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.
Sara Crazy Child
Marc Bolan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With her pastel dotted dress
And her seductive bongo-beat
Her skin is wild like the olives
And her body's bitter sweet
Still she's only just thirteen
And she's forgotten how to dream
Brother, the juke-box King
With his venom mildly sting, yeah
And his knowledge twisted hair
And his 1920's stare
Lives beneath the roadway
In a manner to his lair
In summer he's a young boy
But in winter he's a bear
Broken dusty mama
Her face melted just like wax
Her once gazelle like features
Blooded by the Ajax
Received your picture postcard
Of the twosome of the one
Solely [Incomprehensible] submitted
To guillotine of their home
In Marc Bolan's song "Sara Crazy Child", he paints a vivid image of a young girl, Sara, who is roaming the streets in a pastel dotted dress, emanating a seductive bongo-beat. He describes her wild skin, resembling olives, and her body as bitter sweet. Despite being only thirteen years old, Sara has forgotten how to dream. The song talks about Sara's tragic fate, being consumed by the harsh realities of life from such a young age.
Bolan also touches upon the lives of other characters like Brother, who is referred to as the Juke-Box King. He wears his knowledge twisted hair and has a 1920's stare as he lives beneath the roadway in a manner likened to a lair. Bolan continues to describe Brother's transformation in different seasons; in summer, he is a young boy, while in winter, he is like a bear.
He also describes Mama, whose face has now melted just like wax because of tragedy and harsh realities. Her once gazelle-like features have been bloodied by Ajax. Finally, Bolan sings of receiving a picture postcard of a couple lasting only one twosome, making it clear that they are doomed to the guillotine of their home.
Overall, the song paints a bleak picture of individuals who are trapped in unrelenting circumstances and have nowhere to turn for solace.
Line by Line Meaning
Sarah crazy child is devouring all the streets
Sarah, a young girl, is wandering around in the streets with great energy and enthusiasm.
With her pastel dotted dress
She is wearing a dress with small and light-colored dots on it.
And her seductive bongo-beat
She is moving to the rhythm of the bongo drums in a way that is attracting attention.
Her skin is wild like the olives
Her skin is tanned and has a lively, natural look to it, much like an olive.
And her body's bitter sweet
Her overall looks and demeanor are both attractive and difficult to pin down, like the taste of something that is both sweet and bitter at once.
Still she's only just thirteen
Despite her vibrant energy and mature appearance, she is still just a young teenager.
And she's forgotten how to dream
Even at a young age, Sarah has lost her ability to dream or be imaginative, possibly due to the harsh realities of her life.
Brother, the juke-box King
A man known as Brother, who has a lot of power over the local jukebox, may be the source of Sarah's troubles.
With his venom mildly sting, yeah
Brother's influence can be harmful, even if it is not always overtly so.
And his knowledge twisted hair
Brother's hair is unkempt in a way that suggests he is experienced in less than savory activities.
And his 1920's stare
Brother's stare seems to be reminiscent of a past era, possibly one that was more dangerous or chaotic than the present.
Lives beneath the roadway
Brother is homeless or living in a makeshift dwelling beneath the streets.
In a manner to his lair
His makeshift dwelling is like a lair or hideout where he can retreat from the outside world.
In summer he's a young boy
Despite his past and his current circumstances, Brother still possesses a youthful energy and spirit.
But in winter he's a bear
In the colder months, Brother becomes more reclusive and dangerous, like a hibernating bear.
Broken dusty mama
A woman, possibly Sarah's mother, is worn out and in poor condition.
Her face melted just like wax
Her features are distorted or fading in a way that suggests she has gone through a lot of hardship or suffering.
Her once gazelle like features
The woman was once graceful and beautiful like a gazelle, but those days are long gone.
Blooded by the Ajax
The woman's skin or other features have been damaged or worn down by repeated exposure to harsh and abrasive cleaners like Ajax.
Received your picture postcard
The artist, possibly Sarah, has received a postcard with a picture on it.
Of the twosome of the one
The picture on the postcard is of two people who seem to be very close or attached to each other.
Solely [Incomprehensible] submitted
The artist is so overwhelmed or confused by the situation that they cannot fully describe what they are feeling or observing.
To guillotine of their home
The environment or situation in which the two people live feels oppressive or restricting, like being trapped in a guillotine.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
raul macias
One of Marc Bolan's best compositions and lyrics! John Hewlett and ChrisTownson play some inventive Rhythm all the while improvising.
Marc plays some cool licks on his Gibson SG and sings a nice Lead Vocal during the fade-out!
Lastly, Andy Ellison sings a very soulful Lead Vocal!
Fortunately, Manager and Producer Simon Napier Bell didn't tamper with this classic and overdub his silly vocals like he did when he ruined the John's Children classic "Midsummer Night's Scene"!
What Bell did was simply unforgivable!
bolanbabe
love it!!!! andy sang it well at marcs celebration!..
GuTWorm68
It's Sara. Not Sarah.
charles Busby
don't know if I like this
johnny cardboard
Gotta hear Bolan sing it.