The T. Rex song Marc Bolan wrote about his obsession with cars
Marc Bolan ascended to the status of a prodigious figure within the realm of glam rock. Through the electrifying allure of T. Rex, Bolan firmly etched his name as one of history’s most impactful musical figures.
Infusing his compositions with unguarded sensuality, Bolan played a pivotal role in shaping a movement that unabashedly intertwined with sexual expression, exemplified by landmark contributions such as Electric Warrior. However, Bolan’s artistic pursuits extended far beyond this single facet. In truth, compositions like ‘Metal Guru’ marked a captivating departure from the very archetype that initially defined his creative endeavours.
‘Metal Guru’ was recorded with their producer, Tony Visconti, in Paris, at a studio known at the time as ‘Strawberry Studios’. Visconti’s production work contributed significantly to shaping T. Rex’s sound and capturing the essence of the glam rock era: he actually produced many of T. Rex’s albums, most notably Electric Warrior and The Slider. He also had such a heavy hand in their work that Bolan actually let him do the strings on the song ‘Metal Guru’.
“He loved them and never contributed a single note himself,” said the producer. “There was real trust”.
However, unlike many T. Rex hits, ‘Metal Guru’ wasn’t about any sort of romantic liaison, nor was it about getting down and dirty on the dancefloor. The song was actually about an obsession Bolan had at the time with cars, with an added mystical dimension. “It was about a Cadillac,” Visconti said in 2022. “There are so many damn cars in his stuff, he could have been a car salesman.”
Bolan himself wasn’t actually a driver, but he loved classic cars and owned a few during his life. When writing ‘Metal Guru’, the inspiration he drew from a Cadillac formed the basis of the lyrics, with the arrangements following after. “My lyrics always come before the music,” Bolan said in a 1972 interview. “Repetition comes into my songs a lot because I think my lyrics are so obscure that they need to be hammered home. You need to hear them eight or nine times before they start to make sense.”
Musically, ‘Metal Guru’ features a blend of rock and pop elements, with prominent guitar riffs, a driving rhythm, and Bolan’s trademark vocals. Lyrically, however, it appears somewhat abstract and, despite its inspirational source, can be interpreted in various ways, but they seem to touch mostly on themes of fame, idolisation, and the power of music. The term ‘Metal Guru’ itself suggests a charismatic and influential figure, and the song’s chorus is especially memorable with the repeated line, “Metal Guru is it you?”.
The song’s upbeat and infectious nature made it a chart success, reaching the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart. It was one of T. Rex’s four consecutive number one singles in the early 1970s, alongside other hits like ‘Hot Love’, ‘Get It On’, and ‘Telegram Sam’.
It has since become one of the band’s biggest hits, continuing to inspire many that followed suit – The Smiths based their song ‘Panic’ on ‘Metal Guru’, and Johnny Marr himself says that the song changed his life.
