For our latest B-Sides feature, let us return to the glory days of glam. Of platform shoes. Of sequins. Of Noddy Holder’s sideburns and Ziggy Stardust. And most gloriously of all: T-rextasy.
Marc Bolan and co. enjoyed four all-time classic chart-toppers in 1971 and ’72 (okay, three all-timers, and one which is still pretty great). They were also very generous with their B-sides, giving fans two extra songs per number one.
I’ll restrict myself to choosing one B-side from each single, and linking to the other. Starting with…
‘Woodland Rock’, B-side to ‘Hot Love’
If there was a track to sum up the band in the moment of their transition from Tyrannosaurus Rex to plain old T. Rex, from ethereal hippyness and lyrics about magical moons to crunching glam guitars, it might be ‘Woodland Rock’. It’s based around a derivative rock ‘n’ roll riff (borrowing liberally from ‘Jailhouse Rock’), but with snatches and loops played in reverse, and an opening verse about a man dancing like a gypsy – so he must be where its at – and houses up trees.
‘Hot Love’s other B-side was ‘The King of the Mountain Cometh’, and that’s even more old-school Tyrannosaurus Rex, if that’s your thing.
‘Raw Ramp’, B-side to ‘Get It On’
Lady you think you’re a champ, But girl you’re nothing but a raw ramp… Me neither, but I don’t think it’s meant to be complimentary. Bolan really was the King of nonsense lyrics that somehow, in some not too distant dimension, work. And then a second later he’s singing Oooh I’m crazy about your breasts. I love the way this track grows from the standard Tyrannosaurus Rex hippy drumbeat, to a full on glam rock out by the end. In fact, the last minute and a half of ‘Raw Ramp’ are a jam known as ‘Electric Boogie’, which sounds like an outtake from the ‘Get It On’ sessions.
The other B-side here was a one-minute long, wistful ballad called ‘There Was a Time’, which is over before it’s even started.
‘Baby Strange’, B-side to ‘Telegram Sam’
The one B-side that is better than the single? Not that ‘Telegram Sam’ isn’t fun, but it isn’t in the same league as T. Rex’s three other #1s. Interestingly, this is a variant on the same riff from TS, and the chorus is soaring. And who can resist a song that comes in with a One and a two and a bibbety, bobbity boo boo yeah...? Not I. ‘Baby Strange’ featured on ‘The Slider’ album, which is T. Rex’s masterpiece, and the one to listen to if you want an introduction to the group at the height of their powers.
The other B-side was the stomping ‘Cadilac’, in which Bolan indulges in one of his main tropes: comparing women to cars.
‘Thunderwing’, B-side to ‘Metal Guru’
If ‘The Slider’ LP was peak T. Rex, then the album’s second single was the apotheosis of the T. Rex glam sound. ‘Metal Guru’ is a two-minute long, glorious moment. And one of my Very Best Number Ones. I’ve heard it described as one long chorus, but I’d say it’s more one long bridge, a tune that soars towards a chorus that never arrives. But it doesn’t matter.
Anyway, enough of the A-side. That’s not what we’re here for. One of the B-sides was ‘Thunderwing’, in which Bolan again gets horny for his car. My little baby she’s a tippy-toed vamp rider, She moves like the sun in the dawn… It’s another glam stomper, with a great groove to it, if a little repetitive. The other B-side was ‘Lady’, a gentler, trippier nod to the Tyrannosaurus Rex days.
T. Rex’s star shone oh so brightly, but fairly briefly. By 1974 they were struggling for hits, and by 1976 Bolan was struggling with addiction. By 1977, he had cleaned up, was recording again and had just been given his own TOTP-style music show, when he and his girlfriend, soul singer Gloria Jones, crashed their car in south London. Bolan died instantly. Jones was seriously injured. I also did a T. Rex Top 10 countdown of their best non-charttoppers, so head on over there if you want more T-rextasy in your life. And we all should, I think.
The UK Number Ones Blog 
It’s a shame you only deal in #1s as their best B-side was Life’s A Gas, which was paired with Jeepster, an abject failure at only #2!
Yeah got to stay on-brand and just deal in #1s… I do love ‘Life’s a Gas’, and ‘Jeepster’ too, of course (though Bolan didn’t want it released, apparently).
Great B-sides. Love T. Rex. Marc Bolan is one of most captivating frontmen in all of music. They shone briefly but very brightly during their reign. It is quite surprising how short their reign was as the top glam act (just two years really, Slade were the kings by 1973 and by 1976 glam was basically out from the charts), but I kinda understand, their music could get quite formulaic and samey and the general public was probably growing bored and moving, even when he started dabbling in soul and R&B and disco as he did in the mid-70s to freshen things up (before Bowie did on Young Americans, Marc was dabbling in blue-eyed soul and R&B). I think he has like six songs after “Get It On” where he recycles the “Get It On” riff. And Marc was becoming quite the diva and alienating a lot of the people around him.
Would’ve been interesting to see how he handled the 80s. T. Rex probably would’ve thrived in the new wave era of the first half of the decade. And from songs like “Children of the Revolution” and “20th Century Boy”, probably would’ve done well in the more glam metal-oriented latter half of the 80s and then become a beloved elder statesmen in the 90s to the Britpop generation. He still looked good and young at the time of his death (, the last album he did before he died Dandy in the Underworld was a big critical comeback for him – and my 3rd favourite T. Rex album behind Electric Warrior and The Slider – so the momentum was there for him to have a big commercial comeback. Sadly, it was not to be.
Like you said about Rod Stewart the other day, you have to love Marc Bolan’s shameless joy at being a rock star. I get the torture of it, and why some hate it, but for people with ordinary jobs it is great seeing famous people who just fucking love being a star!
Anyway, Bolan would have been interesting to follow. He was already being cited by punk groups as an influence shortly before his death. While I love his 71-73 period, where he could do no wrong, I think there were still loads of great singles after that. It’s the pre-71 hippy stuff I struggle with, though ‘One Inch Rock’ was the first song I ever knew of T Rex’s, as a kid, and I loved it. Thought it was hilarious.
It’s why I love the Gallagher brothers because they clearly love being famous and don’t shy away from mentioning it. I remember an interview where Noel when he was young straight up says he loves being famous and walking down the street and people asking for a photo or autograph. If I were famous and rich, I’d love it. And I love Marc’s shamelessness as well. The sameyness of T. Rex – at least glam rock era T. Rex – reminds me kinda of Foo Fighters and AC/DC where they really have one, two, maybe three maximum tricks they rinse and repeat, but they do those tricks extremely well. Marc’s charisma disguises the repetitive nature of some of the music.
And yeah the hippie psych-folk stuff is not what I listen to T. Rex, but I enjoy it for what it is. And Marc didn’t really lose that side of him, even on Electric Warrior and The Slider you can still hear that side of him with the slower more acoustic/folky songs, and of course, Marc’s lyrics like during the psych-folk era were the same as the glam rock era: absolutely ridiculous and meaningless but also genius, clever and meaningful at the same time (I drive a rolls royce/because its good for my voice).
I like all of these, but I’d also agree Life’s A Gas (duet with Cilla Black version) and add Born To Boogie as a great B side to a number 2 (Christmas jingle intro version) 🙂
I’ve only just found this site – fantastic stuff by the way, quite a labour of love – and I’m determined to do it properly, which means, having only just got to Slim Whitman, it’s going to be a while ’til I read about T-Rex. So as I’m here, let me just say that the opening 10 to 15 seconds of Metal Guru represents the most exciting intro in the history of pop. Imagine being 15 or 16 and hearing that on the radio for the first time.
Thanks for commenting! Always great to hear from a new follower. ‘Metal Guru’ is up there with the very best number one singles, and you’ll see I chose it as one of my ‘very best’. Enjoy the 50s! I found it a slog at times, but there are some gems in there. Pop music didn’t start with the Beatles, or even Elvis, as I used to believe.
Their B sides sound better than many artists A sides. I like all of them but that last one I really like a lot. I’m a B-Side guy anyway…. great post…