Electric Warrior - Definition and Overview

Widely considered to be one of the quintessential glam rock albums, T. Rex's Electric Warrior is also one of the most unabashedly joyous records of all time. Heralding the new incarnation of Marc Bolan's T. Rex as a loud glam-pop combo (and also packaged in one of the most iconic album sleeves in history), it was the sound of the future as it appeared from 1971.

Track List

1. "Mambo Sun" - The album's low-key opener immediately establishes the groove that will drive much of the record.
2. "Cosmic Dancer" - An early climactic moment as producer Tony Visconti's strings propel a gorgeous acoustic based track to cosmic ethereal levels.
3. "Jeepster" - The song which most acknowledges glam's debt to classic 1950s rock 'n' roll, this is Elvis Presley shot through a fuzzbox with surrealism added in.
4. "Monolith" - The sexiest song on the album. Flo and Eddie's background vocals (as especially featured on "Mambo Sun" and "Get it On") make their most prevalent appearance here.
5. "Lean Woman Blues" - An experiment in cross-fertilizing British blues with Bolan's oddball sheeplike warble and sense of hippy poetics.
6. "Get it On" - Its title censored in the U.S. to the far less suggestive "Bang a Gong," this was T. Rex's biggest single and their only U.S. hit. A perfect statement of intent, it stands as a great representative for Electric Warrior.
7. "Planet Queen" - Remniscient of the earlier "Mambo Sun" on psychotics, this is the most unearthly and eerie song on the record.
8. "Girl" - Inspired by David Bowie's ballad style, this is one of the most minor songs on the album. Its odd flugelhorn arrangement separates it.
9. "The Motivator" - Much like "Get it On," this is driving glam rock of the higest degree.
10. "Life's a Gas" - One of the most beautiful songs that Bolan ever wrote and the possible highlight of Electric Warrior.
11. "Rip Off" - A deranged, electric kiss-off.

See also

• 1971 in music