Glam's Greatest Lyrics

“This ain’t rock n roll, this is genocide”

I’m afraid lyrics are not one of glam rock’s great strengths, (Bowie aside) but here is a selection of the better lyrics from glam’s greatest and best.

I could include almost all of Bowie's output, but special mention goes to the following verses from 'Diamond Dogs'.

“Halloween Jack is a real cool cat

And he lives on top of Manhattan Chase

The elevators broke, so he slides down a rope

Onto the street below, oh Tarzie, go man go

Meet his little hussy with his ghost town approach

Her face is sans feature, but she wears a Dali brooch

Sweetly reminiscent, something mother used to bake

Wrecked up and paralyzed, Diamond Dogs are sableized

In the year of the scavenger, the season of the bitch

Sashay on the boardwalk, scurry to the ditch

Just another future song, lonely little kitsch

(There's gonna be sorrow) try and wake up tomorrow”

Diamond Dogs 1974

Also from Bowie via Mott the Hoople

“Television man is crazy saying we're juvenile delinquent wrecks

Oh man I need TV when I got T Rex”.

“And my brother's back at home with his Beatles and his Stones

We never got it off on that revolution stuff

What a drag too many snags”.

All the Young Dudes 1972

And blasting out of 1974 with regal abandon…

“She's a killer queen

Gunpowder, gelatine

Dynamite with a laser beam

Guaranteed to blow your mind (Anytime)”.

Killer Queen: Queen 1974

 


We all know that Marc Bolan died in a car accident, but he also liked to sing about them quite a lot as well. Cars not accidents I mean.

“You're built like a car, you've got a hub cap diamond star halo” 

Get It On 1971

“I drive a Rolls Royce 'coz it's good for my voice” 

Children of the Revolution 1972

“Just like a car you're pleasing to be hold

I'll call you Jaguar if I may be so bold”

Jeepster 1972

From the pen of glam rock’s Lennon and McCartney; Chinnichap

“I'm reaching out for something touching nothing's all I ever do

I softly call you over, when you appear there's nothing left of you

And the man in the back is ready to crack

As he raises his hands to the sky

And the girl in the corner is everyone’s mourner

She could kill you with a wink of her eye”.

Sweet-Ballroom Blitz 1973

“She's a hell raiser, star chaser, trail blazer

Natural born raver, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”.

Sweet-hell raiser 1974

And Mr wizzard himself, Roy Wood

“As I was lying in my bedroom fast asleep

Filled with those famous teenage pictures that you keep

Will Dion still be so important to you on your wedding day?”

Wizzard-angel fingers 1973