Throughout a career which has spanned more than half a century, Tina Turner has established herself as one of the all-time great performers. Amongst her achievements are eight Grammy Awards, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and record sales figures which total over 100 million. Turner can also claim to be the solo artist who has sold the most concert tickets in history.
Despite high-profile relationships and a crossover into acting, the quality of her songs have been at the very heart of Turner’s success. Here, we look at the Top 10 Tina Turner Songs.
10. Better Be Good to Me
Written by Mike Chapman, Holly Knight and Nicky Chinn, ‘Better Be Good to Me’ earned Turner the award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Female at the 1985 Grammys. The song was also a chart hit in the United States, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
9. GoldenEye
Used as the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name, ‘GoldenEye’ was written by Bono and The Edge from U2. It became one of Tina Turner’s best-selling singles, charting in the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Belgium and several other European countries.
8. I Might Have Been Queen
The opening track on Turner’s ‘Private Dancer’ album, ‘I Might Have Been Queen’ is a lesser-known track, having never been released as a single. However, the song enjoys popularity amongst fans and is notable for its lyrics, which touch upon Turner’s belief that she was an Egyptian Pharaoh, Hatshepsut, in a past life.
7. Private Dancer
Featuring Jeff Beck on lead guitar, ‘Private Dancer’ was originally written for British rock band, Dire Straits. Combining R&B and Jazz elements, the track only enjoyed moderate commercial success, reaching number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and failing to make the top 20 in the UK. However, it is widely considered to be one of Tina Turner’s best tracks by her fans and was a crucial part of her immensely successful ‘Private Dancer’ album.
6. Proud Mary
Originally released by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969, Ike & Tina Turner’s 1971 cover became a signature song for Turner. The track reached number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group at the 1972 Grammy Awards. In 2003, five years after the original, Ike & Tina Turner’s version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
5. Typical Male
The lead single from Turner’s hit 1986 album ‘Break Every Rule’, ‘Typical Male’ is known for its unconventional chorus. The track became a huge critical success and also performed well commercially, reaching number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and making the top 10 in countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland and New Zealand.
4. The Best
Released by Bonnie Tyler in 1988, Tina Turner covered ‘The Best’ on her ‘Foreign Affair’ album and released it as a single in 1989. The Turner version performed significantly better commercially and became one of her best-known and most-loved tracks.
3. We Don’t Need Another Hero
The theme song for ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’, a film in which Tina Turner herself starred, ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’ peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 in the UK Singles Chart. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.
2. River Deep – Mountain High
Written by Phil Spector, and reportedly considered by Spector himself to be his best work, ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ was recorded using the Wall of Sound production technique. Although it became a hit in Europe, it flopped during its original release in the United States. However, it has subsequently received huge acclaim from critics and was named as the 33rd Greatest Song of All Time by Rolling Stone.
1. What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Released in 1984, ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ featured on Turner’s ‘Private Dancer’ album and marked something of a comeback for the star, after struggling in her early solo career. It would go on to become her most successful single, topping he US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number 3 in the UK Singles Chart. The track received three Grammy Awards in 1985, including Record of the Year, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012.
