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.
Misfit
Marc Bolan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't wanna quit
Too many times I chickened
And just split.
Bill the little misfit
I don't wanna see
Pop out picyures
Baby why don't you
Scream and split
I can't break away
I just seen the light.
Wimpy bar misfit
I don't wanna be
Like Billy the kid
Left hangin' from no tree.
Strung along misfit
I don't wanna see
People put you down
And all I wanna be is free.
Water bed misfit
I don't wanna be
Used and ridden and hidden
Most mysteriously.
Scary little misfit
I don't wanna see
Every scene tha's been
And every scene that's liable to be.
Why don't you
Just scream and split
'cause I can' break away
I just seen the light.
The song Misfit by Marc Bolan is an anthem for the outcasts and the misunderstood, those who feel like they don't fit into societal norms. The lyrics highlight the different categories of misfits and express a reluctance to become like them. The surplus store, wimpy bar, strung along, water bed, and scary misfit are all portrayed as people who are unable to break free from their situations, but the singer wants to break away from this cycle. The repetition of the lines "why don't you scream and split" and "I can't break away, I just seen the light" emphasizes the singer's desire to escape and live life on their own terms.
The song was released in 1975 as a single for T. Rex, and was included on their album Bolan's Zip Gun. It was written and produced by Marc Bolan himself. Misfit has a classic glam rock sound, with upbeat drums and guitar riffs, and the lyrics explore themes of rebellion and non-conformity. It has been praised for its relatable lyrics and catchy melody, as well as Bolan's characteristic vocals and guitar playing.
Line by Line Meaning
Surplus store misfit
I feel like I don't fit in with society's expectations of how I should be, like something that doesn't belong in a bargain store.
I don't wanna quit
Despite feeling like an outsider, I don't want to give up or succumb to societal pressure to conform.
Too many times I chickened
I've been afraid to be myself and have avoided standing out or challenging the norm too frequently.
And just split.
So, instead of standing out, I've often just left situations or environments where I don't fit in.
Bill the little misfit
I know another misfit named Bill who also struggles with fitting in.
I don't wanna see
I don't want to witness or be a part of the struggles and hardships that Bill is experiencing.
Pop out pictures
It hurts to see photos of people, including myself and Bill, looking happy and fitting in when it feels like such a struggle.
Of you and maybe me.
Seeing images of others fitting in makes me question whether I will ever be able to do the same.
Baby why don't you
I feel isolated and alone in my struggles and am reaching out to someone (likely a partner) for support and understanding.
Scream and split
I wish I could just scream and leave all my struggles behind, but I know it's not that simple.
I can't break away
Despite my desires to escape, I'm stuck in my current situation and don't see a way out.
I just seen the light.
I've come to the realization that others' expectations and societal pressures are not what's best for me and that I need to forge my own path, despite the difficulties.
Wimpy bar misfit
I feel small and weak like someone who doesn't belong in a bar or social setting that values toughness and bravado.
I don't wanna be
I don't want to become someone I'm not just to fit in or be accepted.
Like Billy the kid
I don't want to become like someone who was celebrated in popular culture for violence and lawlessness, but who ultimately met a tragic end.
Left hangin' from no tree.
I don't want to end up hanging (either metaphorically or literally) with my peers rejecting or abandoning me.
Strung along misfit
I feel like I'm being led on or mistreated by others who may not understand or value me.
People put you down
Others may belittle me or make me feel inadequate for not fitting in, which further perpetuates my feelings of isolation and struggle.
And all I wanna be is free.
Ultimately, all I want is to be able to be myself and live freely without the weight of societal expectations bearing down on me.
Water bed misfit
I feel like a misfit who doesn't belong in someone's bed, like I'm using them or they're using me.
Used and ridden and hidden
I don't want to be treated like an object or used for pleasure alone, especially if I have to hide or be secretive about it.
Most mysteriously.
There is something secretive and furtive about the kind of treatment I'm getting, and I'm not sure if it's healthy or desirable.
Scary little misfit
I feel like a misfit who is both scary and scared, who struggles to make connections and trusts others.
Every scene that's liable to be.
I worry that any social or public situation I'm put in will only highlight my feelings of alienation and anxiety, making me feel even less capable of connecting with others and fitting in.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nadia1234ize
I don't want to go too far but, "Misfit 66" is on my opinion, a masterpiece. As wife of a very brilliant musician and, first of all by my personal feeling because I liked music before to meet him, I have to say that Marc is something GREAT.
@jeremyhartnell4802
as a bolan addict , such a shame that this style was so short lived , that said i adore all the changes , rock on forever
@marcstevens8576
I agree with you on the part of his solo tracks on The Beginning Of Doves & his acoustic albums with Steve were short-lived. Didn't like much of his glam-rock that made him A Star. His earlier songs were so much more creative. Minus the John's Children's ones that he was pretty much a backing singer on his own songs...
@consul1957
Little guy with the MASSIVE talent!
@adric137
He was a wonderful musician!
@gmedeiros5748
Classic
A masterpiece . One of many .
@teajayar
I like to hear stuff from Marc that I have never heard before. Tanx for posting.
@sexobscura
I'm sure John Peel absolutely adored this song
@SuperOniu
PERECT VOICE PERFECT CLIP PERFECT COSTUMES EVERY THING IS MARC 100%%%%%%%%%%%%%% THANX MARC!!!!!!!!!!!!
@deathwithaheartbeat8866
Love this!! Excellent video. Keep a little Marc in your heart 💜