📰 Debora – Single Review : Apr. 1968

A short, curious review in the Leicester Mercury takes an early look at Tyrannosaurus Rex’s debut single “Debora,” praising its eccentric charm while predicting commercial success for the duo’s unique sound.

The brief, slightly puzzled write-up perfectly captures the bewilderment and intrigue that greeted Marc Bolan and Steve Took’s early work.

This April 25, 1968 clipping from the Leicester Mercury is one of the very first published reviews of Tyrannosaurus Rex, documenting the moment the duo began emerging from the underground folk scene into the wider public eye.

🗞 Leicester Mercury

📅 Date: April 25, 1968

⏱ Length: 1 min read

Country: United Kingdom

Section / Page: Singles review column (page 23)

Format: Single Review

📰 What the Clipping Shows

A compact, text-only review under the heading “TYRANNOSAURUS REX / Debora.” The short paragraph describes the duo’s “way out, distant sound” and notes Marc Bolan as the songwriter. It also mentions the B-side “Child Star,” released on Regal Zonophone. The tone is mildly bewildered but ultimately positive.

This clipping matters as one of the earliest press reactions to Tyrannosaurus Rex, showing how their strange, poetic style was initially perceived by mainstream local newspapers.

📰 The Story Behind It

In spring 1968, Marc Bolan and Steve Took were still performing as the acoustic duo Tyrannosaurus Rex, blending mystical poetry, folk, and experimental elements. “Debora” was their first single for Regal Zonophone, marking their initial step beyond the underground club circuit.

“Two gentlemen with a way out, distant sound, obscure but surely a success formula.”

The reviewer acknowledges the pair’s eccentricity while sensing commercial potential in Bolan’s songwriting. This early review reflects the broader late-1960s music scene, where strange, whimsical British acts were beginning to attract attention from the mainstream press.

The piece sits right at the beginning of Tyrannosaurus Rex’s journey — long before the electric transformation into T. Rex and the explosion of glam rock in the early 1970s.

📰 Related Material

Additional material connected to this entry is listed in the tag index at the foot of the page.

📰 Visual Archive

Small black-and-white newspaper clipping containing a short single review for Tyrannosaurus Rex’s “Debora,” with clean typography and no accompanying photograph.

Leicester Mercury review of Tyrannosaurus Rex’s debut single “Debora,” April 25, 1968.

📰 Closing Notes

This modest April 1968 review from the Leicester Mercury is a charming early artefact from the pre-fame days of Tyrannosaurus Rex. It captures the initial curiosity and cautious optimism that greeted Marc Bolan’s unique vision — the first small spark of what would eventually become one of the most colourful and influential careers in British rock history.

#TyrannosaurusRex #MarcBolan #SteveTook #Debora #1968 #LeicesterMercury #EarlyTRex

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