to a quartet with the addition of trap drummer Bill Legend and bassist Steve Currie. Bolan also took to sporting top hats, feather boas, and glittery outfits on-stage, giving their shows a welcome sense of flash, and while some of Bolan's older fans blanched at his abandonment of his folkie impulses, the release of Electric Warrior in September 1971 was all the consolation he needed. The album was a major hit, rising to the top of the U.K. album charts and establishing T. Rex as one of Britain's biggest bands, while also helping to launch the glam rock era that would dominate U.K. rock for the next several years. The album spawned two U.K. hit singles, "Jeepster" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," and while the former made little impact in the United States, the latter cracked the American Top 40, and T.

Rex developed a growing cult following in the United States, especially on the West Coast, where the glam crusade found its greatest American success. As "T. Rexstasy" took hold in the U.K. and Europe, Bolan and his crew released The Slider in July 1972, which offered more of the group's crunchy hard rock boogie and Bolan's sly, playful lyrics; the album was another smash in the U.K., rising to number four on the album charts, while it peaked at a more than respectable number 17 in the United States. The album was also recorded while a film was being made about Bolan and T. Rex, Born to Boogie, directed by none other than Ringo Starr. But neither of the two singles, "Telegram Sam" nor "Metal Guru," made much of an impression in the United States, and neither did the non-album single "20th Century Boy," though it was a smash in the U.K. Surprisingly, T.

Rex opted not to feature the song on Tanx, issued in January 1973, and the album rose no further than number 102 in America, and it received lukewarm reviews in the U.K. and Europe, though sales there were still impressive. By the time T. Rex released their next album, Gloria Jones had joined T. Rex on keyboards and backing vocals (she was also in a romantic relationship with Bolan, despite the fact he was married at the time), and the group displayed a new R&B influence on 1974's Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow. However, the album's reception confirmed the bloom was off the rose for T. Rex; the single "Teenage Dream" failed to crack the U.K. Top Ten, and the LP wasn't even released in the United States. Early 1975 saw the release of Bolan's Zip Gun, which was produced by Bolan after Tony Visconti bowed out, and only featured drummer Bill Legend on one track, with drummer Davy Lutton and keyboard man Dino Dines joining the group.

Once again, the album wasn't issued in America, though a combination of tracks from Zinc Alloy and Zip Gun was released stateside by Casablanca Records as Light of Love. Bolan became a tax exile who relocated to California, which made him the target of more unfriendly reports in the British music press. Bolan was on the rebound in early 1976 with the release of Futuristic Dragon, an ambitious set that featured a bigger sound than T. Rex's last few albums, and while it once again went unreleased in the United States, reviews were positive and the album was a modest commercial success. Bolan also became a father with the birth of Rolan Bolan, his son by Gloria Jones, and he returned to England, where he became the host of a pop music show, Marc, that featured performances by Bolan, artists from the height of the glam rock days (including David Bowie), and rising stars on the punk rock scene, including the Jam, Generation X, and the Boomtown Rats. As Bolan's star was on the rise, he returned to the studio to make a new album; Dandy in the Underworld was credited to T.

Rex, but was almost entirely the work of studio musicians after the final breakup of the classic T. Rex lineup. The album received positive press in the U.K., but Bolan had little opportunity to bask in its success; he died in an auto accident on September 16, 1977. While both Mickey Finn and Bill Legend toured with bands calling themselves T. Rex in the wake of Bolan's death, for nearly all fans the notion of T. Rex without Marc Bolan seemed absurd, and the band's legacy has been kept alive through reissues of T. Rex's recordings and archival collections of rarities from Bolan and the group, and by covers of their songs from acts as diverse as Guns N' Roses, the Violent Femmes, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Replacements, the Power Station, and the Bongos. ~ Mark Deming Top Albums

Question: Which T Rex hit was called 'Bang A Gong' when it was released in the USA?
Answer: Get It On