Nutbush City Limits is one of the best known album from Ike & Tina because of it’s title track about Tina’s hometown. Beside of this track, a total of five songs were written by Tina and it includes also a different version of River Deep, Mountain High. The song „Make Me Over“ was re-recorded by Tina in 1993 under the different title „Tina’s Wish“ for the soundtrack album What’s Love Got To Do With It. The album was re-issued on compact many times - among others on the double CD Nutbush City Limits / Feel Good in 2006.
Producer: Ike Turner for I & TT Productions Inc.
Recorded: Bolic Sound, June - September 1973
Photographer: Fred Valentine
Illustrations: Dave Willardson
Design: Lloyd Ziff
Release: November 1973 / Various (Reissue)
Label: United Artists / Various (Reissue)
Format: Vinyl / Cassette / Cartridge / CD
Charts: USA: #21 (R&B) / Germany: #21
Tracks
- Nutbush City Limits 2:57
- Make Me Over 3:05
- Drift Away 3:18
- That’s My Purpose 4:41
- Fancy Annie 2:20
- River Deep, Mountain High 4:01
- Get It Out Of Your Mind 3:16
- Daily Bread 2:45
- You’re My Sunshine 3:20
- Club Manhattan 2:53
Singles
The title track Nutbush City Limits is one of Ike & Tina's biggest hits, especially in Europe. Tina wrote the lyrics, because the melody reminds her of her hometown Nutbush. The duo performed this song at several TV-Shows for promotion and live in their concerts, but strangely enough no live version was released on any album. Nutbush is one of the few Ike & Tina songs which Tina even performed in her concerts after the divorce from Ike. She also re-recorded it as a dance version in 1991 for her Simply The Best greatest hits collection and once again for the 1993 What’s Love Got To Do With It soundtrack album in a more original styled version.
The second single River Deep, Mountain High was only released in France. It’s an Ike Turner production in the style of Ike & Tina’s live interpretation.
Nutbush City Limits: July 1973 / Germany: #2 / UK: #4 / USA: #22
River Deep Mountain High: March 1974
Billboard
November 24, 1973
He was a hipster from the big city. She was a barefoot country girl from Nutbush, Tennessee. He had big ideas that would lead to Hollywood and Stardom. She could sing a song like nobody's business. He gave her …………….direction. She gave him……….her all. The result: NUTBUSH (City Limits) …. The album Ike & Tina Turner always had in them….is out.
CashBox
November 24, 1973
Spotlighting their enormous hit title track single, Ike & Tina’s latest is like an explosion of funk and r&b that jolts you from the opening of side 1 straight through to the final note of the gut-grabbing „Club Manhattan“. A foxy version of Dobie Gray's hit „Drift Away“ and the immortal „River Deep, Mountain High“ are strong enough on their own to recommend the LP, but wait till you hear „Make Me Over,” „Get It Out Of Your Head,” „Daily Bread,“ and „Fancy Annie;“ they're knockouts. This album is one of the best dance LP’s of the year and features Tina’s singing at its best as well as lke’s capable leadership.