‘Jeepster’ was released as a single on 5 November 1971 by the record label Fly. The single peaked at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, and was controversial in that Fly Records released the song without singer Marc Bolan's prior permission. Bolan had just left Fly for EMI, which had given him control of his own label: T. Rex Wax Co. Records. The music and rhythm are similar to that of the Howlin' Wolf song ‘You'll Be Mine’, written by Willie Dixon. In interviews, Marc Bolan has acknowledged that he "lifted it from a Howlin' Wolf song". It also has similarities with Roy Orbison's song ‘You're My Baby by Johnny Cash.