T. Rex – 20th Century Boy / Free Angel (50th Anniversary)

As part of our T. Rex “1973” year campaign, alongside the “Whatever Happened To The Teenage Dream?” 5LP and 4CD box sets, and the “Songwriter: 1973” LP, Demon Records will be issuing T. Rex’s 1973 singles as highly collectable limited edition 7” picture discs, with photos from the Keith Morris archive.

The first release is the absolute classic “20th Century Boy”, originally released in early March 1973, and these days amongst Marc Bolan’s best remembered songs. It peaked in the UK charts at number 3, where it stayed for three weeks, while skinheads-turned glam-rockers Slade’s “Cum On Feel The Noize” remained at number 1, and the number 2 slot was occupied by The Faces (“Cindy Incidentally”) and then Donny Osmond (“The Twelfth Of Never”).

“20th Century Boy” returned to the UK Top 20 in August 1991, peaking at number 13, after being used in a TV ad for Levi’s starring Brad Pitt (the one where he’s being released from prison). The song has been covered by Def Leppard and Siouxsie & The Banshees, amongst others.

Neither “20th Century Boy” or its B-side “Free Angel” appeared on the “Tanx” album, released three weeks later.

Format – Limited Edition Picture Disc 7″ Single