I don't want to live in a world without Tina Turner.
I realise that's a sweeping statement, especially considering I've only mentioned her name 18 times since this blog began, which is nothing compared to many of the artists who pop up here. But when I think about the legends we've lost in this blog's lifetime - Bowie and Prince being the biggest, but then we get onto Aretha, Tom Petty, Chuck Berry, Meat Loaf, Glen Campbell, George Michael... all the rest... well, Tina's up there with the best of them. She is a legend, and growing up in the 80s, she was always there, with her huge hair, her enormous smile, her high-kicking, sassy-strutting legs, the lips that could give Jagger a run for his money, the sheer charisma and star quality that transcended the music and made her seem untouchable, immortal.
And then there's the music. So many great songs, or (particularly in the latter part of her career) songs that would have been average if given to any other performer, but Tina made them live. Of course, average is not the word for the song below, recorded when she was just 27 in 1966, but still one of the greatest performances ever committed to vinyl.
Ike had nothing to do with that one. He just did a deal with Spector to take his usual cut of the money. The record itself was considered a flop at the time. We all know the stories. They're part of the legend. And legends shouldn't ever die. They should stay alive forever.
Tina Turner's name gets dropped in hundreds of pop songs. The majority of them are rap records which occasionally make reference to her turbulent private life, but more often channel her as a metaphor for strength, resilience and power. Here's one that doesn't quite do all that, but I dug it anyway...
Beyond rap, here are a few tunes that will help maintain her legacy, starting with a typically self-effacing (!) tribute from Little Richard himself...
Ike and Tina Turner got an earthquake sound
But I'm the man from Macon and I'm gonna put 'em down!
Next up, the great Betty Davis, who places Tina in fine company...
Stevie Wonder
Tina Turner
Al Green, y'all
Ann Peebles
They were born with it
And they're gonna, aah, they're gonna leave here
With it because it's in their blood
An now here's Elton!
Walk a mile in my tennis shoes
Tina Turner gave me the highway blues
But I don't love nobody but you, honey
Speaking of Elton, here's one of his favourite bands of the 21st Century...
I'm a modern dude
I eat all that modern food
But when it comes to bump-n-grind
I'm Tina Turner, '69
Kimya Dawson certainly sees Tina as a lady who could survive anything...
He came home on acid I was holding his shotgun
I was dressed like Tina Turner in Beyond Thunderdome
He said, 'don't shoot', I said, 'I won't, I love you, you're my friend'
I handed him my wig and shot myself in the head
Then I stuffed a box of tissues in the hole in my skull
I got in my Mazda and I drove to the mall
Meanwhile, Lion Babe just wants to be Tina...
And here's someone else who stole a few pages from the Tina Turner playbook...
Come and get, get, get, it baby
For me and the whiskey’s gone
You ain’t no Tina Turner, get your Nutbush City on
Which is as good an excuse as any to play the second greatest Tina Turner tune...
Next, here's Rod, doing his jazz man thing...
I've been consulted by Hilary C
And Tina Turner had me to tea
But now I'm broken hearted
Cause I can't get started with you
Rod and Tina probably did have tea together after recording the tune below... which isn't as good as the original (because nothing could be), but it's better than you remember...
Speaking of duets, there's a strong argument for this being Bryan Adams's finest moment outside the Summer of '69...
Even punk rockers love Tina. Here's your evidence, from old school New York punks, the unfortunately monickered Queers.
Well, I saved up from mowing all those lawns
To buy Tina Turner records that she wants
Wouldn't it be neat
Wouldn't it be sweet
If she was serving me beer all day long?
From punk to reggae, they all loved Tina...
Sweeping up now, but I did like this one...
While this jury's still out on this...
Today's final song, I had in mind from the start. It's the best track from my 17th favourite record of last year, and it seems the most appropriate to play on the day we mourn another lost legend...
When my mother was 19
She'd dance to Tina
Tina Turner
And the hallway bеcome a catwalk
And she'd go to the show
No, thеy just don't
Make 'em like that no more
An excellent tribute, Rol. My parents liked Tina Turner's music. I think she was often cited (along with Status Quo) as an example of good music and longevity against the 'here today gone tomorrow' rubbish that I liked (ironically, the likes of Julian Cope, Depeche Mode and OMD who are all still going).
ReplyDeleteI've warmed to more of Tina 1980s material but I'd agree with your description of River Deep Mountain High as "one of the greatest performances ever committed to vinyl".