Turner began her career with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm in 1957. Under the name Little Ann, she appeared on her first record, "Boxtop", in 1958. In 1960, she debuted as Tina Turner with the hit duet single "A Fool in Love". The duo Ike & Tina Turner became "one of the most formidable live acts in history". They released hits such as "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", "River Deep – Mountain High", "Proud Mary", and "Nutbush City Limits" before disbanding in 1976.
In the 1980s, Turner launched "one of the greatest comebacks in music history". Her 1984 multi-platinum album Private Dancer contained the hit song "What's Love Got to Do with It", which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became her first and only number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. At age 44, she was the oldest female solo artist to top the Hot 100. Her chart success continued with "Better Be Good to Me", "Private Dancer", "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)", "Typical Male", "The Best", "I Don't Wanna Fight", and "GoldenEye". During her Break Every Rule World Tour in 1988, she set a then-Guinness World Record for the largest paying audience (180,000) for a solo performer.
Turner also acted in the films Tommy (1975), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), and Last Action Hero (1993). In 1993, What's Love Got to Do with It, a biographical film adapted from her autobiography I, Tina: My Life Story, was released. In 2009, Turner retired after completing her Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour, which is the 15th highest-grossing tour of the 2000s. In 2018, she became the subject of the jukebox musical Tina.
Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, Turner became one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She received 12 Grammy Awards, which include eight competitive awards, three Grammy Hall of Fame awards, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was the first black artist, and first woman, to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone ranked her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Turner has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame. She was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. She was a 2005 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and Women of the Year award.
In 2020, she came out of retirement to collaborate with Norwegian producer Kygo on a remix of "What's Love Got to Do with It". With this release, she became the first artist to have a top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades in the UK.
Studio albums
Tina Turns the Country On! (1974)
Acid Queen (1975)
Rough (1978)
Love Explosion (1979)
Private Dancer (1984)
Break Every Rule (1986)
Foreign Affair (1989)
Wildest Dreams (1996)
Twenty Four Seven (1999)
Nutbush City Limits
Tina Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A school house, outhouse
On highway number nineteen
The people keep the city clean
They call it Nutbush, oh Nutbush
They call it Nutbush city limits
Twenty-five was the speed limit
You go t'the store on Fridays
You go to church on Sundays
They call it Nutbush, been a long time, oh Nutbush
They call it Nutbush city limits
You go to the fields on week days
And have a picnic on Labor Day
You go to town on Saturday
But go to church every Sunday
They call it Nutbush, oh Nutbush
They call it Nutbush city limits
No whiskey for sale
You get caught, no bail
Salt pork and molasses
Is all you get in jail
They call it Nutbush, oh Nutbush
Yeah they call it Nutbush city
Nutbush city limits
A little old town in Tennessee, it's called
Quiet little old community, a one-horse town
You have to watch what you're puttin' down
In old Nutbush, they call it Nutbush
City Limits, Tina Turner’s fast-paced rock, and roll classic from 1973, gives us a peek into the simple and minimal lifestyle of a small town. The lyrics talk about the various aspects of life in Nutbush, a small town in Tennessee, which is often overlooked by many. The song opens with the line, "A church house, gin house, a school house, outhouse, on highway number nineteen, the people keep the city clean." This line suggests that the town is self-sufficient and the community members ensure cleanliness, despite a lack of modern amenities.
The song goes on to describe the community's lifestyle through its daily activities, which include going to fields on weekdays, picnics on Labor Day, and church every Sunday. The song suggests that there is very little social life outside of these activities. The exclusion of any mention of thriving businesses or entertainment shows that Nutbush is a small town with a limited range of livelihood options. The line, "No whiskey for sale, you get caught, no bail. Salt pork and molasses is all you get in jail," hints at the town's strict moral code, which even extends to its law enforcement. The song's chorus, "They call it Nutbush, oh Nutbush, they call it Nutbush city limits," suggests that the town is not a city, but its importance and identity are limited to its small city limits.
Line by Line Meaning
A church house, gin house
In Nutbush, there are both places of worship and places to consume alcohol
A school house, outhouse
In Nutbush, there are both educational institutions and outdoor toilets
On highway number nineteen
Nutbush is located on a specific highway
The people keep the city clean
The residents of Nutbush are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the city
They call it Nutbush, oh Nutbush
The residents of Nutbush refer to their city by this name
They call it Nutbush city limits
This is the official name of Nutbush according to its residents
Twenty-five was the speed limit
The maximum speed allowed within Nutbush is 25 miles per hour
Motorcycle not allowed in it
Motorcycles are prohibited from being ridden within Nutbush
You go t'the store on Fridays
Residents of Nutbush typically shop on Fridays
You go to church on Sundays
It is customary for residents of Nutbush to attend church on Sundays
They call it Nutbush, been a long time, oh Nutbush
The name Nutbush has been around for a long time
You go to the fields on week days
During the week, Nutbush residents work in the fields
And have a picnic on Labor Day
On Labor Day, Nutbush residents typically have picnics
You go to town on Saturday
On Saturdays, Nutbush residents will usually visit the town
But go to church every Sunday
Despite other weekend activities, attending church on Sunday is still a priority for residents of Nutbush
No whiskey for sale
Alcohol (specifically whiskey) is not available for purchase within Nutbush
You get caught, no bail
If caught with alcohol in Nutbush, there is no chance of being bailed out
Salt pork and molasses
If incarcerated in Nutbush, inmates are provided with very basic food (salt pork and molasses)
Is all you get in jail
This basic food is the only sustenance provided within Nutbush's jail system
Yeah they call it Nutbush city
Another way in which this city is known
Nutbush city limits
The official border of the city
A little old town in Tennessee, it's called
Nutbush is a small, old town located in Tennessee
Quiet little old community, a one-horse town
Nutbush is a peaceful, small community that is only able to support one horse
You have to watch what you're puttin' down
Residents must be mindful of what they leave behind in Nutbush
In old Nutbush, they call it Nutbush
Although the town may be old, it is still referred to as Nutbush
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tina Turner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kathleengordon5623
Whos listening and rockin in 2024? ❤
@TJB2024
Never stop listening to greatness ❤
@christopherolsen1123
Rest in peace Tina Turner. Strong, smart, independent, and damn sexy. What an incredible human being. Setting a great example of getting away from an abusive relationship and having the courage to go out on her own.
We have lost an icon and Heaven has gained an Angel.
@mrsfox31
👏👏🖤
@Takvselijak
😥
@babsduk5182
This comment made me shed a tear, for real.
@kimyoung1720
My favorite Tina ❤
@williamrae9954
As a huge Jimmy Barnes fan from his home city, Glasgow, I feel like I owe her an apology on his behalf for letting her down...the World missed an amazing duet through his alcoholism... RIP Goddess of music!
@steelcurtainsteeler2249
Are y'all watching this? nothing needs to be said here, Tina simply was the center of attention and the straw that stirred the milk and Ike knew it.. Tina's voice and those dance moves are electrifying, mesmerizing and spell-binding, I cannot get enough of watching this video.. what a gift and treasure God gave us in Tina Turner, RIP Tina... Well Done!
@beammeupscotty6516
Right Ike knew it the didn’t even want to work with him they all wanted to record with Tina. Who could not love a woman as amazing as this 😢