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.
Sunken Rags
Marc Bolan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you play me down
It's a shame the way you hide me in the electric school
I was brave to call your name
Down in the alleyway
It's a shame the way you treat me like a fool
So ride on, fight on
Love is gonna win
Fight on, ride on
Love is gonna win
It's gonna beat your sins
It's a game with broken brain
The way you smile on me
I'm a bird that rides upon your window fools
It's a shame how you unzip my winter poetry
It's a shame the way you treat me like a fool
The lyrics to Marc Bolan's song Sunken Rags portray a sense of disappointment in someone's treatment towards the singer. The repeated phrase "it's a shame" highlights negativity towards the subject's actions and words towards the singer. The line, "the way you play me down" portrays a sense of belittlement and discouragement towards the singer, while in contrast, the line "I was brave to call your name" showcases the singer's courage and persistence.
The repeated message throughout the lyrics is that love will prevail, as seen in the lines "Love is gonna win, it's gonna beat your sins". The lines "I'm a bird that rides upon your window fools" and "the way you treat me like a fool" are repeated and portray the singer's vulnerability and possible naivety in their situation. The final line, "It's a shame the way you treat me like a fool" leaves the listener feeling empathetic towards the singer and their situation.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a shame it's sunken rags
The state of our relationship is pitiful
The way you play me down
You make me feel inferior
It's a shame the way you hide me in the electric school
You keep our love a secret
I was brave to call your name
I took a risk by expressing my feelings for you
Down in the alleyway
A secluded place where we met
It's a shame the way you treat me like a fool
You don't respect me
So ride on, fight on
Continue to persevere through hardships
Love is gonna win
Love will triumph in the end
It's gonna beat your sins
Love will overcome our flaws and mistakes
It's a game with broken brain
Our relationship is flawed
The way you smile on me
Your smile brings me joy
I'm a bird that rides upon your window fools
I am dependent on you for happiness
It's a shame how you unzip my winter poetry
You don't appreciate my creative expression
It's a shame the way you treat me like a fool
You continue to disrespect me
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnkeenan9495
A genius that can electrify the room with his presence everrtime his music is playing
@fogydew54
been forty years down the road and I still love these tunes still as fresh as the day I first heard. Time always tells...
@susankirkland3852
Yes, I love it even more than I did ( which I wouldn't have thought possible) but I appreciate the timeless talent more now and the huge range of Marc's talent. Thanks for all the music and video's. I look forward to it every day KALMIYH
@JRLARNER
Me too! I seem to hear more in them now than I did then - they were genius!
@michaelcameron2292
Hall of fame He is too good for it He is in a league of his own love him always
@sabinegumprecht8738
❤🌹🎶....cosmic music...just Marc...❤
@sabinegumprecht8738
Marc can make your life so much more...bright...😅
@johndimare3204
Thanks for uploading all this Marc Bolan/T Rex stuff :)
@1stMistyMist1
I adore this track, got it too but with totally different pics. Love yours ! xxx
@FigmentSALabel
This is just about my favourite T. Rex song.