The Slider
T. Rex Lyrics
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The wind at all
Was like a ball of love
I could never never see
The cosmic sea
Was like a bumble bee
And when I'm sad...
I slide.
I have never never kissed
A car before
It's like a door
I have always always
Grown my own before
All schools are strange
And when I'm sad...
I slide.
I have never never
Nailed a nose before
That¹s how the garden grows
I could never understand
The wind at all
Was like a ball of love
And when I'm sad...
I Slide
Watch now
I'm gonna slide
The lyrics to T. Rex's song "The Slider" are enigmatic and dreamlike in nature. The opening lines describe the singer's inability to grasp the mysteries of the natural world, particularly the wind and the vastness of the cosmos. The language used to describe these phenomena is poetic and surreal; the wind is compared to a "ball of love" while the cosmic sea resembles a "bumble bee." The use of metaphor creates a sense of wonder and confusion, as if the singer is struggling to make sense of the world around him.
As the song progresses, the singer begins to reference more personal experiences. He mentions kissing a car, growing his own school, and nailing a nose. These images are equally surreal, and it's unclear what they are meant to represent. However, they seem to suggest a sense of rebellion or non-conformity. The line "All schools are strange" implies a distrust or unease with the education system.
The refrain "And when I'm sad...I slide" provides a hint at the underlying emotion in the song. The act of sliding could be interpreted as a form of escapism or release. It's unclear why the singer is sad, but the lyrics suggest that the act of sliding provides some comfort or solace.
Line by Line Meaning
I could never understand
I never understood
The wind at all
The wind completely confused me
Was like a ball of love
It had a mysterious, alluring quality
I could never never see
I could never comprehend
The cosmic sea
The vast, unexplored universe
Was like a bumble bee
Was unpredictable and buzzing with energy
And when I'm sad...
I slide.
When I'm upset or feeling down, I retreat and withdraw
I have never never kissed
I've never intimately touched
A car before
A machine designed for transportation
It's like a door
It's an entrance or gateway
I have always always
Grown my own before
I've always been self-reliant and independent
All schools are strange
Traditional education systems are unsettling or unusual
I have never never
Nailed a nose before
I've never tried something so unconventional
That¹s how the garden grows
New experiences and experimentation lead to growth and change
Watch now
I'm gonna slide
I'm about to withdraw from this situation or conversation
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BaronvonMoorland
Heard this song on my way up to Lake Tahoe as a young child looking out the window and seeing the larger and larger snow drifts forming as we drive onward. I was maybe 10-13 years old.
I remember getting goosebumps with the slide chorus and liking his deep ‘burnish’ voice.
I asked my father who this was and he told me “T-Rex” and I visualized a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The song has always stood out as a classic addition to any good playlist since that introduction.
@Gardosunron
Dynamite. Bolan was on fire in the early 70s.
@CountRaven1959
Marc and T Rex was my idols when I was young. Started to listen to them when I was 12 1971.
@fentontooth
I heard this song when I was 7 in 1972 ....I was mesmerised . Got the album for my birthday and I have never grown tired of it . The strings, guitars, drums are just perfection .
@homeworldmusic
Yeah, this and Electric Warrior are just pure teenage boy angst and dreams and hopes and mysticism and and and. My go-to hiding place when life is too much.
@treborif
I bought this album in '72, I was 12 and this song is still my fave. That drum intro is just the best.
@johnhenderson8778
I bought this album when I was 12, , still one of my all time favourites
@sleepwalker3520
I first heard this song when I was about 5.... I don't remember it... I'm now 32 and love this song, i like both how heavy and mellow at the same time that it is.... I hope he lives on, I for one will be doing my damndest to share him around
@lowersaxon
I was just turning to 14.
@JohnMiller-te7lx
One of my faves