Marc had played guitar since the age of 9, but started to pursue music more seriously around 1964, when he became Toby Tyler, covering songs by Bob Dylan, and Dion.
(A track recorded around this time as Mark Feld, "All At Once" has recently been discovered will be released soon.) In his teen years, Marc became known as one of the first "mods". This led him to a brief stint as a model, and he chose to leave school when he was 14 years old. He also played guitar in a band called John's Children. Marc was needed for this group as a 'Pete Townshend' figure, but after 3 months, he left the band.
Together with Steve Peregrin Took, he formed his own duo Tyrannosaurus Rex, which quickly gained a large underground following. After 3 successful albums, Steve Peregrin Took's drug habits and suggestion of doing some of his own songs was enough for Marc to kick him out of the duo. Mickey Finn quickly replaced Steve, and the new duo recorded the album A Beard Of Stars, with Marc replacing Steve's backing vocals on the tracks they already began recording.
On Marc's second album with Finn, he decided to shorten the name of the band to T. Rex, and found fame and chart succes in 1970 with Ride a White Swan.
Following that success, Marc wrote several more top 10 hits and albums, Electric Warrior(1971), The Slider (1972), Tanx(1973), Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow Or a Creamed Cage In August)(1974), Bolan's Zip-Gun(1975), Futuristic Dragon(1976) and the final album
Dandy In the Underworld(1977).
Marc Bolan tried to make it clear during his lifetime that he was NOT to be grouped in the lot called Glam Rock. In 1973, he appeared under the headline "Glam Rock Is Dead: Says Marc" - he felt he was not being treated seriously as an artist, so with Zinc Alloy onward, he moved into a Rock & Soul sound, radically different than what was the musical trend at the time. Many of Marc's fans stayed behind with the Glam movement, but Marc pursued further into less commercial music adventures, with the help of his soul-singer girlfriend, Gloria Jones. Together they had a son, Rolan Bolan, in 1975.
Tragically, Marc died in a car crash on 16 September 1977 in a purple Mini driven by Gloria Jones.
Lunacy's Back
Marc Bolan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lunacy's back (Loony)
Lunacy's back (Loony)
Lunacy's back
Lunacy's back with his pony and trap and his big mouth
He's asked through the years with his tears and his fears in a hen house
Hung on a star, his cigar is suspended from his lips
Bizarre is killed in a drawer in the deep sheets of his bed
His head is the hat reaches up from the mat made of yeti
His drinks are all laced with the liquid dye traces of his love
Lunacy hid in the skin of a gasoline rainbow
Is where he was claimed as a trainee explainer of madness
He melted a picture of sane peoples bubbles
When that sunny-eyed lightning, explaining their troubles
The business world's puddles reflecting their true Venusian doubles
Lunacy's back (Loony)
Lunacy's back (Loony)
Lunacy's back (Loony)
Lunacy's back
In Marc Bolan's song "Lunacy's Back", he sings about the return of lunacy, or insanity. The repetition of "Lunacy's back (Loony)" emphasises the idea of lunacy returning, and also plays into the nickname "loony" that is often given to individuals suffering from mental health issues.
The lyrics describe the character of Lunacy as a flamboyant and eccentric individual who creates chaos and mayhem wherever he goes. He travels with his pony and trap and has a big mouth, having caused trouble and upset over the years. The lines "Hung on a star, his cigar is suspended from his lips" and "His coat is a moat and his bread is the lead that keeps him there" paint a surreal picture of Lunacy, symbolising his detachment from reality and his unwillingness to conform to societal norms.
Bolan's lyrics also touch on the idea of the link between creativity and madness. He describes Lunacy as someone who "hid in the skin of a gasoline rainbow" and was "claimed as a trainee explainer of madness". This suggests that Lunacy may be a metaphor for the creative mind and the struggles that come with it. The imagery of Lunacy melting a picture of sane people's bubbles and revealing their true Venusian doubles also hints at the idea that madness and creativity allow us to see the world differently and more vividly than those who conform to society's expectations.
Overall, "Lunacy's Back" is a surreal and playful commentary on mental health and creativity. Bolan's use of vivid imagery adds to the otherworldly quality of the song, and his lyrics encourage the listener to embrace their own unique perspective and to not be afraid to be a little "loony".
Line by Line Meaning
Lunacy's back (Loony)
Lunacy, the personification of madness, has returned.
Lunacy's back with his pony and trap and his big mouth
Lunacy has returned with his horse-drawn carriage and propensity for speaking without filter.
He's asked through the years with his tears and his fears in a hen house
Lunacy has been questioned over time, shedding tears and exhibiting fear like a caged animal.
Hung on a star, his cigar is suspended from his lips
Lunacy appears to be a star, with a cigar hanging from his mouth like an accessory.
His coat is a moat and his bread is the lead that keeps him there
Lunacy's coat acts as a barrier, while his sustenance keeps him stuck in his own madness.
Bizarre is killed in a drawer in the deep sheets of his bed
The strange and unconventional is buried away in Lunacy's mind, hidden in the depths of his subconscious.
His head is the hat reaches up from the mat made of yeti
Lunacy's mind is like a hat protruding from a bed of bizarre ideas and fantasies.
His drinks are all laced with the liquid dye traces of his love
Lunacy's beverages are infused with obsession and passion, reflecting his unstable emotions.
Lunacy hid in the skin of a gasoline rainbow
Lunacy blends into a colorful yet dangerous environment, hiding in plain sight.
Is where he was claimed as a trainee explainer of madness
In this environment, Lunacy is deemed as someone in training to explain the workings of madness to others.
He melted a picture of sane peoples bubbles
Lunacy defies the perceptions of normalcy, breaking down the illusion of stability.
When that sunny-eyed lightning, explaining their troubles
When someone speaks optimistically about their problems, they are met with Lunacy's response.
The business world's puddles reflecting their true Venusian doubles
The business world reveals their true psyches, reflecting distorted versions of themselves due to the influence of Lunacy.
Lunacy's back (Loony)
The chorus repeats, emphasizing Lunacy's presence and highlighting the impact of madness on the world.
Lyrics © SPIRIT MUSIC GROUP
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind