Ike & Tina Turner vs. Bob Seger | Head 2 Head 🗣️

On the 7^th edition of Head 2 Head (2022), Ike & Tina Turner and Bob Seger contend for the best rendition of “Nutbush City Limits.” 

W

elcome to Head 2 Head 🗣️! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  On the 7^th edition of head-to-head (2022), 🎙 Ike & Tina Turner and 🎙 Bob Seger contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “Nutbush City Limits”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

---

1. Ike & Tina Turner, “Nutbush City Limits”

💿 Nutbush City Limits • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 1973

“They call it Nutbush / Oh, Nutbush / Call it Nutbush city limits.” Musically, 🎙 Ike Turner and 🎙 Tina Turner made a formidable team.  The hits speak for themselves.  Their marriage, on the other hand, wasn’t so good, something that’s been well documented.  Among the best hits of the duo is 🎵 “Nutbush City Limits,” which appears on their 1973 album, also titled 💿 Nutbush City Limits.  One of the draws of the opening track is its small-town charm.

“A church house gin house

A school house, outhouse

On Highway number nineteen

The people keep the city clean.”

An electrifying Tina Turner does a marvelous job of painting the picture of the small Tennessee town (she wrote the song).  Her descriptions are colorful and relatable to small town life (“Twenty-five was the speed limit / Motorcycle not allowed in it”), while the music is funky to the n^th degree, led by Ike’s guitar. Backing up Tina are glorious horns, which certainly ‘keep the same energy’ she delivers as the frontwoman.  Notably, Ike serves as the producer. One of the best parts other than the chorus/refrain is the outro where Tina bursts with personality. “A one-horse town / You have to watch / What you’re puttin’ down.” Sure, 🎵 “Proud Mary” is the 🎙 Ike & Tina Turner classic to beat (it won a 🏆 Grammy, notably) but “Nutbush City Limits” is awesome!

---

2. Bob Seger, “Nutbush City Limits”

💿 Beautiful Loser • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 1975 

🎙 Ike & Tina Turner nailed it on 🎵 “Nutbush City Limits” – an understatement.  Even so, rock legend 🎙 Bob Seger brings the heat on a spirited cover of “Nutbush City Limits” that appears on his 1975 album, 💿 Beautiful Loser.  In Seger’s hands, “Nutbush” gets more of rock-centric interpretation, while preserving the funky, soulful vibes of the original.  One of the keys to the success of the Seger version – those highly-flying, assertive pipes of course.

“No whiskey for sale / Can’t find a female / Salt, pork, and molasses / All you gonna get if you end in jail.” Woo!  If you’re going to cover a 🎙 Tina Turner song, you better be able to sing sang. Furthermore, you better be able to showcase plenty of attitude and personality.  Bob Seger checks off all boxes, period.  A dynamic vocalist with no shortage of spunk, Seger is on autopilot from the jump.  In fact, he expands the length of the record to nearly four minutes, adding his own ad-libs to further differentiate it from the original (“You driving through Nutbush / You better watch out for the police”).  Like the Ike & Tina staple, the guitar (🎙 Paul Kingery) is a key instrument, but we also get some organ (🎙 Robyn Robins), which adds some spice.  Basically, in Bob’s hands, “Nutbush City Limits” gets a cool interpretation.  Does Bob give Ike & Tina a run for their money? 

---

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

Ike & Tina Turner or Bob Seger?  I love me some Bob Seger, but c’mon – we all know Ike & Tina Turner take this one home! Face it, Tina Turner is hard to beat – a surefire vibe! Even with a competitive take by a badass rock star like Seger, still, it’s the ‘73 Turner version that edges the ‘75 Seger remake.  All hail Queen “T”!

---

Ike & Tina Turner vs. Bob Seger: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 7 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, Capitol, Layers, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Valentin Tikhonov]

---