Nutbush, Unincorporated

Some things in this world are beyond debate. For example, “Anna Mae Bullock is a badass” is not opinion. It is fact.

If Nutbush, Tennessee, did nothing else for this great grand ol’ country of ours but produce the American badass born Anna Mae Bullock — perhaps you know her better as Tina Turner — it did more than many a one-horse town to make the world a better place.

For over 40 years, I avoided music by Ike and Tina Turner because I worried that I might like it, and if I liked it, I might in some way be endorsing what a sadistic abusive prick Ike Turner apparently was. Before #MeToo, before Chris Brown, even before Axl Rose and Stephanie Seymour, I knew Ike Turner did some terrible, awful, no good, very bad stuff to the better half of his duo.

That Tina Turner seemed world-wise and street-smart when I was growing up, and the idea that there was some guy out there who would beat on her or try and control her were concepts that pushed beyond my youthful experience and knowledge to comprehend. This was the woman who said “Bust a deal, face the Wheel.” She was bigger and badder than mere man.

I stumbled on “Nutbush City Limits” by happenstance a few years ago and found the song funky as hell and just a damn catchy rock song that celebrated (and/or insulted) my home state of Tennessee. When I saw it was by Ike and Tina Turner, and I recoiled and felt instantly guilty for liking it. I was enjoying a song that Ike Turner, beater of Aunty Entity, helped create.

So I did a little research.

“Nutbush City Limits” was basically the very last song the couple ever recorded together. It was written exclusively by Tina, and it is a celebration (and/or insult) of her hometown. It’s one of a very few songs Tina actually wrote herself.

I like to think Tina had to dive back into her own origin story as Anna Mae Bullock before she could move past the man who transformed her into Tina Turner. She wrote that song to remind herself that her story began long before she met Ike. She wrote her own song, and she would follow that up by writing her own story.

That’s a song worth enjoying, Ike be damned.

YEAR: 1973

To make things even cooler, Tina later on removed the Ike funk from the song and made it a pure and rollicking rock song, including the requisite ’80s saxophone, that’s every bit as awesome as the original.