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.
Sarah Crazy Child
T. Rex 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 "Sarah Crazy Child," T. Rex describes the eponymous character's journey as she wanders the streets in her dress dotted with pastel colors. The song evokes an image of someone who has grown up too fast and has lost their ability to dream. As we get to know Sarah, we learn that despite her youth, her skin is wild like olives and her body is bittersweet. The song moves on to describe Brother, the Juke-Box King, who lives beneath a roadway in his lair. Brother is seen as an enigmatic character with twisted hair and a 1920's stare. But despite his venomous demeanor, in the summertime, he's just a young boy.
The final verse describes Broken Dusty Mama, a character whose once-gazelle-like features have been "blooded by the Ajax." This line paints a picture of a woman who has suffered and aged too quickly. The song culminates with the singer reading a picture postcard with a picture of "the twosome of the one" who have submitted solely to the "guillotine of their home." This final message speaks to the theme of the song — that society can be a stifling force that can strip away our ability to dream and be creative.
Line by Line Meaning
Sarah crazy child is devouring all the streets
Sarah, a young girl, is wandering around the streets with carefree abandon
With her pastel dotted dress
She is wearing a dress with colorful dots
And her seductive bongo-beat
She is moving and swaying to the rhythm of bongo drums, which is attracting attention
Her skin is wild like the olives
Her skin is dark and unpredictable in the same way that the color shades of olives can vary
And her body's bitter sweet
Her body is both alluring and dangerous at the same time
Still she's only just thirteen
Despite her mature appearance and wild nature, she is still just a young teenager
And she's forgotten how to dream
She has lost the ability to imagine and hope for better things
Brother, the juke-box King
A man named Brother is the master of the jukebox
With his venom mildly sting, yeah
He has a subtle but dangerous influence on those around him
And his knowledge twisted hair
His hairstyle is strange and unconventional
And his 1920's stare
He has an intense and focused look reminiscent of someone from the 1920s
Lives beneath the roadway
He resides in a place under the street
In a manner to his lair
His living space is like a personal den
In summer he's a young boy
During warmer months, he appears youthful
But in winter he's a bear
But in colder months, he becomes grumpy and hibernates like a bear
Broken dusty mama
A woman who is tired and worn down
Her face melted just like wax
Her face is worn and sagging like melting wax
Her once gazelle like features
Her once graceful and beautiful features have faded away
Blooded by the Ajax
She has been hurt and damaged by something that was meant to clean her
Received your picture postcard
The artist has received a postcard from someone
Of the twosome of the one
The postcard shows two people together
Solely [Incomprehensible] submitted
The postcard was sent for a specific reason but we do not know what it is
To guillotine of their home
Their home might be a dangerous or hostile environment
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
patrick alleyne
i i could have grown, all upon my own. miss you marc.
HISATdotCOM
lovely xx