THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

386-T. Rex-Get It On.

1971-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 3.27. Can you name a song that is known by a different title in another country?

Marc Bolan (see also best songs 790 and 67) was born Mark Feld on September 30th, 1947, in Hackney, London, England, he died on September 16th, 1977, when the car he was travelling in as a passenger struck a fence post, and then a tree, killing him instantly. He chose his stage name ‘Bolan’ as a tribute to Bob Dylan, choosing the first two letters in ‘Bob,’ and the last three letters in ‘Dylan’.’Get It On’ was one of two singles, the other being ‘Jeepster,’ released from ‘Electric Warrior’ the second studio Album released by T. Rex in 1971. It was the sixth Marc Bolan Album release overall, as his first four releases were as ‘Tyrannosaurus Rex.’ ‘Electric Warrior’ is considered groundbreaking, acknowledged as the first fully fledged ‘Glam Rock’ Album, and an influence on future artists in their development of Hard Rock, to Punk, to New Wave.

When ‘Get It On’ was released in America it was re-titled ‘Bang a Gong’ as to avoid confusion with a current minor hit called ‘Get It On’ from the American Rock group ‘Chase.’ ‘Get It On’ is a song with clever obscure lyrics, it is probably about sex, but can also be interpreted as a song about drugs. ‘Bang the Gong’ is slang for snorting coke, and in the 1850’s it meant asking for Opium. The song can boast many talented musicians, with Rick Wakeman (see also best songs 5) who was paid the standard £9 playing the piano. The saxophone was played by Ian McDonald of the band King Crimson, and Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of the American Rock band The Turtles both sang backing vocals.The songs producer was the legendary Toni Visconti who would work on a total of eight T. Rex Albums between 1968-1974.’ Get It On’ is the best selling single released by T. Rex and spent four weeks at Number 1 in the UK, it was the follow up to ‘Hot Love’ which had spent six weeks at Number 1. In America amazingly T. Rex are known as one hit wonders with this song being their only charting record, when reaching Number 10 on Billboard.

As for songs that are known by different titles in other countries, the two which come to mind with me are the Sheena Easton song ‘9 TO 5’ which in America is known as ‘Morning Train,’ in order to avoid confusion with the Dolly Parton song of the same name. In 1967 the American group The Monkees recorded a song written by band member Micky Dolenz called ‘Randy Scouse Git,’ the record company refused to release it in the UK under that title because of the offence it might cause, eventually both parties agreed on the track being called ‘Alternate Title.’

‘Well you’re dirty and sweet, clad in black, don’t look back and I love you. Well you’re slim and your weak, you’ve got the teeth of a hydra upon you, you’re dirty sweet and you’re my girl.’