I'm telling it this time!! (Rough - Tina Turner)

Member Name: idodoyou

Product:	Rough - Tina Turner
Date:	16/09/01 (122 review reads)
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Picture it.
Close your eyes (might make reading a touch difficult at this point?) and let me transport you back 23 years ago. After fleeing a violent relationship, a stifling partnership, you’ve made the break. You left with nothing but the clothes on your back. Nothing but the voice that has made you famous. What do you do? Where do you go? Your reputation is in tatters; the last few years in the partnership that brought you fame, money and a reputation didn’t fare well. The hits had stopped coming. A new wave of music was sweeping the world. The Blues wasn’t what people were listening to. But suddenly after 3 or 4 years alone in the world of music, your solo reputation precedes you. People are asking for an album. You’ve socked it to them live. They want you in their houses, in their cars, on their stereos. So forth to the recording studio (Conway Recording Studio, Hollywood) you go, and lay down the first tracks of countless others that have all gone to help you retain the undisputed Queen of Rock and Roll.


Track 1 FRUITS OF THE NIGHT [4.05] [E.& V. Zanki/P.Ellotte]

Straight in with the beat, and sound that epitomises 70’s Disco. You can almost imagine Travolta strutting his stuff? There is only a 7– 8 second intro here, but those few seconds are enough to tell us what we will be getting for the remaining 4 minutes. This beat stays with us throughout. But to accompany it, Tina plays up to the music and spends most of the lyrics up there in her ‘now famous’ screech. It’s not out of place; the song commands this type of power. And Tina delivers.
The lyrics are hard, with the main theme being prostitution. You can almost see the video that would accompany this song. Smoke filled streets crawling with the scum, and slime of the underworld, drug pushers, pimps, prostitutes and their tricks!

Fingers of dust
Itching with lust
It goes around
Down
town
Shadows collide
Streets come alive
Shapes and forms
Red lips of charm

Typical 70’s disco, with a harder edge to it. Bring in the ball!!

Track 2 THE BITCH IS BACK [3.29] [E.John/B.Taupin]

This song was written, sang, and made famous by Elton John. I’ve only heard his version one time, and really wasn’t that impressed with it.
Again, a typical 70’s disco number here with a 20-second intro. Cue the beat, cue the electric guitars. Cue Tina. Powerful vocals straight from start. The tune and the beat commands it.

I’m a bitch, I’m a bitch,
I’m a bitch and I’m back
And I’m stone cold sober as a matter of fact
I can bitch, I can bitch,
And I’m badder than you
Just way that I move
The things that you do

There are no let ups in the music, the tempo stays fast and effective. Tina’s voice holds up and there is no deviation from the powerful setting she and the music creates.
This song needs to be played loud. It needs the listener to be able to get lost in its thunderous rhythm. Open your windows, crank up the ears (idodoyou talk for volume!!) and let the neighbours know that the bitch is back!!

Track 3 THE WOMAN I’M SUPPOSED TO BE [3.11] [C.Wade]

After the first two fast and bounteous drum filled auditory offerings, Tina’s takes another approach.
With a 14 second intro filled with the piano, and little tinkley bells and not a drum beat to be heard, Tina turns to romance enters the world of ballards. Or so we are left thinking when we hear the intro and almost all of the first verse. But by the end we are back within the drums and the fast beat .They come mainly into play on the chorus when she has cranked up the tempo somewhat to drive home the lyrics. However they start at the tail end of the verses reaching their crescendo at the end of the choru
s. Tina’s voice is powerful and deep, with the slight little ‘screech’ she uses to sing home a point!

Won’t you give me just one day
Without a worry
I could use the extra hours
I’m in a hurry
I can’t tell you
What it feels to be
Holding on to the woman I’m supposed to be

I think the lyrics are suggesting that she is in love with this guy, but she has changed in order to keep him? Yes? No?

Track 4 VIVA LA MONEY [3.12] [A.Toussaint]

Welcome back to 70’s groove! Funky beats. Synths and drums. Not so loud though, not the same amount of ‘ummphh’ as with tracks 1 and 2. Another typical 70’s number though. You can picture the disco. Picture the sparkly ball.
Not a particular fast tempo going on with this one, but we are not talking slow either. Middle of the road. There’s no power or screeching going on here. It’s just there. Just being sung if you get my drift?
The lyrics can be a touch repetitive with the title repeated over and over towards the latter part of the song. There really is no rhyme or reason for the lyrics, well, if there is, I can’t see it. it’s basically just about money!!

It can make you feel good
But it can make you feel bad
And it can make you happy
But it can make you sad
It can make you do right
But it can make you do wrong
But it will still be around
When you are dead and gone

There are only a couple of verses but they soon give way to the repetitive chorus.

Track 5 FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY [4.09] [Willie Nelson]

This song is brilliant. No matter who sings it. And no matter which style. The words make this song all that it is. I have heard this track sung by several artists, and I don’t think that I could choose a favourite? This is a slow song, and Tina does slow good!. Her voice drops and it’s gravell
y effect really works well. We have a little bit of the ‘screech’ but not enough to ruin anything. And enough to portray the emotion of the song. The screech isn’t that evident until the end of the song anyway, but by this time the emotion is needed.
The lyrics tell the story of a couple that were once in love but meet up again after a while and this meeting is especially poignant for the lady cos the guy (b******d!!) left her for another.

Well hello there
My it’s been a long long long time
How am I doin?
You don’t want to know
But I’m thinkin’ I’m doin fine
It’s been a long time
Since I’ve seen you
Seems like yesterday
Ain’t it funny how time slips right on away

If you haven’t heard this song, by any number of artists, you really should!!

Track 6 EARTHQUAKE AND HURRICANE [2.27] [W.Dixon]

And now back to screech, and the 70’s disco beat. There really isn’t much to this song. The same tune and beat over and over. The lyrics aren’t that inventive, with a couple of verses and a repetitive chorus, which is basically the title.
I’m really not sure what the lyrics mean, or if they imply something? Or if in fact they are just really talking about the weather? Or are they implying something deeper?

People started scrambling on the run
They were hit with an atom bomb
Some lay crippled some lay lame
But they said save me from this hurricane

If you have heard this number, and you know what it means ……… please… let me know?

Track 7 ROOT, TOOT UNDISPUTABLE ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER [4.27] [G.Jackson]

It’s straight in with a beat. Followed close by Tina strutting her stuff. No power to speak of, and a perfect mixture of gravel and screech sets this song off. She does of course, give a little more on the chorus, it’s
needed.
The lyrics tell us about as the title suggests. She’s hot to trot. She’s good to go. She’s warning us that she’s a rock n roller and won’t stand no c**p. She’s a barmaid with attitude!!

If you’re bright
You’ll step to the right
Don’t you make me mad
Cos like a tornado
Without a warning
I’ll clear the pack
You gotta know
I’m muscle bound
By the way I throw my weight around

As I said a barmaid with attitude?!?!?
For some reason, the song comes to an end, but only to return a couple of seconds later to give us another splash of repetitive chorus. Don’t need it. Don’t want it. Sorry Tina.

Track 8 FIRE DOWN BELOW [3.13] [B.Seger]

This track makes up for the inadequacies of the previous one. This track is great. Blues with the 70’s disco beat. A great sax accompaniment, and solo’s makes this more powerful. This is Tina Turner. This is what she was all about in the early part of her career. Powerful gravelly voice. Her trade mark screechy finish to the chorus.
The lyrics can’t help but feed you the image of the underworld kind of life. Prostitutes and pimps,

Here comes old Joey and he’s looking mighty fine
Her comes old Tommy he’s stepping right on time
There goes the street lights beaming in the night
Here comes the women faces shining from the light
All through the shadows they come and they go
We’ve got one thing in common
We’ve got the fire down below

Bent cops and those that have nothing. Thugs and basically, the scum of city life.

Track 9 SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH [3.52] [D.Hill/B.Mann]

Where as we had power and plenty of beat and blues from the onset in the previous song, this track tips the other end of the scales. But only at the beginning. Cue the piano and softer lyrics. They don̵
7;t stay for long though. The piano, after the intro seems to disappear and makes way for power. Tina is in gravel effect throughout no matter what the tempo is but because of the slowness of the song at the start, the lyrics works great.

You ask me if I love you
And I show from my reply
Oh I’d rather hurt you honestly
Than mislead you with a lie
And who am I to judge you
With what you say and do
I’m only just beginning to see the real you

Basically it’s a love song. And Tina, or the person she is singing the lyrics for, is overwhelmed with love for this guy. Awww sweet……

Track 10 A WOMAN IN A MAN’S WORLD [2.41] [H.David/A.P.Jordan]

9 seconds of piano starts us off with this track. And basically it’s just that and Tina all the way through. It’s slow and powerful. Tina sings it soft and low, but inevitably adds her trademark ‘screech’ like voice at the end of the verses, and going into to the chorus. It’s not out of place. And the emotion felt in the voice works with lyrics.

He’s always right
I’m always wrong
Because he’s weak
I must be strong
That’s the way it
That’s just the way it is
When you’re a woman in a man’s world.

It seems to me that Tina sings of being a little downtrodden. And that she has excepted that it’s the way it should be, because, after all she is only a mere woman! Certainly not the kind of lyrics for today’s women to rejoice and sing about. But still, we are talking about the 70’s and maybe she was singing, or rather the writers were writing about how she might have felt being in the relationship with Ike? I don’t know?
This is a nice slow song, with no hint of disco drums, and it makes a nice change.

Track 11 NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME [6.20] [L.Carr]

The last track on the alb
um, but by no means least. After entertaining us with a slow bluesy type ballad previously, Tina finishes the album with banshee like screeching. She’s hitting top notes almost all through out the lyrics, and giving her all. Especially on the chorus. In fact, the way that she sings the chorus could be quite ear deafening if played too loud. She reaches some impressive heights! Actually, this is a typical comedy program song ….. let me explain….. (yes, I think you should??!!) You know when the characters pick a song to mime along to, and the songs are so totally unsingable to many!! You must know? C’mon, work with me here? Err, the Cosby Show did it several times, in fact, I think Rudy Huxtable did this song?? With me ……….. no? Oh well……….. I know what I mean??!!?!?!

Bayyyyy by Bayyyyy by Bayyyyy by
Oh bayyyyyyyyyy
You knnoooooow I love youuuuuu
Noooo oneeeee above youuuuuuuu
Honey chillllld make everything all rightttttt
I know the night timeeeeee
Ohhhhh is the right time to beeee with the one you loveeeee!!

The lyrics speak, or should I say ‘screech’ for them selves. A declaration of love.
Unless you are a fan of the Blues and Tina’s earlier work, this track will probably have you running for the mute button. I love it though, and must admit, I have accompanied this track may a time in front of a mirror with a hairbrush and the shelves rattling because of the volume!!

So, if I’m being asked to give it a score out of 10 ….. well, I’d have to say a 6.
Dooyoo stars …… err, 3 bordering on a 4. No, I’ll stick with the 3.

Unfortunately, this album failed to attract the intention of the music playing American public that once adored Tina when she was part of the Turner team. And when ‘Rough’ went nowhere, troubled United Artists (who were in the process of being bou
ght out by Capitol/E.M.I)dropped her stateside. The British and Australian consortiums however were convinced that her loyal fans would continue to buy her records. But for the rest of the world, USA, Europe and the Far East Tina was label less.
The British and Australian public pulled through, and I guess, she has those to thank for putting her where she is today? And this album.

I can’t actually find this album on CD, if in fact it is there to be found? I have tried Amazon and 10cd.com but to no avail. I’ve had the cassette version for years and perhaps if I liked this album a touch more, I would make a bigger effort to look and hunt out the CD?

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STOP PRESS
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Many thanx to defiler, who on reading my lack of finding this album on CD had a quick look and found it

"Tesco has it (£9.99) and CDZone has it (£6.91)"

and so, with the hard work over, I'm off to buy it..... Cheers


Anyway, hope you liked ........

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