T-Rex/Jeepster

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Okay. So what's a Jeepster? I've done some preliminary digging and came up with a 4x4 off-road vehicle. But in that case, what does it mean to be a 4x4 off-road vehicle in a romantic context? Anyone have any idea if this is simply Marc Bolan being Marc Bolan or if perhaps "Jeepster" is 1970s slang with which I am unfamiliar?

Thanks

― Venus Bivar, Sunday, 18 January 2004 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I hope it is indeed a Bolan neologism. It would be further evidence of his genius.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 18 January 2004 01:48 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

There's also a reference to "Jim the Jeepster" (again without explanation or revealing context) in some Carole King (?!?!) song of about the same vintage.

― Maryja Kostelnik, Wednesday, 24 May 2006 00:33 (twenty years ago)

off road baby, off road!

― Paul (scifisoul), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 00:48 (twenty years ago)

Is Jeepster equal to hipster (circa mid 70s)?

― Heath Raymond (Heath Raymond), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 00:52 (twenty years ago)

For me, the appeal of that song has always been the idea of 'jeepster' being a 4X4, but with Bolan's context being unique to him. I can't imagine anyone today getting away with saying "Girl I'm just a Nissan Pajero for your live". I can imagine Devendra Banhart trying it on, but it would be way lame.

― cnwb (cnwb), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 06:15 (twenty years ago)

Oops, "live" = "love", obv.

― cnwb (cnwb), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 06:16 (twenty years ago)

I have some moog instrumental version of this song covered by Electric Coconut. it's awesome.

― ((((((DOPplur)))n)))u))))tttt (donut), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 07:44 (twenty years ago)

Sex Clark Five has a cover of this which is also awesome.

I don't know what a jeepster is. I would like someone to make up a nonsense word for what they are for my love though.

― kaygee (kaygee), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 11:34 (twenty years ago)

Back at the time, I sure had no idea what "jeepster" was, although it sounded vaguely like a combination of jeep -- i.e., military vehicles that were just then beginning to be sold to consumers for personal use, but were by no means widely popular or even cool -- and hipster -- i.e., slang specifically referring to the prior generation's beatnik types, modestly cool as renegade forebearers of today's (then's) courageous smash-the-system hippies and yippies but not au courant, a little backhanded as a compliment. There were no 4x4s then. Well, there were, but there was no shorthand for them and no social meaning, except that if you had one it meant you had some work that required hauling things on bad roads.

"Jeepster" was a great song, and not knowing exactly what "jeepster" meant was part of its appeal. I thought it had connotations of fandom, doggedness, functional utility, unfashionable boxiness, out-of-the-mainstream . . .

― Vornado, Wednesday, 24 May 2006 12:40 (twenty years ago)

I should have asked him, back in the day.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 12:52 (twenty years ago)

Jeepster is the name of my rabbit.

― someteenpartying (someteenpartying), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 13:06 (twenty years ago)

All those T. Rex songs about cars make me sad, since Bolan died in a car crash and all.

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 13:10 (twenty years ago)

He's her vehicle, baby, he'll take her anywhere she wanna go. What's hard to parse? :)

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 14:27 (twenty years ago)

at least he didn't die in a tank

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 14:33 (twenty years ago)

or tanx (plural)

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Boo! Hiss! *Unforgivable* pun. :-)

What always struck me was that both Marc Bolan and *Carole King* used the same term -- and that it seemed to refer to a type of person rather than a vehicle.

Unfortunately, I was in elementary school at the time, so much of the slang was lost on me.

How about drug addictions/preferences? Anyone have any clues in that area?

― Maryja Kostelnik (Maryja Kostelnik), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 15:17 (twenty years ago)

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20001212

Beginning in the late 1930s, jeep was used to mean 'a military recruit or basic trainee', and in general, 'a foolish, incompetent, or inexperienced fellow'.

― kaygee (kaygee), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 15:25 (twenty years ago)

Kudos. Imagine, actually looking something up in a good reference source . . .

― Vornado, Wednesday, 24 May 2006 15:31 (twenty years ago)

at least he didn't die in a tank

I like this game. What would being choogled to death be like?

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

Love Altered Images' version of this.

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Wednesday, 24 May 2006 17:13 (twenty years ago)

http://www.popeye-n-olive.com/snipplets.html#jeep

― Soukesian, Wednesday, 24 May 2006 18:35 (twenty years ago)

ten months pass...

The modest genius of this song lies in its major key & upbeat rhythm in combination with minor key & downbeat.

― calstars, Thursday, 5 April 2007 23:00 (nineteen years ago)

Also notable for the gradual acceleration of tempo throughout.

― calstars, Thursday, 5 April 2007 23:01 (nineteen years ago)

And bongos

― calstars, Thursday, 5 April 2007 23:04 (nineteen years ago)

Four on the floor baby

― Saxby D. Elder, Friday, 6 April 2007 05:24 (nineteen years ago)

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