T. Rex (November 1, 1975) – Marc's Christmas Bop Single: UK

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Marc's Christmas Box was planned as a seasonal T. Rex single for release during November 1975 on the T. Rex Wax Co. label as catalogue number MARC 12. Although label artwork was prepared and release plans were evidently advanced, the single was ultimately withdrawn before any commercial pressing took place.

The proposed release was centred around "Christmas Bop", a festive recording written and produced by Marc Bolan.

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The project was abandoned following concerns that the song's melody could lead to accusations of plagiarism. EMI were reportedly wary of becoming involved in a legal dispute, particularly in light of the highly publicised litigation surrounding George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and its similarity to Ronnie Mack's "He's So Fine".

As a result, the single was never officially pressed or released, making it one of the most intriguing unreleased projects in the T. Rex catalogue.

The tracks selected for the proposed single were:

• "Christmas Bop"

• "Metal Guru"

• "Telegram Sam"

Production duties for the newly recorded "Christmas Bop" were handled by Marc Bolan.

The B-side was to comprise two previously released T. Rex classics, "Metal Guru" and "Telegram Sam", both originally produced by Tony Visconti.

STYLE & THEMES

"Christmas Bop" combined Marc Bolan's characteristic glam-rock style with a Christmas theme, creating an upbeat festive recording intended for the seasonal market.

The planned release would have paired the new festive track with two of T. Rex's best-known early-1970s hits, creating a compact package aimed at both collectors and casual buyers.

TRACK-BY-TRACK NOTES

• Christmas Bop – Newly recorded festive song intended as the principal attraction of the release.

• Metal Guru – Included as the first track on the B-side.

• Telegram Sam – Included as the second B-side track.

RELEASE HISTORY

The single was scheduled for release during November 1975 on the T. Rex Wax Co. label.

Catalogue number MARC 12 was assigned and promotional label designs were prepared.

Before records were pressed, concerns emerged regarding the similarity of "Christmas Bop" to previously existing material. EMI subsequently decided not to proceed with manufacture.

Consequently, no original stock copies were produced and the release remained unreleased.

Only a small number of original labels are known to survive.

PRODUCTION

Producer: Marc Bolan

Label: T. Rex Wax Co.

Distributor: EMI

Catalogue Number: MARC 12

Country: United Kingdom

Status: Withdrawn Prior To Manufacture

NOTES

• Scheduled for release during November 1975.

• Assigned catalogue number MARC 12.

• Produced by Marc Bolan.

• Intended as a Christmas release from T. Rex Wax Co.

• Withdrawn before pressing commenced.

• EMI reportedly became concerned about potential plagiarism claims relating to "Christmas Bop".

• The decision reflected the music industry's heightened legal awareness following the George Harrison "My Sweet Lord" case.

• No confirmed original stock copies are known to exist.

• At least two sets of original labels are known to survive.

• One surviving pair of labels sold at auction in November 2004 for £896 despite not being attached to any record.

• The later posthumous issue altered the order of "Metal Guru" and "Telegram Sam" on Side 2.

• Copies of the later release have periodically appeared at auction and achieved substantial collector prices.

• The planned single remains one of the most famous unreleased T. Rex records.

RELATED RELEASES

• Christmas Bop (withdrawn recording)

• Metal Guru (1972)

• Telegram Sam (1972)

• T. Rex Wax Co. Singles Series

RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE

Country	Label	Catalogue Number	Format	Status
UK	T. Rex Wax Co.	MARC 12	7" Single	Withdrawn
UK	T. Rex Wax Co.	MARC 12	Label Artwork Variant No. 1	Unreleased
UK	T. Rex Wax Co.	MARC 12	Label Artwork Variant No. 2	Unreleased

TRACKLIST TABLE

Format	Catalogue Number	Tracklisting
Planned 7" Single	MARC 12	Side 1 • Christmas Bop Side 2 • Metal Guru • Telegram Sam

KNOWN SURVIVING ITEMS

Item	Notes
Original Label Set No. 1	Surviving pre-production label artwork
Original Label Set No. 2	Alternate surviving label artwork
Auctioned Label Pair	Sold on November 16, 2004 for £896.00 despite no vinyl existing
Additional Label Examples	Alternate scans and artwork variations have surfaced over the years

SPECIAL PRESSINGS & RELATED ISSUES

Item	Notes
Original 1975 Release	Withdrawn before pressing
Surviving Label Proofs	Only labels are known from the original project
Later Posthumous Single	Released after Marc Bolan's passing using a different running order
Replica/Reproduction Editions	Various unofficial recreations have circulated
Near-Replica Version	Later reproduction made to resemble the proposed original more closely

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SOURCES Discogs, 45 Worlds, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Demon Records, Rockfiles, Official 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.

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