Workin' Together

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1970 studio album by Ike & Tina Turner

Workin` Together is a studio album released by Ike & Tina Turner on Liberty Records on November 9, 1970.[1] This was their second album with Liberty and their most successful studio album. The album contains their Grammy Award-winning single "Proud Mary."[2]

Content and release

Much like their previous album, Come Together, the album features soul-infused covers of rock songs and renewed versions of previous Ike & Tina songs. The album featured the duo`s biggest-selling hit, a funk rock cover of "Proud Mary." The B-side, "Funkier Than a Mosquita`s Tweeter", was written by Tina`s sister Alline Bullock and later covered by Nina Simone. Several of the songs were written by Ike (including two by "Eki Renrut", which is Ike Turner spelled backward),[3] including "The Way You Love Me", which the Turners had recorded for their debut album, The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner, nearly a decade earlier.

Three singles were released from the album in the US. The title track, "Workin` Together," peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 105 on Bubbling Under The Hot 100.[4][5] The second single, a cover of "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, became the duo`s biggest hit. It peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart and reached No. 5 on the R&B chart. It also earned Ike and Tina a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group in 1972.[2] The third single, a cover of "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" by Jessie Hill, peaked at No. 31 on the R&B chart and No. 60 on the Hot 100.[6][7] A fourth single, a cover of "Get Back" by the Beatles, was released in Germany.

Critical reception

The album received positive reviews.[10][11] Thomas Popson wrote for the Chicago Tribune that Workin` Together is "another fine album from two thoroughly professional entertainers."[12]

Billboard (November 21, 1970):

Nobody works harder than Ike & Tina Turner and workin` together they take top material, rip it up, and resoul "Proud Mary," "Let It Be," "Get Back" and "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" their way. The duo gather a full head of funky, raucous steam, hitting only the heights of energy and excitement on the title romp, plus more of Ike`s super rhythm workouts. Can`t keep this kind of "up" music down.[1]

San Francisco Examiner (November 29, 1970): "Ike and Tina`s latest album ... is a superb example of how they combine rock and soul elements. Probably the most musically balanced record of their career, and one of the best pop discs of the year."[13]

Awards

In 1971, Ike & Tina Turner won the Prix Otis Redding (best R&B album) from the Académie du Jazz for Workin` Together.[14]

Reissues

Workin` Together was digitally remastered and released by BGO records on the compilation CD Workin` Together/Let Me Touch Your Mind in 2011.[15] The album was reissued on vinyl in 2016.[16]

Track listing

All tracks written by Ike Turner, except where noted.[17] Tracks 1 and 6 were credited to "Eki Renrut" (Ike Turner backwards).

Personnel

• Tina Turner – lead vocals
• Ike Turner – vocals (intro of "Proud Mary"), all instrumentation
• The Ikettes – background vocals
• The Kings of Rhythm – all instrumentation
• Brent Maher – engineer
• Herb Kravitz – photography
• Ron Wolin – art direction

Charts