T. Rex released its second album (as T. Rex, not Tyrannosaurus Rex as they were known previously), Electric Warrior, in 1971. And with it, the band helped pioneer glam rock. But on the preceding self-titled release, the band’s leader Marc Bolan had already hinted at the flamboyant boogie that defined his run of U.K. hits in the early 1970s. Electric Warrior began a trio of releases (with The Slider and Tanx) that inspired generations of punk, alternative, and glam rock bands.
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If you are unfamiliar, the album is more musically diverse than you might think. So let’s look at three must-hear tracks from this groundbreaking masterpiece.
“Cosmic Dancer”
The album name and cover art suggest arena rock swagger. And there’s plenty of it, but “Cosmic Dancer” reveals a troubled Marc Bolan. He danced himself “right out the womb”, then later, “into the tomb”. This is a rock star sitting alone after the after-party. Producer Tony Visconti arranged the strings, which emphasize Bolan’s isolation. The electric warrior picks up an acoustic guitar. There’s no more electricity. No crowd. Just passing through, alone.
“Life’s A Gas”
Bolan laments all the ways he could have better loved someone. Perhaps he was having too much of a good time, as he admits: “Life’s a gas.” Electric Warrior is full of 60s slang and lingo, words like “gas.” But it’s another sad tune. He covers the sadness in starry thoughts, but the track could be a last dance song. Following three stellar albums, T. Rex’s audience waned as Bolan experimented with new genres. However, in 1977, as Bolan neared a commercial comeback, he died in a car crash. He was 29.
“Bang A Gong (Get It On)”
Bolan wasn’t the first guitarist to write a song with a Chuck Berry riff. “Bang A Gong (Get It On)” echoes “Little Queenie”, and just as Berry had updated the blues with a new rock and roll sound, Bolan did it again, but this time with camp. The jam gets a lift from King Crimson’s Ian McDonald, who blew baritone and alto saxes on the recording. It’s not only Bolan’s defining track, but it features his greatest glam patois. With the way he puts it, life must have been a gas, indeed.
Well, you’re built like a car
You’ve got a hubcap diamond star halo.
You’re built like a car, oh, yeah.
Well, you’re an untamed youth,
That’s the truth with your cloak full of eagles.
You’re dirty sweet, and you’re my girl.
Photo by Neal Preston
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