A Fool In Love

Album: The Soul Of Ike And Tina Turner (1960)
Charted: 27
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Songfacts®:

  • "A Fool In Love" was written by Ike Turner, who nine years earlier delivered what many consider to be the first rock and roll song with "Rocket 88." Turner was a key figure in the crossover from R&B to rock, as heard on both of these songs.
  • This was the first single for Ike & Tina Turner, and Tina's debut as lead vocalist. Tina had been performing with Ike's band, the Kings Of Rhythm, for three years, but rarely appeared on their recordings. When the woman scheduled to record "A Fool In Love" as lead singer failed to show up at the studio, Tina volunteered to take the lead microphone.

    The song marked the beginning of Ike & Tina Turner as a duo; they were a couple, but not yet married, even though Ike insisted she take the stage name "Tina Turner" (she was born Anna Mae Bullock).
  • In this song, Tina Turner sings from the perspective of a woman who will do anything for her man no matter how poorly he treats her. The song was a harbinger of sorts, as her relationship with Ike turned abusive. By 1968, it was so bad that Tina attempted suicide. Still, she stayed with Ike until 1976, when she felt she had found the strength to take control of her life. Tina's inspirational comeback in the '80s is a triumphant chapter in her life story, which is depicted in the 1993 film What's Love Got To Do With It.
  • This isn't the first song about a fool in love: The Penguins had a hit in 1955 with "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)," where they sing:

    I'm just a fool
    A fool in love with you

Comments: 9

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1960 {August 15th} "A Fool In Love" by Ike and Tina Turner peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides* chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend" by Jackie Wilson...
    as noted above, "A Fool In Love" reached #27 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
    Between 1960 and 1975 the duo had twenty-six records on the R&B Singles chart, six made the Top 10 with their two biggest hits both peaking at #2, besides the above "A Fool In Love", their other #2 record was "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" for 2 weeks in September of 1961, the two records that kept it out of the top spot were "My True Story" by The Jive Five and "Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles...
    Besides "A Fool In Love" and "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", their other four Top 10 records were "I Idolize You" {#5 in 1960}, "Poor Fool" {#4 in 1961}, "Tra La La La La" {#9 in 1962} and "Proud Mary" {#5 in 1971}...
    Izear Luster 'Ike' Turner Jr. passed away at the age of 76 on December 12th, 2007 and Ms. Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock, will celebrate her 81st birthday in three months on November 26th, 2020...
    May Mr. Turner R.I.P.
    * And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot R&B Sides' Top 10 on August 15th, 1960:
    At #3. "Walking To New Orleans" by Fats Domino
    #4. "The Twist" by Chubby Checker
    #5. "Question" by Lloyd Price
    #6. "Finger Poppin' Time" by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
    #7. "It's Now Or Never" by Elvis Presley
    #8. "I'm Sorry" by Brenda Lee
    #9. "This Bitter Earth" by Dinah Washington
    #10. "Isty Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland
  • Jennifur Sun from Ramonagreat tune/ wow about the way wow about how someone treats you even though he is supposed to be in love with you.
  • Babbling Babette from Tulsa OkThe first time I heard of Ike & Tina Turner, or just Tina, was in the Seventies. Then in 1990 my oldest brother gave me part of his extensive record collection. It has the single "A Fool in Love" in it and I was so fascinated by it----and Tina's voice. How powerful and soulful. I later found Ike & Tina's greatest hits LP on Sue Records in a record store in Joplin, Missouri and I was in heaven. I've followed Tina's career down until she "retired" recently. What a star, what a voice, what a woman!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 24th 1965, Ike & Tina Turner with the Ikettes performed "A Fool In Love" on the syndicated TV program 'Hollywood A Go-Go'...
    Five years earlier on August 29th, 1960 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #87; and on October 17th it peaked at #27 (for 1 week) and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #2 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
    On the same show the Ikettes performed their current hit record, "Peaches 'N' Cream", and at the time was in its 2nd week at position #36 (which was also its peak position on the Top 100)
    Over the years fifty one different female singers have been members of the Ikettes.
  • Rocky from Fort Smith, Ar18 Feb 2014: I was in a Walmart Supercenter & this song came on their music system. I think Walmart has its own music channel. Anyway, I saw this little old white haired lady dancing & boogying to this song in one of the aisles. Kind of a testimony that a great song is worth boogying to at any age!
  • Randy from Fayettevile, ArYes----this will shake the rafters and shake yer gizzard too! Great to dance to. Tina's voice & soul are imprinted into this hit from 1960 on Sue Records. Then in early 1967, I found a copy of Ike & Tina Turner's Biggest Hits album in a funky little record store in Des Moines, Iowa (while enroute to KC Mo.) which contained hits & B-sides of their releases. The record store was playing it on their audio system as a featured "buy-of-the-day." So I got it. I can still recall some of their R&B hits like "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "Poor Fool," and "A Fool In Love." This was in '67 so it was before "River Deep, Mountain High" which was produced by the great Phil Spector onPhilles Records in 1968. Anyway, "A Fool In Love" introduced me to the great voice of Tina Turner/Anna Mae Bullock. It's been quite a fantastic ride ever since!
  • Elmer H from Westville, OkHoly Hannah! What a song! What a voice! I heard this in 1960 as a kid listening late at night on a transistor radio to a New Orleans R&B station. What funky, great times. I got turned on to Ike & Tina Turner records then realized the true star was Tina. I remain a fan in awe of the Great Lady of Rock &Roll (and R&B)---Tina Turner! Mercy!!
  • Mike from San Diego, CaThat opening! Tina's unparalleled voice with "Whoa...there's something on my mind..." Then the vamping instrumentals come in; raises the hair on my arms every time I hear it. I defy ANYONE to listen to this and sit still.
  • Brittany from Richmond, KyA great song and a wonderful talented woman!
    Ike really shouldnt even be credited as much as he was.
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