Ike & Tina Turner released "Proud Mary" on January 23, 1971 as the second single from their 1970 album Workin' Together.[33] Their rendition differs greatly from the structure of the original, but is also well-known and has become one of Tina Turner's most recognizable signature songs.
Ike wasn't keen on the original version, but the cover of "Proud Mary" by the Checkmates, Ltd. piqued his interest. Ike and Tina's version was substantially rearranged by Ike Turner and Soko Richardson.
The song started off with a slow, sultry soulful tone in which Tina introduced the song and warned the audience that she and the band were gonna start it off "nice and easy" as "we never do nothing nice and easy" but said they would finish it "nice and rough". After the lyrics are first sung softly by the Turners, the song is then turned into a funk rock vamp with Tina and the Ikettes delivering gospel-influenced vocals.
Lyrics
You know, every now and then
I think you might like to hear something from us
Nice and easy
But there's just one thing
You see we never ever do nothing
Nice, easy
We always do it nice and rough
So we're gonna take the beginning of this song
And do it easy
But then we're gonna do the finish rough
This is the way we do "Proud Mary"
And we're rolling, rolling, rolling on the river
Listen to the story
I left a good job in the city
Working for the man every night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleeping
I was worrying 'bout the way the things might've been
You know that big wheel keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
And we're rolling, rolling, rolling yeah
Rolling on the river (the river)
Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis
Pumped a lot of tane down in New Orleans
But I never saw the good side of the city
Until I hitched a ride on a riverboat queen
You know that big wheel keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
And we're rolling, rolling, rolling yeah (rolling)
Rolling on the river
Say we're rolling (rolling) rolling yeah
Rolling on the river
The river
Oh I left a good job in the city
Working for the man every night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleeping
Worrying about the way the things might've been
Big wheel keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river
Say we're rolling, rolling, rolling on the river
Oh I cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis
And I pumped a lot of tane down in New Orleans
But I never saw the good side of the city
Until I hitched a ride on a riverboat queen
Big wheel keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
And we're rolling, tell you rolling, we're rolling on the river
I tell you we're rolling, rolling, rolling on the river
If you come down to the river
I bet you gonna find some people who live
And you don't have to worry if you got no money
People on the river are happy to give
Big wheel keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
And we're rolling, tell you rolling, we're rolling on the river
Tell you we have no time (rolling, rolling, rolling on the river)
(Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river)
Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river)
Tell you we're rolling, rolling, rolling on the river
I tell you we're rolling, rolling, rolling on the river)
Songwriters: John Cameron Fogerty
Proud Mary lyrics © The Bicycle Music Company
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