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."
Sexy Ida
Ike Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause she's the sister of a black widow spider
Don't try your love on sexy Ida
You might as well try it with the spider
She's got his long black hair
It's a hangin' on down her back
Long black pretty legs
Hypnotic eyes
And a stacked up love sacks
She not only wants your love
She wants your life after that don't do it
Don't give your love to sexy Ida
'Cause she's the sister of a black widow spider
Don't try your love on sexy Ida
You might as well try it on the spider
And she's got a kingsized bed
With satin sheets of love
And you'll never wanna leave now
The web of love she weaves but I'll tell you, now
Don't give your love to sexy Ida
'Cause she's the sister of a black widow spider
Don't try your love on sexy Ida
You might as well try it on the spider
You gotta beware of sexy Ida
'Cause she tries to look co sweef and kind
But her looks can be deceivin'
'Cause her love is like strychnine
Don't give your love to sexy Ida
'Cause she's the sister of a black widow spider
Don't try your love on sexy Ida
You might as well try it on the spider
Don't give your love to sexy Ida
'Cause she's the sister of a black widow spider
In Ike Turner's song "Sexy Ida," the singer warns against falling in love with a woman named Ida who is compared to a Black Widow Spider. The lyrics caution that Ida is not to be trusted as her love is deadly and dangerous, similar to the venomous bite of a spider. The song describes Ida's alluring appearance, with long black hair, hypnotic eyes, and a seductive walk that is compared to that of a cat. She is also described as having a king-sized bed with satin sheets of love that will ensnare and trap her lover. However, the song urges listeners to resist her charms as Ida's love will ultimately lead to their destruction.
The lyrics of "Sexy Ida" are rich in metaphor and imagery, using the Black Widow Spider as a powerful symbol of danger and temptation. The song warns against the seductive powers of beauty and cautions against falling prey to those who use their allure for their own gain. Ida is portrayed as a femme fatale, a dangerous and alluring woman who will use her lover and then discard him.
Despite its dark themes, "Sexy Ida" is one of Ike Turner's most memorable songs and has endured as a classic of blues and rock music. Its use of powerful metaphors and vivid imagery has helped it to remain relevant over the years, and it has been covered by many other artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't give your love to sexy Ida
Don't fall for Ida's charms
'Cause she's the sister of a black widow spider
She's dangerous like her sister spider
Don't try your love on sexy Ida
Don't attempt to love her
You might as well try it with the spider
It's as futile as loving a spider
She's got his long black hair
She has long black hair that belongs to someone else
It's a hangin' on down her back
Her hair is long and hangs down her back
Long black pretty legs
She has long, pretty legs
And she walks just like a cat
She moves gracefully like a cat
Hypnotic eyes
Her eyes are captivating
And a stacked up love sacks
She wants more than just love
She not only wants your love
She wants more than just love
She wants your life after that don't do it
She wants to trap you in her dangerous love
And she's got a kingsized bed
She has a large bed fit for royalty
With satin sheets of love
Her bed is covered in luxurious satin sheets
And you'll never wanna leave now
You'll be trapped in her love and never want to leave
The web of love she weaves but I'll tell you, now
She's weaving a web of dangerous love
You gotta beware of sexy Ida
You have to be careful around her
'Cause she tries to look co sweef and kind
She tries to appear sweet and kind
But her looks can be deceivin'
But her appearance is misleading
'Cause her love is like strychnine
Because her love is poisonous
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TINA TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TalkinnGrubbinMedia
How many of y'all came here because of "How High"?
@datniggaking9873
Lolll me mind Blowin They Made Dis Song
@robertmitchell8744
Me
@70impala10
Same I just watched it lol
@MusicLoverPearson
I came here becasue i was around when this song came out?
@animefan25
I had no idea that Tina Turner performed that song.
@dennisjefferson8028
Tina Turner passed away today and this was the first song that came to mind if her name is ever put in the dictionary the definition should just say WOW.
@mondocjenson-dy8zd
If I am correct she was a business name in her own right and she parted ways with Ike and gave him 💵 💰 for good measure. I remember when that album with Private 💃 Dancer. She was a megastar
@TM-pj7yu
Reminded me of How High. I boogie when my feet start moving lol fr
@_l_Huban0
I was watching now how high and reminded me of the song :))