T. Rex (August 5, 1977) – "Celebrate Summer" b/w "Ride My Wheels" Single: UK

Released in 1977 as a non-album single, Celebrate Summer was written and produced by Marc Bolan. It became the final T. Rex release before Bolan’s tragic death in a car crash on 16 September 1977. The track was recorded at AIR Studios in April 1977, shortly after the band’s twelfth studio album, Dandy in the Underworld, came out in March. That April, Bolan split his time recording at both Decibel Studios and AIR Studios.

From the sessions at AIR Studios he remixed and partially re-recorded the title track for its upcoming release as a single and recorded Celebrate Summer with T. Rex bandmates Herbie Flowers on bass and Tony Newman on drums.

Writing for Record Mirror in 1977, Bolan said Celebrate Summer has a very definite new wave feel about it and that if anyone thinks it is deliberate they are quite right.

Celebrate Summer was released by EMI Records on August 5, 1977 in the U.K. and was issued in a special picture sleeve bag. The song failed to garner significant airplay on BBC Radio when it was released but did generate play on Radio Luxembourg and Radio Clyde. To promote the single, T. Rex performed the song on Bolan’s British TV series Marc on three occasions.

The track was released in France alongside Ride My Wheels, featuring a unique picture sleeve as shown.

In the Record Mirror Reader’s Poll for 1977, Celebrate Summer reached number 4 in the best single/album sleeve category. On its release, Edwin Pouncey of Sounds felt Celebrate Summer had a strong punk influence and considered it to be Bolan’s best single for ages. Charles Shaar Murray of New Musical Express wrote that for one golden instant he thought Marc had finally pulled off the unalloyed pop triumph that he needs as a convincing viable follow-up to Get It On, adding that this isn’t it but it is certainly the most likeable single he has made for a very long time.

Robin Smith of Record Mirror considered the song to be Bolan returning to his former glories. Stan Sayer of the Daily Mirror commented on whether Bolan was feeling his age or going tongue in cheek back in time with this chirpy little rock ’n’ roller. In a retrospective review, Dave Thompson described the song as a thunderous re-creation of Bolan’s classic old sound fed through the fiery updating of its punk rock legacy.

COUNTRY VARIANTS

Artist: T. Rex

Title: Celebrate Summer

Label: T. Rex / EMI

Country: UK

Catalogue: MARC 18

Date: August 5, 1977

Format: 7" Single

Tracklist (7"):

A — Celebrate Summer (Bolan)

B — Ride My Wheels (Bolan)

UK VARIANTS:

• UK - T. Rex – MARC 18 - 1977 (solid centre)

• UK - T. REX – MARC 18 - 1977 (Promo, solid centre, printed demonstrational record not for sale)

• UK - T. REX – MARC 18 - 1977 (Promo, four prong, demonstrational record not for sale)

• UK - T. REX – MARC 18 - 1977 (four prong)

INTERNATIONAL VARIANTS:

• Germany - Ariola – 11 364 AT - 1977 (different b-side and picture sleeve)

A — Celebrate Summer 2:34

B — Tame My Tiger 2:33

• France - EMI – 2C 006-99537 / 2C 006 - 99.537 - 1977 (different picture sleeve)

A — Celebrate Summer 2:35

B — Ride My Wheels 2:25

• Ireland - T. REX – MARC 18 - Aug 1977 (Made in GT Britain)

A — Celebrate Summer 2:38

B — Ride My Wheels 2:28

RECORDING

Recorded at AIR Studios in April 1977. Produced by Marc Bolan.

RELEASE HISTORY

Released August 5, 1977 (UK).

Issued on the T. Rex Wax Co. imprint through EMI. Picture sleeve release.

Non-album single.

CHARTS & CERTIFICATIONS

No chart success. No UK chart position recorded.

PERSONNEL

Marc Bolan – vocals, guitar, keyboards, producer

Herbie Flowers – bass

Tony Newman – drums

PRODUCTION

Produced by Marc Bolan

Label: EMI Records / T. Rex Wax Co. Catalogue numbers:

• UK: MARC 18

• France: 2C 006-99537

• Germany: 11 364 AT

SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia. BBC Official Charts All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.

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