Tina Turner - Rough - Album

Rough

Album / Singles / Promo (1978)

Rough is Tina’s first solo album after her divorce from Ike Turner. It contains almost rock songs, with some influences from the disco genre and her first studio recording of Elton John's „The Bitch Is Back,“ which she used as the opening number in her solo shows. On this track and also on four others, the former Ikette Venetta Fields provided the background vocals. In 1991, Tina re-recorded this song for the Elton John tribute album Two Rooms. The album was an indication of the new direction for Tina’s music - combining rock with some pop and R&B elements. The song „Night Time Is The Right Time“ was already recorded by Ike & Tina, but not released until 1991 on the rarities sampler Good Old Times. Neither the album nor the one of the four singles charted. The album was reviewed in Billboard magazine in it’s issue from October 7, 1978 and was reissued in 2024 as part of the 'Tina Turner 74 - 79 Reissues‘, promoted with a lyric video of the song „Funny How Time Slips Away“.

Producer: Bob Monaco
Photographer: Claude Mougin
Release: September 1978 / 1990 (CD) / November 2023 (Digital) / 2024 (Vinyl, CD)
Label: United Artists (UK, USA) / Ariola (Germany) / EMI (CD) / Parlophone (Reissue)
Format: Vinyl (Gatefold) / Cartridge / Cassette / CD / Digital

Tina Turner - Rough - Album

Tracks

  1. Fruits Of The Night 4:05
    2. Written by E. & V. Zanki, P. Bellotte
  2. The Bitch Is Back 3:30
    3. Written by E. John, B. Taupin
  3. The Woman I’m Supposed To Be 3:10
    4. Written by C. Wade
  4. Viva La Money 3:14
    5. Written by A. Toussaint
  5. Funny How Time Slips Away 4:08
    6. Written by W. Nelson
  6. Earthquake And Hurricane 2:30
    7. Written by W. Dixon
  7. Root, Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller 4:29
    8. Written by G. Jackson
  8. Fire Down Below 3:13
    9. Written by B. Seger
  9. Sometimes When We Touch 3:54
    10. Written by D. Hill, B. Mann
  10. A Woman In A Man’s World 2:41
    11. Written by A. Jordan, H. David
  11. Night Time Is The Right Time 6:21
    12. Written by L. Carr
Tina Turner - Root, Toot Undisputable Rock'n Roller - Single

Root, Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller 

was the first single, promoted from Tina at several TV-Shows and performed live in her early solo concerts. A live version is available on the Wild Lady of Rock home video from 1979. The b-side track „Night Time Is The Right Time“ was already recorded by Ike & Tina, but was not released before 1991 on the sampler Good Old Times. The Australian single contains an otherwise unreleased edited version of the song.

  1. Root, Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller 4:30
    2. From the European release
  2. Root, Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller (Edit) 3:30
    3. From the Australian release
    Additional tracks:
  1. Night Time Is The Right Time 6:21
    2. From the German release
  2. Fire Down Below 3:13
    3. From the UK & Australian release

Writer: G. Jackson
Producer: Bob Monaco
Release: 1978 (Germany) / 1979 (UK)
Label: Ariola / United Artists / Festival
Format: 7“ Vinyl

Viva La Money

is a cover from A. Toussaint and was the second single in Europe. Tina promoted it at some TV-Shows and performed it live in her early solo concerts.

  1. Viva La Money 3:16
  2. Sometimes When We Touch 3:57

Writer: A. Toussaint
Producer: Bob Monaco
Photographer: Claude Mougin
Release: November 1978 (USA) / December 1978 (Europe)
Label: Ariola / United Artists
Format: 7“ Vinyl

Tina Turner - Sometimes When We Touch - Single

Sometimes When We Touch 

is a wonderful ballad, first released from Dan Hill in 1978 and one year later from Tina. It was the only official single in the UK from the album. Tina promoted it at the Kenny Everett Show on April 09, 1979 and performed it live at her early solo concerts. A live version is available on the Wild Lady of Rock home video. The single was released without a picture cover.

  1. Sometimes When We Touch 3:54
  2. Earthquake And Hurricane 2:30

Writer: D. Hill, B. Mann
Producer: Bob Monaco
Release: April 1979
Label: United Artists
Format: 7“ Vinyl

Tina Turner Single Fruits Of The Night Cover 01

Fruits Of The Night

was released as a single only in Italy. Tina promoted it at the TV-Show Luna Park on April 21, 1979, where she performed many songs from the album.

  1. Fruits Of The Night 4:05
  2. Viva La Money 3:14

Writer: E. & V. Zanki, P. Bellotte
Producer: Bob Monaco
Photographer: Claude Mougin
Release: 1979
Label: derby
Format: 7“ Vinyl

Rough And Ready - Tina Turner Has The Kind Of Audience That’s Always Ready To Explode Into Platinum Sales. And This Is The Music To Do It. Rough - Tina’s Tough New Album. — Billboard - October 21, 1978

Tina Turner - Rough - TV-Appearances

Mike Douglas Show / Kenny Everett Show / Disco, Disco, Disco / Midnight Special / Tonight In Town

TV-Appearances

USA: Hot City: Root, Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller, Viva La Money (October 21, 1978) / Midnight Special: Root Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller, Viva La Money, Night Time Is The Right Time, Sometimes When We Touch (January 05, 1979) / Mike Douglas Show: Root Toot Undisputable Rock’n Roller, Interview, Help Me Make It Through The Night, Proud Mary (March 01, 1979) / Dinah: The Woman I’m Supposed To Be, Interview (1979)

Italy: Sanremo Festival: Root Toot Undisputable Rock'n Roller (January 13, 1979) / Luna Park: Viva La Money (March 24, 1979), The Woman I'm Supposed To Be (March 31, 1979), Root Toot Undisputable Rock'n Roller (April 07, 1979), Fruits Of The Night (April 21, 1979), The Bitch Is Back (April 28, 1979), Fire Down Below (May 05, 1979), I Wanna Take You Higher (May 12, 1979), Viva La Money (May 19, 1979)

UK: Tonight In Town: Sometimes When We Touch, Interview (March 16, 1979) / Kenny Everett Show: Sometimes When We Touch (April 09, 1979)

Germany: Musikladen: Viva La Money (March 22, 1979), Root, Toot Undisputable Rock'n Roller (July 12, 1979) / Disco Disco Disco: Night Time Is The Right Time, Root Toot Undisputable Rock'n Roller (August 24, 1979)

Previous: Wild Lady of Rock (Concerts)

Back to: Tina

Next: Love Explosion (Album)