Monday, June 19, 2023

60 Years of Music • June, 1963 • What's love got to do with it?


O
riginally, I was going to use the title of the Martha and the Vandellas' 1963 single, Come and Get These Memories as the title of this post, then I started listening to Ike and Tina.

In June 1963, Ike and Tina released their 5th album together, It's Going to Work Out Fine. All of those songs were written by Ike Turner except for the album title track and in hindsight it's maybe an indication of what's to come for Tina. With titles like, Gonna Find Me a Substitute, Why Should I?, I'm Gonna Cut You Loose, Poor Fool, and the most appropriate title, This Man's Crazy, all written from Ike's self-centered and sexist perspective, but delivered through Tina's vocal and performance. It's safe to say some 60 years later... there's blood on the tracks.

With Tina's recent passing on May 24th, I didn't intend this post to turn dark, but I'm still so inspired about her life story and eventual fulfillment of this 1963 album title, It's Going to Work Out Fine.

Last week, I featured one of Tina's biggest hits, The Best. This week before I get to the playlist, I wanted to show the famous 1976 incident where Tina finally leaves Ike after another beating by her psycho-husband. Here, she bravely takes the first step in taking her life back. This scene is from the 1993 movie, What's Love Got To Do With It, and followed her 1984 smash hit single of the same name. 

Warning...the following video clip contains domestic violence. Feel free to skip it and read on.


Here's Tina's 1984 #1 song, What's Love Got To Do With It

Long live the queen of rock 'n' roll!



Then, as I was going through the Wikipedia, June 1963 in Music list, I came to Leslie Gore's album, I'll Cry If I Want To, and smash hit single, It's My Party

Judy and Johnny just walked through the door
Like a queen with her king
Oh, what a birthday surprise
Judy's wearing his ring


It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to
Cry if I want to
You would cry too, if it happened to you

Seemingly, this teeny-bopper pop was a million miles away from the more raw R&B of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. But wait, maybe with the wisdom of time we've all learned that Leslie needs Johnny like a hole in the head. In fact, Johnny is probably going to turn out like the monster of Ike Turner in just a few short years. Run Leslie, run!

Enjoy the playlist my friends.