"Get It On" is a song by English rock band T. Rex, featured on their 1971 album Electric Warrior. Written by frontman Marc Bolan, "Get It On" was the second chart-topper for T. Rex on the UK Singles Chart. In North America, it was retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" to avoid confusion with a song of the same name by the group Chase.

History Following the success of T. Rex's single, "Hot Love", the band went on a United States tour. While in New York in March 1971, Bolan asked drummer Bill Legend to help him brainstorm drum patterns for a song idea that would later become "Get It On". Bolan claimed to have written the song out of his desire to record Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie", and said that the riff was taken from the Berry tune. In fact, a slightly edited line (And meanwhile, I'm still thinking) from "Little Queenie" is delivered during the fade of "Get It On".Paytress, Mark, Bolan: The Rise And Fall Of The 20th Century Superstar, p. 182, Omnibus Press (2003), According to producer Tony Visconti, this line was an unscripted ad-lib by Bolan during recording.

This was the song that virtually ended the once-solid friendship between Bolan and John Peel, after Peel made clear his lack of enthusiasm for it on air after playing his advance white label copy. Bolan and Peel spoke only once more before the former's death in 1977.Paytress, Mark, Bolan: The Rise And Fall Of The 20th Century Superstar, p. 182-3, Omnibus Press (2003), Peel, John, Margrave of the Marshes, p.236, 238–9, Bantam Press (2005),

The track was recorded at Trident Studios, London, and the piano on the record was performed by either Rick Wakeman or Blue Weaver. Mark Paytress notes that both pianists may have played separate parts on the song, with Wakeman contributing only the piano glissandos that feature several times throughout the song. Wakeman, who was desperate for work at the time to pay his rent, had bumped into Bolan in Oxford Street, who offered him the session. Wakeman pointed out to Tony Visconti that the record did not actually need a piano player. Visconti suggested that he could add a gliss. Wakeman said that Visconti could do that, to which Bolan replied, "You want your rent, don't you?" Wakeman did, and earned £9 () for his efforts.

Saxophones were played by Ian McDonald of King Crimson. Producer Visconti later recalled: "He played all the saxes, one baritone and two altos. I kept the baritone separate but bounced the altos to one track. I bounced the backup vocals to two tracks, making an interesting stereo image." Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (formerly The Turtles) provided back up vocals.

During a performance of Top of the Pops in December 1971, Elton John mimed playing a piano on the song.

Track listing and catalogue details "Get It On" (Marc Bolan) – 4:25 "There Was a Time" (Marc Bolan) – 1:00 "Raw Ramp" (Marc Bolan) – 4:14

US: Reprise / 1032 UK: Fly / BUG 10 Germany: Ariola / 10 327 AT Denmark: Stateside / 6E 006-92700 France: Columbia / CBS 7393 (without "There Was a Time")

Personnel T. Rex Marc Bolan – lead vocals, guitar Rick Wakeman – piano, Hammond organ Ian McDonald – baritone and alto saxophones Steve Currie – bass Bill Legend – drums, tambourine Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan – backing vocals

Chart performance It spent four weeks at the top in the UK, starting 24 July 1971 ("Hot Love" was number one for six weeks from March to May), and it was the group's biggest hit overall, with Bolan claiming that it sold a million. It peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 10 and at number 12 in the Cash Box Top 100 in March 1972, becoming the band's only major US hit. The song reached number 12 in Canada in March 1972.

Weekly charts Chart (1971–1972)PeakpositionUK Singles Chart1Australian Singles Chart14Canadian RPM Top Singles12German GfK chart3Dutch Top 4015Irish Singles Chart1Norwegian Singles Chart6Swiss Singles Chart3US Billboard Hot 10010US Cash Box Top 10012

Year-end charts Chart (1971)RankAustralia89UK 11 Chart (1972)RankUS Billboard Hot 10056US Cash Box 58

Certifications

The Power Station version

"Get It On" was covered by the Power Station in 1985. Their version – referred to as "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" in the US – was released as the second single from their debut album. The track was a strong hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where the single peaked at number nine (one place higher than the original) in the summer of 1985. Meanwhile, in the UK, the song reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

The band was originally going to have a different guest vocalist on each song on their album and had brought in Robert Palmer first to sing a different song. When Palmer heard that the band had recorded a demo of "Get It On", he asked to try out vocals for it also. Afterward, the band then decided to record the entire album with Palmer. Model Caroline Cossey, who had featured in their previous video for "Some Like It Hot", appeared again, alongside American dancer/singer-songwriter Sara Carlson.Sara Carlson music dance art|My Story @saracarlson.net Retrieved 30 November 2012.

On 13 July 1985, the Power Station, as well as Duran Duran, participated in the Live Aid Philadelphia concert and performed the song with British singer Michael Des Barres on vocals. The band, again with Des Barres on vocals, performed it in a cameo on the Miami Vice episode "Whatever Works".

Track listings 7" vinyl single US: Capitol / B-5479 UK: Parlophone / R 6096 Australia: EMI / A1510 Europe: EMI / 20 0632 7

12" vinyl single US: Capitol / V8646 UK: Parlophone / 12R 6096 Europe: Parlophone / 1C K 060 20 0631 6 Canada: Capitol / V 75107

Charts Chart (1985)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)8US Billboard Hot 1009US Billboard Top Rock Tracks19US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales47Irish Singles Chart12UK Singles Chart22

Other cover versions Blondie recorded a live version of the song on 4 November 1978 at The Paradise Ballroom in Boston, Massachusetts, which can be found on the 2001 reissue of Parallel Lines.. Retrieved 24 September 2018 In 1979, studio disco group Witch Queen released a disco version of the song, titled "Bang a Gong". It peaked at number 8 on the disco charts, and crossed over to the US Hot 100, peaking at number 68. In 2020, U2 covered the song with Elton John on piano. In 2023, Australian band Icehouse covered the song with the Scottish rock band Simple Minds.

Sampling and references British dance act Bus Stop (known in the US as "London Bus Stop") sampled the vocals from the T. Rex original in their 2000 pseudo-cover of the song, which charted at No. 59 in the UK.

English rock band Def Leppard named their twelfth studio album, Diamond Star Halos, after a line in the song.

See also "Cigarettes & Alcohol" List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States

References