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."
So fine
Ike Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So fine, yeah!
And babe you're mine
You make me walk
You make me talk
About you
Oh, there's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you
Because you're
So fine
And every time we meet,
My heart skips a beat.
You're in my first cup of coffee,
Gonna be my last cup of tea
Because you're
So, fine!
And babe you're mine
You make me walk
You make me talk
About you
The lyrics to Ike Turner/Tina Turner's song "So Fine" speak to the intense feelings of love and infatuation that the singer has for their significant other. The repeated refrain of "So fine" emphasizes the overwhelming attraction that the singer feels towards their partner. The lyrics also convey a sense of devotion and willingness to do anything for the object of their affection, with lines like "there's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you."
The line "My heart skips a beat" highlights the physical effects that being in love can have, while the reference to coffee and tea suggests that the singer's love for their partner is a constant presence in their life, from morning until night.
Overall, the lyrics of "So Fine" express the depth of emotion that comes with being in love, and the feeling that one's partner is the most important thing in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
So fine
You are really beautiful
So fine, yeah!
You are so beautiful, I can't help but express it with joy
And babe you're mine
I am lucky to have you as my partner
You make me walk
You encourage and motivate me to do things
You make me talk
You inspire me to speak my mind and express my feelings
About you
I can't stop talking about how wonderful you are
Oh, there's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you
I am willing to go to any lengths to make you happy
Because you're So fine
Your beauty and personality are unmatched
And every time we meet, My heart skips a beat.
Being with you makes me really happy and excited
You're in my first cup of coffee, Gonna be my last cup of tea
You are the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing I think of at night
Because you're So, fine!
Your beauty and personality continue to amaze me
And babe you're mine
I am grateful to have you in my life
You make me walk
You encourage and motivate me to do things
You make me talk
You inspire me to speak my mind and express my feelings
About you
I can't stop talking about how wonderful you are
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY OTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frederic BÂ (Rockin' BArt) des HOAXERS
Excellent !! Awesome
Dennis Elber
Never heard this version, very cool
Robert S
Incredible
Dwight Bernheimer
Thank you for finding THIS old clip...
Roberto Alonge
Huge !!!