Ike Wister Turner (November 5, 1931 - December 12, 2007) was an American gu… Read Full Bio ↴Ike Wister Turner (November 5, 1931 - December 12, 2007) was an American guitarist, pianist, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer. Considered to be one of the fathers of rock and roll, his first recording, "Rocket 88" (incorrectly credited to "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats") in 1951, is considered by some to be the "first rock and roll song" ever. Turner is probably best known for his work with his ex-wife, Tina Turner as one half of the Ike & Tina Turner revue. In a career that lasted half a century, Ike's repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 (with Tina). Turner won two Grammy Awards.

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."

Land Of 1000 Dances
Ike Turner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One, two, three!
One, two, three!
You gotta know how to pony like Bony Maronie
Mashed Potato, do the Alligator
Put your hands on your hips, let your back-bone slip
Do the Watusi, like my little Lucy
Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Need somebody to help me say it one time

Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
You know I feel alright.
Feel pretty good y'all.

Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Need somebody to help me say it one time
Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
Dance with me honey, like Long Tall Sally
Twistin' with Lucy, doin the Watusi
Gotta hold of your back, I like it like that

Do the Jerk, watch me work
Ah, do it!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ike Turner's song "Land Of 1000 Dances" are a call to dance and have fun. The song encourages listeners to let loose and try different dance moves, as well as to invite others to join in the fun. Ike Turner sings "You gotta know how to pony like Bony Maronie," referencing a dance move popularized by Larry Williams' song "Bony Moronie." He then goes on to suggest doing other dances such as the Mashed Potato, the Alligator, and the Watusi. Turner also mentions dancing with his partner Lucy and calls for doing the Jerk dance move.

The song's lyrics are filled with energy and excitement, encouraging listeners to let go of their inhibitions and enjoy the moment. There is a strong sense of camaraderie, with Turner asking for someone to join him in singing the song and to dance with him. The song's refrain, "Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na," is a call to join him in singing and having fun.

Overall, "Land Of 1000 Dances" is a song that celebrates dance and unity. It encourages listeners to let their hair down and enjoy the moment, creating a sense of community through shared experiences.

Line by Line Meaning

One, two, three!
The song is about dancing, and this line sets the rhythm for the listener to start moving along with the beat.

You gotta know how to pony like Bony Maronie
The lyrics are giving instructions on how to dance, specifically the Pony dance like Bony Maronie, which involves shifting side to side as if riding a pony.

Mashed Potato, do the Alligator
Along with the Pony dance, different dance moves like the Mashed Potato and Alligator are introduced as other options for the dancer to try.

Put your hands on your hips, let your back-bone slip
More instructions on how to move are provided, with the suggestion to place hands on hips and allow the backbone to slip into a fluid movement.

Do the Watusi, like my little Lucy
Another dance style -- the Watusi -- is introduced, with reference to someone named Lucy who perhaps danced it well.

Na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na, na na na, na na na na.
This repeated refrain does not hold any significant meaning, and only serves as a fun and catchy part of the song.

Need somebody to help me say it one time
The lyrics move away from dance instructions to acknowledge the desire for a chorus of voices to join along in the fun.

You know I feel alright.
This line is a way of expressing that the dancing and overall atmosphere feels good to the singer and whoever is listening along.

Feel pretty good y'all.
This line follows up on the previous one, with the same sentiment expressed but with a colloquial twist.

Dance with me honey, like Long Tall Sally
The lyrics revert back to dancing, with an invitation to dance like the singer's version of Long Tall Sally.

Twistin' with Lucy, doin the Watusi
Lucy -- the previously mentioned dancer -- is brought back into the lyrics, as the singer recommends doing the Watusi while twisting with her.

Gotta hold of your back, I like it like that
The lyrics are describing the movements required for the dance, potentially with a romantic undertone as the singer mentions liking the way the other person's back is held.

Do the Jerk, watch me work
The Jerk -- another dance move -- is introduced with a playful dare to watch the singer perform it.

Ah, do it!
The song concludes with a final push to continue dancing and enjoying oneself, further emphasizing the goal of the song being to inspire movement and fun times.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christopher Kenner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS