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.
Slider
T. Rex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The wind at all
Was like a ball of love
I could never never see
The cosmic sea
Was like a bumble bee
And when I'm sad...
I have never never kissed
A car before
It's like a door
I have always always
Grown my own before
All schools are strange
And when I'm sad...
I slide.
I have never never
Nailed a nose before
That¹s how the garden grows
I could never understand
The wind at all
Was like a ball of love
And when I'm sad...
I Slide
Watch now
I'm gonna slide
The lyrics to T. Rex's song "The Slider" are enigmatic and dreamlike in nature. The opening lines describe the singer's inability to grasp the mysteries of the natural world, particularly the wind and the vastness of the cosmos. The language used to describe these phenomena is poetic and surreal; the wind is compared to a "ball of love" while the cosmic sea resembles a "bumble bee." The use of metaphor creates a sense of wonder and confusion, as if the singer is struggling to make sense of the world around him.
As the song progresses, the singer begins to reference more personal experiences. He mentions kissing a car, growing his own school, and nailing a nose. These images are equally surreal, and it's unclear what they are meant to represent. However, they seem to suggest a sense of rebellion or non-conformity. The line "All schools are strange" implies a distrust or unease with the education system.
The refrain "And when I'm sad...I slide" provides a hint at the underlying emotion in the song. The act of sliding could be interpreted as a form of escapism or release. It's unclear why the singer is sad, but the lyrics suggest that the act of sliding provides some comfort or solace.
Line by Line Meaning
I could never understand
I never understood
The wind at all
The wind completely confused me
Was like a ball of love
It had a mysterious, alluring quality
I could never never see
I could never comprehend
The cosmic sea
The vast, unexplored universe
Was like a bumble bee
Was unpredictable and buzzing with energy
And when I'm sad...
I slide.
When I'm upset or feeling down, I retreat and withdraw
I have never never kissed
I've never intimately touched
A car before
A machine designed for transportation
It's like a door
It's an entrance or gateway
I have always always
Grown my own before
I've always been self-reliant and independent
All schools are strange
Traditional education systems are unsettling or unusual
I have never never
Nailed a nose before
I've never tried something so unconventional
That¹s how the garden grows
New experiences and experimentation lead to growth and change
Watch now
I'm gonna slide
I'm about to withdraw from this situation or conversation
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: MARC BOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BaronvonMoorland
Heard this song on my way up to Lake Tahoe as a young child looking out the window and seeing the larger and larger snow drifts forming as we drive onward. I was maybe 10-13 years old.
I remember getting goosebumps with the slide chorus and liking his deep ‘burnish’ voice.
I asked my father who this was and he told me “T-Rex” and I visualized a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The song has always stood out as a classic addition to any good playlist since that introduction.
@Gardosunron
Dynamite. Bolan was on fire in the early 70s.
@CountRaven1959
Marc and T Rex was my idols when I was young. Started to listen to them when I was 12 1971.
@fentontooth
I heard this song when I was 7 in 1972 ....I was mesmerised . Got the album for my birthday and I have never grown tired of it . The strings, guitars, drums are just perfection .
@homeworldmusic
Yeah, this and Electric Warrior are just pure teenage boy angst and dreams and hopes and mysticism and and and. My go-to hiding place when life is too much.
@treborif
I bought this album in '72, I was 12 and this song is still my fave. That drum intro is just the best.
@johnhenderson8778
I bought this album when I was 12, , still one of my all time favourites
@sleepwalker3520
I first heard this song when I was about 5.... I don't remember it... I'm now 32 and love this song, i like both how heavy and mellow at the same time that it is.... I hope he lives on, I for one will be doing my damndest to share him around
@lowersaxon
I was just turning to 14.
@JohnMiller-te7lx
One of my faves