Song by Song: "River Deep - Mountain High" Quiz

Answer: Phil Spector

In his book "He's a Rebel," Mark Ribowsky notes that Phil Spector considered this song to be his best work. The producer was known for developing "the Wall of Sound" production style. Spector died in 2021, in prison, where he was serving a sentence for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson.

He worked with Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, the Ronettes, and the Righteous Brothers, among others.

Answer: False

Ike insisted the single be credited to Ike & Tina Turner, but Phil Spector only wanted to use Tina as the singer on it. According to Rolling Stone magazine, "he forbade Ike from even coming to the sessions."

Spector had to pay thousands of dollars to have Ike & Tina Turner released from their record contract before he could sign them with his own Philles Records. The song is included on the album "Proud Mary: The Best of Ike and Tina Turner."

Answer: The Supremes and The Four Tops

This cover, pairing the female Motown group The Supremes with the male Motown group The Four Tops, was included on the 1970 LP "The Magnificent 7." When released as a single, it hit number 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the soul music chart. Produced by Ashford and Simpson, the single had "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" on the B-side.

Answer: Deep Purple

A shortened version of Deep Purple's cover was released as a single in the U.S., where it peaked at 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Eric Burdon & The Animals also recorded a blues rock version of "River Deep - Mountain High" in 1968.

Answer: Céline Dion

Jim Steinman produced the Dion version of the song after Phil Spector abandoned the effort. Dion's 1995 album "Live in Paris" includes her live, concert version of the Ike & Tina Turner hit. "Falling into You," which contained the song, hit number 1 on the Canadian Top Albums chart.

Answer: What's Love Got to Do With It

Laurence Fishburne plays Ike Turner and Angela Bassett plays Tina Turner in the film. The film was adapted from Tina Turner's autobiography, "I, Tina," which she co-wrote with Kurt Loder.

Rolling Stone magazine reported that when recording "River Deep - Mountain High," Tina Turner had to sing the song so many times that she became drenched in sweat. "I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing," she told the magazine.

Answer: A rag doll

The song begins:

"When I was a little girl, I had a rag doll
Only doll I've ever owned
Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
But only now, my love has grown."

"River Deep - Mountain High" was written by Phil Spector along with song writing partners Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. The couple wrote several famous songs together. Jeff Barry also wrote "Sugar, Sugar" with Andy Kim, which became a hit for the Archies.

Answer: cry

The single, which was released in May of 1966, only reached 88 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, but it was number one on the Spanish Top 40 chart, number three on the U.K. singles chart, and in the Top 20 on singles charts in the Netherlands, Australia, and Ireland. In 2021, Tina Turner became a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

Answer: sing

The song continues:

"And I love you, baby, like a schoolboy loves his pie
And I love you, baby, river deep, mountain high."


In 1999, "River Deep - Mountain High" was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It made Rolling Stone magazine's 2004 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of all Time" (at number 33) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll."

Answer: puppy

Born Anna Mae Bullock, Tina Turner kicked off her career in 1957 with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. Together, they formed a duo, which produced a series of hit songs including "Proud Mary." The duo broke up in 1976 and Tina Turner went on to become a highly successful solo performer.