I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Metal Guru, is it you?
Metal Guru, is it you?
Sittin' there in your armor-plated chair, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it true?
Metal Guru, is it true?
All alone without a telephone, oh yeah
Metal Guru, could it be
You're gonna bring my baby to me?
She'll be wild
You know, a rock 'n' roll child, oh yeah
Metal Guru, has it been
Just like a silver-studded sabre-tooth dream?
I'll be clean, you know
Pollution machine, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it you?
Metal Guru, is it you? Oh yeah
Metal Guru, could it be
You're gonna bring my baby to me?
She'll be wild
You know, a rock 'n' roll child, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it true?
Metal Guru, is it true?
All alone without a telephone, oh
Metal Guru, could it be
You're gonna bring my baby to me?
She'll be wild
You know, a rock 'n' roll child, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it you?
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you?
Sittin' there in your armor-plated chair, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it true?
Metal Guru, is it true?
All alone without a telephone, oh yeah
Metal Guru, could it be
You're gonna bring my baby to me?
She'll be wild
You know, a rock 'n' roll child, oh yeah
Metal Guru, has it been
Just like a silver-studded sabre-tooth dream?
I'll be clean, you know
Pollution machine, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it you?
Metal Guru, is it you? Oh yeah
Metal Guru, could it be
You're gonna bring my baby to me?
She'll be wild
You know, a rock 'n' roll child, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it true?
Metal Guru, is it true?
All alone without a telephone, oh
Metal Guru, could it be
You're gonna bring my baby to me?
She'll be wild
You know, a rock 'n' roll child, oh yeah
Metal Guru, is it you?
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Metal Guru, is it you? Yeah, yeah, yeah
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More Featured Meanings
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
The song is about 'God', or as Marc himself said; "Is a festival of life song. I relate 'Metal Guru' to all Gods around. I believe in a God, but I have no religion. With 'Metal Guru', it's like someone special, it must be a Godhead. I thought how God would be, he'd be all alone without a telephone. I don't answer the phone any more. I have codes where people ring me at certain times."
Bolan's songs have a lot of inner meaning. It just depends on what kind of meaning you seek. This song is not about cars neither drugs - these are all superficial things. It's about love actually. About his dream of love... That he will be clean because you know - pollution machine, with time passing your mind gets a little dirty, that's how it works, this pollution machine which is life. But he hopes that he will be clean some day, that something good will happen and he'll be understood. That's the meaning, as simple as that.
understood and loved ;)
why does no one comment on these songs?! t.rex n marc bolan r ledgens! i have no clue what this songs about, bot its good anyways
I love this song. For ages I thought it was "Metal Guru is a jew." I'm sooo glad I know now. Yea, it sounds like a car to me. ^_^
I love this song. For ages I thought it was "Metal Guru is a jew." I'm sooo glad I know now. Yea, it sounds like a car to me. ^_^
OLDFOGY AT IT AGAIN TALKING CRAP WHO DO YOU LIOSTEN TO DONNY OSMOND
you lazy people should try to get info from more sources than just one website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Guru
Maybe it's about a guy's expectation that having a car will reel in babes. I dunno. Seems most T Rex lyrics have miniminal "meaning", yet maximum impact. Lyrics as beautiful as they are enigmatic. Some people might accuse Bolan of style over substance, but I think that, in his case, style is substance. One of the best songwriters ever!!! Brilliant man, brilliant band.
Certainly brought a heavy rock sound to an 11 year old kid when released. From then on, I just assumed he was a heavy metal guru - absurd, but to a kid who listened to the radio & had not heard anything as heavy on pop radio. We are talking radio 1 in the UK in the early 70's - I did not know what heavy metal was!!