Tyrannosaurus Rex (March 24, 1972) – Debora EP Single: UK
Released on March 24, 1972 by Fly Records as catalogue number ECHO 102, Debora was issued as part of the Fly Records "Echo" EP series. The release revisited material from the Tyrannosaurus Rex era at a time when Marc Bolan and T. Rex were enjoying enormous commercial success following Electric Warrior and the emergence of T. Rextasy.
The EP was the second of four releases issued simultaneously by Fly Records. Each title was packaged in a matching sleeve design and featured a different artist from the label's catalogue. Alongside Tyrannosaurus Rex, the series also included releases by Procol Harum, Joe Cocker and The Move.
Featuring "Debora", "One Inch Rock", "The Woodland Bop" and "The Seal Of Seasons", the EP provided a compact survey of Marc Bolan's earlier psychedelic folk recordings and introduced many newer fans to material recorded before the emergence of T. Rex.
RECORDING
The tracks featured on the EP were recorded at Trident Studios, St. Anne's Court, Soho, London.
Production was handled by Tony Visconti.
All songs were written by Marc Bolan.
The recordings came from the Tyrannosaurus Rex period and showcased the acoustic, mystical and highly imaginative style that characterised Bolan's work before the commercial breakthrough of T. Rex.
STYLE & THEMES
The EP presents a concise introduction to the Tyrannosaurus Rex sound.
Drawing on folk rock and psychedelic rock influences, the recordings combine acoustic instrumentation, poetic imagery and fantasy-driven lyrics. The material contrasts sharply with the electric boogie style that would later make T. Rex international stars.
Together, the four tracks provide a snapshot of Marc Bolan's songwriting during his late-1960s creative period, highlighting the blend of whimsy, mythology and acoustic experimentation that defined the group's early recordings.
TRACK-BY-TRACK NOTES
• Debora (3:10) – The EP's lead track and one of the best-known recordings from the Tyrannosaurus Rex era.
• One Inch Rock (1:40) – A concise example of Bolan's acoustic songwriting style.
• The Woodland Bop (1:32) – Short psychedelic folk recording selected for the EP's three-track B-side.
• The Seal Of Seasons (1:43) – Closing track on the EP and one of the more atmospheric recordings included in the package.
RELEASE HISTORY
The EP was released by Fly Records on March 24, 1972.
It formed part of the four-title Echo series:
Catalogue | Artist | Title |
ECHO 101 | Procol Harum | A Whiter Shade Of Pale EP |
ECHO 102 | Tyrannosaurus Rex | Debora EP |
ECHO 103 | Joe Cocker | With A Little Help From My Friends EP |
ECHO 104 | The Move | Fire Brigade EP |
All four releases shared identical sleeve concepts and were issued simultaneously.
The standard sleeve featured a collage design incorporating photographs of Procol Harum, Joe Cocker, The Move and Tyrannosaurus Rex. Promotional copies were issued with a darker brown sleeve variation and were distributed to radio and music industry contacts by Fly Records promotion and publicity officer David Ruffell.
PERSONNEL
Marc Bolan — songwriter
Tony Visconti — producer
PRODUCTION
Producer: Tony Visconti
Studio: Trident Studios, St. Anne's Court, Soho, London
Label: Fly Records
Series: Echo Series
Catalogue Number: ECHO 102
Release Date: March 24, 1972
NOTES
• Released as part of Fly Records' four-title Echo EP series.
• Issued during the height of T. Rex's commercial success.
• Focused on earlier Tyrannosaurus Rex material.
• Featured a distinctive picture sleeve shared with the other Echo titles.
• Promotional copies used a noticeably darker sleeve design.
• DJ promotional packages included black-and-white photographs and artist biographies.
• The release introduced many newer T. Rex fans to Marc Bolan's earlier acoustic recordings.
• A test pressing featuring "Throat Of Winter" in place of "The Seal Of Seasons" was produced but ultimately rejected.
• The EP was later represented on the compilation album Fantastic Original Hits (Cube-Contour catalogue 2870-195).
• Multiple centre variations are known, including solid-centre, push-out and jukebox editions.
• The release remains one of the most distinctive archival Tyrannosaurus Rex EP packages issued during the glam-rock era.
RELATED RELEASES
• A Whiter Shade Of Pale EP (ECHO 101)
• With A Little Help From My Friends EP (ECHO 103)
• Fire Brigade EP (ECHO 104)
• Fantastic Original Hits (1972)
RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE
Country | Label | Catalogue Number | Format |
UK | Fly Records | ECHO 102 | 7" EP, Solid Centre |
UK | Fly Records | ECHO 102 | 7" EP, Four-Prong Knockout Centre |
Australia | Polydor | 2016 012 | 7" EP |
Belgium | Polydor / Cube Records | 2016 009 | 7" Single, Mono |
Brazil | Cube Records | 2016 009 | 7", 33⅓ RPM Single |
France | Cube Records | 2016 009 | 7", 45 RPM |
Germany | Cube Records | 2016 009 | 7" Single |
Japan | Cube Records | DW 1058 | 7", 45 RPM Single, Mono |
Netherlands | Cube Records | 2016 012 | 7", 45 RPM Maxi-Single |
New Zealand | Cube Records | 2016 012 | 7" EP |
Spain | Polydor | 20 16 009 | 7" Single |
UK | Old Gold | OG 9234 | 7" Reissue (1982) |
TRACKLIST TABLE
Format | Catalogue | Tracklisting |
Fly EP | ECHO 102 | Side 1 • Debora (3:10) Side 2 • One Inch Rock (1:40) • The Woodland Bop (1:32) • The Seal Of Seasons (1:43) |
Cube / Polydor International Editions | Various | Debora / One Inch Rock / The Woodland Bop / The Seal Of Seasons |
Old Gold Reissue | OG 9234 | Debora / One Inch Rock |
RUN-OUT DETAILS
Side | Run-Out |
Side 1 | ECHO 102 A-1U / 1 KT AM / J S |
Side 2 | ECHO 102 B-2U / 1 KT AL |
All markings were stamped except "J S", which was etched.
SPECIAL PRESSINGS & PROMOTIONAL ISSUES
Variant | Notes |
Promotional Fly Package | Distributed to DJs with biographies, photographs and promotional material |
Brown Sleeve Promo | Darker sleeve shade with altered artwork colouring |
Test Pressing | Included an alternative B-side ending with "Throat Of Winter" |
Rejected Single-Sided Test Pressing | Produced prior to final track selection |
Undinked Copy | Known example missed the dinking process |
Possible Irish Centre Variant | Known unusual centre-hole variation |
Procol Harum Hybrid Pressing | Known copy carrying the Tyrannosaurus Rex B-side configuration |
Test Pressing with "Throat Of Winter" | Rejected before commercial release |
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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