T. Rex (November 2, 1973) Great Hits LP / TC / 8-Track

T.Rex
Nov 2, 1973
3 min read

T. Rex’s 1973 compilation album Great Hits, a sparkling 14-track collection of Marc Bolan’s biggest glam anthems from the band’s commercial peak, featuring “Telegram Sam,” “Metal Guru,” “20th Century Boy,” and “Children Of The Revolution.”

RELEASE / PUBLICATION DETAILS

Artist: T. Rex

Title: Great Hits

Date: November 2, 1973

Label: T. REX Records (EMI)

Format / Type: LP Vinyl, Cassette (Grey & Blue body variants), 8-Track Cartridge Country: United Kingdom

Catalogue:

LP: BLN 5003 / 0C 062 ◦ 94744
Cassette: TC-BLN 5003 / 0C 244 ◦ 94744
8-Track: 8X-BLN 5003 / OC 346 o 94744

TRACK LIST

Side A

Telegram Sam
Jitterbug Love
Lady
Metal Guru
Thunderwing
Sunken Rags
Solid Gold Easy Action

Side B

20th Century Boy
Midnight
The Slider
Born To Boogie
Children Of The Revolution
Shock Rock
The Groover

THE STORY

Released on November 2, 1973, Great Hits gathered the cream of T. Rex’s glam rock singles and key album tracks from 1971–1973. Produced by Tony Visconti, it served as an accessible introduction to Bolan’s hit-making era for new fans while celebrating the band’s meteoric rise. Initial copies included a free poster, and the album was issued in multiple formats including cassette and 8-track cartridge.

CONTEXT & NOTES

Great Hits arrived at the tail end of T. Rexmania and reached No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart, spending three weeks on the chart (November 10–24, 1973). The fully laminated sleeve features the iconic image of Bolan riding a tiger from the Born To Boogie film. International editions (including textured sleeves in Southeast Asia) and later reissues (such as the 1983 Japanese version with obi and lyric insert) attest to its enduring popularity.

The album received its first release on compact disc in Japan on January 21, 1986.

by Sounds Marketing System, Inc. – MD32-5018

1 Telegram Sam 3:49

2 Jitterbug Love 2:57

3 Lady 2:13

4 Metal Guru 2:26

5 Thunderwing 3:47

6 Sunken Rags 2:55

7 Solid Gold Easy Action 2:19

8 20th Century Boy 3:41

9 Midnight 2:47

10 The Slider 3:24

11 Born To Boogie 2:06

12 Children Of The Revolution 2:30

13 Shock Rock 1:44

14 The Groover 3:16

Manufactured By – Sounds Marketing System, Inc.

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Wizard Artists Ltd.

Licensed From – Marc On Wax

Producer – Tony Visconti

4 page fold out B&W Japanese/English track list and Japanese biography

Made in Japan. Printed in Japan. ¥3.200

PERSONNEL

Marc Bolan – vocals, guitar
Mickey Finn – percussion, vocals
Steve Currie – bass
Bill Legend – drums
Additional musicians and backing vocalists (Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman)

PRODUCTION

Produced by: Tony Visconti Recorded: 1971–1973 at Advision Studios, Château d’Hérouville, and others

CHARTS

UK Albums Chart: Peak #32 (3 weeks on chart: Nov 10–24, 1973)

PACKAGING / ARTWORK HIGHLIGHTS

Iconic front cover of Marc Bolan riding a tiger against a repeating pattern background
Fully laminated sleeve with red border
Initial copies included a poster

WHAT THE SLEEVE SHOWS

The front cover displays a striking black-and-white image of Marc Bolan in flamboyant attire riding a tiger, set against a repeating blue-and-yellow pattern with the bold red “T•REX” logo and “GREAT HITS” title. The back cover features the full track listing, production credits, and EMI/T. REX Records information.

RELATED MATERIAL

See tags at foot of page.

SOURCES Discogs, 45 Worlds, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, T. Rex / Marc Bolan archives

All album artwork, photographs, labels, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.