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.
Monolith
Marc Bolan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a kingly thing
From whence you know
We all do begin
And dressed as you are girl
In your fashions of fate
Baby it's too late
Of the children of men
Fogged was their vision
Since the ages began
And lost like a lion
In the canyons of smoke
Girl it's no joke.
In Marc Bolan's song "Monolith," the lyrics describe the hierarchy of time as a powerful, authoritative figure that determines the fate of humanity. The "throne of time" is presented as a kingly and all-knowing entity that predates all human existence. The lyrics suggest that everyone begins from this point, indicating that time is the fundamental aspect of the human experience. The girl in the song is seen as a representation of human mortality, and the "fashions of fate" indicate that her life's course has been predetermined by the flow of time. The line "baby, it's too late" emphasizes the inevitability of time and how it inevitably catches up with everyone.
The second verse speaks to the superficiality of humanity's actions and their lack of understanding of their place in time. The "children of men" are described as shallow and short-sighted, with a fogged vision that has plagued humanity since the dawn of time. The line "lost like a lion in the canyons of smoke" further emphasizes the idea of humanity's confusion and disorientation in the face of time, suggesting that they are trapped in a haze of ignorance and uncertainty. The song presents time as an all-powerful force that cannot be tamed or controlled, and humans as mere mortals subject to its whims and dictates.
Line by Line Meaning
The throne of time
The concept of time holds immense power and status, symbolized by a throne.
Is a kingly thing
It is a symbol of royalty and high rank.
From whence you know
It is from time that everything originates and is known.
We all do begin
Every living creature, including humans, originates from the past and evolves through time.
And dressed as you are girl
Addressing a woman, who is living her life under predetermined destiny.
In your fashions of fate
Having a lifestyle that is guided by predetermined fate or destiny.
Baby it's too late
Realization that she cannot change her destiny or fate, however hard she tries.
Shallow all the actions
The behavior of all humans, especially superficial and low in value.
Of the children of men
The people living on the planet earth who are oblivious to the ways of nature and true knowledge.
Fogged was their vision
Their perception and understanding is blurred by the illusions of the world.
Since the ages began
From time immemorial, humans have failed to see the truth and the reality of the world.
And lost like a lion
Like a great king of the jungle, humans seem to have lost their way.
In the canyons of smoke
Trapped in the illusion created by the society, which is full of materialism and illusions.
Girl it's no joke.
It is a serious matter and not something to be taken lightly.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@louterme3206
The throne of time
Is a kingly thing
From whence you know
We all do begin
And dressed as you are girl
In your fashions of fate
Baby it's too late
Shallow all the actions
Of the children of men
Fogged was their vision
Since the ages began
And lost like a lion
In the canyons of smoke
Girl it's no joke
@user-jb5wv9ll8q
,, All the young dudes" is really improving my taste in music.
@laurapapcunova321
Same 😂❤️
@ColletteandBren
same
@emilylucid6591
Came right to this song after Remus stated it’s his favorite song of the album hahaha
@haobinversed
TRUEEEE
@aaarsonist
So same omg
@linbeifong9585
here bc of all the young dudes ✨
@emilymitchell5121
i literally just replied to your comment on the other video, cuz of atyd lol
@moony517
Me too
@ColletteandBren
same