‘River Deep Mountain High’: Why didn’t Ike and Tina Turner’s masterpiece feature Ike Turner?
You only need to watch old footage or hear those incredible recordings from the days of Ike and Tina Turner to realise that Tina was doing most of the heavy lifting when it came to the duo’s musical talent. Nevertheless, the iron fist that Ike Turner ruled with meant that he was afforded half the credit, even on the recordings he had nothing to do with.
After six years on the road, rubbing shoulders with their fellow R&B up-and-comers on the Chitlin’ Circuit and dusty backwaters of the United States, River Deep – Mountain High marked the pinnacle of Ike and Tina Turner’s performing prowess. A masterful crossover that blended the soulful stylings of the mid-1960s with the rock and roll spirit, which Tina Turner would go on to embrace in a solo capacity years later, the album’s eponymous lead single was a watershed moment for the group, yet the recording didn’t feature Ike Turner in any capacity.
Tina’s vocal and performance prowess earned her a lot of admirers during the days of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. Among them was the since-disgraced producer Phil Spector, who was then in the throes of his ‘Wall of Sound’ golden age, crafting pop perfection with the likes of The Ronettes and The Crystals.
Such was his adoration of Turner’s performance, in fact, that he invited her into the studio to lay down what would eventually become ‘River Deep – Mountain High’, written by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry alongside Spector himself.
According to soul star PP Arnold, who was at that time providing backing vocals for the couple as an ‘Ikette’, one of the conditions of that recording session was that Ike Turner wasn’t allowed in. Instead, Spector struck a deal with Ike to produce Tina and only Tina, and the husband relented, provided that his name still appeared on the release credits.
As was typical for Spector, the recording sessions for the track were gruelling, and Tina Turner later declared, “I must have sung that 500,000 times. I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing.” Reportedly, in the midst of those sessions, Spector attempted some reproach with Ike, inviting him to play guitar on the track, but he never showed up.
So, when ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ was eventually released, in all of its ‘Wall of Sound’ glory, back in 1966, it was credited to Ike and Tina Turner, but the former had no part to play in the single’s creation. Nevertheless, when the single was released, it helped to establish both of the Turners as a force for R&B mastery, particularly in the UK, where the single was a far bigger hit than it was in its native US.
Ike Turner’s omission from the studio sessions of the song speaks to his divisive, controlling nature both as a businessman and a husband. It is no secret, at this point, that he was essentially trying to keep Tina Turner under his thumb throughout their relationship, and the fact that her decision to record with Phil Spector had to be negotiated through Ike reflects the archaic nature of their musical and personal partnerships.
It wasn’t until 1976 that Tina Turner finally escaped her abusive marriage to Ike, in doing so bringing a final end to the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, but her subsequent solo career left her ex-husband in the dust pretty quickly. Arguably, the roots of that solo career were first planted with ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ back in 1966 – for all intents and purposes, it was a Tina Turner solo record, after all.
