Whether you like glam rock or T. Rex for that matter or not, Get It On just is a great rock tune – simple with only three chords, yet brilliant. Really one of my favorite ’70s rock tunes!
T. Rex were officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Ringo Starr last night. Under normal circumstances, this would have been a live event in February, but due to COVID-19, it was postponed and became a virtual TV show on HBO, which honored each inductee with a mini-documentary.
Written by T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan and released in July 1971, Get it On became the band’s second no. 2 hit in the UK and their most successful U.S. single peaking at no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, Bolan penned the tune during a U.S. tour specifically for the U.S. where it was retitled Bang a Gong (Get It On), hoping it would raise the band’s profile there. But glam rock never became as popular in America as it did in the UK.
According to Songfacts, Bolan worked out the track’s rhythm with T. Rex drummer Bill Legend. When the band got to L.A. as part of their tour, Get it On was recorded at Wally Heider Studios. While the rhythm, chorus and the line “you’re dirty and sweet” were in place, Bolan had to come up with the remaining lyrics on the spot. The last line, “Meanwhile, I’m still thinking…” is taken from Chuck Berry’s Little Queenie, a tune Bolan had in mind when writing Get It On.
In addition to Bolan and Legend, the recording featured then-future Yes member Rick Wakeman (piano, Hammond), former King Crimson member Ian McDonald (saxophone), T. Rex bassist Steve Currie, as well as Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman (backing vocals) of The Turtles. Get It On was also included on the band’s sixth studio album Electric Warrior released in September 1971, the first under the (shortened) T. Rex name and their most successful record.
Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; YouTube
Christian's Music Musings 
Congratulations to T. Rex and inducted by Ringo no less. This song is in a class by itself. The guy I babysat for had this album and it was spun many a-time by me. Quite an assemblage of musicians on it. Good Stuff!
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Ich war nie ein grosser T. Rex-Fan, aber einige starke Songs hatten sie schon drauf. “Get It On” war ja so etwas wie der Startschuss für den Glamrock. Es ist zwar eine einfache Nummer, aber von Tony Visconti so clever produziert, dass ein internationaler Tophit vorprogrammiert war.
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Ringo makes sense since he directed Born to Boogie about T. Rex. I like many of their songs also. This one is of course great.
I’m glad they got inducted.
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Yep, same here. I was also very pleased to see the Doobies being inducted. I really dig their sound!
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Great stuff Christian. Love T.Rex and Get It On is perhaps their finest moment.
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I like T. Rex. I confess that while I like this song it’s not my favorite of theirs. I did a piece on ‘The Slider’ a while back and that’s a really good album.
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I only know a handful of T. Rex tunes including “Metal Guru,” which is the opener of the “Slider” album. I definitely need to do some more listening!
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“Baby Boomerang” is a great tune. Really a favorite album.
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