T.Rex was a primary force in glam rock, thanks to the creative direction of guitarist/vocalist Marc Bolan (born Mark Feld). Bolan created a deliberately trashy form of rock and roll that was proud of its own disposability, which stood in contrast to the low-key whimsical poetry of the earlier duo. T.Rex's music borrowed the underlying sexuality of early rock & roll, adding dirty, simple grooves and fat distorted guitars, as well as an overarching folky/hippie spirituality that always came through the clearest on ballads. While most of his peers concentrated on making cohesive albums, Bolan kept the idea of a three-minute pop single alive in the early 1970s. In Britain, he became a superstar, sparking a period of "T.Rextacy" among the pop audience with a series of Top Ten hits, including four number one singles. Over in America, the group only had one major hit -- the Top Ten "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" -- before disappearing from the charts in 1973. T.Rex's popularity in the U.K. didn't begin to waver until 1975, and they retained a devoted following until Marc Bolan's death in 1977. Over the next three decades, Bolan has emerged as a cult figure and the music of T.Rex has proved quite influential on hard rock, punk, new wave, and alternative rock.
Following a career as a teenage model, Marc Bolan began performing music professionally in 1965, releasing his first single, "The Wizard," on Decca Records. Bolan joined the psychedelic folk-rock combo John's Children in 1967, appearing on three unsuccessful singles before the group disbanded later that year. Following the breakup, he formed the folk duo Tyrannosaurus Rex with percussionist Steve Peregrine Took. The duo landed a record deal with a subsidiary of EMI in February 1968, recording their debut album with producer Tony Visconti. "Debora," the group's first single, peaked at number 34 in May of that year, and their debut album, "My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair...But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brow", reached number 15 shortly afterward. The duo released their second album, "Prophets, Seers & Sages, the Angels of the Ages", in November of 1968.
By this time, Tyrannosaurus Rex was building a sizable underground following, which helped Bolan's book of poetry, The Warlock of Love, enter the British best-seller charts. In the summer of 1969, the duo released their third album, "Unicorn", as well as the single "King of the Rumbling Spires," the first Tyrannosaurus Rex song to feature an electric guitar. Following an unsuccessful American tour that fall, Took left or as is often stated by people close to the band, was sacked. He was replaced by Mickey Finn, previously linked to the band Haphash and the coloured coat.(There are a few more artists using the name Mickey Finn, though that is where the connection ends)! The new duo's first single did not chart, yet their first album, 1970's "A Beard of Stars", reached number 21.
The turning point in Bolan's career came in October of 1970, when he shortened the group's name to T.Rex and released "Ride a White Swan," a fuzz-drenched single driven by a rolling backbeat. "Ride a White Swan" became a major hit in the U.K., climbing all the way to number two. The band's next album, T.Rex, peaked at number 13 and stayed on the charts for six months. Encouraged by the results, Bolan expanded T.Rex to a full band, adding bassist Steve Currie and drummer Bill Legend (born Bill Fifield). The new lineup recorded "Hot Love," which spent six weeks at number one in early 1971. That summer, T.Rex released "Get It On" (retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" in the U.S.), which became their second straight U.K. number one; the single would go on to be their biggest international hit, reaching number ten in the U.S. in 1972. "Electric Warrior", the first album recorded by the full band, was released in the fall of 1971; it was number one for six weeks in Britain and cracked America's Top 40.
By now, "T.Rextacy" was in full swing in England, as the band had captured the imaginations of both teenagers and the media with its sequined, heavily made-up appearance; the image of Marc Bolan in a top hat, feather boa, and platform shoes, performing "Get It On" on the BBC became as famous as his music. At the beginning of 1972, T.Rex signed with EMI, setting up a distribution deal for Bolan's own T.Rex Wax Co. record label. "Telegram Sam," the group's first EMI single, became their third number one single.
"Metal Guru" also hit number one, spending four weeks at the top of the chart. The Slider, released in the summer of 1972, shot to number one upon its release, allegedly selling 100,000 copies in four days; the album was also T.Rex's most successful American release, reaching number 17. Appearing in the spring of 1973, Tanx was another Top Five hit for T.Rex; the singles "20th Century Boy" and "The Groover" soon followed it to the upper ranks of the charts. However, those singles would prove to be the band's last two Top Ten hits. In the summer of 1973, rhythm guitarist Jack Green joined the band, as did three backup vocalists, including the American soul singer Gloria Jones; Jones would soon become Bolan's girlfriend. At the beginning of 1974, drummer Bill Legend left the group and was replaced by Davy Lutton, as Jones became the group's keyboardist.
In early 1974, the single "Teenage Dream" was the first record to be released under the name Marc Bolan and T.Rex. The following album, Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow, was the last Bolan recorded with Tony Visconti. Throughout the year, T.Rex's popularity rapidly declined -- by the time "Zip Gun Boogie" was released in November, it could only reach number 41. Finn and Green left the group at the end of the year, while keyboardist Dino Dines joined. The decline of T.Rex's popularity was confirmed when 1975's Bolan's "Zip Gun" failed to chart. Bolan took the rest of the year off, returning in the spring of 1976 with "Futuristic Dragon", which peaked at number 50. Released in the summer of 1976, "I Love to Boogie," a disco-flavored three-chord thumper, became Bolan's last Top 20 hit.
Bolan released "Dandy in the Underworld" in the spring of 1977; it was a modest hit, peaking at number 26. While "The Soul of My Suit" reached number 42 on the charts, T.Rex's next two singles failed to chart. Sensing it was time for a change of direction, Bolan began expanding his horizons in August. In addition to contributing a weekly column for Record Mirror, he hosted his own variety television show, Marc. Featuring guest appearances by artists like David Bowie and Generation X, Marc helped restore Bolan's hip image. Signing with RCA Records, the guitarist formed a new band with bassist Herbie Flowers and drummer Tony Newman, yet he never was able to record with the group. While driving home from a London club with Bolan, Gloria Jones lost control of her car, smashing into a tree. Marc Bolan, riding in the passenger's seat of the car, was killed instantly.
While T.Rex's music was intended to be disposable, it has proven surprisingly influential over the years. Hard rock and heavy metal bands borrowed the group's image, as well as the pounding insistence of their guitars. Punk bands may have discarded the high heels, feather boas, and top hats, yet they adhered to the simple three-chord structures and pop aesthetics that made the band popular, as they still are today 30 years after Marc's death.
Lady
T. Rex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna give all my love to you
Lady, like a like a lady like a like a
I'm gonna dance ill the rain for you
Got you feeling, mama
Got the feeling, mama
Got to dream about it, yeah, yeah
Shaking, my bones are aching
Baby, like a like a baby like a like a
I'm gonna give my pain to you
The lyrics to T. Rex's "Lady" are metaphorical in nature and speak of the love and devotion that the singer has for a woman who he reveres like a lady. The repeated phrase "like a like a" emphasizes the depth of his feelings and his willingness to give all of his love to her. He expresses his dedication to her by stating that he will dance in the rain for her, which could symbolize his willingness to face any obstacles for her sake.
The second verse speaks to the physical toll that the singer's love is taking on him, saying that his bones are aching like a "scampering train" for her. This suggests that his passion for her is so intense that he is unable to keep still, and it is driving him forward like a locomotive. The final line of the verse says that he will give his pain to her, which could suggest that he wants her to take on some of the burden of his devotion, or that he is willing to endure any suffering as long as she is by his side.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the power of love, and the lengths that the singer is willing to go to express his feelings for this special woman.
Line by Line Meaning
Lady, like a like a lady like a like a
Comparing the person addressed to a lady, the singer promises them their love
I'm gonna give all my love to you
The singer promises to give all their love to the person addressed
Lady, like a like a lady like a like a
Again comparing the person addressed to a lady, the singer promises to dance in the rain for them
I'm gonna dance ill the rain for you
The artist promises to dance in the rain for the person addressed
Got you feeling, mama
The artist has made the person addressed feel something
Got the feeling, mama
The singer has produced an emotional response in the person addressed
Got to dream about it, yeah, yeah
The singer is excited about the prospect of being with the person addressed
Shaking, my bones are aching
The artist is impatient and eager to be with the person addressed
I'm like a scampering train for you
The artist is rushing towards the person addressed like a train
Baby, like a like a baby like a like a
Comparing the person addressed to a baby, the artist promises to give them their pain
I'm gonna give my pain to you
The singer promises to give their pain to the person addressed
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gaz Bee
The great Marc Bolan always in my thoughts, I was a 70s teenager, what a fantastic time I had..
Hearts a mess Gaultier
Amen, best time of my life.
Lynn
So many memories of playing record as an 11 year old ...forever ❤️love Marc.....thankyou for this 🙂
Spaced Out Pope
This Song flows softly through my damaged mind, like some kind of a Magic Dream....
Chantelle Adlington
That's exactly how I feel about it!
Andrew Meah
What a tune could have been a single in its own right as could thundering class records from an icon ROCK ON MARC
Desmond Treherne
Brilliant, i haven’t heard this for years! As I don’t have the single any more, (I’ve always loved Thunderwing, but had forgotten this, wow….Simple but so very very good,.. the beat, lyrics are cool and with backing vocals oooow and like a like a…. Etc, magic
Luke Hallinan
Used to play both of this B side over and over again....
christiane stamm
Als Teenie habe ich "Lady" laut aufgedreht, war mein Liebling.
Silverfox
6 years late with my reply but hey ho. My Mum brought this home from The Webbington hotel where she worked (near Weston Super Mare) they would give her the records from the jukebox. I loved this track, and Thunderwing. Some of his B-Sides remain in my all time favorites