T.Rex (May 5 1972) Bolan Boogie Album - Released

UK first‑pressing of Bolan Boogie (HIFLY 8), released 5 May 1972 on Fly Records

T. Rex – Bolan Boogie  

Format: Compilation

Label: Fly Records — HIFLY 8

Country: UK

Release Date:  May 5, 1972

Overview

Released at the height of T. Rextasy in spring 1972, Bolan Boogie was Fly Records’ strategic compilation issued shortly after Marc Bolan left the label to form EMI/T. Rex Wax Co.   Fly assembled a powerful set of A‑sides, B‑sides, and key album tracks spanning the transitional period from Tyrannosaurus Rex to T. Rex, covering recordings from 1969–1971.

The compilation arrived just weeks after the band’s triumphant Wembley Empire Pool concerts and capitalised on their enormous popularity. It became Bolan’s final UK No. 1 album, spending three weeks at the top and charting for 18 weeks overall.

What the Sleeve Shows

The UK sleeve features Fly’s distinctive HIFLY branding with bold block typography and a full‑bleed photograph of Marc Bolan by Michael Putland. Design is credited to LLE&H / John Hayes, with printing by Howards (Slough) Ltd.   The back cover presents a clean grid layout of track sources, emphasising the compilation’s role as a curated snapshot of Bolan’s most explosive early‑70s period.

On January 15, 1972 T.Rex performed at The Starlight Rooms Boston Gliderdrome in Lincolnshire. This was a Saturday night show. This performance is one of the true high points of the band's history. It was filmed for both UK and overseas television and some footage is part of the documentary "Whatever Happened to Tin Pan Alley?". Many of the posters and pictures to adorn fans walls over the next year would come from photos taken on this night, including the image used om the back cover of Bolan Boogie.

Track Listing — Side A

1. Get It On (single A‑side, included on Electric Warrior – 1971) — 4:25

2. Beltane Walk (from T. Rex – 1970) — 2:20

3. The King of the Mountain Cometh (originally the B‑side of “Hot Love” – 1971) — 3:48

4. Jewel (from T. Rex) — 2:48

5. She Was Born to Be My Unicorn (from Unicorn – 1969) — 2:32

6. Dove (from A Beard of Stars – 1970) — 2:02

7. Woodland Rock (originally the B‑side of “Hot Love”) — 2:25

8. Ride a White Swan (single A‑side – 1970) — 2:13

Track Listing — Side B

1. Raw Ramp (originally the B‑side of “Get It On”) — 5:13

2. Jeepster (single A‑side from Electric Warrior) — 4:08

3. First Heart Mighty Dawn Dart (from A Beard of Stars) — 2:41

4. By the Light of a Magical Moon (single A‑side, included on A Beard of Stars) — 2:46

5. Summertime Blues (originally the B‑side of “Ride a White Swan”) — 2:40

6. Hot Love (single A‑side – 1971) — 4:55

Recording Notes  

Recorded across multiple sessions from 1969–1971, drawing from:

• Unicorn (1969)

• A Beard of Stars (1970)

• T. Rex (1970)

• Non‑album singles and B‑sides from 1970–71

Produced throughout by Tony Visconti.

Chart Performance (1972)  

UK Albums Chart: #1 (3 weeks at the top) Australia: #17

Norway: #13

UK Chart Run:  

18 weeks from 20 May – 16 Sept 1972, plus one additional week in October.

Legacy  

Bolan Boogie stands as the definitive early‑era T. Rex compilation, capturing the explosive run of singles that transformed Marc Bolan from cult folk mystic into a glam‑rock icon. Its release marked the end of Bolan’s association with Fly Records and the beginning of the T. Rex Wax Co. era.

The album remains a cornerstone of any T. Rex collection, frequently reissued worldwide on Cube Records and licensed editions throughout 1972.

Sources

Fly Records UK discography (1972) Original LP sleeve, label, and matrix documentation Official UK chart archives Session notes and Fly/Cube Records release data

Personnel

Marc Bolan — lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars (all tracks), harmonium (track 5)

Mickey Finn — congas, bongos, backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 6–14)

Steve Currie — bass (tracks 1, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14)

Bill Legend — drums, tambourine (tracks 1, 7, 9, 10, 14)

Steve Peregrin Took — bongos, backing vocals, African talking drum, bass (track 5)

Additional Personnel

Tony Visconti — production (all tracks), bass Howard Kaylan — backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 10, 14)

Mark Volman — backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 10, 14)

Rick Wakeman — piano (track 1)

Albums Chronology

(Compilations)

The Best of T. Rex — 1971

Bolan Boogie — 1972

Great Hits — 1973

Singles Featured on This Album

By the Light of a Magical Moon — single A‑side (1970)

Ride a White Swan — single A‑side (1970)

Hot Love — single A‑side (1971)

Get It On — single A‑side (1971)

Jeepster — single A‑side (1971)

All album artwork, photographs, and original text excerpts 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.