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.
Ride a White Star
T. Rex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ride it on out like you were a bird
Fly it all out like an eagle in a sunbeam
Ride it on out like you were a bird
Wear a tall hat like a druid in the old days
Wear a tall hat and a tattooed gown
Ride a white swan like the people of the Beltane
Catch a bright star and place it on your fore-head
Say a few spells and baby there you go
Take a black cat
Sit it on your shoulder
And in the morning you'll know all you know
Da-da-di-di-da
Da-da-di-di-da
The lyrics to T. Rex's "Ride a White Swan" describe a sense of freedom and liberation, urging the listener to soar like a bird and embrace their own unique style. The opening lines encourage the listener to "ride it out like a bird in the sky ways," imagining themselves soaring through the open air with a lightness and ease. The chorus repeats this sentiment, urging the listener to "ride it on out like you were a bird," suggesting that they throw off their worries and limitations and embrace a sense of wild abandon.
The second verse takes this theme further, with a call to adopt the dress and habits of ancient druids and Beltane celebrants. The tall hat and tattooed gown suggest a connection to nature and to ancient traditions, while the image of riding a white swan evokes mythic and mystical connotations. The lyrics encourage the listener to embrace their own inner power and knowledge, invoking spells and the symbolism of a black cat to suggest that all they need to know is already within them.
Overall, the lyrics to "Ride a White Swan" celebrate the power of individuality, imagination, and freedom. They urge the listener to embrace their own unique path and to soar through the open sky with a sense of grace and confidence.
Line by Line Meaning
Ride it on out like a bird in the sky ways
Travel freely like a bird soaring in the sky
Ride it on out like you were a bird
Go boldly and confidently on your journey, as if you were soaring like a bird
Fly it all out like an eagle in a sunbeam
Spread your wings and fly boldly like an eagle in the bright sunshine
Wear a tall hat like a druid in the old days
Dress unconventionally and wear a tall hat like a druid from ancient times
Wear a tall hat and a tattooed gown
Dress in unique and unconventional attire, with a tall hat and a gown adorned with tattoos
Ride a white swan like the people of the Beltane
Travel elegantly and gracefully, like the people of the Beltane festival who ride white swans
Wear your hair long, babe, you can't go wrong
Embrace your natural beauty and wear your long hair proudly
Catch a bright star and place it on your forehead
Create your own destiny and put all your efforts into achieving your dreams, like reaching for a bright star and placing it on your forehead
Say a few spells and baby there you go
Use the power of your words and positive affirmations to achieve your goals, like casting a few spells and seeing the magic happen
Take a black cat. Sit it on your shoulder.
Embrace your inner strength and embrace your bad luck as a source of power, like carrying a black cat on your shoulder
And in the morning you'll know all you know
Through experience and discovery, you will achieve greater knowledge and understanding - like realizing everything you need to know in the morning.
Da-da-di-di-da
Vocalization to end the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, NORTH HUDSON MUSIC
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelplatter3281
Released in 1970 - Who like it in 2024 ?
@macyorks1123
moi
@karl-heinzwagner7886
Lang ist es her.
Dieses Lied war der Übergang von Akustikgitaŕre auf Elekrogitarre .
Es waren der richtige Schritt! !!
Das Lied zeigte den Weg wo T. Rex in den nächsten Jahren hin ging.
@tyreburster
In the UK Top 20 the day I was born, early 1971.
@hearditman
Michael Platter Grow up!
@erwinmentinkful
🍻
@myiceismakinmefreeze
I'm building a Time Machine and going to stay in the 70s...who's coming?
@paulcooper5748
👍👏
@duckman5642
👌
@deanryder8685
Me take please