Jeepster (song)
Encyclopedia
"Jeepster" was a 1971 single by the British
glam rock
band T. Rex
, (B-side "Life's a Gas") both taken from the group's second album, Electric Warrior
.
The song peaked at #2 in the UK charts, and was controversial in that Fly Records
released the song without singer Marc Bolan
's prior permission, Bolan having just left Fly for EMI
, which had given him control of his own label, T. Rex Wax Co. Records.
The music and rhythm are similar to that of the Howlin' Wolf
song "You'll Be Mine", written by Willie Dixon
. In interviews, Marc Bolan
has acknowledged that he "lifted it from a Howlin' Wolf song". "Jeepster" has also similarities with Roy Orbison
's song "You're My Baby".
The song is featured in Martin Scorsese
's 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
and Quentin Tarantino
's 2007 film Death Proof
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
band T. Rex
T. Rex (band)
T. Rex were a British rock band, formed in 1967 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band formed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four folk albums under the name...
, (B-side "Life's a Gas") both taken from the group's second album, Electric Warrior
Electric Warrior
Electric Warrior is the sixth album by British rock group T. Rex, and is widely considered to be one of the quintessential glam rock releases. Electric Warrior reached number thirty-two in the US; it went to number one for several weeks in the UK, becoming the biggest album of 1971...
.
The song peaked at #2 in the UK charts, and was controversial in that Fly Records
Fly Records
Fly Records is a British independent record label, established in 1970 by the independent music publisher David Platz, and initially managed by Malcolm Jones from the offices of Essex Music in London.-History:...
released the song without singer Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
's prior permission, Bolan having just left Fly for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, which had given him control of his own label, T. Rex Wax Co. Records.
The music and rhythm are similar to that of the Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
song "You'll Be Mine", written by Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
. In interviews, Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
has acknowledged that he "lifted it from a Howlin' Wolf song". "Jeepster" has also similarities with Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
's song "You're My Baby".
The song is featured in Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a 1974 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Robert Getchell. It stars Ellen Burstyn as a widow who travels with her preteen son across the American Southwest in search of a better life, along with Alfred Lutter as her son and Kris...
and Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's 2007 film Death Proof
Death Proof
Death Proof is a 2007 American action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The film centers on a psychopathic stunt man who stalks young women before murdering them in staged car accidents using his "death-proof" stunt car...
.
Notable covers
- By EaterEaterEater were an early British punk band from London who took their name from a Marc Bolan lyric. In 2001, the band’s second single, "Thinking of the USA" , was included in a leading British music magazine’s list of the best punk-rock singles of all-time...
, as a B-side to their 1977 single "Lock It Up" (and anthologized on the 2003 CD The Eater Chronicles: 1976-2003) - By The PolecatsThe Polecats-Career:The Polecats are a rockabilly band formed in 1977 in North London. The original line-up was Tim Worman , Martin "Boz" Boorer, , Phil Bloomberg, , and Chris Hawkes , who originally played under the name "Cult Heroes." Finding difficulty persuading promoters to book them on the rockabilly...
, on their 1981 album The Polecats Are Go! (and as a UK-charting single) - By Altered ImagesAltered ImagesAltered Images were an early 1980s Scottish New Wave / post-punk band. Led by lead singer Clare Grogan, the band branched into mainstream pop music, and had a string of chart hits between 1981 and 1983.-Early career:...
, as a B-side to their 1981 single "Happy Birthday" (and as a bonus trackBonus trackIn terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
on the 2004 CD reissue of their 1981 debut album, Happy Birthday) - By FishFish (singer)Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
, on his 1993 album Songs from the MirrorSongs from the MirrorSongs from the Mirror is the third solo album by singer Fish. It does not contain any original Fish material; instead it is a cover album featuring Fish's versions of songs by artists who inspired him before his career started...
(as well as the 1994 live album Sushi: Live in Utrecht) - By Vernon ReidVernon ReidVernon Reid is an English-born American guitarist, songwriter, composer, and bandleader. Best known as the founder and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Living Colour, Reid was named #66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.Critic Steve Huey writes, "[Reid's]...
, for the 1998 tribute album Great Jewish Music: Marc BolanGreat Jewish Music: Marc BolanGreat Jewish Music: Marc Bolan is a tribute album featuring the music of English singer/songwriter Marc Bolan of the band T.Rex. Produced by Danny Cohen, it was released on John Zorn's label Tzadik Records in 1998 as part of their series on "Radical Jewish Culture", following similar prior tributes... - By Doogie WhiteDoogie WhiteDoogie White , is a Scottish rock vocalist, who has sung for Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Cornerstone, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis and Rata Blanca...
, for the 2001 tribute album Legacy: The Music of Marc Bolan and T. Rex - By Mickey Finn's T. Rex (a T. Rex tribute bandTribute bandA tribute act is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act - sometimes one which has disbanded, ceased touring or is deceased. Probably the largest class of tributes acts are Elvis impersonators, individual performers who mimic the songs and style...
), on their 2002 live album Renaissance - By Love BitesLove Bites (band)Love Bites is an English girl band, that formed in 2004 and disbanded in 2006. The band was reformed again in 2011.-Career:The girls all got together through their school and internet contacts. They started out as a three piece group consisting of Danielle Graham, Aimee Haddon and Hannah Haddon....
, as a B-side to their 2005 single "You Broke My Heart" - By ShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddy are a 1970s pop group from Leicester, England. They specialised in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s, and dressed as Teddy Boys.-History:...
, on their 2006 album I Love Rock 'n' Roll