With an extensive and brilliant musical career that first with Ike Turner and later on her own has spanned more than half a century, Tina Turner’s legacy could be included in the best songs of the 60s as well as the best of the 90s, the decade in which he published his last albums, and of course in those in between.
With the hard-won title of queen of rock, Anna Mae Bullock –her real name– decided to hang up the microphone in 2013, retiring from music and public life. And she, by the way, giving up her American citizenship to exchange it for the Swiss one. As she told Oprah Winfrey shortly after her last tour, “No one knew how tired I was of singing and dancing. I wanted to retire and not worry. That’s what that tour did for me. I reached my goal. At that moment I received a revelation: this is it. I’m going home.”
And from his neutral home in Switzerland, he sold the full rights to his extensive musical catalog to the BMG record company last year for an amount that has not been disclosed, although it is known that it is the highest amount paid by the company to an artist to date. date. Tina thus follows in the footsteps of other legendary singers such as Bob Dylan – he has been shaken by no less than 300 million dollars – who, as if it were a pension plan, have cashed in her songs to enjoy a golden retirement.
It is that juicy catalog of songs –with a unique mix of R&B, soul, pop and rock– that no longer belongs to him, the one that we are going to try to break down below, trying to keep the best jewels and fighting against the irrepressible impulse to include the fabulous version of a certain ‘Atina, Turner’ they did on Tuesday and the 13th.
Since bursting onto the music scene in the early ’60s, Tina Turner has survived tremendous odds to become one of the most important singers of the last century. Since her humble beginnings in Nutbush, she has gone on to win a dozen Grammy Awards and sell 200 million records. Since her 1974 solo debut, Tina Turns the Country On! Until her last concert in 2009 in Sheffield, she has proven to be an artist like no other with an absolutely incendiary force on the microphone.
Her story is revisited in the documentary about her life simply titled Tina , which portrays the singer’s awesome power and delves into the horrific mistreatment she suffered at the hands of her husband and fellow artist Ike Turner.
Going through his complete discography is a process that would take a conscientious fan weeks, but this annotated selection of Greatest Hits will give you a fairly complete idea of ​​his magnificent sonic legacy… And, by the way, we celebrate that today he turns 83 splendid years.
I Can’t Stand the Rain (1984)
Tina Turner shined on Ann Peebles’ version of this song, with those notes like falling drops and falsetto in the chorus adding an extra syllable to the word “rain” that makes the song immediately different. The cut was included on the Private Dancer album and although it didn’t hit the charts excessively, it has become a fan favorite over time.
Time and time again, the singer has proven herself worthy of the title Queen of Rock and her rendition of Acid Queen , released as a single from her second solo album, is one of those royal moments. The record was inspired by Tina’s role as The Acid Queen in the 1975 film version of The Who ‘s Tommy . This song also marked a key moment in her career: it was the last single of hers that she released before leaving her abusive husband.
I Don’t Wanna Fight (1993)
La Turner recorded this single for her 1993 biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It and has since appeared on several compilation albums, including her 2005 All The Best . Bold, dramatic and cinematic, this 90s romantic ballad is the perfect mix. to conquer Hollywood.
We have heard this magnificent song performed by her so many times that you may be surprised to learn that it is actually a version of the song that Bonnie Tyler had released a year before. It may not be originally hers, but when Tina Turner first says that “you’re simply the best” thing, I’m sure, like us, you also feel a little shiver of satisfaction.
The Best
Originally composed by David Bowie for Iggy Pop’s 1977 album Lust For Life , the white duke gave the song a reggae-key bob and performed it in an iconic duet with Turner. They both sang it live on several occasions and it appeared on their album Tina Live In Europe .
Be Tender with Me Baby (1989)
Tina shows off her excellent vocal qualities once again in this heart-pounding rock ballad. “Why does my heart keep aching? Why do I feel this way? I hope you see that this isn’t really me, it’s just a phase I’m going through,” sings the Tennessee artist.
We Don’t Need Another Hero (1985)
Here is the other of the great songs of the singer taken to the movies. Tina Turner had a double helping of work alongside Mel Gibson in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome , starring as the corrupt Aunt Mistress and contributing this fantastic theme to the soundtrack.
This tremendous example of disco featuring Ike and Tina’s remarkable funky take on rock’n’roll, was the first single to be released from Tina Turner’s 1975 solo album Acid Queen . The song is special in that it features vocals from Ike, who was normally limited to producing the duo’s hits.
I Don’t Wanna Lose You (1989)
Tina Turner continued to score hits in the ’80s with this gorgeous ballad, taken from her Foreign Affair album . It was a hit in the UK and for some reason also in Belgium. It was signed by Albert Hammond and Graham Lyle, who also wrote their hit What’s Love Got to Do With It.
Written and produced by Ike, on this soul-flecked blues classic, Tina’s deep, husky voice contrasts beautifully with the smooth rhythm and soothing melodies of The Ike And Tina Turner Revue backing vocalists, the Ikettes. They later re-recorded it for their 1969 album River Deep – Mountain High .
Whatever You Want (1996)
The lead single from her ninth solo album, Wildest Dreams , was moderately commercially successful but has earned pride of place among Tina Turner’s best songs thanks to its brilliant orchestral arrangements and the singer’s still-powerful voice, entries now. his four decades in music.
Turner performed a phenomenal version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic with a song that is a master class in rhythm. No wonder it’s been a staple of the singer’s live show for decades.
Nutbush City Limits (1973)
It is a semi-autobiographical song written by Tina about her hometown of Nutbush, Tennessee. It was published shortly before she separated from her then-husband and was the last hit they produced together. Marc Bolan, the frontman for the glam rock band T. Rex, plays guitar on the track.
River Deep – Mountain High (1966)
That of Tina and her ex-husband Ike is one of the best-known abusive relationships in pop culture and makes it more difficult to separate work and artist in their joint works, which spanned much of the 1960s and 1970s. On this occasion the producer was another controversial character, Phil Spector, who spent more than $22,000 (a fortune at the time) on a recording for which he used up to 21 musicians.
Let’s Stay Together (1983)
In 1983, Tina Turner was considered some kind of dinosaur and condemned to perform in hotel ballrooms. But this version of Al Green’s classic, produced by the synthpop group Heaven 17, marked her comeback in style. It became her biggest solo hit to date and paved the way for her reconquest of the charts.
Forming part of Bryan Adams’ hit album Reckless , this phenomenal rock duo won Best Performance in a Video at the 1986 MTV Awards. On working with Tina Turner, the Canadian said “it was amazing, I used to go see her at clubs when I was a teenager. It was a privilege to have sung with her, especially since I was only 24 at the time.”
What’s Love Got to Do with It (1984)
We close this list with what is perhaps the best song in his repertoire. Winner of three Grammys, it remains today a classic for ditto stations. It’s only fitting that the 1993 film about her life was titled after this song – it’s the perfect entry point for new fans and further cemented her superstar status.
