The American singer died on Wednesday at the age of 83.
Singer Tina Turner, who died on Wednesday at the age of 83, created many classics with her blend of R&B, funk, rock and pop, all performed in her signature voice.
The songs trace her journey from her unhappy partnership with her first husband, musician Ike, to her triumphant 1980s comeback, courtesy of a British synth pop group.
BBC News has chosen 10 of the singer’s most popular and fan-favorite hits.
1. River Deep, Mountain High (1966)
Tina had success with Ike in the 60s and one of the masterpieces of pop music came about six years later, when the famous producer Phil Spector, who produced Beatles songs, asked to work with her.
Although the song was credited to the duo, Spector didn’t want Ike controlling in the studio and Tina was happy to be working with someone else.
She was surprised to find that the producer had assembled an orchestra and choir to create her famous sound structure.
“I was just a girl from Tennessee who got involved with Ike and became a singer,” she wrote in her autobiography. “I’ve never, ever seen anything like it, except in movies.”
The hit ranked third most played in the UK but flopped in the US. Radio DJs “said it wasn’t ‘black’ enough to be R&B, or white enough to be ‘pop,'” she said.
2. Proud Mary (1971)
After the song was a hit for Credence Clearwater Revival in 1969, Ike and Tina turned this slow country-rock into a booming funk epic.
Starting with its sultry spoken intro before bursting into lush vocals, this song caused a stir across the United States. It reached number four on the Billboard charts and won a Grammy Award.
When Beyoncé paid tribute to Tina at the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors, this was the song she chose to perform. Three years later, the duo teamed up to sing it as a duet at the Grammy Awards.
3. Nutbush City Limits (1973)
“A Church House, Gin House/A School House, Outhouse” – Tina immortalized her Tennessee hometown in the lyrics of this hit.
The upbeat music was a nostalgic reminder of his turbulent childhood, during which he spent his time picking cotton. “Go to the country during the week / And have a picnic on Labor Day.”
In 1976, Tina separated from Ike after years of abuse and violence, putting her career in jeopardy.
4. Let’s Stay Together (1983)
Tina had to start over and get back on her feet as a solo artist following her split from Ike.
The pivotal moment in this comeback – which would lead to even greater success than before – came when he met two members of the English electro-pop group Heaven 17.
Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory were looking for a singer for a covers album for their British Electric Foundation project, and Tina was out of a record deal.
When she entered Abbey Road Studios, there were no other musicians there. “Where’s the gang?” she asked, expecting a Phil Spector-style orchestra. Instead, the music was made by synthesizers.
they registered first The sphere of confusion of temptationsAfter We are togetherby Al Green – which became her first UK top 10 hit in a decade.
5. What Does Love Have to Do With It (1984)
Tina cemented her solo star status with this song, written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, which was previously gifted to Cliff Richard, Donna Summer and Bucks Fizz. Tina also initially disliked it, saying it was “too light”.
But he agreed to record it, if he could have it his way, “with force and gravity and raw emotion.” It worked.
Her sexy and provocative version, accompanied by a music video of her walking the streets of New York in jeans and black leather, gave Turner her only US solo top 1, as well as winning a Grammy.
The song also earned Tina the title of “oldest woman” (at the time) to take the top spot on the US charts, at the age of 44.
6. Private Dancer (1984)
The title track of Tina’s best selling album was first recorded by the British band Dire Straits, having been written by the lead singer of the group, Mark Knopfler.
But he decided the song didn’t suit a male voice. In an interview, Tina said she didn’t realize the song was about a prostitute.
“I’ve never needed it in my life,” he wrote in his autobiography. “But I think most of us have been in situations where we’ve had to sell, one way or another.”
“When I gave in to Ike, when I kept quiet to avoid an argument, when I stayed with him even though I wanted to leave, that’s what I thought of when I sang the song, the sadness of doing something you don’t want to do. It’s very emotional . “
The song features Jeff Beck on guitar, while the clip, filmed at the Rivoli Ballroom in London, was choreographed by former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips.
7. We Don’t Need Another Hero (1985)
Another track written by Britten and Lyle, this song – and Tina herself – appeared in the film. Mad Max – Beyond the Dome of Thunderby Mel Gibson.
A classic ballad from the 80s, the lyrics of which corresponded to the bleakness of the post-apocalyptic world of the film. Turner appeared in the music video as her character Aunty Entity, who she said she connected with because she was “strong and resilient.”
“She’s lost so much, and then gone through so much to get the men in her world to respect her,” Tina said. “I identified with her struggles because I lived through them.”
The song was another hit, peaking at No. 2 in the US and earning her a Grammy nomination and an Ivor Novello Award.
8. The Best (1989)
This song was originally written for Bonnie Tyler but was only a minor hit for the Welsh singer in 1988.
The following year, Tina added some extra vocal power and a new soft rock output – and it became one of her most influential songs and one of the defining anthems of the decade.
Music is often misnamed Simply the best, a line from its famous refrain. It has been used in several commercials over the years, including a Pepsi commercial featuring Turner herself. The song has also been used to promote rugby league in Australia.
9. Steamy Windows (1989)
This song was also on Turner’s album, Foreign Affairsfrom 1989, and the bluesy track’s sultry lyrics left listeners with little doubt as to what all the fuss was about.
It was another empowering and feminist track from Turner, singing about taking the lead in a sexual encounter. Music Week described the song at the time as “a delightfully edgy number” with “naughty guitar snippets”.
10. Golden Eye (1995)
A song from the James Bond film soundtrack is a milestone for any artist. Following the success of the 1993 Oscar-nominated Tina biopic, What does love have to do with thisthe producers of 007 invited her to the premiere of Pierce Brosnan as the most famous secret agent in cinema.
the theme itself golden eye was written by Bono and The Edge of U2. The singer gave her some kind of demo, but he had a lot of work to do.
“He didn’t do a proper demo, someone just put the song together,” Tina told the BBC in 2018. a lot. I knew then that I could sing anything that was put in front of me,” said the singer.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
