| "20th Century Boy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Picture sleeve from Germany | ||||
| Single byT. Rex | ||||
| B-side | "Free Angel" | |||
| Released | 2 March 1973 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:39 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter | Marc Bolan | |||
| Producer | Tony Visconti | |||
| T. Rex singles chronology | ||||
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"20th Century Boy" is a song by English rock bandT. Rex, written byMarc Bolan, released as a stand-alonesingle on 2 March 1973.[5]
Although at first considered as its closing track, "20th Century Boy" was not featured on the albumTanx, released at the same time in early March. It was later added as a bonus track on the 1985 reissue ofTanx and on all versions released since.
"20th Century Boy" was recorded on 3 December 1972 in Toshiba Recording Studios inTokyo,Japan at a session that ran between 3:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.[6][7] For possibly the first time, producer Tony Visconti was not present at a T. Rex session, with Marc and Mick O'Halloran assuming the role. Despite this, Visconti is still officially credited with production.[8] Backing vocals, hand claps, acoustic guitar and saxophones were recorded in England when T. Rex returned to the country after their tour.[6]
The single version of the track fades out at three minutes and 39 seconds; however, the multi-track master reveals that the song ended in nearly a full three minutes' worth of jamming.[6][7] A rough mix of the full-length version can be found on theBump 'n' Grind compilation.[7]
According to Marc Bolan, the lyrics are based on quotes taken from notable celebrities such asMuhammad Ali. This can be seen through the inclusion of the line "sting like a bee", which is taken from one of Ali's 1969 speeches.[9]
"Free Angel" was recorded during the first sessions for theTanx album, between 1 and 4 August 1972. The single was mixed for release at Air Studios on 16 December 1972.[7]
"20th Century Boy" was released on 2 March 1973. It entered theUK Singles Chart at number 3 on 10 March 1973 and peaked three weeks in a row at that position.[10] It stayed a total of nine weeks in the UK Chart while topping the charts in Ireland, although like most T. Rex singles it failed to chart in the US.[10]
The song was met with a warm reception in Bolan's home country, whereChris Welch ofMelody Maker noted that "guitars tremble, Marc howls, and it's 'gang awa' with another in his series of rhythmic entertainments".[8] Charles Shaar Murray ofNME thought it was the group's best since "Telegram Sam" with "Marc's thunder guitar majestically assaulting you." Peter Jones atRecord Mirror wrote that it was "very, very good indeed" and predicted it would top the charts. However,Penny Valentine atSounds, who had praised earlier T. Rex hits, now lamented that Bolan "hadn't extended his musical capabilities as far as he might have done."[8]
The song returned to the UK Top 20 in 1991, peaking at number 13,[11] after being used in a TV commercial forLevi's starringBrad Pitt.[12] A version of the song by Britishrockabilly band The Big Six was used inThe Truman Show in 1998. The song was also used in the opening of the 2016 filmThe Purge: Election Year, it also is the name of Magent Magent's Stand inSteel Ball Run, seventh part of the mangaJoJo's Bizarre Adventure byHirohiko Araki, and it is the namesake of the manga series20th Century Boys byNaoki Urasawa.
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In 1983, British rock bandGirlschool recorded the song for their fourth studio album,Play Dirty, and it was released byBronze Records as the album's lead single in October 1983.[28] Girlschool's version was produced byJim Lea andNoddy Holder ofSlade.
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Heavy Metal Singles (MRIB)[29] | 8 |
Canadian rock bandChalk Circle covered "20th Century Boy" in 1987.
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Cancon)[30] | 9 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] | 44 |
| "20th Century Boy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byDef Leppard | ||||
| from the albumYeah! | ||||
| Released | 2006 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Songwriter | Marc Bolan | |||
| Producer | Def Leppard | |||
| Def Leppard singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Englishhard rock bandDef Leppard covered the song on their 2006 album,Yeah!, which featurescover versions of 1970s rock hits. It was released as the third and final single from the album, on 21 August 2006.[32] The band used the song extensively as promotion for including two TV appearances and a regular rotation in the setlist of their 2006 Yeah! Tour. Def Leppard performed "20th Century Boy" onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 23 May 2006[33] two days before performing the song withQueen'sBrian May onVH1 Rock Honors broadcast on 31 May.
Bolan (...) started writing manic chant-along glam-rock hits such as "Metal Guru," "20th Century Boy," "Solid Gold Easy Action," and "Children of the Revolution."
'20th Century Boy' is a wallop of glam-punk that remains one of the best singles of the decade.
A stone-cold rock and roll classic, no matter how one slices it...
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