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."
Rocket 88
Ike Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You heard the noise they make
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88
Yes, it's great, just won't wait
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Baby, we'll will ride in style movin' all along
V-8 motor and this modern design
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy
Blow your horn, rocket, blow your horn
Step in my rocket and don't be late
We're pullin' out about a half past eight
Goin' on the corner and havin' some fun
Takin' my rocket on a long, hot run
Ooh, goin' out, oozin' and cruisin' and havin' fun
Now that you've ridden in my Rocket '88
I'll be around every night about eight
You know it's great, don't be late
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Girls will ride in style, movin' all along
The song "Rocket 88" by Ike Turner tells the story of a man introducing a new type of car to a woman, specifically the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. The lyrics mention the car's V-8 engine and modern design that attract attention from both men and women. The song is essentially a celebration of the car and its ability to provide a stylish and exciting ride.
The lyrics also suggest that the car is not just a mode of transportation, but also a symbol of the driver's social status and popularity. The line "Everybody likes my Rocket '88" implies that the car is a coveted item among the community, creating a sense of pride for the driver. Additionally, the references to "sportin' with me" and "movin' all along" suggest that the car is not just a way to get around but a source of enjoyment and entertainment.
Line by Line Meaning
You woman have heard of jalopies
You ladies may be familiar with old, run-down cars
You heard the noise they make
You know the clunky, loud sounds they produce
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88
May I present to you my sleek and modern Rocket ‘88’ car
Yes, it's great, just won't wait
It's an amazing car that's always ready for a drive
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Everyone loves my awesome Rocket '88'
Baby, we'll will ride in style movin' all along
We will travel around in my stylish car in a smooth and fashionable manner
V-8 motor and this modern design
It boasts a powerful V-8 engine with a contemporary aesthetic
Black convertible top and the girls don't mind
Its sleek black top is so attractive that the ladies don't mind riding in it with the top down
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy
Having the car in my possession makes me feel good and we'll cruise around town for pleasure
Blow your horn, rocket, blow your horn
I'm proud of my car, so I want it to show off by honking its horn
Step in my rocket and don't be late
Enter my car quickly and be on time for our adventure
We're pullin' out about a half past eight
Our journey starts at eight-thirty pm and we're ready for a night out
Goin' on the corner and havin' some fun
We'll drive around the corner, and have a good time
Takin' my rocket on a long, hot run
I'll take my fabulous car on a long and exciting journey
Ooh, goin' out, oozin' and cruisin' and havin' fun
It will be an enjoyable experience while driving my car leisurely with my companions
Now that you've ridden in my Rocket '88
Now that you have experienced what it's like to ride in my Rocket '88'
I'll be around every night about eight
I'll be available every night at eight to ride around in my car
You know it's great, don't be late
You know my car is fantastic, so be on time for the drive
Girls will ride in style, movin' all along
Ladies will have a fantastic and fashionable time while being transported around town
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: JACKIE BRENSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thebrazilianatlantis165
@@VogonPoet67 "Move It On Over" and "Guitar Boogie" are "hillbilly boogie," which became popular in about 1945. Blues with some backbeat had been around in the '20s and '30s. Tampa Red had been playing guitar boogie in about 1940 -- and that wasn't rock and roll either. All the known rock and roll recordings made before mid-1949, such as "Rock The Joint" by Jimmy Preston and "Rock And Roll" by Wild Bill Moore, are by R&B artists. All. That sound was called "rockers" in Billboard in 1949 and Albennie "Rock And Roll" Harris was using that nickname in print that year, the year she recorded the rocker "Jump And Shout." Rockabilly was that rock and roll sound mixed with "hillbilly" (i.e. C&W), and the first known example of rockabilly is by Hardrock Gunter in 1950. Country music was mixed with rock and roll from 1950 onward, whenever it was that was rockabilly (that was the year Haley got interested in doing so too btw, and what he got interested in was e.g. "Rock The Joint" recreated as partly country), and rock and roll had been invented before 1950 by black artists, not country artists.
Elvis, in press conferences in the '50s, said rock and roll was invented by black artists. The nth myth that whenever something important happens white people must have been around too, as it were, was nurtured by the imagination of white writers in the '60s-'80s. But Elvis e.g. knew better.
"no one did" Bill Moore, Wynonie Harris, Roy Brown, Jimmy Preston -- people like that in about 1947-1949, e.g. "We're Gonna Rock" 1947 by Moore. They were professional jump blues musicians making up a new sound to sell to black kids, which is why e.g. the black poet Al Young recalled that some black parents didn't approve of the black-deejayed show "Rocking With Leroy," which was around in 1947 (and Moore recorded a tribute to it in _1947_), years before Freed decided to have a similar show that started in 1951. The initial audience for the rock and roll sound was young black people who wanted to hear something new, which it was.
"Gospel was also influential on early... rock and roll" The rock and roll sound originated as black jump blues performed by black professional jump blues musicians as if it were black gospel as a sacrilegious joke.
"she basically invented the guitar solo"' No, as we know it it was basically popularized in U.S. commercial music by Eddie Lang (Lonnie Johnson's favorite guitarist, he said) when she was about 13. That led by the early '30s to people like Scrapper Blackwell, and T-Bone Walker's favorite guitarist was Blackwell, and T-Bone was a huge direct and indirect influence on the rock-and-roll-era guitarists.
"that many of the godfathers of rock" Chuck began recording for Chess in 1955, which is e.g. 6 years after Chris Powell recorded "Rock The Joint" and Albennie Jones recorded "Hole In The Wall." Chuck was one of the best, not one of the first. (Richard, like Sam Phillips, lied regarding chronology.)
Tharpe's talent was widely admired, and as with e.g. Bill Monroe, what that has to do with whether she was one of the people inventing the rock and roll sound in the late '40s is nothing. Buddy Holly recorded in 1949. But he wasn't into rock and roll yet then, so we don't pretend he was. Tharpe recorded no rock and roll in the late '40s either -- and didn't even approve of sacrilegious jokes.
@billchew450
Whatever one might think of Ike Turner as a human being, you Can't overstate the influence he had on rock and blues.
@thebrazilianatlantis165
On the contrary, people routinely do.
@sidneycarroll1058
Tina lies a lot,and ought be ashamed of herself,about some of what she said.
@tomasjones3755
Yeah.... I grew up w Ike Jr, when they lived in Ladera Heights [West L.A.]
Ike was noooooo gem, as a human being
@Ap-nv1hk
night hawk how did they do that?
@conchobar
Ike was no worse than your typical rock star. People have a right to hate him, but they need to take their blinders off because they probably love listening to plenty of other wife abusers.
@Jakedasnake1066
Rocket 88 is considered by most to be the first rock n roll song because it's the first song that uses distortion to affect the sound of the guitar. When they were driving to the studio to record, the guitar amp fell off the roof of the car, and they had to prop it up with wadded up newspaper, creating that buzz that you hear in the song.
@AllBobsAllTheTime
Great tune but considered "the first rock'n'roll song" because of Sam Philips' relentless p/r work - check out the aforementioned Hucklebuck, The Fat Man, and a couple of great covers: Wynonie Harris Good Rockin' Tonight and Jimmy Preston Oh Babe.
@kennycab3374
Was it Ikes guitar amp that fell off the car?
@eldesgraciado6690
Maybe Ike beat the crap out of the amp. The amp had to perform all messed up.