I remember this from when it first came out and I have heard it constantly over the years. I like it well enough but I didn't feel a need to listen to it again. It's somewhat self-conscious and very English.
T. Rex, originally known as Tyrannosaurus Rex, were founded and fronted by Marc Bolan (1947-1977). They formed in London in 1967. In North America, they were one-hit wonders, but they were hugely successful in Britain. They placed ten songs in the top five on the UK singles chart between 1970 and 1973, including four that reached #1. They were considered one of the founders of the glam rock movement.
"Bang a Gong (Get It On)", called "Get It On" in Britain but renamed in North America to avoid confusion with another song of the same name, was one of the singles that reached #1 in Britain. It made it to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #12 nationally in Canada.
Bolan had long had a premonition that he would die before the age of 30, possibly in a car crash, which is why he never learned to drive. Sadly, his premonition came true: fourteen days before his 30th birthday, he was a passenger in a car driven by his girlfriend, Gloria Jones, when it struck a fence post and a sycamore tree in southwest London. He died at the scene of the accident. The site has become a shrine to his memory.
Created September 30, 2026.