AnyBlogDotCom: Ike & Tina Turner album by album (2022)

Ike & Tina Turner were a legendary RnB act in the Sixties and early Seventies, known for their high energy, exciting stage act, Ike's organisation and control, and Tina's powerful, raw voice and bold sexuality. Their recorded output was messy and inconsistent, with few really good albums, and no great ones, though River Deep - Mountain High (1966) - part produced by Phil Spector, is well known, mostly for the Spector Wall of Sound single "River Deep - Mountain High". Other known songs are their cover of "Proud Mary", the Tina penned "Nutbush City Limits", and their first hit, and the song which launched Tina's career, "A Fool In Love". Overall cool, funky, and exciting, but too inconsistent, and not enough good songs.

Tina Turner has a huge, energetic voice, and is a very successful solo singer, though it's her work with Ike Turner that is generally considered (including by me) to be the more enduring. Ike Turner had been a musician since the 1940s, first with a local big-band the Tophatters, then with his own Kings of Rhythm. In March 1951, when Ike was 19, the band recorded their first song, "Rocket 88", at Sam Phillips studio. The song was written and sung by Jackie Brenston, the band's saxophonist, so it was released under his name. The song was successful enough for Brenston to split off and form his own band. "Rocket 88" has features that make it a contender for an early rock n rock song (distorted lead guitar, a backbeat, lyrics about driving a fast car, and loud boogie piano - played by Turner), though for me rock music starts with Chuck Berry's "Maybellene". After "Rocket 88", Turner acted as a talent scout and session pianist, plus continuing to gig and record with Kings of Rhythm, at some point changing his instrument from piano to guitar. The band were competent, but had no more hits. The 18 year old Anna Mae Bullock liked the Kings of Rhythm and wanted to sing with them. She got involved with the saxophonist in the band, and had his baby. She started off as a backing singer, but after stepping up to do some guide vocals for "A Fool In Love" when the band's regular singer failed to turn up for the recording, she became the lead singer, and Ike changed her name to Tina Turner, and changed the band's name to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue.

It is uncertain if and when Ike and Tina actually married (Tina says they got a quickie marriage in Tijuana at some point between 1960 and 1962, and then went to a sex show in a brothel, though dates and documentation appear to be missing) but they did start an intimate relationship at some point after Ike changed her name to Tina Turner when he was still married to the pregnant Lorraine Taylor. Ike and Tina split up personally and professionally in 1976 when Tina left after an argument. Their relationship had been difficult, with arguments and physical fights becoming increasingly common. Tina would later accuse Ike of sustained domestic abuse and controlling behaviour. In interviews when together Ike was often shy and quiet and dominated completely by Tina who would confidently talk for both of them. Ike has openly talked about hitting Tina, but denies being abusive, seeing the hitting as commonplace in society in the Sixties, and that Tina was a difficult person who would hit and provoke him. For many Americans, Ike is more famous as Tina Turner's abusive ex-husband than as a musician in his own right.

After spending some time considering Ike & Tina Turner I'm at the point where I have deep respect for both of them. There is a lot of rushed out material in the early years. Their catalogue is a mess. After the break up neither were quite the same as they were together. Tina certainly became more popular, and she kept up the energy in her voice and in her performances. But somehow together they were magic. Having said that, Tina's energy, sparkle, grit, and powerful voice is something special. Something unique. Here's four live versions of "Proud Mary". One by Ike & Tina from their peak in 1971 on the Ed Sullivan show: Proud Mary 1971; a slow version on Italian television in 1971: Proud Mary on Italian TV; one by Beyonce at Tina's Kennedy Tribute in 2005: Proud Mary by Beyonce; and one by Tina solo in Holland in 2009 when she was 70 years old: Proud Mary 2009. It is notable that Beyonce, one of the biggest stars of the moment, could not reproduce the strength of Tina's voice, nor the energy and sex appeal of her dance. And even at 70, slightly overweight and not as flexible, she was still able to deliver a memorising performance. I'm full of respect and awe.

Wikipedia:

Ike & Tina Turner were an American musical duo composed of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner. The duo was once considered "one of the hottest, most durable, and potentially most explosive of all R&B ensembles." Their early works, including "A Fool in Love", "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", "I Idolize You" and "River Deep – Mountain High", became high points in the development of soul music, while their later works were noted for wildly interpretive re-arrangements of rock songs such as "I Want to Take You Higher" and "Proud Mary", the latter song for which they won a Grammy Award. They developed an intense, often-ribald, live performance, whose musical spectacle was matched only by the likes of James Brown and the Famous Flames. The duo was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

AllMusic:

As husband and wife, Ike & Tina Turner headed up one of the most potent live acts on the R&B circuit during the '60s and early '70s. Guitarist and bandleader Ike kept his ensemble tight and well-drilled while throwing in his own distinctively twangy plucking; lead vocalist Tina was a ferocious whirlwind of power and energy, a raw sexual dynamo who was impossible to contain when she hit the stage, leading some critics to call her the first female singer to embody the true spirit of rock & roll. In their prime, the Ike & Tina Turner Revue specialized in a hard-driving, funked-up hybrid of soul and rock that, in its best moments, rose to a visceral frenzy that few R&B acts of any era could hope to match. Effusively praised by white rock luminaries like the Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin, Tina was unquestionably the star of the show, with a hugely powerful, raspy voice that ranks among the all-time soul greats. For all their concert presence, the Turners sometimes had problems translating their strong points to record; they cut singles for an endless succession of large and small independent labels throughout their career, and suffered from a shortage of the strong original material that artists with more stable homes (Motown, Atlantic, Stax, etc.) often enjoyed. The couple's well-documented marital difficulties (a mild way of describing Ike's violent, drug-fuelled cruelty) eventually dissolved their partnership in the mid-'70s. Tina, of course, went on to become an icon and a symbol of survival after the resurgence of her solo career in the '80s, but it was the years she spent with Ike that made the purely musical part of her legend.

Ike Turner's early recordings:

Classic Early Sides: 1952-1954

Tina Turner's first recording - backing vocals (as Little Ann) on "Box Top" (1958).

The albums

I'm going through all the albums Ike and Tina made together, or were credited as making together, and listening to them in chronological order. The early recording histories of Ike's Kings of Rhythm, and Ike & Tina Turner are confusing to sort out as accurate records were not kept, and various names are used, and songs from recordings are reused on several albums, and some albums are released under different names. I'm figuring it out as I go along, but relying heavily on what appear to be the best sources: WangDangDula and Discogs. I'm giving each album a score to reflect what I feel to be the best Ike & Tina Turner albums in terms of significance, musicianship and listenability. The scores are purely in relation to other Ike & Tina albums - they are not given in reference to albums by other musicians such as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, etc, as Ike & Tina Turner albums were not made to the same standards - mostly they were quickly and cheaply made (or assembled) as a way of making money, with little apparent thought given to leaving a legacy. For Ike & Tina, the live show was the important thing. That's what they focused on.

I'm adding a universal score in brackets after the relative score.

The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner (1961)

Debut album, contains "A Fool In Love" the song that Anna Mae Bullock sung as a dummy vocal guide for Ike Turner's regular singer, Art Lassiter, when Lassiter failed to turn up at the recording session, with the intention that his voice would be dubbed in later. She gave such a blistering performance, that Ike Turner got given a recording contract on the strength of that one performance, and he changed her name to Tina Turner, and changed the name of his band to the Ike & Tina Turner Review.

Tina's voice is raw and packed with energy. I'm searching for contemporary equivalents and not finding much. The first that comes to mind is the classic 1961 debut, At Last!, by Etta James, but that is drenched in controlled and sultry blues, and putting TT against EJ is like putting Janis Joplin against Aretha Franklin. There is, of course, Shirley Bassey, who has a powerful voice, though her 1961 release, Shirley Bassey, is all pop-jazz strings and smooth control. And there are girl groups such as The Shirelles, whose 1961 album, Tonight's The Night, covers R&B and doo-wop, so is closer to The Soul, but it is very mannered and pop-oriented. Aretha Franklin's debut album, Aretha, was released in 1961, and that is R&B, and Franklin has a powerful, soulful voice. Though Aretha is rather poppy, controlled, and mild mannered compared to The Soul. Other R&B and soul based girl groups such as The Crystals, and others, have some similarity, but all lack that raw energy. Big Joe Turner's band (Rides Again 1960) has some of the swing and kick of Ike's band, but lacks the raw energy, and Big Joe doesn't have Tina's powerful voice. For nearest comparisons I'm looking at male singers. There's James Brown, slower, but with the swing in the band, and the raw, but controlled, power in the voice - Please Please Please (1959). And Jackie Wilson, He's So Fine (1958), expressive, powerful, energetic, breathless. And Little Richard - Here's Little Richard (1957). And Jerry Lee Lewis - Greatest (1961). But, powerful as they are, none of these quite matches Turner on this recording.

It's not all good: a number of the songs are plain, which, combined with a sometimes indifferent approach by band, could let down the album. However, this is such a fascinating document of the emergence of a raw singing talent; and Turner's voice is shown here in is such a powerful primeval state (I don't think she has since sung with such naked soul, energy and power) that the album is simply awesome! A must have. Turner's best album for sure, and one of the world's most fascinating and powerful records.

"A Fool In Love" on TV (1960) (1965)

RateYourMusic;

Released	February 1961
Recorded	1960, St. Louis
Genre	R&B, blues, soul
Length	31:39
Label	Sue
Producer	Ike Turner, Juggy Murray

All songs written and composed by Ike Turner, except where indicated.
* indicates great songs

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I'm Jealous" *	Ike Turner, Jane Bussong	2:13
2.	"I Idolize You" *		2:53
3.	"If"		2:10
4.	"Letter From Tina"		2:38
5.	"You Can't Love Two"		2:56
6.	"I Had A Notion"	Joe Morris	2:58

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"A Fool In Love" *		2:53
2.	"Sleepless"	Ike Turner, Jane Bussong	2:51
3.	"Chances Are" *		3:42
4.	"You Can't Blame Me"		2:13
5.	"You're My Baby"		2:22
6.	"The Way You Love Me"		1:50

Lead vocals by Tina Turner except for "You Can't Blame Me" and "You're My Baby" with lead vocals by Ike and Tina Turner
Background vocals by The Ikettes
All instrumentation by Ike Turner and The Kings of Rhythm

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 8

Dance With Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm
(1962)

This album appears to have been released under three different names: Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm Dance; Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm Band; and Dance with Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm. Despite the name, this is just Ike and his band doing instrumentals. It's a funky little album, but there's no Tina, so it's of limited interest.

RateYourMusic;

All compositions by Ike Turner except where noted.

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Gulley"		2:13
2.	"Twistaroo"		2:12
3.	"Trackdown Twist"		2:13
4.	"Potatoe Mash"		2:14
5.	"It's Gonna Work Out Fine"	Rose Marie McCoy, Sylvia McKinney	2:36
6.	"Steel Guitar Rag"		2:45

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Doublemint"	2:22
2.	"The Rooster"	2:34
3.	"Prancing"	3:42
4.	"Katanga"	2:25
5.	"The Groove"	2:01
6.	"Going Home"

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 5
Score: 2 1/2

Dynamite! (1962)

This is similar to the debut, Soul, and has half (six) of the same recordings, though includes three new hit singles, which are worth hearing.

Released	May 1962
Recorded	1961-1962
Genre	R&B, soul, rock 'n' roll, blues
Label	Sue
Producer	Ike Turner, Juggy Murray

All songs written by Ike Turner, except where indicated.
^ Tracks also on The Soul...

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"You Should'a Treated Me Right" *		3:40
2.	"It's Gonna Work Out Fine" *	Rose Marie McCoy (uncredited), J. Seneca & J. Lee	3:03
3.	"A Fool In Love" * ^		2:52
4.	"Poor Fool" *		2:33
5.	"I Idolize You" * ^		2:51
6.	"Tra La La La La"		2:40

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sleepless" ^		2:50
2.	"I'm Jealous" ^	Ike Turner & Bussong	2:15
3.	"Won't You Forgive Me"		2:42
4.	"The Way You Love Me" ^		1:52
5.	"I Dig You"	J. Seneca & M. Steward	2:22
6.	"Letter From Tina" ^		2:34

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4
Score: 6

Don't Play Me Cheap (1963)

Tina is trying to sound more like a jazzy blues singer such as Etta James; she is putting sophistication into her voice, though now and again she lets her voice loose. The result is an uneven and inconsistent album which is overproduced with strings all over the place. The debut, Soul, is better.

RateYourMusic;

Released	February 1963
Genre	Pop, R&B, vocal jazz
Length	26:18
Label	Sue
Director	Juggy Murray

All songs written by Ike Turner, except where indicated.

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Wake Up"	2:05
2.	"I Made A Promise Up Above"	2:19
3.	"Desire"	2:58
4.	"Those Ways"	1:45
5.	"Mama Tell Him"	2:33
6.	"Pretend"	1:47

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Don't Play Me Cheap"		2:08
2.	"The Real Me"	Curtis Mayfield	2:01
3.	"Forever Mine"		2:15
4.	"No Amends"		2:22
5.	"Love Letters"	Edward Heyman, Victor Young (uncredited)	1:54
6.	"My Everything To Me"		2:30

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 5
Score: 4

It's Gonna Work Out Fine (1963)

There's a confidence and assuredness on this their fourth (third and a 1/2?) album, though it's still a bit patchy. However the meld of girl-group doo-wop, R&B, and soul with Tina's raw voice is quite compelling. There is an attractive energy about the whole album that overcomes many of the flaws. A decent album, and a good point to start, but on balance - because it was the debut, and it contains the song that started it all, I still prefer Soul. Hmmm, but I think I enjoy hearing this one a bit more.....

There are two tracks that appeared on the Dynamite! album from 1962.

RateYourMusic

Released	June 1963
Recorded	1961-1962
Genre	R&B, soul, rock 'n' roll
Label	Sue
Producer	Juggy Murray

All songs written by Ike Turner, except where noted.

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Gonna Find Me a Substitute"		2:41
2.	"Mojo Queen"		2:06
3.	"Kinda Strange"		2:44
4.	"Why Should I"		1:29
5.	"Tinaroo"		2:27
6.	"It's Gonna Work Out Fine" ^	Sylvia McKinney, Rose Marie McCoy (uncredited)	3:02

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm Gonna Cut You Loose"	2:35
2.	"Poor Fool" ^	2:33
3.	"I'm Fallin' In Love"	2:22
4.	"Foolish"	3:47
5.	"This Man's Crazy"	1:49
6.	"Good Good Lovin'"	2:17

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8
Score: 5

Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live (1964)

Ike & Tina were known for their live performances, and videos available of some of their concerts does show that they had energy, excitement and sexuality in plenty. This is the band's first live album, and takes its cue from James Brown's Live At The Apollo (1963) which also had a six minute melody including "Please Please Please", but Brown's is better. I found a live TV clip from the same period, but it's a song, "I Can't Believe What You Say", that's not on the album, and which only has Tina up front - no Ikettes. I found three live versions of "Fool In Love" from around the same period: TNT Show, Shindig, and Hollywood A Go Go. Interesting to note that the skirts were longer at this time. Ike revealed in an interview that he had been asking Tina to wear shorter skirts, but it wasn't until they toured in support of the Stones in London that he bought them all mini skirts. This is a great live album, displaying the strengths of the band, and shows the influence Tina had on Janis Joplin, including how to talk to an audience.

"If I Can't Be First" is a standout track not on the original album, but on the CD release. Most of the tracks are not Tina, but other singers that Ike had in his revue, however her performances are strong and intimate, and the other singers are also worth hearing - which they never are on the studio albums, other than as backing voices.

Released	November 1964
Recorded	1964
Venue	Club Imperial (St. Louis, MO), Harlem Club (St. Louis, MO)
Genre	R&B, soul music
Label	Kent Records
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Please, Please, Please" (Tina Turner)	James Brown, Johnny Terry	6:54
2.	"Feel So Good" (Jimmy Thomas)	Junior Parker	3:12
3.	"The Love of My Man" (Venetta Fields)	Ed Townsend	3:55
4.	"Think" (Bobby John)	Lowman Pauling	2:24

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Drown in My Own Tears" (Stacy Johnson)	Henry Glover	7:31
2.	"I Love the Way You Love" (Robbie Montgomery)	Abrams, Odenwald, Ossman, Gordy	3:12
3.	"Your Precious Love" (Vernon Guy)	Richard & Arthur Brooks, Jerry Butler	2:30
4.	"All In My Mind" (Tina Turner)	Maxine Brown, Kirkland, Johnson	3:30
5.	"I Can't Believe What You Say" (Tina Turner)	Ike Turner	1:59

Track list of the Spotify CD:

1 Ike & Tina Turner– Please Please Please
2 Ike & Tina Turner– If I Can't Be First
3 Jimmy Thomas– Feel So Good
4 Venetta Fields– The Love Of My Man
5 Bobby John (3)– Think
6 Stacy Johnson– Drown In My Own Tears
7 Robbie Montgomery– I Love The Way You Love
8 Vernon Guy– For Your Precious Love
9 Ike & Tina Turner– All In My Mind
10 Ike & Tina Turner– I Can't Believe What You Say
11 Ike & Tina Turner– A Fool In Love
12 Ike & Tina Turner– The Wedding/ Please Please Please
13 Ike & Tina Turner– My Man
14 Ike & Tina Turner– You Don't Love Me No More
15 Ike & Tina Turner– It's Gonna Work Out Fine
16 Ike & Tina Turner– It's Gonna Work Out Fine
17 Ike & Tina Turner– If I Only Had You
18 Ike & Tina Turner– I Can't Stop Lovin You
19 Ike & Tina Turner– You Should Have Treated Me Right
20 Ike & Tina Turner– He's Mine

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7
Score: 6

The Soul of Ike & Tina (1964)

The Soul Of.... is a Kent record label album which can't be found on the internet, but a 2000 compilation of the Kent recordings does contain most of the album - the tracks are "Goodbye So Long" / "If I Can't Be First" / "Chicken Shack" / " I Don't Need" / "I Wish My Dream Would Come True" / "Hard Times" / "It's Crazy Baby" / "Gonna Have Fun" / "Am I A Fool In Love" / "Something Came Over Me" / "Hurt Is All You Gave Me" / "Don't Blame It On Me"
This dry stuff compared to the live album. It's like they are rehearsing, and lack the commitment and involvement of a live show. The material here is OK, nothing great. Indeed, most of their material during these early years is simply OK, slightly derivative of what's around (though that is very common throughout the history of music, art and commerce!), and not really doing anything new or special. It's not the material that really counts, it's the performances, and here the performances are revealed as very weak compared to what they can do live when the adrenalin is flowing, and there's no chance for a second take.

RateYourMusic

Released	1966
Recorded	1964–1965
Genre	Blues R&B soul
Length	47:27
Label	Kent
Producer	Ike Turner

All tracks are written by Ike Turner.

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Good Bye, So Long"
2.	"If I Can't Be First"
3.	"Chicken Shack"
4.	"I Don't Need"
5.	"I Wish My Dream Would Come True"
6.	"Hard Times"

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"It's Crazy Baby"
2.	"Gonna Have Fun"
3.	"Am I A Fool In Love"
4.	"Something Came Over Me"
5.	"Hurt Is All You Gave Me"
6.	"Don't You Blame It On Me"

The Kent Years tracklist:

1 I Can't Believe What You Say 1:59
2 My Baby Now 2:47
3 What Do You Think I Am 2:13
4 Baby, Don't Do It 1:55
5 I Don't Need 2:15
6 Goodbye, So Long 2:08
7 Hurt Is All You Gave Me 2:29
8 Gonna Have Fun 2:04
9 You Can't Miss Nothing 2:03
10 All I Could Do Was Cry (aka Stop The Wedding) 4:54
11 I Need A Man 3:00
12 You Can't Have Your Cake And Eat It Too 2:52
13 Lose My Cool 2:19
14 He's The One 2:00
15 Chicken Shack 1:49
16 Five Long Years 2:22
17 Flee Flee Fla 2:30
18 I Wish My Dreams Would Come True 1:49
19 Over You 1:57
20 Makin' Plans Together 2:09
21 Shake It Baby 1:47
22 Don't You Blame It On Me 1:46
23 Hard Times 2:18
24 Give Me Your Love 2:10
25 It's Crazy Baby 2:56
26 Something Came Over Me 2:45

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 8

Score: 4

The Ike & Tina Turner Show (1965)

The Ike & Tina Turner Show Vol 2 (1965)

This is a Loma Records two part release in 1965. Loma was an R&B subsidiary label of Warner Brothers who have recently re-released the two albums as one set on CD, adding "Live!" to the title. Volume 2 was recorded in Texas, and is the strongest of the two, but both feel rather casual and throwaway. Ike was not keen on recording contracts - he preferred single album deals with money up front, and did this with a number of labels with little documentation, so it's difficult to work out the order the albums come in - one book has Volume 2 appearing the year before Volume 1.

The two albums were combined in a single release as Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show.

Released	January 1965
Recorded	1964
Venue	Skyliner Ballroom (Fort Worth, Texas), Lovall's Ballroom (Dallas, Texas)
Genre	R&B, soul
Label	Warner Bros Records
Producer	Robert A. "Bumps" Blackwell

All songs lead vocal by Tina Tuner except where noted.^[9]

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Finger Poppin'"	Ike Turner	2:25
2.	"Down In The Valley" (Jimmy Thomas)		2:35
3.	"Good Times"	Sam Cooke	2:45
4.	"You Are My Sunshine" (Ike & Tina Turner)	Charles Mitchell, Jimmie Davis	2:15
5.	"Good Time Tonight (Having A Good Time)" (Vanetta Fields)	Smokey McAllister	2:45
6.	"Twist and Shout"	Bert Berns, Phil Medley	3:45

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Something's Got A Hold On Me"	Etta James, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods	3:16
2.	"I Know (You Don't Want Me No More)" (Tina Turner & Vanetta Fields)	Barbara George	3:15
3.	"High Heel Sneakers (Tight Pants)"	Robert Higginbotham	3:08
4.	"My Man, He's A Lovin' Man" (Jessie Smith)	James Bennett, Johnnie Mae Matthews	2:50
5.	"I Can't Stop Loving You"	Don Gibson	3:35
6.	"Tell The Truth"	Ray Charles	2:35

Wikipedia
AllMusic 8
Score: 3 1/2

Get It - Get It (1965)

A 1965 or 1966 studio album on the Cenco record label. Reissued as Her Man...His Woman.
The sound is bluesy and jazzy rather than R&B and soul.

RateYourMusic

Released	circa 1966
Recorded	1964–1966
Genre	R&B, soul music, blues
Length	25:09
Label	Cenco
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Get It – Get It"	Ike Turner	3:31
2.	"I Believe"	Elmore James	2:19
3.	"I Can't Believe What You Say"	Ike Turner	2:07
4.	"My Babe"	Willie Dixon	1:59
5.	"Strange"	Billy Preston	2:36

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"You Weren't Ready"	Ike Turner	2:37
2.	"That's Alright"	Jimmy Rogers	3:02
3.	"Rooster"	Ike Turner	2:13
4.	"Five Long Years"	Eddie Boyd	2:42
5.	"Things I Used To Do"	Guitar Slim	2:24

Wikipedia

AllMusic:
Score: 4

River Deep - Mountain High (1966)

This is Ike & Tina's most famous album. For many people it's the only album they know by the pair. The title track, "River Deep - Mountain High", is a classic. It's pure Phil Spector with Tina Turner's vocals, and is a step sideways from what Ike & Tina had been doing together. The rest of the album is an oddity as it's a mix of Phil Spector and Ike Turner working with Tina, so at one point we're in wall of sound pop, then gritty R&B and then back to pop. Some of Ike's contributions are re-workings of songs they've done previously, and it's each to their own as to if the 1966 version of "I Idolize You" is more enjoyable than the 1961 "I Idolize You". For me the 1961 version blows the 1966 version out of the water. Tina is controlled in 1966, aware that her voice has power, and using it to create an impression, in 1961 she fucking lets rip and its a force of nature, raw, primeval, awesome, and very rare. By 1966 she's aware she has a strong voice, and is handling it professionally, controlling, through experience, her energy and rawness - and it works; she'll continue to do that for the rest of her career. But in 1961 at the start she's the real raw deal, and everything is open and before her. She has no choice, she's either gives it everything or she has no career - there's no careful, measured control; this is total and utter commitment. It's the same for "A Fool In Love" - this 1966 version is something easy to overlook so false is the emotion generated, and so stagy are the shrieks. While, poorly recorded and produced though it is, there's no mistaking the raw power and utter commitment of the 1961 "A Fool In Love", the song that launched her career.

Tina, Phil Spector, and Ike, together in the studio

What many people "know" about the recording of this album is that it's Phil Spector's album, and that he paid Ike not to be involved. That is not true. The album is not Phil Spector's, as he abandoned the recording sessions after the single "River Deep - Mountain High" failed in America, so Ike finished it off. Spector didn't pay Ike to stay away - he simply asked Ike if he could record with just Tina, and Ike agreed, provided that the name Ike & Tina Turner was used, which, as they were still signed to Loma Records, meant that Spector had to pay $20,000 to Loma to hire them. When it came to recording Tina, Spector couldn't handle her properly, so nothing happened during the first session, and Tina brought Ike along for the next session, where she managed, after several takes, and having to take off her blouse, to lay down the vocals that Spector wanted. But, hey, don't let truth get in the way of a good myth, huh?

Because some songs are produced by Ike, who is gutsy R&B, and some are produced by Spector who is lush pop, and the songs are jumbled together randomly, there is a jarring aural inconsistency in the album. Essentially the fame of this album rests entirely on the title track. There is nothing of that quality elsewhere on the album, and while Ike's production and Tina's powerful voice make listening to Ike's tracks more than just acceptable, they come across as weak compared to the earlier recordings. Having said all that, it's still a pretty good album.

Pitchfork; Musoscribe; Popdose; WorldOfTina; RateYourMusic

Released	September 1966 (UK) September 1969 (US)
Recorded	March 1966
Studio	Gold Star Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre	R&B pop rock soul
Length	37:06
Label	London (UK) A&M (US)
Producer	Ike Turner, Phil Spector

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer	Length
1.	"River Deep – Mountain High" **	Barry, Greenwich, Spector	Phil Spector	3:38
2.	"I Idolize You"	Ike Turner	Ike Turner	3:46
3.	"A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)"	Holland–Dozier–Holland	Phil Spector	3:05
4.	"A Fool in Love"	Ike Turner	Ike Turner	3:13
5.	"Make 'Em Wait"	Ike Turner	Ike Turner	2:22
6.	"Hold On Baby"	Barry, Greenwich, Spector	Phil Spector	2:59
7.	"Save the Last Dance for Me"	Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman	Phil Spector	3:02
8.	"Oh Baby!"	Kent Harris	Ike Turner	2:46
9.	"Every Day I Have to Cry"	Arthur Alexander	Phil Spector	2:40
10.	"Such a Fool for You"	Ike Turner	Ike Turner	2:48
11.	"It's Gonna Work Out Fine"	J. Michael Lee, Joe Seneca	Ike Turner	3:14
12.	"You're So Fine"	Finney, Willie Schofield, Bob West	Ike Turner	3:14

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 6

In Person Ike & Tina Turner and Their Ikettes
(1968)

A live album recorded for the Minit Records label at Basin Street West, San Francisco; MC: D.L. Herb Campbell. The album includes solo performances by The Ikettes.

It's competent but unspectacular. Some of the arrangements are a little too fussy, and don't compare well with the simpler and more powerful arrangements of the early Sixties.

Released	June 1969
Recorded	1969
Venue	Basin Street West (San Francisco, CA)
Genre	R&B soul Psychedelic soul funk rock blues rock
Label	Minit Records
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Everyday People" (The Ikettes)	Sly Stone	3:14
2.	"Gimme Some Loving"/"Sweet Soul Music"	Winwood, Winwood, Redding, Conley, Cooke	2:56
3.	"Son Of A Preacher Man"	Hurley, Wilkins	3:00
4.	"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"	Whitfield, Strong	3:25
5.	"Respect"	Otis Redding	8:31

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"There Was A Time"/"African Boo's" (The Ikettes)	James Brown, Buddy Hobgood, Ike Turner	4:07
2.	"Funky Street"	Arthur Conley, Earl Simms	2:13
3.	"A Fool In Love" (The Ikettes)	Ike Turner	3:04
4.	"The Sumit"/"All I Could Do Was Cry"/"Please, Please, Please"/"Baby I Love You"	Turner, Davis, Gordy, Gordy, Brown, Terry, Shanon	12:22
5.	"Goodbye, So Long"	Ike Turner	3:13

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 4

Outta Season (1968)

Most sources have this as being released in 1969, but the record label shows that it was 1968 on Blue Thumb:

It's quite a bluesy album - well presented electric blues. But, as with most Ike & Tina studio material since their debut, it's casually thrown together. There's a distinct lack of effort and commitment. The duo are competent and talented enough to get by and produce something quite listenable, but there's nothing here that stands out. Nothing enduring. And nothing to recommend others listen to. Having said that, I find it likeable and very listenable. "Motherless Child" and "Dust My Broom" give a good flavour of what's on offer. The album's production is credited to Tina, as well as the writing credit for "I Am a Motherless Child".

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Released	March 1969
Recorded	1968
Genre	Blues R&B soul
Length	33:00
Label	Blue Thumb
Producer	Tina Turner Bob Krasnow

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I've Been Loving You Too Long"	Otis Redding, Jerry Butler	3:40
2.	"Mean Old World" (adapted by Ike Turner)		2:20
3.	"3 O 'Clock in the Morning Blues"	B.B. King, Jules Taub	2:35
4.	"Five Long Years"	E. Boyd	3:20
5.	"Dust My Broom" (adapted by Ike Turner) *		2:30
6.	"Grumbling"	Ike Turner	2:35
7.	"I Am a Motherless Child" *	Tina Turner	3:30

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Crazy 'Bout You Baby"	Sonny Boy Williamson	3:25
2.	"Reconsider Baby"	Lowell Fulson	:40
3.	"Honest I Do"	Ewart Abner, Jimmy Reed	2:20
4.	"Please Love Me"	B.B. King, Jules Taub	2:10
5.	"My Babe"	Willie Dixon	1:50
6.	"Rock Me Baby"	B.B. King, Joe Josea	2:45

Wikipedia
AllMusic (The AllMusic review is attached to the name and song list of this album, but what the reviewer says bears little relation to this album, as, rather than "routine soul and R&B numbers" it's mainly electric blues - something new to Ike & Tina. It doesn't sound like a collection of singles - indeed, there is probably more unity in this album than in most Ike & Tina albums. The production, rather than having "almost no variety or flair", shows an awareness of Spector's approach, combined with an understanding of Ike's rootsy approach, and a little of something smoother and more thoughtful which must have come from Tina. And it hasn't been deleted. As evidence, I'm using the version on Spotify, and as Discogs shows, the album was in print in various covers and in various countries through the Seventies.)

Score: 5

So Fine (1968)

This is the first of three albums for the Pompeii record label. Best track is "It Sho Aint Me", and the rest of the album is listenable, but nothing special. As usual, compare this 1968 "Fool In Love" with the original "Fool In Love". Nuff said. Let's move on.

RateYourMusic

Released	July 1968
Genre	R&B, soul music
Label	Pompeii Records
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bet'cha Can't Kiss Me (Just One Time)"	Mack Rice	2:51
2.	"Ain't Nobody's Business"	Ike Turner	2:09
3.	"It Sho Ain't Me" *	Mack Rice	3:08
4.	"Too Hot To Hold"	Mack Rice	2:20
5.	"A Fool In Love"	Ike Turner	2:49

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Better Get Ta Steppin'"	Ike Turner, Charles Harris	2:49
2.	"Shake A Tail Feather"	Otha Hayes, Verlie Rice, Andre Williams	2:15
3.	"So Fine"	Johnny Otis	2:41
4.	"We Need An Understanding"	Ike Turner, Johnny Northern	2:43
5.	"You're So Fine"	Lance Finney, Willie Schofield	2:26

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 4

Cussin', Cryin' & Carryin' On (1969)

The second studio album for Pompeii. This is the So Fine album plus some instrumentals. Move on.

RateYourMusic

Released	August 1969
Genre	R&B, soul, pop soul, instrumental
Label	Pompeii Records
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cussin', Cryin' & Carryin' On"	Wayne Carson Thompson	2:39
2.	"Poor Little Fool" (Lead vocals by Fontella Bass & Tina Turner)	Oliver Sain	2:47
3.	"So Blue Over You" (Lead vocals by the Ikettes)	Ike Turner	2:32
4.	"Nothing You Can Do Boy (To Change My Way)"	Ike Turner	2:27
5.	"I'm Fed Up"	Ike Turner	2:14
6.	"You Got What You Wanted"	Wayne Carson Thompson	2:25

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Make 'Em Wait" (Lead vocals by the Ikettes)	Ike Turner	2:18
2.	"Beauty Is Just Skin Deep" (Lead vocals by the Ikettes)	Steve Venet, Toni Wine	2:14
3.	"Thinking Black" (Instrumental)	Ike Turner	2:40
4.	"Black Beauty" (Instrumental)	Ike Turner	2:30
5.	"I Better Get Ta Steppin'"	Charles Harris	2:50

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 7
Score: 3

Get It Together (1969)

Third Pompeii album.

"Too Hot To Hold" / "I'm Fed Up" / "Make 'Em Wait" / Poor Little Fool / You Got What You Wanted / Freedom Sound / Bet 'Cha Can't Kiss Me (Just One Time) / So Blue Over You / Cussin', Cryin' And Carryin' On / Beauty Is Just Skin Deep / Ain't Nobody's Business / Funky Mule

I can't find the album, so I'm looking for individual tracks, but I'm giving up because what I'm finding is earlier versions of the same songs. Tracking down an accurate record of what Ike & Turner produced is not easy as they made so many records, albums and singles, live and studio, on so many different labels, and would reuse the same material several times. Sigh.

AllMusic: 4
Score: 3

Her Man...His Woman (1970)

Get It - Get It! / I Believe / I Can't Believe (What You Say) / My Babe / Strange / You Weren't Ready / That's Right / Rooster / Five Long Years / Things That I Used To Do

A re-release of Get It - Get It (1965) with a different cover, title and record label.

Score: 3

The Hunter (1969)

Quite bluesy in a similar style to Outta Season, though with more funk, resulting in a Stax sound. Quite decent and workable, especially the title track, "The Hunter", written by the Stax house band: Steve Cropper, Booker T, etc. "Bold Soul Sister" is a copy of Sly Stones "Sing A Simple Song". It's a decent album, but it's not cutting edge, and while the songs are enjoyable, there's nothing outstanding or memorable.

RateYourMusic

Released	October 1969
Genre	R&B, blues, soul music
Label	Blue Thumb
Producer	Bob Krasnow (with friends)

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Hunter" *	Booker T. & the M.G.'s	6:33
2.	"You Don't Love Me (Yes I Know)"	Willie Cobbs	2:54
3.	"You Got Me Running"	Jimmy Reed	2:59
4.	"Bold Soul Sister" *	Ike Turner, Tina Turner	2:36

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Smell Trouble"	Don Robey	3:44
2.	"The Things I Used To Do"	Eddie Jones, Memphis Slim	3:14
3.	"Early In The Morning"	Traditional	3:01
4.	"You're Still My Baby"	Chuck Willis	2:47
5.	"I Know"	Barbara George	2:31

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 5

Come Together (1970)

Credited to Ike & Tina Turner and The Ikettes, this is Ike & Tina's first rock album (with a few R&B numbers, and a general funk feel). Mostly songs by Ike, though they cover "Come Together", "Honky Tonk Women", and "I Want To Take You Higher". As with most Turner albums it's all competent and listenable, but lacking in the authenticity, the rawness, the enthusiasm, the power, and the excitement of the debut. The covers are done pretty much note by note - competent, but pointless. The covers do, however, attract (and continue to attract) interest.

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Released	May 1970
Label	Liberty Records
Producer	Ike Turner

All tracks written by Ike Turner, except where noted.^[12]

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"It Ain't Right (Lovin' To Be Lovin')"		2:34
2.	"Too Much Woman (For A Henpecked Man)"		2:31
3.	"Unlucky Creature"		2:25
4.	"Young And Dumb"		2:50
5.	"Honky Tonk Women"	Mick Jagger, Keith Richards	3:30
6.	"Come Together"	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	3:37

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Why Can't We Be Happy"		3:49
2.	"Contact High"		2:16
3.	"Keep On Walkin' (Don't Look Back)"		2:07
4.	"I Want To Take You Higher"	Sylvester Stewart	2:51
5.	"Evil Man"	Larry Weiss	3:25
6.	"Doin' It"		2:41

Wikipedia

AllMusic:

Score: 5

Workin' Together (1970)

After many years of trying, they finally put together a successful album. This is their commercial and critical peak. They blend together all they have acquired over the years - pop, rock, R&B, funk, soul, blues, into a big, professional and very competent whole. "Goodbye So Long" is a damn fine song. Even the covers have an edge missing in their previous covers. "Get Back" crackles with energy, while "Proud Mary", widely acknowledged as their best ever cover, drove the success of the album, and propelled Ike & Tina into the big time. This album is a great place to start. Good songs. Good covers. Ike is at his best, and Tina has learned how to control her voice so it does exactly what she wants it to do. Her performances here are varied, suiting the style of each song. It's a consummate, professional performance. As always, I miss the energy and rawness of the debut, but that was a special, unique moment she has never repeated on any album (though came close on the second album, Dynamite!).

The album was recorded at Bolic Sound, a state of the art studio that Ike had built for himself because of his distrust of the music industry. All future Ike & Tina studio albums were recorded here, and the facilities were used by other musicians, such as Frank Zappa, Paul McCartney, Little Richard, The Rolling Stones, etc.

RateYourMusic

Released	November 1970
Recorded	1970
Studio	Bolic Sound (Inglewood, CA)
Length	34:23
Label	Liberty
Producer	Ike Turner

All tracks written by Ike Turner, except where noted. Tracks 1 and 6 were credited to "Eki Renrut" (Ike Turner backwards). Aillene Bullock is Tina's sister, who was in charge of the Ikettes.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Workin' Together"		3:35
2.	"(As Long As I Can) Get You When I Want You" *	George Jackson, Raymond Moore	2:25
3.	"Get Back" *	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	3:05
4.	"The Way You Love Me" *		2:37
5.	"You Can Have It" *		3:30
6.	"Game of Love"		2:46
7.	"Funkier Than a Mosquita's Tweeter" *	Aillene Bullock	2:35
8.	"Ooh Poo Pah Doo"	Jessie Hill	3:36
9.	"Proud Mary" **	John Fogerty	4:57
10.	"Goodbye, So Long"		1:57
11.	"Let It Be"	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	3:10

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 7

'Nuff Said (1971)

A mix of funk and rock, creating quite a groovy sound with Tina in full flow and control of her voice. This is not the awesome rawness of the wonderful debut, but a performer who knows what to do with her voice to create a compelling raw energy without actually laying bare her soul and throat. This is good stuff with band and singer delivering quality stuff bang on with the times, flirting with country rock on "Pick Me Up", but empowering it with soul and funk. There's some bloody good stuff here, though no song really stands out. It's just a tidy little album.

RateYourMusic

Released	November 1971
Recorded	1971
Studio	Bolic Sound
Genre	R&B, soul music, Funk rock
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner

Aillene Bullock is Tina's sister, who was in charge of the Ikettes.

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Love What You Do To Me"	Calvin Lane, Philip Reese	2:32
2.	"Baby (What You Want Me To Do)"	Aillene Bullock	3:27
3.	"Sweet Flustrations"	Ike Turner, Leon Ware, Philip Reese	2:55
4.	"What You Don't See (Is Better Yet)"	Turner, Ware, Tina Turner, Lane	3:15
5.	"Nuff Said (Part I)"	Calvin Lane, Ike Turner, Philip Reese	3:12

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Tell The Truth"	Ike Turner, Leon Ware	2:53
2.	"Pick Me Up (Take Me Where Your Home Is)"	Bullock, Turner, Ware, Tina Turner	4:23
3.	"Moving Into Hip Style - A Trip Child!"	Ike Turner, Leon Ware, Tina Turner	2:47
4.	"I Love Baby"	Calvin Lane, Ike Turner, Philip Reese	2:20
5.	"Can't You Hear Me Callin'"	Ike Turner, Leon Ware	2:26
6.	"Nuff Said (Part II)"	Calvin Lane, Ike Turner, Philip Reese	2:01

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 5

Live In Paris (1971)

The studio albums were getting more contemporary, but the live performances, as indicated by this album, were still stuck in the "Chitlin Circuit" style of revue, blatantly copying James Brown's revue style from the early Sixties with such introductions as "the hardest working young lady in show business today". The first three tracks are sung by the Ikettes before Tina comes on. It's hard to believe this is actually from the Seventies. Being there would have been fun, as the show was colourful and lively, as shown in this documentary video from around the same period, and the album, though not a real substitute for being there, is the next best thing, and it's a breathless, humorous, earthy, sexy, exciting, and at times audacious romp.

Released	August 1971
Recorded	January 30, 1971
Venue	Olympia (Paris, France)
Genre	R&B blues soul music funk rock
Label	United Artists Liberty
Producer	Eddie Adamis

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Grumbling" (Ike Turner)	Ike Turner	1:07
2.	"You Got Me Hummin'" (The Ikettes)	Hayes, Porter	4:00
3.	"Everyday People" (The Ikettes)	Sly Stone	2:13
4.	"Shake A Tail Feather" (The Ikettes)	Hayes, Rice, Williams	2:13
5.	"Gimme Some Loving"/"Sweet Soul Music"	Winwood, Winwood, Redding, Conley, Cooke	3:39
6.	"Son Of A Preacher Man"	John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins	2:45

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Come Together"	Lennon–McCartney	3:30
2.	"Proud Mary"	John Fogerty	8:48
3.	"A Love Like Yours Don't Come Knocking Everyday"	Holland–Dozier–Holland	3:37

Side C
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Smell Trouble"	Don Robey	10.00
2.	"Respect"	Otis Redding	3:55
3.	"Honky Tonk Women"	Mick Jagger, Keith Richards	2:05

Side D
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I've Been Loving You Too Long"	Jerry Butler, Otis Redding	7:15
2.	"I Want To Take You Higher"	Sly Stone	4:45
3.	"Land Of 1000 Dances"	Chris Kenner, Fats Domino	4:47

Wikipedia

AllMusic:
Score: 6

What You Hear Is What You Get
- Live At Carnegie Hall (1971)

Similar to Live In Paris, with the same set up - The Ikettes come on and do some numbers, then Tina comes on and finishes off the show, though a few songs are different. Some of the songs that are the same, for comparison: "Respect", "Higher", "Proud Mary", and "Honky Tonk Women" at Carnegie. "Respect", "Higher", "Proud Mary", and "Hony Tonk Women" at Paris. Good stuff, though for me the Paris show just edges the Carnegie show.

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Introduction"		1:30
2.	"Piece Of My Heart" (performed by the Ikettes)	Bert Berns, Jerry Ragovoy	3:38
3.	"Everyday People" (performed by the Ikettes)	Sly Stone	2:10
4.	"Introduction To Tina"		0:40
5.	"Doin' The Tina Turner"	Ike Turner, Tina Turner	0:36
6.	"Sweet Soul Music"	Arthur Conley, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke	2:13
7.	"Ooh Poo Pah Doo"	Jessie Hill	4:05

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Honky Tonk Women"	Mick Jagger, Keith Richard	3:05
2.	"A Love Like Yours"	Holland-Dozier-Holland	3:43
3.	"Proud Mary"	John Fogerty	6:35
4.	"(Encore Of) Proud Mary"	John Fogerty	2:35

Side C
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Proud Mary (Continued)"	John Fogerty	3:25
2.	"I Smell Trouble"	Don Robey	7:57
3.	"Ike's Tune"	Ike Turner	0:30
4.	"I Want To Take You Higher"	Sly Stone	3:35

Side D
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I've Been Loving You Too Long"	Otis Redding	8:35
2.	"Respect"	Otis Redding	5:03

Wikipedia
AllMusic

Score: 5

Feel Good (1972)

I originally thought this came after Let Me Touch Your Mind, but the label numbers show that this was released first. This contains nine songs credited to Tina, the remaining one being a Beatles cover. This is, as far as I can tell, the first time since Outta Season in 1968 she had songs credited to just herself rather an occasional co-writing credit with Ike, and the album is nearly full with Tine credited songs. The album sounds quite modern in comparison with the stuff they were doing live. It's quite upbeat and poppy, though still with one foot in the R&B sound. At times it's hard to separate this from solo Tina material. This is the beginning of the end for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, though it would take a few more years before Ike and Tina would actually split.

RateYourMusic;

Released	July 1972
Studio	Bolic Sound (Inglewood, California)
Genre	R&B soul funk rock
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner, Gerhard Augustin

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Chopper"	Tina Turner	2:36
2.	"Kay Got Laid (Joe Got Paid)"	Tina Turner	2:59
3.	"Feel Good"	Tina Turner	3:25
4.	"I Like It"	Tina Turner	1:58
5.	"If You Can Hully Gully (I Can Hully Gully Too)"	Tina Turner	3:30

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Black Coffee"	Tina Turner	2:42
2.	"She Came In Through the Bathroom Window"	Lennon-McCartney	2:32
3.	"If I Knew Then (What I Know Now)"	Tina Turner	2:47
4.	"You Better Think of Something"	Tina Turner	3:20
5.	"Bolic"	Tina Turner	2:28

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 5

Let Me Touch Your Mind (1972)

Alongside the covers, and a song by Ike, are three songs by Tina. One of the songs. "Popcorn", is suggestive of "Nutbush City Limits". This album is similar to Feel Good, and another sign that Tina was heading out the door, but on the whole a fairly flat album, without the energy of Feel Good.

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Released	January 1973
Recorded	1972
Studio	Bolic Sound (Inglewood, CA)
Genre	R&B, soul, blues rock, funk rock
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner, Andre Williams

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Let Me Touch Your Mind"	Oliver Sain	3:59
2.	"Annie Had A Baby"	Henry Glover, Lois Mann	2:43
3.	"Don't Believe Her"	Ike Turner	2:52
4.	"I Had A Notion"	Tina Turner	2:44
5.	"Popcorn"	Tina Turner	3:08

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Early One Morning"	Whittaker, Little Richard (uncredited)	3:38
2.	"Help Him"	Tina Turner	3:42
3.	"Up On The Roof"	Gerry Goffin, Carole King	2:55
4.	"Born Free"	John Barry, Don Black	3:20
5.	"Heaven Help Us All"	Ron Miller	3:12

Wikipedia
AllMusic
Score: 4

Nutbush City Limits (1973)

This contains Tina's hit song "Nutbush City Limits" (the link is to a live version), as well as five other songs by her. This is the complete song list: "Nutbush City Limits" / "Make Me Over" / "Drift Away" / That's My Purpose / "Fancy Annie" / "River Deep, Mountain High" (1966 and1973 versions) / "Get It Out Of Your Mind" (scratched vinyl) / "Daily Bread" / "You Are My Sunshine" (scratched vinyl) / "Club Manhattan"

The "Nutbush City Limits" sound is well used throughout the album to the point of complete exhaustion, and none of the other songs match the power of that song. "Nutbush" is a great song, but the rest of the album makes for uncomfortable listening. There is a rumour that Marc Bolan played on the "Nutbush" track, possibly started by an erroneous memory by Bolan's girlfriend Gloria Jones - Bolan had played with Ike & Tina (on "Sexy Ida" and "Baby Get It On"), and it's likely that Jones remembered the wrong song. It is known that James "Bino" Lewis, a long term member of Ike's Rhythm Kings, played on "Nutbush".

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Released	November 1973
Recorded	June - September 1973
Studio	Bolic Sound (Inglewood, California)
Genre	R&B, soul music, funk rock
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Nutbush City Limits" **	Tina Turner	2:55
2.	"Make Me Over"	Ike Turner	3:05
3.	"Drift Away"	Mentor Williams	3:20
4.	"That's My Purpose"	Tina Turner	4:38
5.	"Fancy Annie"	Tina Turner	2:20

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"River Deep, Mountain High"	Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich	4:02
2.	"Get It Out Of Your Mind"	Ike Turner	3:20
3.	"Daily Bread"	Tina Turner	2:45
4.	"You Are My Sunshine"	Charles Mitchell, Jimmie Davis	3:22
5.	"Club Manhattan"	Tina Turner	2:50

Wikipedia

AllMusic: - no review

Score: 4

The World Of Ike & Tina (1973)

A live double album. Track list: "Theme From Shaft" / I Gotcha / Intro To Tina / She Came In Through The Bathroom Window / You're Still My Baby / Don't Fight It / Annie Had A Baby / With A Little Help From My Friends / Get Back / Games People Play / Honky Tonk Women / If You Love Me Like You Say (You Wouldn't Treat Me Like You Do) / I Can't Turn You Loose / I Wish It Would Rain / Just One More Day / Stand By Me / Dust My Broom / River Deep Mountain High / Let Me Touch Your Mind / Chopper / 1-2-3

I can't find the album or even any tracks from it. I put in a few live tracks from the same period just to give a flavour of the album. Everyone does a professional show, and the band are tight, and it would have been an entertaining show if you were there. But this is clearly a band just going through the motions, and the live act doesn't translate well on a single album, let alone a double.

Released	September 1973
Genre	R&B soul funk rock blues
Length	72:30
Label	United Artists Records
Producer	Ike Turner Jackie Clark Soko Richardson Warren Dawson

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Theme From 'Shaft'"	Isaac Hayes	5:32
2.	"I Gotcha"	Joe Tex	4:05
3.	"Intro To Tina"		1:24
4.	"She Came In Through The Bathroom Window"	Lennon-McCartney	2:17
5.	"You're Still My Baby"	Chuck Willis	3:00
6.	"Don't Fight It"	Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett	2:40

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Annie Had A Baby"	Henry Glover, Lois Mann	3:10
2.	"With A Little Help From My Friends"	Lennon-McCartney	3:17
3.	"Get Back"	Lennon-McCartney	3:07
4.	"Games People Play"	Joe South	3:18
5.	"Honky Tonk Women"	Keith Richards, Mick Jagger	3:09

Side C
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"If You Love Me Like You Say (You Wouldn't Treat Me Like You Do)"	Ike Turner	2:43
2.	"I Can't Turn You Loose"	Otis Redding	3:00
3.	"I Wish It Would Rain"	Whitfield, Strong, Penzabene	3:29
4.	"Just One More Day"	Redding, Cropper, Robinson	3:35
5.	"Stand By Me"	Ben E. King, Elmo Glick	4:00

Side D
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dust My Broom"	Elmore James	3:30
2.	"River Deep, Mountain High"	Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich	2:14
3.	"Let Me Touch Your Mind"	Oliver Sain	4:10
4.	"Chopper"	Tina Turner	3:00
5.	"1-2-3"	John Medora, David White, Len Barry	4:40

Wikipedia

AllMusic: - no review
Score: 3

The Gospel According to Ike And Tina (1974)

A gospel album. Ike's singing is quite dirge-like, and the Stevie Wonder style synths don't work with gospel. This is a very thin album, and even Tina's voice can't really save it. The wrong approach was used, and an opportunity missed - badly.

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Released	April 1974
Recorded	October - November 1973
Studio	Bolic Sound
Genre	Gospel, soul music
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Father Alone"	S. Taylor	4:17
2.	"Walk With Me (I Need You Lord To Be My Friend)"	Trad	3:40
3.	"Glory, Glory"	Trad	3:10
4.	"Just A Closer Walk With Thee"	Trad	6:17
5.	"What A Friend We Have In Jesus"	Scriven, Converse	2:50

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Amazing Grace"	Newton, Walker	2:36
2.	"Take My Hand Precious Lord"	T. A. Dorsey	2:48
3.	"Nearer The Cross"	C. W. Dieckmann - F. J. Crosby	2:26
4.	"Our Lord Will Make A Way"	Trad	3:38
5.	"When The Saints Go Marching In"	Trad	3:03

Wikipedia

AllMusic:
Score: 2 1/2

Sweet Rhode Island Red (Oct 1974)

Usual stuff - this sounds like competent session musicians going through the motions with poor self-composed songs that are trying to recapture the excitement of "Nutbush". The covers are generally the better things on the album. All in all, while a weak album, it has its moments, and is quite listenable.

"Sexy Ida" was originally a non-album single, but is now included on the album. There are reports that Marc Bolan played guitar on this track.

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Released	October 1974
Recorded	February – June 1974
Studio	Bolic Sound (Inglewood, CA)
Genre	R&B soul funk rock blues rock
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner Claude Williams Warren Dawson Soko Richardson Gerhard Augustin

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Let Me Be There"	John Rostill	3:22
2.	"Living For The City"	Stevie Wonder	3:40
3.	"I Know"	Barbara George	3:17
4.	"Mississippi Rolling Stone"	Don Goodman, Troy Seals	3:02
5.	"Sugar Hill"	Tina Turner	3:07
6.	"Sexy Ida (Part 1)" (Not included on the original release)	Tina Turner	2:30

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sweet Rhode Island Red"	Tina Turner	3:06
2.	"Ready For You Baby"	Tina Turner	3:11
3.	"Smooth Out The Wrinkles"	Tina Turner	3:45
4.	"Doozie"	Tina Turner	2:50
5.	"Higher Ground"	Stevie Wonder	3:40
6.	"Sexy Ida (Part 2)" (Not included on the original release)	Tina Turner	3:03

Wikipedia

AllMusic:
Score: 3 1/2

Ike & Tina split up in 1976 after a physical row in the car in Dallas, Tina running off, leaving her children behind. Arrangements were later made for splitting up their property and music business, and children. Tina was declared responsible for the legal obligations for the broken contracts.

Delilah's Power (1977)

Released by the record company after Ike and Tina had split. The recordings are from 1975. It's a listenable album, mostly in the synth accented rock style that they had slipped into, and which Tina would continue. But it's not a notable album.

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Released	1977
Recorded	1975
Genre	Rock, funk rock, R&B, funk, soul
Length	38:22
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner
Compiler	Alan Warner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Delilah's Power"	Tina Turner	2:57
2.	"Never Been to Spain"	Hoyt Axton	3:00
3.	"Unhappy Birthday"	Tina Turner	3:07
4.	"(You've Got to) Put Something into It"	Tina Turner	2:35
5.	"Nothing Comes to You When You're Asleep but a Dream"	Tina Turner	4:00
6.	"Stormy Weather" (Ethel Waters cover)	Ted Koehler, Harold Arlen	2.35

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
7.	"Sugar, Sugar" (The Archies cover)	Jeff Barry, Andy Kim	2:43
8.	"Too Much for One Woman"	Tina Turner	3:00
9.	"Trying to Find My Mind"	Tina Turner	3:50
10.	"Pick Me Up (Take Me Where Your Home Is)"	Leon Ware, Ike Turner, Tina Turner, Aillene Bullock	3:18
11.	"Too Many Women"	Tina Turner	3:34
12.	"I Want to Take You Higher" (Sly and the Family Stone cover from the single "Stand!")	Sly Stone	3:43

Wikipedia
AllMusic: - no review

Score: 3 1/2

Airwaves (1978)

A compilation of early recordings mostly not previously released on album put together by the record company. There appear to be no copies available anywhere on the internet at the moment. Songs available on YouTube are linked in the tracklist below.

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Released	1978
Genre	R&B, Soul
Label	United Artists
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Too Many Ties That Bind"	Ike Turner, J.R. Bailey, Johnny Northern	2:25
2.	"Strange" ^	Billy Preston, Ike Turner	3:01
3.	"He Don't Love You"	Ike Turner	2:32
4.	"Flee Flee Fla"	Ike Turner	2:19
5.	"Honey Child Baby"	Ike Turner	1:52

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Just Want Your Love Sometime"	Ike Turner	3:14
2.	"We Need An Understanding"	Ike Turner, Bailey, Northern	2:03
3.	"Two Is A Couple"	Ike Turner	2:21
4.	"It's My Time Now"	Ike Turner	3:28
5.	"Dear John"	Ike Turner	2:27

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 4 - no review

Score: 4

The Edge (1980)

This was released as an Ike Turner album, but Side A consists of recordings done by Ike & Tina when they were still together - all covers. Side B is Ike solo. There appear to be no copies available anywhere on the internet at the moment. Songs available on YouTube are linked in the tracklist below.

There's nothing of interest here. The best track is the cover of Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed", but even that is disappointing.

Released	1980
Studio	Bolic Sound
Genre	Funk, R&B
Label	Fantasy Records
Producer	Ike Turner

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Shame, Shame, Shame"	Sylvia Robinson	3:03
2.	"Lean on Me"	Bill Withers	3:36
3.	"Philadelphia Freedom"	Elton John, Bernie Taupin	4:12
4.	"Use Me"	Bill Withers	3:12
5.	"Only Women Bleed"	Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner	3:57

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Party Vibes"	Ike Turner	4:39
2.	"Lum Dum"	Ike Turner	3:35
3.	"No Other Woman"	Ike Turner	3:34
4.	"I Can't Believe It"	Ike Turner	3:35
5.	"I Don't Want Nobody"	Ike Turner	3:45

Wikipedia

AllMusic: - no review

Score: 3 (2)

Proud Mary: The Best of Ike & Tina Turner (1991)

A good summary of Ike & Tina's work together.

Greatest hits album by Ike & Tina Turner
Released	March 18, 1991
Recorded	1960s to 1970s
Genre	Southern soul rock
Length	71:11
Label	EMI
Producer	Ike Turner, Claude Williams, Gerhard Augustin, Juggy Murray, Denny Diante, Spencer Proffer, Ron Furmanek

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original release	Time
1.	"A Fool in Love"	Ike Turner	The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner (1961)	2:51
2.	"I Idolize You"	Ike Turner	The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner (1961)	2:49
3.	"I'm Jealous"	Ike Turner	The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner (1961)	2:11
4.	"It's Gonna Work Out Fine"	McCoy, McKinney	Dynamite (1962)	3:01
5.	"Poor Fool"	Ike Turner	Dynamite (1962)	2:32
6.	"Tra La La La La"	Ike Turner	Dynamite (1962)	2:38
7.	"You Should'a Treated Me Right"	Ike Turner	Dynamite (1962)	3:37
8.	"Come Together"	Lennon-McCartney	Come Together (1970)	3:39
9.	"Honky Tonk Women"	Mick Jagger, Keith Richards	Come Together (1970)	3:08
10.	"I Want to Take You Higher"	Sly Stone	Come Together (1970)	2:52
11.	"Workin' Together"	Ike Turner	Workin' Together (1970)	3:31
12.	"Proud Mary"	John Fogerty	Workin' Together (1970)	9:56
13.	"Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter"	Alline Bullock	Workin' Together (1970)	2:33
14.	"Ooh Poo Pah Doo"	Jessie Hill	Workin' Together (1970)	3:34
15.	"I'm Yours (Use Me Anyway You Wanna)"	Lane, Robertson, Blair, Reese	Non-album single (1971)	2:50
16.	"Up in Heah"	Tina Turner, Leon Ware	Non-album single (1972)	3:03
17.	"River Deep, Mountain High"	Spector, Barry, Greenwich	River Deep – Mountain High (1966)	3:28
18.	"Nutbush City Limits"	Tina Turner	Nutbush City Limits (1973)	2:58
19.	"Sweet Rhode Island Red"	Tina Turner	Sweet Rhode Island Red (1974)	3:15
20.	"Sexy Ida (Part 1)"	Tina Turner	Sweet Rhode Island Red (1974)	2:29
21.	"Sexy Ida (Part 2)"	Tina Turner	Sweet Rhode Island Red (1974)	3:01
22.	"Baby, Get It On"	Ike Turner	Acid Queen (1975)	3:10
23.	"Acid Queen"	Pete Townshend	Tommy (1975)	2:59

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 9

Score:

Discography

1961: The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner (8)
1962: Dance With Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm (2 1/2)
1962: Dynamite! (6)
1963: Don't Play Me Cheap (4)
1963: It's Gonna Work Out Fine (5)
1964: Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live (6)
1964: The Soul of Ike & Tina (4)
1965: Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show / (Vol. 2) (3 1/2)
1966: Get It – Get It (4)
1966: River Deep – Mountain High (6)
1968: So Fine (4)
1969: In Person (4)
1969: Outta Season (5)
1969: Cussin', Cryin' & Carryin' On (3)
1969: Get It Together (3)
1969: The Hunter (5)
1970: Come Together (5)
1970: Workin' Together (7)
1971: 'Nuff Said (5)
1971: Live In Paris (6)
1971: What You Hear Is What You Get- Live At Carnegie Hall (5)
1972: Feel Good (5)
1973: Let Me Touch Your Mind (4)
1973: Nutbush City Limits (4)
1973: The World Of Ike & Tina (3)
1974: The Gospel According to Ike & Tina (2 1/2)
1974: Sweet Rhode Island Red (3 1/2)
1977: Delilah's Power (3 1/2)
1978: Airwaves (4)
1980: The Edge (3)

* Discogs

Best albums:

1961: The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner (8)
1970: Workin' Together (7)
1962: Dynamite! (6)
1964: Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live (6)
1966: River Deep – Mountain High (6)
1971: Live In Paris (6)
1963: It's Gonna Work Out Fine (5)

1969: Outta Season (5)

1969: The Hunter (5)
1970: Come Together (5)

1971: 'Nuff Said (5)
1972: Feel Good (5)
1971: What You Hear Is What You Get- Live At Carnegie Hall (5)

Conclusion

Ike & Tina Turner were a moderately successful, if inconsistent, R&B act from 1961 to 1976 with a high energy and visually exiting stage act. Recorded material is mostly weak, relying mostly on derivative originals by Ike, and increasingly toward the end of their career covers and some equally derivative songs by Tina. Though both were capable of writing a decent song or two. They frequently changed record companies, and would reuse or rerecord their better songs. Many of the earlier albums are out of print and have not been reissued on CD. Though their main genre was R&B, they would move into other genres that were popular, and tried out blues, soul, pop, funk, gospel, country, and rock. Rock music worked for them, especially after touring as the support act for The Rolling Stones, when the rock audience embraced them.

Ike was the leader of the act, deciding what direction they would take, making all the business decisions, arranging the music, and playing the rhythm guitar. However, it is Tina's full throttle voice and stage persona that mark the band out as exceptional. She achieved greater commercial success and attention as a solo artist, though - notwithstanding some powerful and well staged concert performances when solo, and the very strong Private Dancer album - it is the work she did with Ike that is generally most respected.