Workin' Together

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

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), 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. 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. 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. A fourth single, a cover of "Get Back" by the Beatles, was released in Germany.

Critical reception

The album received positive reviews. Thomas Popson wrote for the ''Chicago Tribune'' that ''Workin' Together'' is "another fine album from two thoroughly professional entertainers."

''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.

''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."

Awards

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

Reissues

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

Track listing

All tracks written by Ike Turner, except where noted. 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

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

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1970 albums
Ike & Tina Turner albums
Albums produced by Ike Turner
Liberty Records albums
Albums recorded at Bolic Sound