If it wasn't such a tragedy I might wish I was dead. She took my ice-cream mustang and my purple coloured dodeville. She even took my panpipes and my elixir of life pill.

Marc Bolan was terrified of cars. He never learned to drive, afraid of dying young in a crash.

My baby don't realise I'm hypnotized. It's all put together with alligator leather. m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-my Mustang Ford

Marc was born in North London as Mark Feld to a Jewish father and Christian mother. He changed his name a few times before settling on Bolan, supposedly a tribute to BOb dyLAN. He bounced around the music scene in his teens. Then, frustrated by his label's pre-fab band creations, he founded T. Rex.

I drive a Rolls Royce. 'Cos its good for my voice

Tyrannosaurus Rex (later shortened to T. Rex) was a success from the start with hits like Ride a White Swan, Hot Love and Get it On (released as Bang the Gong in the US). Bolan had always had his own style, and he started wearing glitter on his cheeks, feather boas and top hats; inspiring the glam rock era, most famously his good friend David Bowie.

I bought a car 'twas a low slung thunderwing. It moved like the sun of the dawn. My little baby she's a tip-a-toed vamp rider. She moves like the sun of the dawn.

T. Rex split in the early 70s. Bolan's marriage ended soon after. Then, two weeks before his 30th birthday, Bolan was being driven home from a restaurant when the driver lost control and plowed into a sycamore tree.

Bolan was killed instantly.

I bought a car. It was old but kind. I gave it my mind. And it disappeared.