"Ride a White Swan" is a song by English band T. Rex. It was released as a stand-alone single on 9 October 1970 by record label Fly, and was the first single credited under the band's new, shorter name. Like all of the band's songs, it was written by the group's singer, guitarist and founder Marc Bolan. The song also appears on the US version of their self-titled debut album (1970).
The song was the band's first hit, and, according to Ned Raggett of AllMusic, the song "inadvertently founded glam rock mania" although Bolan did not wear characteristic glam stage clothing until the promotion of follow up single "Hot Love".
Background and recording
In spring 1969, after three acoustic Tyrannosaurus Rex albums and an equal number of singles released to limited appeal, Bolan began to make the transition from basing his band's sound around an acoustic guitar to basing it around an electric one. The new electric sound was premiered on single "King of the Rumbling Spires" and tracks were recorded for a planned fourth album, before Bolan replaced percussionist Steve Peregrin Took with Mickey Finn following a US tour. Shortly thereafter, the new duo completed the fourth album A Beard of Stars (including some material salvaged from the final Took sessions). This was released in early 1970. Later that year a fifth album was recorded. For its release, Bolan shortened the group's name from Tyrannosaurus Rex to the more manageable T. Rex, also the name of the new album.
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