From July 1960, with the single A madman in loveup to version of what does love have to do with this Alongside Kygo, in 2020, Tina Turner’s career is as formidable as it is impressive. Few artists have been as relevant and successful over the decades.
From that huge stream of songs, there is a selection of ten songs, as arbitrary, subjective and capricious as any playlist. But no less representative of the voice and style of one of the greatest in history.
1) What does love have to do with it
He left on May 1, 1984, probably unaware that Labor Day was here. But it served to give him work for decades: it was an instant worldwide success and one of the mainstays of the album. private dancer.
Composed by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten, it was uncharacteristically rejected by Donna Summer, Cliff Richard and Phyllis Hyman. It spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard chart and the lyrics fit Tina perfectly.
2) Nutbush city limits
A self-referential theme, one of the few with his participation in authorship, and dedicated to the city where he grew up. The funk sound and guitars make it similar to the English glam rock of the time. Then he made a new version of it in the 90s, with less vitality.
3) Proud Mary
The original song was a Creedence Clearwater Revival hit, but this version by Tina (along with Ike) is for many the definitive one, even better than the first.
The singer’s spoken introduction is great, announcing “We’ll take the beginning of the song and make it soft, but then we’ll end up getting really rough.”
4) River Deep – Mountain High
It came out in March 1966, as Ike & Tina Turner, and was one of the jewels of Phil Spector’s production, the King Midas of the time. It was not an immediate success and Spector himself retired from the industry for two years.
Over time it has become one of the great classics of the decade. Legend has it that Brian Wilson came to the session and was blown away, amazed at the sound they had achieved.
5) Private dancer
The theme that gave the title to his historic 1984 album. It was written by Mark Knopfler himself, of Dire Straits, which the most meticulous will be able to relate to the nostalgic touch of Romeo and Juliet OR Your latest trick.
It was a worldwide success and is now a true classic.
6) Sour Queen
Tina’s participation in the film Tommy, based on the rock opera by the Who, is simply an anthology. It surpasses the original version and leaves it very small. A lesson in interpretation, strength and energy.
7) Let’s stay together
The big theme of his comeback, the song that made everything that came after possible. It’s a version of an old Al Green hit, with a very vintage synth sound (1983).
8) We don’t need another hero (Thunderdome)
From the soundtrack of the second film of the Mad Max saga, starring Mel Gibson, where Tina herself had a brilliant appearance.
The lyrics are a direct reference to the plot of the film and don’t make much sense by themselves, but they were sung by entire stadiums tour after tour, thanks to his masterful voice.
9) The best
It was composed by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight, who first offered it to Paul Young, who scrapped it. Then Bonnie Tyler recorded it but nothing happened. And when Tina sang it, it became one of the great moments of her concerts. Another classic.
10) Ball of confusion
For historians, this song was really the turning point in his career, because it led to the recording of Let’s get together and the success of Private dancer. A song full of synthesizers, a new-wave sound, with guitars from post-punk hero John McGeoch and horns from the British Beggar and Co, full of funk.
Source: Clarin
