"River Deep - Mountain High" by Ike & Tina Turner (1966)

Where all-powerful and notoriously megalomaniac producer spots someone outside of his considerable collection of talents and sends a chauffeured limo for only half of husband and wife duo - these are still 1960s and girl singers do as told, which is something Ike Turner drilled in his wife who outwardly appears as powerful tigress but sings about submission and pain. No matter how big they might have been, all these ladies from Darlene Love, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross or Dionne Warwick are still pawns in hands of husbands, managers and producers, following orders and singing same line hundreds of times until boss says its good enough. For once, the possibility of breaking into pop market silents Turner who readily agrees to send his wife alone and whatever resentment he might have felt was suppressed with hefty check and ambition. While this chance was simply too good to miss, it sowed the seeds of subsequent paranoia in Turner who will be convinced that others want to steal his main property from him.

To his credit, Phil Spector outdid himself in grandeur and builds sonic cathedrals around collection of pulsating pop jewels, some already well known by that time ("Save The Last Dance For Me", "Every Day I Have To Cry"), others written specifically for project, however he must be praised for artistic vision that bravely places in the spotlight none of his coiffured and manicured girl groups that had bigger commercial appeal but such unrepentantly raw and authentic soul shouter as Tina Turner who is female equivalent of James Brown and Wilson Pickett. Occasionally cushioning her roar with seductive strings and massive choirs ("A Love Like Yours") he gives Hollywood star treatment to bedazzled singer accustomed to different approach and lets her thunder above massive, symphonic orchestration that sounds like majestic avalanche. Since Spector never completely finished the whole album, the rest is filled with material produced by Ike himself - rough, frenzied and sweaty, these songs (mostly remakes of previous singles) initially appear far removed from Wall of Sound but now in hindsight, its actually perfect combination because it gives variety to what might have been Spector overkill. Some of them ("Such A Fool For You") in their way even match producer's vision, since they are genuine soul and uncluttered by Wagnerian ambitions. It sank in US but deservedly won audiences in Europe and the title song is considered pop classic now, preceding singer's ultimate glory as a solo act later, when her powerful voice will again be surrounded by unexpected production but than, in 1980s it will be synthesisers and drum machines instead of cinematic orchestration.