Metal Guru

"Metal Guru"
German picture sleeve by Ariola label
Single by T. Rex
from the album The Slider
B-side	"Thunderwing" "Lady"
Released	1972
Format	Vinyl 7"
Genre	Glam rock[1]
Length	2:25
Label	T. Rex Wax Co.
Writer(s)	Marc Bolan
Producer(s)	Tony Visconti
T. Rex singles chronology
"Telegram Sam" (1972) "Metal Guru" (1972) "Children of the Revolution" (1972)

"Metal Guru" is a song by the British rock band T. Rex, written by Marc Bolan. It was the band's fourth (and final) number one on the UK Singles Chart when it topped the chart for four weeks from May–June 1972. It was also included on the album The Slider in 1972.

Despite coming only ten months after the success of "Get It On", it failed to chart in the United States. The song reached No. 45 in Canada in July 1972.

Bolan himself described the song's apparent religious references as this:

"Is a festival of life song. I relate 'Metal Guru' to all Gods around. I believe in a God, but I have no religion. With 'Metal Guru', it's like someone special, it must be a Godhead. I thought how God would be, he'd be all alone without a telephone. I don't answer the phone any more. I have codes where people ring me at certain times."

In 2008, Freaky Trigger placed "Metal Guru" at number 37 in their list of "The Top 100 Songs of All Time".^[2]

Track listing

United Kingdom (EMI)

1. "Metal Guru"
2. "Thunderwing"
3. "Lady"

Germany and Spain (Ariola)

1. "Metal Guru" (2:25)
2. "Lady" (2:12)

France (Columbia)

1. "Metal Guru" (3:45)
2. "Lady" (3:50)

Personnel

• Marc Bolan – vocals, guitar
• Mickey Finn – percussion, vocals
• Steve Currie – bass
• Bill Legend – drums
• Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman – backing vocals
• Tony Visconti – string arrangements
• Produced by Tony Visconti

Chart performance

Cover versions

• In 2005, rock band Rooney covered the song for the Herbie: Fully Loaded soundtrack.
• "Metal Guru" was covered and recorded by Serbian new wave band Električni Orgazam as a B-side for the band's fourth single "Locomotion" from their cover album Les Chansones Populaires, released in 1983. Srđan Gojković Gile provided the lead vocals for the track. There are no recorded live versions of the song.
• The Smiths based their song "Panic" on "Metal Guru".
• American indie rock band Louis XIV were also heavily influenced by this song for the composition of "A Letter to Dominique", which is from their second album The Best Little Secrets Are Kept.

References