T. Rex were one of the pioneering groups of Glam Rock, and made it grow vigorously in the UK to top the charts for a few years. In Elton’s week we remember them with this song that they performed together on TV. 

T. REX - GET IT ON

In the UK, “Get it On” hit #1 on July 24, 1971, giving T. Rex their second chart-topper there, following "Hot Love." The band's American record company, Reprise, dragged their feet on the song and didn't release it until January 1972. It went to #10 in March, but ended up being the group's only significant hit Stateside. In the UK, they had two more #1s, "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru", and a total of 11 Top 10s.

This is a great example of "glam rock," which was characterized by outrageous, often effeminate costumes, nonsensical lyrics, driving beats and very theatrical stage shows. The songs low slung groove, cosmic lyrics and Marc Bolan's cool vocal delivery is pure glam rock gold. This is one of the true glam anthems.

This song was written and recorded when T. Rex was touring America in 1971. The group had made inroads in their native UK with their 1970 self-titled album, but were little-known in the US. Marc Bolan wanted to change that by coming up with something that would strike to the heart in America. He wrote this song that is all about sex, but with imagery so comically vague it would be hard for even the most prudish listeners to take offense. Bolan's delivery is feral, and he does keep calling the girl "dirty and sweet," but you really have to stretch to find sexual connotations in a "hubcap diamond star halo" or a "cloak full of eagles." The biggest suggestion is in the title. Everything fits here, the provocative title, that sinuous, slinky-irresistible riff, the organ fills, the high-pitched backing vocals, the breakdown to let the guitars, drums and saxophone kick-start it again and of course that so-simple gong-banging chorus. All this and Bolan's crazy-sexy lyrics, which anticipate Prince's "Cream" by about 35 years, there's a doff of the cap to inspiration Chuck Berry over the fade. 

This track was covered by The Power Station in 1985. Their version, referred to as "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" in the US, was a strong hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where the single peaked at #9 (one place higher than the original) in the summer of 1985. 

During a December 1971 Top of the Pops performance, our artist of the week, Elton John played a piano on the song.

As a curious fact we want to say that Marc Bolan took his name from Bob Dylan... BO from Bob and LAN from Dylan.