Private Dancer | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 29, 1984 | |||
Recorded | 1983–1984 | |||
Studio | Farmyard, Mayfair, Wessex, Good Earth, Abbey Road, CBS (London, United Kingdom) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 44:02 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Producer | ||||
Tina Turner chronology | ||||
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Singles from Private Dancer | ||||
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Private Dancer is the fifth solo studio album by American singer Tina Turner. It was released on May 29, 1984 by Capitol Records and was her first album released by the label. After several challenging years of going solo after divorcing Ike Turner, Private Dancer propelled Turner into becoming a viable solo star, as well as one of the most marketable crossover singers in the recording industry. It became a worldwide commercial success, earning multi-platinum certifications, and remains her best-selling album in North America to date.
In 2020, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". [5]
A&R man John Carter of Capitol Records is credited with relaunching the career of Tina Turner in the 1980s. [6] In 1983, despite opposition from within Capitol, he signed her and managed her first album for the label, Private Dancer. Recording sessions were overseen by four different production teams and took place at several studios in England, including Rupert Hine, and Martyn Ware of Heaven 17. [7] A radical departure from the rhythm and blues sound Turner had performed with her former husband and performing partner Ike Turner, the tracks in the album are a mixture of uptempos and ballads, inspired by pop and rock genres; it also features elements of smooth jazz and R&B.
"Let's Stay Together" was produced by Martyn Ware of British band Heaven 17. Terry Britten produced the reggae-tinged "What's Love Got to Do with It". Rupert Hine produced "Better Be Good to Me", which had been written by Holly Knight, Mike Chapman, and Nicky Chinn, and most of the other songs. [8] John Carter produced "Private Dancer", which was written by Mark Knopfler and has a guitar solo by Jeff Beck. "Help!" was recorded with The Crusaders.
In 1997, EMI, the parent label of Capitol Records, released a digitally remastered Centenary Edition of the Private Dancer album on CD. This version includes four additional demo tracks recorded in late 1983 and early 1984 with the producer John Carter, first released as B-sides to some of the Private Dancer singles; it also includes three extended 12" remixes.
In 2015, the 30th Anniversary edition of this album was released by the Parlophone Records unit of Warner Music Group which now controls this album. [9]
A 177 date tour to promote the album took place from February 8, 1985, to December 28, 1985. Called the Private Dancer Tour, there were 60 shows in Europe, 105 in North America, 10 in Australia, and 2 in Japan. Opening acts in North America included Glenn Frey and Mr. Mister. As well as songs from the album, Turner performed hits from her time with Ike & Tina, such as "River Deep – Mountain High", "Nutbush City Limits", and "Proud Mary".
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
American Songwriter | [11] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A− [12] |
Goldmine | [13] |
Los Angeles Times | [14] |
Mojo | [15] |
Q | [16] |
Rolling Stone | [8] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [17] |
The Sydney Morning Herald | [18] |
The album received a positive reception from critics. The Los Angeles Times wrote that Turner's voice "melts vinyl". [19]
Debby Miller, in a July 1984 Rolling Stone review, felt that the album was a powerful comeback, with Turner's voice "rasping but strong", and a range of songs that were all good in a "modern rock setting" that was "neither detached nor very fussy". [8] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice felt that she embraced the "middlebrow angst of contemporary professional songwriting". He said that "four different production teams" on the project was a "sign of desperation", despite the resulting "seamless authority" of the album. [20]
Alex Henderson, in a retrospective AllMusic review, says that the album was slicker than her R&B classics recorded with Ike & Tina, but she was still able to sing with a throaty passion to deliver her finest solo production. [10] Stephen Holden has written in The New York Times that by using her English producers to soften her raw Southern soul style, discarding the "blaring horns, frenzied percussion and gospel calls and responses", the album became a "landmark" in the "evolution of pop-soul music". [7]
Michael Lydon, in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die , says that the album's lyrical themes embodied her persona of a "tough, sexy woman schooled in a tough world", and that her vocal delivery overcomes the slick production, with her "indomitable soul" unifying the multiple producers. [21] In 1989, the album was ranked number 46 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Albums of the '80s. In 2001, VH1 named Private Dancer the 95th greatest album of all time. Slant Magazine listed the album at number 63 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s", saying, "Both a personal liberation and sonic redemption, Private Dancer established Turner not only as a genuine diva, but a bona fide force of nature". [22]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Might Have Been Queen" |
| Hine | 4:10 |
2. | "What's Love Got to Do with It" | Britten | 3:48 | |
3. | "Show Some Respect" |
| Britten | 3:18 |
4. | "I Can't Stand the Rain" | Britten | 3:41 | |
5. | "Better Be Good to Me" | Hine | 5:11 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Let's Stay Together" |
| 5:16 | |
7. | "1984" | David Bowie |
| 3:09 |
8. | "Steel Claw" | Paul Brady | Carter | 3:48 |
9. | "Private Dancer" | Mark Knopfler | John Carter | 7:11 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Might Have Been Queen" |
| Hine | 4:10 |
2. | "What's Love Got to Do with It" |
| Britten | 3:48 |
3. | "Show Some Respect" |
| Britten | 3:18 |
4. | "I Can't Stand the Rain" |
| Britten | 3:41 |
5. | "Private Dancer" | Knopfler | Carter | 7:11 |
6. | "Let's Stay Together" |
|
| 5:16 |
7. | "Better Be Good to Me" |
| Hine | 5:11 |
8. | "Steel Claw" | Brady | Carter | 3:48 |
9. | "Help!" | 4:30 | ||
10. | "1984" | Bowie |
| 3:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
11. | "I Wrote a Letter" | Inga Rumpf | Carter | 3:24 |
12. | "Rock 'n Roll Widow" | Tom Snow | Carter | 4:45 |
13. | "Don't Rush the Good Things" | Neil Gammack | Carter | 3:46 |
14. | "When I Was Young" | Carter | 3:11 | |
15. | "What's Love Got to Do with It" (Extended 12" Remix) |
| Britten | 5:48 |
16. | "Better Be Good to Me" (Extended 12" Remix) (edit) |
| Hine | 7:03 |
17. | "I Can't Stand the Rain" (Extended 12" Remix) |
| Britten | 5:45 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" (with B.E.F.) |
| 4:13 | |
2. | "I Wrote a Letter" | Rumpf | Carter | 3:24 |
3. | "Rock 'n Roll Widow" | Snow | Carter | 4:45 |
4. | "Don't Rush the Good Things" | Gammack | Carter | 3:46 |
5. | "When I Was Young" |
| Carter | 3:11 |
6. | "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" | Carter | 3:31 | |
7. | "Tonight" (Live with David Bowie) (Live at The NEC, Birmingham) |
| Britten | 4:01 |
8. | "Let's Pretend We're Married" (Live) | Prince | Britten | 4:13 |
9. | "What's Love Got to Do with It" (Extended 12" Remix) |
| Britten | 5:45 |
10. | "Better Be Good to Me" (Extended 12" Remix) (edit) |
| Hine | 7:04 |
11. | "I Can't Stand the Rain" (Extended 12" Remix) |
| Britten | 5:43 |
12. | "Show Some Respect" (Extended Mix) |
| Britten | 5:45 |
13. | "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" (Single Edit) | Britten |
| 4:16 |
14. | "One of the Living" (Single Remix) | Knight | Mike Chapman | 4:13 |
15. | "It's Only Love" (with Bryan Adams) |
| 3:18 |
Production
The album was released on May 29, 1984, and became an outstanding global commercial success. [24] [25] [26] The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 chart for ten consecutive weeks [27] and remained in the top ten for 39 weeks from August 1984 to May 1985. In the United States it was certified 5× platinum. [28] In Germany, the album went 5× gold becoming one of the best selling albums in history. It peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, where it was certified 3× platinum, remaining on the charts for 150 total weeks. It was certified 7× platinum for the shipment of over 700,000 copies in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. The album has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. [29] [30] At the 1985 Grammy Awards, Private Dancer won four of the six awards for which it was nominated.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [73] | Platinum | 200,000 [74] |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [75] | 2× Platinum | 100,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [76] | 7× Platinum | 800,000 [77] |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [78] | Gold | 33,464 [78] |
France (SNEP) [79] | Gold | 100,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [80] | 5× Gold | 1,250,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [73] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [81] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [82] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Sweden (GLF) [73] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [83] | 3× Platinum | 900,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [84] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe | — | 4,000,000 [85] |
Worldwide | — | 12,000,000 [29] [30] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Year | Winner | Category |
---|---|---|
1985 | "Better Be Good to Me" | Best Female Rock Vocal Performance |
1985 | "What's Love Got to Do with It" | Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |
1985 | "What's Love Got to Do with It?" | Record of the Year |
1985 | "What's Love Got to Do with It?" | Song of the Year |
"What's Love Got to Do with It" is a song written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten, and recorded by Tina Turner for her fifth studio album, Private Dancer (1984). Capitol Records released it as a single from Private Dancer in May 1984 and it eventually became Turner's biggest-selling single.
Don't Ask is the third studio album by Australian singer Tina Arena released by Columbia Records on 21 November 1994.
What's Love Got to Do with It is the first soundtrack by American singer Tina Turner, released on June 15, 1993, by Parlophone. It served as the soundtrack album for the 1993 Tina Turner biographical film of the same name, which was released by Touchstone Pictures that same year. It mostly consists on re-recorded versions of her greatest hits during her period with the Ike and Tina Revue. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of What's Love Got to Do with It, the album was re-released on April 26, 2024 with remixes, single edits and rarities.
Human Racing is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 27 February 1984 by MCA Records. Several songs like "Drum Talk" were based around improvisation; other songs, like "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", had a political message.
Love Hurts is the twentieth studio album by American singer and actress Cher, released on June 18, 1991, by Geffen Records. The album was her final studio album with the record company after a 4-year recording contract. The lead single from the album in Europe was "The Shoop Shoop Song ", while other regions "Love and Understanding" acted as the lead. The follow-up singles were "Save Up All Your Tears", "Love Hurts", "Could've Been You" and "When Lovers Become Strangers". It peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart with the sales of 19,000 copies. In November 2011, Billboard stated that Love Hurts had sold 600,000 copies in the US. In Europe the album was a major success, peaking at number one and top 10 in several countries, including the UK where it spent 6 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart.
"Tonight" is a song written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop for the latter's second solo studio album, Lust for Life (1977). The song was later made into the title-track for Bowie's own album Tonight (1984).
"Nutbush City Limits" is a semi-autobiographical song written by Tina Turner which commemorates her rural hometown of Nutbush in Haywood County, Tennessee, United States. Originally released as a single on United Artists Records in August 1973, it is one of the last hits that husband-wife R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner released together.
The Riddle is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 19 November 1984 by MCA Records.
Break Every Rule is the sixth solo studio album by Tina Turner. It was released on September 8, 1986, through Capitol Records. It was the follow-up to Turner's globally successful comeback album, Private Dancer, released two years earlier. The lead single "Typical Male" peaked at number two for three consecutive weeks in October 1986, while "Two People" and "What You Get Is What You See" reached the top 20. "Back Where You Started" earned Turner her third consecutive Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in 1987. It was Turner's first solo album of original songs.
Foreign Affair is the seventh solo studio album by Tina Turner, released on September 13, 1989, through Capitol Records. It was Turner's third album release after her massively successful comeback five years earlier with Private Dancer and her third and last album with the label. Although the album was not a major success in Turner's native United States, it was a huge international hit, especially in Europe. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, her first number one album there. Dan Hartman produced most of the tracks on the album, including the hit single "The Best", which has gone on to become one of Turner's signature songs.
"Private Dancer" is a song written by British musician Mark Knopfler and recorded by singer Tina Turner, first released in October 1984. The song was intended to be for Knopfler’s band Dire Straits, but was never fully recorded or released by the band. He ended up giving the song to Turner, with her recording being produced by John Carter for her fifth solo album of the same name and released as the album's fifth single. The track reached number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the US R&B chart. The song had moderate international success, reaching number 26 on the UK Singles Chart.
Twenty Four Seven is the tenth and final solo studio album by singer Tina Turner. First released by Parlophone in Europe in October 1999, it received a North American release through Virgin Records in February 2000. As with her previous album Wildest Dreams (1996), Turner worked with a small team of British producers on the album, including Mark Taylor, Brian Rawling, Johnny Douglas, Terry Britten and production team Absolute. Singer Bryan Adams appears on both the title track and "Without You".
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"Better Be Good to Me" is a song written by Mike Chapman, Holly Knight, and Nicky Chinn, recorded by singer Tina Turner for her solo studio album Private Dancer (1984) and released as a single in early September 1984. The song was originally recorded and released in 1981 by Spider, a band from New York City that featured co-writer Knight as a member. Turner's version was successful in the United States and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the then-Hot Black Singles charts. At the 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985, it won Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, one of four Grammys awarded to Turner's Private Dancer album at that ceremony. The song was also included on the Miami Vice soundtrack, and the 2024 Paramount Pictures film IF, during which the main characters sing and dance to the track inside the official music video.
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"I Can't Stand the Rain" is a song originally recorded by Ann Peebles in 1973, and written by Peebles, Don Bryant, and Bernard "Bernie" Miller. Other notable versions were later recorded by Eruption, Graham Central Station, Tina Turner and Lowell George. The original version is ranked at 197 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
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Private Dancer, a tour de force of pop, rock and R&B.