T. Rex – Telegram Sam (Live 1972)

“Telegram Sam” Single by T. Rex from the album The Slider
B-side “Cadilac”/”Baby Strange”
Released 21 January 1972
Recorded 1971
Label T. Rex Wax Co. (UK); Reprise (US)
Songwriter Marc Bolan
Producer Tony Visconti
Charted No.1 in UK, No.67 in US, No.66 in Canada, No.4 in West Germany

T-Rex leader Marc Bolan wrote this as an ode to his manager, Tony Secunda. “Telegram Sam” was Bolan’s affectionate nickname for his Secunda. Other people who show up in the song: “Jungle-face Jake” was Sid Walker, Secunda’s black assistant, and “Bobby” is Bob Dylan.

When Bolan referred to Secunda as his “Main Man,” it brought the phrase into popular culture.

“Telegram Sam” was the first single to be issued by Marc Bolan’s own T.Rex Wax Co. label, released on 21 January 1972. The UK b-side featured two songs, “Cadilac” (as printed on the EMI label of the original single) and “Baby Strange”, the latter also included in the album The Slider. The single was considered the official follow up to “Get It On”, as previous record label Fly had released the intervening number 2 hit “Jeepster” without Marc’s permission. With T. Rextasy in full swing it became the group’s third number one in their home country although it lagged at number 67 in the Billboard Hot 100, a disappointment after the American top ten success of “Get It On”. It would be the group’s last charted single in the US.

T.Rex:
Marc Bolan: lead vocals, guitar
Steve Currie: bass guitar
Mickey Finn: congas
Bill Legend: drums
Howard Kaylan: backing vocals
Mark Volman: backing vocals
Tony Visconti: backing vocals