This is a Random Album Generator.
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
1984
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!The musical instruments on this album are meaningless background noise. Tina’s voice is the main instrument and oh man is it powerful. Unfortunately the album is more than just her voice.
An interesting and cool album. I’m not sure how much Tina Turner you’re supposed to consume at one time, but by the end of it I was feeling overwhelmed. Very aggressive. I can’t stand the rain is phenomenal.
Okay, Aunty Entity. Aunty Entity, okay. This record is painfully 80s. It's so 80s, it goes to work with a Lisa Frank trapper keeper tucked under its arm. It's a plastic imitation of real music with a rough coat of paint slapped over top to give it the impression of edginess. Not good.
Love Anna Mae Bullock. Feisty, exciting, unique voice. Such energy and passion. Reminded me of the days when I could really dance the night away! Only wish I had had the chance to see her live back then. Her version of Help very evocative what it feels like to be getting older. Nice bit of sax too.
Great album overall. Some songs seem to blend together, but the standouts are great songs with so much replay value. The pop and rock genre are perfectly molded with Turner's vocals, creating a fresh and sweet sound that is sonically pleasing. The change of sound from her past songs is welcomed and at some points in the album, invited. Her raspy vocals still provide a strong and seamless album that is enjoyable to listen to.
An incredilbe voice with identity and power... cruelly unwind by that horrible 80's production... the title song sucks and that guitar on steel claw sounds like a chihuahua in distress.
It’s fine. Private Dancer and What’s Love Got To Do With It are the best songs. Tina’s voice is amazing, but the sound/music doesn’t really seem to age well.
"WHO RUNS BARTERTOWN!?" TINA FUCKIN' TURNER, that's who! –– | –– I was dreading this album when I saw it come in last night. The '80s have a special place in my trashcan. I was relieved, however that the saxophone didn't make an entrance until track five—'Private Dancer' which I immediately hated. However, I think that if you can remove that wretched instrument from this song, you can find the beauty in the juxtaposition of Tina's strong, survive-at-all-costs voice singing those lyrics. A quick note on the saxophone. Byrd, Coletrane and James Bond– theyr're all great ... In the late '90's and early 2000's there was this belief that any crappy movie could be made better if only Sean Connery was in it. Studios figured this out and it worked for a bit until audiences eventually realized that Sean Connery equals suckfest, making him redundant and leaving us with movies like LXG. In the '80's the same thing happened with the saxophone. Anyway, Tina - an empirical 'YES!' The music backing up Tina... that's a harder sell. The flat drum machines, the stiff-lo-tech-robot percussion and errant guitar strum sprinkled through tracks is pure Connery. Is it possible to remix this without all that 80's baggage? If so, I'm on board. Just do me one favor and keep 'I Can't Stand the Rain.' Somehow, in ways I can't explain, this song just works as-is.
I love Tina Turner. Love her. I own many Tina Turner records. But it's the r'n'b and funk output of the 60s and 70s that really do it for me. I do not in any way begrudge her the massive success she found in the 80s as a solo artist. She wanted to make it as big as Bowie and the Stones, and she did. Because she is awesome. She really wrote the book on female rock performance, and is is one of the rock and roll greats of any gender. Full stop. And this is the album that really did it for her, pushing her into success in a way she never had before. But... what is required for mainstream success buffs off many of the edges that made her a really compelling force of nature. Many reviews refer to the slick production (Which it sure is, and terribly 80s, and not all of it has dated well) and her raspy voice. But I am familiar with her earlier material, and the rasp is downplayed quite a lot. She never really tears it up (although she gets closer on some of the b-sides). Seven hit singles from one album is a pretty amazing strike-rate, and she makes some otherwise middle-of-the-road material compelling. I love you, Tina, and I play your records all the time. Just not this one. (As a side note, I am getting a bit tired of 1001 albums throwing out albums because they are the commercial breakthrough, or big selling (particularly in the UK), but not necessarily the albums that was influential, ground-breaking or representative of what that artist really had to offer. This is a good case in point.)
I love her raw raspy voice and I'm curious how she would sound singing other genres or more contemporary music. I like her version of Al Greene's "Let's Stay Together" - such a great song; I could still do without the cheesy synthesizer sounds. It's hard to get past some of these 80's synthesizer and keyboard sounds - they make me start dancing really weird and jerky, and I feel cheesiness. However, I do love some 80's songs, like by The Cure or The Smiths, so sometimes I like those sounds. Maybe it's nostalgic? I didn't know that Missy Elliot had sampled her song, "I can't stand the rain" - that's such a good line/tune. Ooh we got some elevator music now. And "1984" sounds like it's from a musical and it's kinda chaotic - nope, don't like it.
A fantastic pop album that stands to this day with career defining songs from her well known comeback.
9/10. A couple of really good songs, and some other pretty good ones. My one complaint is that I really would have like "I Can't Stand the Rain" way more were it not for the weird sounds that reminded me of the Ghostbusters theme and really killed the mood.
I've heard the big hits, but never sit down and listened to Tina Turner. Not sure what to expect at all. Holy cow, this is good. Her voice is great and the songs allow her to showcase a full range of emotional power. The music is brashly 1980s with schmaltzy sax and synth. But it works really well, and the whole album rocks out, with little touches of funk, soul, R&B, etc. Even the cover songs (Beatles, Al Green, David Bowie) cohere with the album as a whole. 5/5, glad I gave this a chance!
I forgot how much I like Tina’s voice. I wouldn’t skip any song on this album with the exception of 1984, which just made me laugh with how 80s it was (so maybe I wouldn’t skip that one either).
This album is pure energy in your ears for an all too short 50 minutes. Turner brings everything to a series of upbeat jams that are absolutely electric. Powerhouse ballad after powerhouse ballad. Her cover of Bowie's 1984 might... even... be better than Bowie's? That might be sacrilege but that's what I'm feeling right now. Days like this are when I am SO happy I found this website, and SO happy I have discovered so many all time great works of art.
Pop-infused R&B with the likes of record powerhouse 'What's Love Got to Do with It', 'Private Dancer' (album) is soulful, profound, and tasteful. Tina Turner's commendable vocals is full-bodied and flavorful, geared for many genres - the uptempo rock records are upheld by Turner's stamina, while the smooth jazz and ballads retain her radiance. Casual listening promises an extremely effortless and gratifying listen; critical listening reveals a guaranteed above-average production and delivery.
For me, this album is like Thriller - I'd never heard the album as a whole before, but I'd heard almost all the tracks as singles. It's fire! This is how you make a comeback. Tina mixes up new tracks that capture her newfound cougar status with well-picked covers. As well, the music is on trend with 80s synthpop but also lets her completely rock out. So many good tracks and such a solid album!
It's always amazing to hear Tina sing. What a legend. It's also always shocking to hear how much 'What's Love Got To Do With It' is an abuse song. 1984 really hits home about how not much has changed for being black in America. Sigh. Not sure if you all listened to the remastered version, but it includes a version of the Beatles 'Help' and a duet with David Bowie that are just beautiful.
Wow. Full of hits on this and the sound was sometimes SO 1984 that it was wild. I loved this album and the covers were all great.
In late 1984 on a long school trip I forgot to pack any extra cassettes for my Walkman knock-off. At a truck stop I perused the limited selection and saw a single copy of this album. On impulse I bought PRIVATE DANCER despite knowing very little about Tina Turner. This was not something I would have ever imagined adding my my collection. By the end of side one, the universe had assigned me my diva and I had met the musical love of my life. PRIVATE DANCER overflows with fire and passion. Every song on this album is a monster. The cover songs feel like completely new tracks as Tina works them into her style. The polished 80s production serves to highlight Tina’s raw, primal energy that still makes me stop what I’m doing to listen. PRIVATE DANCER is my musical cornerstone and likely the greatest album I will ever hear.
6/11 Incredible songstress over classic 80's production. Standout Tracks: I Might Have Been Queen, Show Some Respect, I Can't Stand the Rain, Steel Claw
Good pop album with an edge from a legendary artist with a unique voice. Despite this not being my personal favorite genre and only steel claw popped out as a great song i liked, it was an overall good album that deserves its rating
Die meisten der immerhin 7 Singles dieses Albums kenne ich seit dem Release in den 80ern. Und hatte damit seither eben die 80er und ihren Sound verknüpft. Und dabei nie wirklich bemerkt, was für ein un-glaub-lich-es Organ Tina Turner eigentlich hat. I Can't Stand the Rain!
Great album, all the hits, and found some samples to other songs I didn’t know were a thing.
Let's Stay Together Publicado: 19 de noviembre de 1983 Help Publicado: 25 de febrero de 1984 What's Love Got to Do with It Publicado: 16 de junio de 1984 Better Be Good To Me Publicado: 15 de septiembre de 1984 Private Dancer Publicado: 17 de febrero de 1985 I Can't Stand the Rain Publicado: 2 de marzo de 1985 Show Some Respect Publicado: 4 de mayo de 1985
I knew most of the songs from my youth, but I hadn't heard many of the covers. The Beatles cover was great.
Gravelly voice? Check. Bucket load of synth? Check. One of the biggest albums of the 80s? Check.
The height of 80s slick production contrasts perfectly with her powerful voice. I wasn't keen on the covers though.
I thought this would be another case where the lead single would be the only good track, followed by a series of bad covers and other songs written by conflicting writers. But no, the production is great, busy sound as the 80s is known for, but combines post-disco with jazz and soft rock to make something soulful yet danceable, accessible for all audiences. First 6 tracks are perfect. The covers are mixed. The Peebles and Al Green covers are amazing and don't sound off with Turner's style, and you might be able to convince me they were originally intended for the era had I not heard the originals before. The Bowie and Beatles covers I wasn't really impressed by, but the 1984 cover was a little cool if anything. Favorite tracks: What's Love Got to Do With It, Private Dancer, Let's Stay Together
Mis favoritas: What's love got to do with it I can't stand the rain Private dancer Let's stay together
Afin de vous expliquer les raisons de ma disparition sans pour autant alerter robvipère, je vais vous transmettre un message codé, qu'il vous suffira de déchiffrer afin de me venir en aide. Voici l'énigme: "A l'heure ou les loups garous sont de sortie, le chanteur violeur d'enfants dansera, eltrapèze reviewra, robvipère trépassera"
Actually a good album and enjoyed it far more than I would have ever expected. Its pure 80s but still listenable today. Apart from the Help cover which overstayed its welcome, all the songs were of great quality. It did get a bit tiring when the last couple came on but apart from that really happy with this.
Ok so it's a pretty good selection of covers like I can't stNd the rain and let's stay together, however they do show the limitations of her vocal range, but that doesn't bother me at all un fact I find it endearing...you always recognize a Tina Turner performance. And when Tina rocks, like in better be good to me, she takes a backseat to no one; man or woman.4 🌟
I would have hated this when I was a teenager, kind of enjoyed it now. One of the songs I thought had a bit of Nutbush City Limits about it
teenta turnter. fun 80s pop. one star deducted because there's no reason for the title track to be that long.
90. Private Dancer - Tina Turner 17 tracks. I really enjoyed this, (and some of her other stuff it took me to even more), but I also prefer her Rocky side rather her Soulful stuff. Have listened to this album a few times over last few days. Better Be Good to Me is EPIC!!! 4/5
I'm going to agree with the field on this one. I had zero interest in Tina or this kind of music at the time of this album's popularity and now I understand completely why it was so popular. It almost feels like a Bruce Springsteen record to me, at times. (Looking at you "Steel Claw.") Or maybe his album's feel like Tina's? I don't know. Chicken and the egg. Anyway, "1984" is a really terrible way to end an album that otherwise far exceeded my expectations. Who let that song make it to press??
Tell you what, this album had me in its mid-80s clutches for the entire thing - even through Help which I was sure I was gonna hate. But then... 1984. Hoo boy. But otherwise, I really enjoyed this. Probably a little because of nostalgia - it just sounds like the mall when I was 10. But still - enjoyed it.
4, this was so good! I feel like I only think of What's Love Got to Do With It is all I think of with her but this album rocked.
This was huge when I was a kid and I have a sizable amount of nostalgia for the 80s pop sound in general - rife with synths and drum machines. Pop music from this era can come sometimes across as "soulless" because of it's tendency to be rather clean and polished but that is impossible in the hands of Tina Turner. Her imminently soulful voice provides a powerful foil for the slick, synth dominated tracks, and I enjoy the contrast very much.
80s diva, belting out hits without the benefit of auto-tune, but with the benefit of a lot of synthesizers, big hair and some saxophone cameos. I don't hate the album because I don't hate the sound of the 1980s.
Kind of long, but there sure are some gems in there. Gotta respected the awesome punch in her voice. Favorite: I wrote a letter; I might have been queen; rock'n'roll widow.
This album is very 80s by which I mean heavy on the synthesizer and drum machines in a very particular way. Having said that, I enjoyed this album more than I expected to. Tina Turner is a powerhouse of a vocalist and this album showcases her emotional range as well. ‘I can’t stand the rain’ is the standout track for me.
So unashamedly 80s and hits the mark because of this. Finally out of the shadow of (and trauma caused by Ike) Tina Turner shone on this album. So many hits, so many good songs. I'd forgotten the covers too. Tina really makes Let's Stay Together her own and manages to follow it with a just as good Bowie cover of 1984, a song I would never have pictured her performing. OK, I'm not a fan of the Beatles cover nut I think that one is down to my taste. Only thing against sound is too polished in places which is at odds with Tina's raw vocals.
There is a huge laundry list of artists on this one. Also 4 different production teams? Tina's vocal delivery is POWER. What's Love Got To Do With It is a killer sad song. Can't Stand The Rain has that horns in a can sound, but it's only just on the verge of being too much. Let's Stay Together is a wild cover. Again, it borders on too much and I think crosses that line. Steel Claw is a raccous boogie. Though there is a lot of lyrically whiplash on this album. The Help! cover is not my favorite. The 1984 cover I think is spot on. So on balance I have no idea where to put this album. Will need to revisit this.
Tina Turner is a referent. Here she has some hits as "What's love go to do with it" and "Private dancer".
Excellent vocals and good music. Some standout songs that I enjoyed in the 80s and again.
Love the energy and can feel that the personnel enjoyed making the music, esp. in Steel Claw
Really good overall. Didn’t dislike any of it. I’d consider it a 3.5/5 overall but I’ll round up here due to not really having any complaints.
Solid album. Nice sound and great voice. Standout tracks: What's Love Got to Do with It I Can't Stand the Rain 1984 Ball of Confusion
Tina Turner really rocked in the 80’s, really top stuff on this record, but the production has not hold up well
i got sixteen tracks into the 30th anniversary version before wondering if i was into added material yet, which is high praise, honestly.
Tina. Amazing. I remember when this album was released, and hearing the stories of the abuse she suffered for so many years. Whenever I hear 'What's Love Got To Do With It', I get a little misty-eyed even after all these years. Separating the personal story from it, it's a darn beautiful song lyrically and musically. And, of course, her voice. That voice. Even in the tracks that aren't normally to my taste -- the kind of mid-80s dance types that I don't actively dislike; I'm just not that into -- her voice carries it all. I'm so glad to know she achieved so much success with this album and for decades after. I'm gushing, I know. I'm a fan, and I'm inspired. Shine on, Beautiful Star!
A great voice, but other than the hits, the rest is sort of forgettable. Tina is a fantastic singer, but I was kind of bored, especially with the bland music. Normally a 2 star from me, but her talent carries it to a 3.5/5.
Tina’s voice is the stand out, defiant & emotional. Feels like a greatest hits. Not a massive fan of the production
Favorites: What's Love Got to Do with It, Show Some Respect, Let's Stay Together, 1984 The fifth solo album by Tina Turner, it was what propelled her into becoming a solo star after several challenging years of going solo after divorcing her husband and performing partner Ike Turner. Her best-selling North American album. Blends sounds from rock, pop, smooth jazz and r&b throughout a mixture of uptempos and ballads.
Excellent collection of powerful 80s tunes. I had only ever really heard What's Love Got to Do With It, so I have a new found appreciation of Tina Turner. Highlights: -What's Love Got To Do With It -Private Dancer -1984
Some very interesting covers (and then there was 1984...). Seemed pretty uneven with just a couple of standout tracks.
Great record of this era. I was disappointed there weren't more BANGERS in here, but overall very solid.
Another classic 80's pop album. I left it playing and it went like a breeze. It's got its couple of megahits so it sounds somewhat familiar, but it's not what I'd play on a daily basis.
I quite liked this. Very 80’s movie vibe throughout the whole thing and not a huge variety but was an easy listen.
Not a bad album. "What's Love Got to Do with it" is the most popular song by far. Rest is alright. 6/10.
eh. i'll give it 6/10. overall i think this sounded pretty generic, but there were fun tunes here and there. the cover of help! is actually really cool. her lower register is rough at times, but when when she belts it's fantastic.
You know what you're getting withna Tina Turner album. Well crafted catchy pop with the odd belter.
Strong start Tina, unfortunately as the album went on it fell a bit flat for me in places. The good songs on there do just about enough for me to give it 3*
decent production carried this project, with not a lot to hold onto in the lyrical dept but these are big fun 80s pop tracks. Title track was 7 minutes and fairly overdone by the time it wrapped though
Guuuud va långt, kommer inte kunna lyssna på hela. Whats love bla bla bla är enda anledningen till att den får en 3/5
Este álbum encontra se extremamente datado, a partir da primeira nota ouvimos anos 80. Tina tinha uma boa voz mas pop está longe de me agradar. Nota:5/10
Quintessential 80’s. Tina showed her ability to stand out as a solo act on this record, but I could’ve sworn “What’s Love” was faster paced.
This is so 80s I felt myself growing a full perm and shoulder pads as I listened. It's beautifully produced classic pop, containing some of the most recogisaable songs from that decade. As an unapologetic lover of most things 80s, even though I'm not a big Turner fan, this tickles all the right nostalgia places. A fun listen and a fun singalong.
A few great tunes here - I particularly love her voice on Let's Stay Together. A few really dated-sounding tracks (1984, esp!) that bring the whole effort down a bit. She's an icon, no doubt, but I'd prefer a greatest hits collection to this full album.
"What's Love Got to Do With It" is, of course, a classic. The rest is too 80s for my taste.
Dated production, but strong songs, and always good to listen to her voice. One of those albums where I can picture a particular location for a listening session. (Annie Paynter's house). Horrific covers of Help! and Bowie's 1984 at the end.
I wish I could give half stars for this as I really enjoyed the first half of the album. The second half is still solid, but more than a few could have been removed. Overall, I liked it and need to make more of an attempt to listen to her catalog.
In the 2021HBO documentary "Tina", Tina Turner admits she thought the original Bucks Fizz version of "What's Love Got to Do With It" was "terrible". A snippet of the song is played, and you totally agree with Tina. She's eventually sold on the idea of the song's potential, and Tina takes this bland, vanilla song and turns it into a goddamn fireworks show. She does the same thing with her cover of "Let's Stay Together". But for my money, the essential track from Private Dancer - the one song I'd put in a time capsule to exemplify Tina Turner at the peak of her powers in 1984 - is "Better Be Good To Me". It wasn't as big as "What's Love" but it has more staying power. It hints at the young Tina Turner who took "Proud Mary" and set that thing on fire, leaving CCR in the dust. It made all the sense in the world that Tina would have a second act in that magical musical year of 1984. It was also a peak year for MTV, and Tina popped off the screen in her videos with seduction and sex appeal that spoke to an audience that didn't care she was 44 years old, and had no idea she had an earlier life making amazing records with an abusive husband. We were just waiting for Tina to show up, and she fit right in alongside Madonna and Cyndi Lauper to provide real star appeal. I'm not crazy about the black cat on the album cover hiding Tina's legs. It's disappointing that "It's Only Love", her collaboration Bryan Adams, ended up on his album Reckless and not here. But I get it, Adams wrote the song so he dictates terms. Turner's dynamic force is almost enough to soar over the dated instruments prominently on display here. It's so great that Tina is getting one more victory lap at the end of her life, getting long overdue recognition by the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. Her comeback in 1984 is one of the greatest in rock history. Hell, she lived long enough to see her own Bio-Pic. We can still recognize Tina's solo career while also acknowledging her best songs were with Ike. You really should seek out old footage of Tina doing Proud Mary to truly comprehend what a force of nature she was. Actual rating is 3.5.
Ended up on the very extended 30th anniversary edition and had to take a look at the more manageable original track list. Nothing extraordinary beyond what’s love got to do. Impressive vocals but mediocre supporting music for most of the album. What’s love got to do, let’s stay together, better be good to me
Singles / Hits sind pure 5.0er wert. Rest nicht der Rede wert. Einigen wir uns auf den Absoluten Mittelwert ? 2.5
Tina Turner is like old lady hot? I remember my mom listening to her when I was a kid. I felt like Turners voice was so aged? it's a beautiful voice, but I get kind of weirded out when she starts talking the more sexy game. Like, Good for her ya know? but also, I know so much about her life and it's sorta sad. She's got some solid vocals and it's a solid album with some real classics.
I enjoyed this slightly more than I expected to. The hits are bangers. Despite Kelsey trying to explain it to me, I still do not understand what a second hand emotion is. The covers definitely diminished the album as a whole. Turner has great pipes, but it just made me wish I were hearing the originals. Fun to hear where that Missy Elliot sample came from.
Alright album with one great pop song. The album has a couple covers which doesn’t show originality but Tina Turner is a great talent. It’s a quick fun album but it’s highlight is the famous song. 5.6/10
Half of the songs are GREAT. The rest are a little dated now. Great for its time though. 3/5. Help is not on the US version of the Album. We were missing something, Nice version of the Beatles classic. Standouts: Private Dancer, What's Love Got to do With It, I Can't Stand the Rain, Let's Stay Together, Help.
Never diverges from total high energy which becomes monotonous after a while. Couple of big hits in there though
11/16/21 - A lively listen. Title track is a heartbreaker. Insane that all music sounded like this in the 80s. Totally flat, plastic, hermetically sealed. Not a huge fan of her howl but the energy is contagious regardless.
Un album assez oubliable de la part de notre Afida Turner nationale. Les années 80 continuent de confirmer leur statut de pire décennie musicale. Vous avez sans doute dû vous apercevoir que je manquais de régularité dans la publication de mes critiques ces derniers temps. Le générateur constitue en effet pour moi une énorme pression à gérer au quotidien (je suis la deuxième personne la plus suivie du site). Je me suis donc décidé à appeler Robert à un moment où j'étais en larmes sur le sol de mon salon pour lui confier mon mal être. Il a pris le temps de me remonter le moral et m'a accordé deux jours de repos.
Seemed dated, and did not enjoy as much as I thought I would. Great voice and “What’s love got to do with it” is a good hit, but otherwise just ok.
It's an okay album, I have to say Private Dancer is a good song when you first hear it, but it no longer fascinates me, or moves me. This time listening to this album I found myself going back to Steel Claw over and over.
Was torn between rating this good for the high energy power tracks Tina's great at, or badly for everything else. So I guess it's a 3...
Some classic tunes, Great to revisit and remember when I saw Tina live but not one I’d play regularly
Tina Turner Assoziationen: Jüngste Oma der Welt. Geprügelt von Ike. Mad Max 3. Towuhabohu! Ist so meine Kindheit im Fernsehen, bissl wie Joe Cocker. Eh gut, sie singt super, passt.
we all know the hits, but there are some other good tracks on the album. it was a good comeback for her, an emancipation.
I want to like this album, but there is not much carrying it other than Tina Turner's incredible voice. The cover of I Can't Stand the Rain is just a worse copy of the original. The Let's Stay Together and Help! covers add nothing to this album. A lot of the musical accompaniment is pretty uninspired. This album could have really been something if better music was matched up with Turner's vocals, but as it is this album is a couple of highlights without much to fill it in 3/5
Couple of absolute bangers on here but outside of that lots of generic 80s music and not-quite-as-good-as-the-original-but-still-decent covers. Pretty much the definition of a 3/5
Turner takes from each of the previous decades to craft a post-Disco comeback brimming with sheen and attitude.
Ah, what a voice, what power & what energy. I love so much of her early music. But this huge album surprised me with how much of it felt tired and aged. It's more a reflection on power ballads than Tina though.
An archetypal 80s yuppie CD. Tina's evergreen voice plays second place to the then-popular "more is more" production. Lots of 80s tropes, bits of Pat Benatar, covers of Al Green and Bowie, and noticable Heaven 17 production. I thought I'd hate this yacht-soul album but it's interesting enough for a tentative thumbs up. And Tina can wail, it's undeniable.
Never really listened to Tina Turner before but I enjoyed this album. Highlight for me was Private Dancer.
Nostalgia crept back in for me, the single releases are still great sing-alongs. The rest of the songs, despite Tina's powerful vocals, feel dated and largely forgettable. (I'm ignoring that Beatles' cover.)
Songs like 'What's Love Got to Do With It' are familiar on a very eighties sounding album (guitars, effects, production, keyboards, tempo are all in that mold). Tina Turner is in very good voice and the songs are catchy. It's very much a rock orientated album rather than soul which I like. I probably enjoyed it more than I care to admit, mainly due to Turner's vocals but ultimately I probably wouldn't choose to listen to it again. I might go and listen to 'River Deep Mountain High' now though!
Love her voice and tone. Not the biggest fan of the album though. Stand outs are What’s Love Got to Do With It and the Bowie cover.
I see how it's a classic - so many radio hits and must have been groundbreaking for its time. Especially coming from a more mature woman of color who was so on top of the trends. I can respect that, but too much treble for me!
The balls on Ms. Turner to sing about being a private dancer at 45 years old in 1984 when women were still fighting against such a horribly ageist and misogynistic industry - trailblazer! This album is full of hits. Enjoyed it a lot.
This is my first time listening to a Tina Turner album and given her reputation, I had high hopes. After listening I was sorely disappointed. I her vocals to be fine but the instrumentation on a lot of songs just reeked of the 80s and I think that spoiled it a lot.
Tiene dos de sus canciones más famosas: What's Love Got to Do with It y Private Dancer. El resto no me han llamado la atención.
4/23/2022 Today's Album: "Private Dancer" by Tina Turner - This album is an 80s pop album that can pretty much be split right down the middle in terms of quality. The first leg of this record is so promising. The opening track is immediately really funky and features a lot of really interesting instrumentation. The vocal performances from Tina feel powerful and confident and each following track just shows that off. What's Love Got to Do with It has this really cool reggae beat in the chorus and overall is just a great 80s love ballad. Show Some Respect kicks the energy back up and at this point it is clear that this entire album is going to feel incredibly 80s, but so far it has been pulled off with some serious expertise. The chorus kicks ass, even if it sounds just slightly underdeveloped. I Can't Stand the Rain has this really cool production to it, sounding very unique for a song of it's style. There's this tinking percussion noise that repeats until the song picks up with some seriously cool percussion and synth work that creates a really cool atmosphere. Private Dancer is a great track that gives a lot of insight into the life of a private dancer and the insecurity involved with that line of work. The first half could almost be cut into a short and sweet single, but the guitar work in the second half before the last chorus feels really ahead of it's time and adds a ton of charm to the track. Let's stay together is a great bait and switch, starting with this really slow ballad verse before opening up into this really fun funky track with this really cool synth solo and a lot of interesting production throughout. And with that, Better Be Good to Me begins the slow decline of this album. I still like the overall feel of this track, but it doesn't really reach a similar high as the rest of the tracks so far and begins this trend of every song sounding like another 80s band could have easily done it and probably done it better. Steel Claw literally sounds like that "saturday" song from the 80s and doesn't do much to deviate from it. Help! is perhaps one of the worst beatles covers to ever exist. 1984 is generic and the mix feels really unbalanced. I wrote a letter sounds like a bad blondie song. Rock n' Roll widow doesn't have too bad of an instrumental, but the lyrics are really corny and the vocal performance is just kind of weak. The rest of the songs continue this trend with unlikeable and generic 80s tracks that don't do much to improve to the album at all and often make it much worse. I would absolutely recommend the first half of this album as one of the best examples of 80s synth pop, but the 2nd half is bound to put anyone to sleep. Listen to the first half if it sounds good and just don't listen to the first half if you respect your time Score: 5/10 fifty fifty Highlights: Soul Survivor, What's Love Got To Do With It, Show Some Respect, I Can't Stand The Rain, Private Dancer, Let's Stay Together, Better Be Good To Me
4/25/22 This album is 80s to the max. It feels like something that would be playing over the radio at my dentists office and that’s because this is what they play on daytime radio! I knew several songs, but I don’t really like any of them. Feel very neutral towards this album. Favorite song: What’s love got to do
It was meh. Didn’t really love anything. Even What’s Love Got to Do With It wasn’t that amazing.
Listened to on 4/25/22 2/5 Favorite song: what’s love got to do with it I wanted this album to be better than it was - only one solid bop and BIG 80s fluffy hair energy
I bought the 12" of Let's Stay Together in 1983 pretty much as soon as it came out in 1983, completely oblivious to the existence of the Al Green version in those days. Still love it but much of the rest of the album leaves me cold.
It's exactly what one would expect. Good voice. Also there's a cat on the album cover, just noticed that while writing this sentence.
Some great songs in there, and there's an undoubtedly great voice in there. But: the entire album is so deeply anchored in that “classic” eighties sound I found it hard to tolerate in its entirety. Way too much of an eighties overdose!
Une voix essentielle à connaître. L’album est très marqué par l’époque, autant avec certains éléments plus audacieux et d’autres qui ont très mal vieillis. Donc côté voix, cet album est fantastique. Je peux pas croire que je n’avais jamais entendu I Can’t Stand The Rain. Ça change ma perception de la chanson The Rain de Missy Elliott que j’aimais déjà. Un album à connaître que je me suis surpris à aimer plus que je l’aurais pensé.
I’m excited for the pending 1984! A few too many power ballads for my liking to rate in turn. I Can’t Stand the Rain is best
Some interesting arrangements for the covers which amply showcase the vocal talents. But something just isn't there. Maybe it is that it sounds of the time or that there were plenty of guest producers.
kind of an odd choice here.... it was fine, not somethng i really want to listen to though.
I love me some Tina Turner, that smoking hot Buddhist grandma that starred in a Mad Max movie and prowls around the stage like a benevolent lioness. The other day I heard an old Ike and Tina song by chance and I was reminded that the woman is a powerhouse singer with enough energy to light up a small city. But Private Dancer came out in the darkest days of the 80s, with textbook mainstream 80s production. The songs almost don't even matter, and even Tina herself can't redeem this music. I say all that without having listened to a note of the album, because the incessant radio play of her hits from that period is burned into my brain whether I like it or not. Okay, I'm gonna take one for the team and listen to this and report back.Later: Private Dancer is a lousy album, but the picture is far more complex than I first thought. For one thing there are five producing teams, and out of 9 tunes, 4 are covers! Clearly, the goal here was to restart Tina Turner's career and bring her up to date, and the strategy was to throw everything against a wall and hope something stuck. The only thing unifying the album is Tina herself. The Rupert Hine produced tunes are aerobicized, machine tooled arrangements that wouldn't be out of place on a Jane Fonda workout videotape. In their defense, there aren't any horrible synth patches and Hine uses the rockist guitar of Jamie West-Oram to anchor the tunes. Producer Terri Britten distinguishes himself with the mid tempo hit What's Love Got To Do With It, which has a reggae lilt--he also wrote it. He does less well with the Ann Peebles classic, I Can't Stand the Rain. The orchestral hits bring it up to date all right, but we're talking about disgusting 80s production, so that's no accomplishment. Better Be Good To Me and Show Some Respect are indistinguishable in style from Rupert Hine's work. Next up is producers Greg Walsh and Martyn Ware. They desecrate the Al Green standard Let's Stay Together with gated drums, nasty synth breaks, and chickenshit disco guitar. Their other contribution is a totally unnecessary retread of Bowie's 1984, one of his lesser works in any case. The tune features the most egregious and tasteless synths on the album and the most overblown, icky production. Probably the most interesting cover is the Lennon/McCartney standard Help, from the producing team of Joe Sample/Ndugu Chancler/Wilton Felder. Instead of simply updating the tune to 80s standards, they completely rework it, slowing it down and turning into mid-tempo gospel pop, complete with a chorus and a sax solo. It doesn't really work, but points for creativity. The last producer, John Carter, comes up with a minor gem, Private Dancer, written by none other than Mark Knopfler, of Dire Straits fame--respect! It's a good tune to start with, and Carter has the sense not to ruin in with stupid 80s production tricks. It's actually fairly restrained. The other Carter-produced tune is Steel Claw, and we're back to the slick style of Rupert Hine. Sigh. There's a few things I can say about the album overall. Practically every track has gate reverb on the drums to some degree or other, and I hate it a lot. The album is crammed to the gills with synths, both keyboard and percussion. The production is uber-slick and airless for the most part. One good thing is that there are fewer than expected wretched synth patches on the album, which is doubly surprising because there aren't any amazing synth programmers on the album, like Larry Fast, but rather a number of them who I've never heard of, none of whom have particularly impressive technical credits. In the end though, Private Dancer is a tedious album to sit through. For a change, the best songs are the big hits, Private Dancer and What's Love Got To Do With It, but that's not nearly enough to put it over the top.
Some bangers, had no idea she did What's Love Got To Do With It or Let's Stay Together. But yeh, at the end of the day, it's Tina Turner, its fine but it ain't my jam, sorry Tina 😂 2/5
Hätte ich mehr von erwartet. Ziemlich langweilige 80er Mainstream-Nummer mit 1,8 Punkten.
Har väldigt dålig koll på Tina Turner sedan innan, så gick in helt utan förväntningar. Blev varken blown away eller besviken. Ett stabilt popalbum, bra produktion (även om 80-talssoundet som bekant inte åldrats jättebra) och mycket fin sånginsats från Turner. Efter en lyssning var det ändå inte jättemycket som stack ut. Den största höjdpunkten är såklart What's Love Got to Do with It. Fucking hell vad bra den är!!! Annars var Steel Claw bra, rockig och taggig, och covern på Help var fin. Bästa låt: What's Love Got to Do with It.
Top Picks: Show Some Respect and I Can't Stand The Rain. Skipped the second half of this album, kinda got the measure of it after 7 or 8 tracks. Not a bad listen, but not something i'd really seek out myself.
It's like none more 80's. She's got a hell of a voice but it's dated badly. Just don't ask to see her nutbush city limits. Best Tracks: What's Love Got To Do With It?; I Can't Stand The Rain; Private Dancer
Hey I tried. I got the urge to buzz by this one, told myself thats not what I signed up for. Listening to the first couple of songs I kind of got into it. Thats pretty much where it ended for me. I remembered all the terrible music that was so hallow back in those days, Great voice thats about it.
I am not seeing why this is on the 1001 albums list. The vocals sound similar to little richard, emulating southern preacher singing style. I like this part. The song subject matter is pretty mundane - boy girl relationships. I'm not inclined to relisten to this.
I can take it or leave it or tie it up in a bag with a brick and throw it off a bridge in a torrential midnight rainstorm.
Bog standard 80s AOR couldn't get too excited. A couple of good tunes but it really sounded like Genesis with Phil Collins in.
Amazing voice. Original girl power. Backing tracks are distractingly awful. Not for me.
From the year of my creation. Looks a bit like the cat lady off the Simpsons had a makeover. Sings other peoples songs well. Outside of the singles fairly unremarkable though. The Beatles cover was a fucking travesty. 2/5
Didn't care much for the album. What's Love got to do with it is great, but every other track is forgettable.
2.9 - A mixed bag. The extended guitar solo on "Private Dancer" makes that song extra sensuous. "I Can't Stand the Rain" is a quirky arrangement with cool synthesized effects to capture the sound of rain. On the other hand, the covers add some unimpressive filler to the mix: Tina Turner bashes "Let's Stay Together" with her vocal mallet and "1984" is just bizarre. I can overlook the lame cover of "Help!" since it didn't appear on the original release. Man, and that synthesized harmonica solo on "What's Love Got To Do With It" ruins the whole song for me. Tina Turner is clearly a vocal powerhouse and sexual diva but she made a bunch of tacky decisions here.
There are some great songs on here, some classics. But all in all this whole album feels terribly dated and boggles the mind that this is what catapulted Tina's solo career - that she was performing to world record sized audiences shortly after its release.
I'm sorry Tina. I know that you are talented, but this album is not for me. I've heard at least two of the tracks from this album so many times, that I've had enough of the album as a whole. I have never liked "Private Dancer" on its own, but it is also tied to so many other pop-culture references - I've heard the track more than enough times to last my lifetime. "1984" is the track that I disliked more than "Private Dancer". Rounding down to 2 stars.
She had a tough early life with that douche Ike, but she's a survivor and kudos to her. She was also smart to team up with some pretty slick producers, Rupert Hine and Martyn Ware, who were some of the best in the biz in the 80s and they put out this monster album full of poppy hooks and covers of some fan favourites that sold a shit-ton and got lots of air-play so again, good for her. But musically this is really not my jam, too cheezy and AOR for me. I much prefer her material when she was doing R&B and more edgy rock. They didn't call her the Queen of rock and roll back then for nothing. Unfortunately this is smaltz.
It's interesting that Mark Knopfler wrote the title track but thought it was too girly for Dire Straits. Also interesting that she elected to cover 1984, probably for no reason other than it was 1984! I don't mind the opening track and Steel Claw is a rocker, but they all have that commercial radio 80s sound that I hate. As far as the hits, there were far worse songs on the radio at that time.
This album is a little too commercial for my liking. 1984 was prime time for Prince, The Smiths, Talking Heads, The Police, Eurythmics and others so there were lots of quality influences for someone looking to make a crossover. I'm glad that she was able to make some money at an age when breakthroughs aren't typical and I guess making a formula album was the ticket. If you don’t write your own music you need to take direction from whoever steps up to manage and fund the LP. She certainly knows how to sing. I'm impressed with her vocals on Let's Stay Together. Given how amazing Al Green sings the original very few will be brave enough to try to cover it. She pulls it off no problem. The vocals on Private Dancer start flat but come around by the end. The cover of Help is an interesting take and the sax solo is a neat touch. Aside from the fact Private Dancer was released in 1984, I can’t understand why she covered Bowie's song 1984. It’s not a good take and she didn't add anything interesting to it. I guess this was around the time she recorded her duet with him on Tonight. Her vocals on Tonight were quite good although they were mixed into the background in his studio album. Check out the version on Tina Live which is true co-lead vocals with HIM. The Beatles and Al Green cover are good but otherwise the album is lame probably because the programmed percussion and synths are kinda cheesy.
I feel like I'm supposed to like this - and her - but I really don't. Her voice is unique and cool, but the music is pure cheese (made cheesier by all the cover songs). I don't care and you can't make me.
En ninguna canción sentí que fuera un álbum que mereciera la mención entre 1001 discos. Ya sé que son muchos pero.
i didnt really vibe with the synth-soul stuff, i feel like it didnt mesh really well which is odd bc i’ve heard synthy-soul-y production on rap tracks before and really liked it — maybe a feature of how old this record is?
I didn’t love it. The covers felt a bit uninspired and the whole album just didn’t feel like it was pushing any boundaries. Tina turner does have a great voice though. Maybe it’s just the instrumentation that felt a bit dated
Not feeling it. A few track that were close to being cool but just comes across cheesy.
I wanted to like this, mostly because I havent liked a lot of synth heavy 80s top 40 pop (see Cyndi Lauper). I just didn't enjoy it.
Thanks a lot, Ike Turner. I blame this on you. And don’t take my word for it, either. YouTube the Ike and Tina Turner Revue’s performance of just two songs: ‘Nutbush City Limits’ and ‘Proud Mary.’ Then, listen to 'Private Dancer,' and on the mega hit ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ when Tina sings, ‘Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken,’ that’s my heart she’s breaking with this awful, awful LP. Sure, it contains two other smash hits- ‘Better Be Good to Me,’ and ‘I Can’t Stand the Rain,’ as well as, I believe, a minor hit with the final title track. Sure, it was her big comeback following some lean years after her breakup with Ike. Sure it features one song written by David Bowie and another by Mark Knopfler, not to mention two guitar solos by Jeff Beck. Sure, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. But they’re all wrong. They’ve all made a terrible mistake. Bowie’s song, ‘1984,’ no doubt works when Bowie does it. At least I hope so, because Tina’s version was painful to listen to. Knopfler’s song, ‘Private Dancer,’ was more tolerable. At last until the interruption of a horrendously bizarre guitar solo, squealing like a cat with his tail pinched under a rocking chair; likewise on the song before, ‘Steel Claw.’ Two of the worst guitar solos I’ve ever heard. And then to discover they were played by Jeff Beck!!! Ohhh, who needs a heart when a heart can be broken? In spite of the fact that I do enjoy some of the 1980’s bands and their LPs, for the most part I hate with a burning hatred one general thing about 80s music: the drum sound. Following an upbringing in and adoration for the full, rich sound of acoustic drumming in the 60s and 70s (John Bonham is a great example) I simply cannot tolerate that tinny, trebly, crashing sound of the electronic drums of the 80s. Like the drums on 'Private Dancer.' I don’t really have much more to add, except for my own theory that the wounds she incurred from Ike seem to run like an underground current on the the entire first side! You listen and tell me if I’m wrong. On second thought, reverse my suggestion at the beginning of this review, and listen to 'Private Dancer' first. Relive whatever good memories you have from the year 1984. Then, YouTube the Ike and Tina Turner Revue and lament over what was and what could have been. '1001 LPs' personnel- you ‘better be good to me’ when you send me the next recording to review. My heart just can’t take another experience like this. ‘Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on a river. Do do do do dup do do do…’ (sigh)
I was considering two stars, 80s awful production notwithstanding, as her performance is great, until Help and 1984. Help indeed. Imagine a loop of Tina's 1984 in your ears forever. Far scarier than anything Orwell could come up with.
Mama’s favorietje