Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on November 5, 1931, to Beatrice Cushenberry, a seamstress, and Izear Luster Turner, a Baptist minister. Ike got his first taste the music business at the age of eight, helping the DJ at a local Clarksdale radio station, WROX.
Turner was soon carrying amplifiers for blues singer Robert Nighthawk, who often played live on WROX. Growing up, Turner's idol Pinetop Perkins helped teach the young Ike to play boogie-woogie on the piano. Ike soon was enamored of other blues artists such as Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), Charley Booker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Little Walter.
Ike Turner's actual music career began in earnest in the late-1940s where he formed a group he christened Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm. In 1951, the band recorded what some historians have called "the first rock and roll record" with "Rocket 88", credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (this band did not actually exist). Brenston was both the band's saxophonist and the lead vocalist of the song, and on the original Chess release was listed as the song's writer. "Rocket 88" was produced at Sun Studio in Memphis by Sam Phillips. The record was one of the first examples of guitar distortion, which happened by accident when one of the amplifiers was dropped before the recording.
Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm settled into local fame in St. Louis where the band locally recorded for a St. Louis label and even appeared on local television shows. Throughout this early period, Turner became a recording scout and A&R man for independent record companies including Sun Records, helping the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and Otis Rush get signed. He also became a sideman playing guitar for these blues acts and more. Musically, Turner was known for his hard-hitting guitar style. He was known to put the whammy bar of his Fender Stratocaster to frequent use.
Turner's music career changed drastically after meeting a teenage singer from Nutbush, Tennessee, named Anna Mae Bullock, who demandingly grabbed a microphone during a singing session at one of St. Louis' nightspots and sang a B.B. King song in her now-trademark throated raspy vocals. Bullock's performance impressed Ike so much he allowed Anna to join his band as a background singer. However within a year, Ike's plans for Bullock changed after Anna recorded what he originally stated was a demo for a song that was to be sung by a male vocalist. After hearing her vocals, he let it be released under an independent label and in the process changed the name of the singer from Anna Mae Bullock to Tina Turner - naming her after Sheena - and the name of the band to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. It is believed that this singular act is what propelled Tina Turner into the spotlight. "A Fool in Love" became a national hit in early 1960, reaching the top three in the R&B charts and becoming a top thirty pop hit in the process. From then until 1976, Ike & Tina Turner became one of the most explosive duos in rock & soul music.
After Tina abruptly left Ike after a violent altercation in 1976, Ike lost ground in the national music market. As a solo artist, he struggled to find success after Tina and after releasing two failed solo albums, had found himself facing drug and weapons charges, of which he was convicted in 1989.
When Ike was released from prison in 1993, he was met at the prison gate by Jeanette Bazzell who later became his wife. Jeanette was instrumental in helping Ike rebuild his career. She replaced Tina as Ike's lead singer and eventually they toured the world playing many blues festivals. After the intense negative publicity generated against him as a wife abuser by Tina's movie, "What's Love Got to Do with It", Ike's acceptance in the USA as a legendary blues artist and composer was limited, though better in other countries. During this time he recorded two solo albums in his own studio, and he wrote his autobiography called Taking Back My Name. He also re-recorded "I'm Blue" in a duet style with Billy Rogers. The remake received strong reviews from Billboard Magazine.
Ike was back on the road and back into recording music, which continued until his death. In 2001, Ike released the Grammy-nominated Here & Now album. In 2005, he appeared on the Gorillaz' album, Demon Days, playing piano on the track, "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead". In 2007, Ike won his first solo Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for the album, Risin' With the Blues. Shortly before his death, a collaboration between Turner and The Black Keys was planned, but the project would never be completed, .
Turner died on December 12, 2007 at 76 years of age at his home in San Marcos, California, near San Diego. Little Richard was asked by the family to speak at the funeral. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Turner died from a cocaine overdose complicated by "[...] other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema."
Golden Empire
Ike Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
More than darkness in the depths
See him surface in every shadow
On the wind, I feel his breath
Goldeneye, I found his weakness
Goldeneye, he'll do what I please
Goldeneye, no time for sweetness
But a bitter kiss will bring him to his knees
From the shadows as a child
You'll never know how it feels to be the one
Who's left behind
You'll never know the days, the nights
The tears, the tears I've cried
But now my time has come
And time, time is not on your side
See him move through smoke and mirrors
The lyrics of Ike Turner's song "Golden Empire" tell a tale of secrecy, power, and revenge. The singer, whose identity remains hidden, observes someone closely referred to as "him" or "Goldeneye." The reflections on the water and darkness in the depths symbolize the hidden secrets and darker aspects of this individual's character. The singer senses his presence in every shadow and feels his influence like a breath on the wind.
"Goldeneye" represents this individual's vulnerability or weak spot. The singer knows this weakness and plans to exploit it to manipulate and control him. There is no room for sweetness or kindness in their approach; instead, it will take a bitter kiss or a harsh action to bring this person to their knees.
The lyrics suggest a history between the two characters, with the singer confessing to having observed Goldeneye from the shadows since childhood. They have experienced the pain of being left behind and the sorrow of countless days and nights, filled with tears shed over this person's actions. However, now is their time to take revenge, and time is not on Goldeneye's side. The final line adds an element of mystery, as it implies that Goldeneye moves through smoke and mirrors, further emphasizing his elusive nature.
Overall, "Golden Empire" portrays a story of a protagonist who has patiently observed and bided their time, and is now ready to seize control and bring their nemesis down.
Line by Line Meaning
See reflections on the water
Observe the mirrored images on the surface of the water
More than darkness in the depths
There is a greater significance or understanding that lies beneath the surface
See him surface in every shadow
Notice his emergence or presence in every concealed or hidden aspect
On the wind, I feel his breath
Sensitize to his influence or power that can be felt subtly like a breeze
Goldeneye, I found his weakness
Identifying his vulnerability or point of weakness as 'Goldeneye'
Goldeneye, he'll do what I please
He will obey or follow my instructions as desired, being under my control
Goldeneye, no time for sweetness
No room or opportunity for pleasant or affectionate gestures
But a bitter kiss will bring him to his knees
However, a cold or harsh action will humble or defeat him
You'll never know how I watched you
You will never understand the extent to which I observed or monitored you
From the shadows as a child
From a concealed or hidden position since childhood
You'll never know how it feels to be the one
You will never experience the emotions of being the person
Who's left behind
Who is abandoned or left in a disadvantaged position
You'll never know the days, the nights
You will never comprehend the duration of time, the darkness
The tears, the tears I've cried
The sorrowful tears that I have shed
But now my time has come
However, the time of retribution or opportunity has finally arrived
And time, time is not on your side
Time is not in your favor or working in your advantage
See him move through smoke and mirrors
Witness his deceptive or illusory movements
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IKE TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind