Reviews (page 5 of 10)
One of the greatest voices EVER manages to overcome frankly annoying dated (not in a good way) production. I never knew that she covered HELP by The Beatles as I had only heard the American edition of Private Dancer- it's a great five-star cover- I love it. A fun listen in spite of the production.
Ok
A Milestone
не мой вокалист и почему столько ремейков? музыкально вроде норм
Good
The hits on this album are capital shouty letters HITS. Tina Turner was one of a kind, may she RIP.
#1 - 2.5 #2. 5 #3. 5
solid album from one of the original “girl bosses” before that was ever a thing. her vocal delivery was soulful and seductive with a hint of rasp. one could argue that going solo after all of those years with then-husband ike turner made her an even bigger superstar, which she deserved because ike was an abusive piece of shit. highlights: “what’s love got to do with it” “better be good to me” “private dancer”
6/10
Rating: 7.5/10 The production is outdated, even though I quite like this sounds. Tina Tuner's voice is phenomenal, definitely carries this album.
God s
Another "I know how influential this is so I don't want to rate it"... I loved a few of the songs, hated some others, and was very ready for the album to end when it did
Hits on here were a bit drowned out by some pretty below average songs or covers
I didn't know Tine Turner had a classic album full of bangers. Now I do.
The singles are great, the covers are terrible, and I won't be revisiting because it's dated in a way I don't enjoy.
Pretty good! Fairly one note, and it’s not like i was unfamiliar with her sound, but the album as a whole turned out to be way better and more cohesive than i thought. Still only 3 stars, but a pretty good album
Obviously amazing vocals, but feels like an album built around a couple hits and a lot of filler.
Only listened to half but I was suprised it was kind of boring
It's Tina
A lot of meh. The Al Green cover is not very good. Steel Claw reminds of the best of Tina Turner. Help! is hot garbage.
Quintessential 80's. Synth, big hair, drugs, Bobbie Brown. Pretty sure this was played a lot at the roller rink. The extent of my knowledge is The Bodyguard, "Private Dancer" and Kevin Costner (which I've never seen) and the chorus to "What's Love Got to Do With It."
Too eighties, even for the eighties. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
incredibly 80s but it was a fun album with good instrumentals and a fantastic vocal performance
don't have a lot to say about it, generally enjoyable, can get tedious after a bit. Turner's vocals are amazing though.
Have never listened to Tina Turner other than the inescapable hits (of which a couple live on this album). I'm guessing when the editors put this in the list, they were referring to the original 9-track US release (maybe the 10-track international release that adds 'Help!'). I'm guessing they weren't referring to the 25-track 30th anniversary edition, nor the 5(!) disc 40th anniversary edition. So I feel like all judgement should be reserved for that original release. So with that context out of the way...I kind of think this is really great. Flavors of Fleetwood Mac and Prince. Hints of Disco and Yacht Rock. New-to-me faves are I Might Have Been Queen and Steel Claw.
Utterly dated and uninteresting.
It's really good.
TT really went out to hit all the genres it seems she loves. Does a wonderful job of bringing powerful soul vocals to pop and some rock n roll. She’s good and will always be missed.
Has a lot of 80’s overproduction that at times interferes with the vocal delivery. Huge hall reverbs dominate everything. What’s Love Got To Do With It is the huge hit from the album. Album also has Private Dancer, Let’s Stay Together, and Better Be Good To Me which are well known songs. Other notables include Steel Claw and Rock N Roll Widow.
Tina Turner never ever mails it in. Be more like Tina Turner.
Going with the original International Edition track list, not the later releases with progressively more and more extra songs. Couple bangers (Steel Claw goes hard) but overall it's too 80s pop for me. Always liked her (and her and Ike's) R&B stuff a lot better.
I generally like Tina Turner, but some of these tracks were just weird
LOVE HER
This fucking ethereal being gives us everything we crave and more.
This album turned out to be better than I thought it would be. Obviously it’s rooted in 80s pop and contemporary R&B, but it had a more innovative edge than I was expecting. It still has that polished, radio 80s sound, but there’s also a rawer side that adds texture, probably since some of the tracks featuring collaborations with members of Heaven 17. I also thought she did a decent cover of Bowie’s “1984,” especially since the album itself was released in 1984.
I finished listening to this crap, looked down and found out I was wearing a single dangly cross earring, white slip-ons with no shoes, a snug fitting t-shirt and a shiny sports jacket with the sleeves pushed halfway up my arms, and somehow my greying hair had been transformed into a luxuriant bouffant with platinum blonde highlights swept through it.
Not one of her Best, but when an icon such as her, both personally and professionally who cares.Her voice was dynamic, her intense erotic, and she just had the thing, I cannot say just what.
I liked a few songs off of this when it came out in 1984. Wow, 1984 was a great year for music. Tina went on and dead Beyond Thunderdome after this, and it was nice to hear how this album got her career relaunched. Solid album, couple of a bangers. Definitely should be heard before you die. 3 / 5 stars
objectively probably a 4 or 5 subjectively it's a 3
Got some classics on here, solid album. Tina Turners voice is the best part. Fave song: Private Dancer Honorable mention: What's Love Got to Do with It
Very good, I love her voice and the different styles she has. The album starts strong and remains interesting throughout! Favourite Song: What's Love Got to Do with It Honourable Mention: Help (love her cover), 1984, Private Dancer
i could see this maybe being a 4 but for now its a solid 3. hearing "whats love got to do with it" after not listening to that for a while hit good tho
I've never been a fan of her or her voice. She sounds like my grandma who was a life long smoker. I'm impressed with the musicianship and writing, but those are things she had nothing to do with.
Not great. The well known tracks are alright (but not more than that) but the whole is lots of things beginning with un (uninterresting, unremarkable, underwhelming etc)
Stark trea, men den stannar ändå där.
Decent album with a couple songs that stand out. I don't think I would revisit it though
Tina Turners earlier music I find much more appealing. But that said I quite enjoyed this incarnation of TT. Album is packed full of big hits and despite the industrial levels of production TT's voice still has authenticity and soul. Favourite was Help.
cool woman, unexciting music
I don't know... she has a great voice, but it just seems like he is screaming all the time. Cover songs sound dated...
Oh…
Jeg må med en guilty pleasure følelse indrømme at jeg nød faktisk oplevelsen af mor rocken. Musikken er ret forudsigelig, og jeg havde hele tiden lysten til bare at bryde ind i alle sangene med ordene "WHAAAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT!!!???!? For dét er altså bare en ørehænger.
Albummet lavpunkt var helt klart fru Turners version af Help! Det er en klar kandidat til titlen som verdens værste covernummer. Resten af pladen var indsmurt i 80er synth, saxofon og elektroniske trommer.
Pretty good, though it is a bit annoying that the song sequencing changes from version to version (makes it seem like it doesn't matter). Some good bangers on here though. 3/5
I didn't really know what else to expect besides the obvious songs by Tina Turner but wow I really liked this! Such energy and spirit that really embodied the time period.
very different to the last albums love her, she's iconic but the background noises really can't be called music
Man Tina did it like no one else could during this era
“What’s love but a second hand emotion?” is an all time line!
She really brings it
This was actually much better than I expected. I'm not a huge Tina Turner fan, mainly because the sound of her voice kinda grates on me a bit, but the music on this album won me over in spite of that. Just about every song had a wonderful driving energy and smooth sound that really impressed me and made me happy. I still don't love Tina's voice, but I still enjoyed myself. Four stars.
Tina turner could make a case for best voice in music all time
Pour la voix, OK, sinon le reste c’est de la bouille 80’s insupportable, le seul point positif étant que le solo de saxo nous est épargné jusqu’au 5ème titre. “What’s love got to do with it” est évidemment sympa, la chanson titre est écoutable mais l’ensemble est quand même trop moche, comme cette reprise de “I can't stand the rain”, alors que l’original est largement dispensable, contrairement à d’autres titres qui ne méritaient pas un tel traitement (“Let’s Stay Together”, “Help”). C’est largement sanctionnable.
Albumilla on useita hyviä biisejä. Kuitenkin lähes kahden tunnin pituisena albumina musiikin tyyli ja Turnerin ääni alkavat käymään hermoille. Kappaleiden soidessa radiossa en kuitenkaan vaihtaisi kanavaa kuin muutamien poikkeuksien kuten 1984 kohdalla. Yllättävästi albumin nimikkobiisi Private Dancer ei ollut se tarttuvin eikä paras. Sen sijaan What's Love Got to Do with It on oma lempparini.
Better than I expected. I mean, you can't deny What's Love Got to Do with It and Better Be Good to Me... but there were some other good songs, too. I dug her cover of I Can't Stand the Rain. Probably a 3.5, but I'm rounding down because I know I'll never listen to most of these again.
My first time hearing anything by Tina Turner. A good collection of songs. Wasn't crazy about the title track.
as soon as I hear the opening notes to Whats Love Got To Do With It I always crank the volume and deal with the blown speakers. Great album from top to bottom! Not everything here is tops, but overall its close. 4.5 if I could.
Some absolute classics on here mixed with some pretty dated sounding pop songs. All in all though it’s a pretty enjoyable album! Shes a dancer for money!
Solid 80s. Some classics on here but Steel Claw was my favorite and I don’t think I’d heard it before. No complaints. Light 4.
A huge comeback album. I like it but outside of the the big hits it's just ok.
I really wanted to give this a 5 but I just couldn’t get there. Her voice and presence are both top notch but lots the production did not age well. The cover of Help was a creative choice for sure.
Wow this album blew me away. I don’t think I realized how much TT’s music is pretty rock heavy. I incorrectly assumed she was more of like a Whitney Houston type where it was more pop/rnb driven. But this album is nearly a heavy metal album, well not heavy metal but definitely like a glam/hair metal album. I really loved this album and I love how punchy the keys are. Honestly I’m really smitten with this album. I think it might grow on me even more over time but as of right now it’s gunna be a concrete 4 only because the last few songs on the album didn’t do much for me. The first majority of the album absolutely rocks though.
Show Some Respect was a good track, but otherwise this album is not for me. I can maybe understand how it was somewhat revolutionary for it's time, but I can't ever see myself going out of my way to listen to this. The extended remixes in the remaster weren't really necessary: I couldn't really tell the difference from the original versions (but maybe a seasoned listener could!)
I don't really like her voice. Also, her cover of I can't stand the rain was atrocious. She really butchered the original, which is one of the best soul songs ever recorded. Looow 3
Why did I ignore this in my teens?
This one brings back lot of memories. It was on my turntable daily for a long time. Tina's voice is amazing from first to last cut and she captures the life of the downtrodden on Private Dancer as well as Tracy Chapman did with Fast Cars. Masterpiece of an album.
I Can’t Stand The Rain is a great song. Rest good too 3/5
Sorry Tina, this just isn't my vibe.
Surprisingly good, or at least much better than I thought it would be. Private Dancer is a great song.
I'm not really a fan of diva music and love ballads. What's Love Got to do with it is a classic, I guess. And at least some of these songs aren't just weepy love ballads. That being said, I didn't find most of the songs compelling really, on any level. 2/5
Þessi stefndi í þrist, því þarna safnast fyrir svo margar níundatugar klisjur að það hálfa væri yfirdrifið (gated reverb, sax, hármetal gítar) auk þess sem Tina var aldrei í uppáhaldi. En hún er töff og þetta er svo gott og íkonískt eighties að það er ekki hægt að setja minna en fjarka á þetta.
This album so evokes the 80s for me, it's wild. Back in the day when radio was still a thing, if you can believe it. Not really nostalgia, more like these songs were part of the background of the world in 1986. Given her history, it's amazing that she put this record out and then added almost 40 years to her career. That said, the music doesn't really do anything else for me - I mean, it's fine, but I didn't find myself tempted to jump up and dance around or anything.
"Whats Love Got to Do with It" definitely is the best song on the album. The rest? Not so much. Still good but I started to get bored listening to it halfway through.
Good, but only a few songs standout imo
Never knew how stacked this album was
One of the classic albums of the 80s!!
What’s the production/mixing? Is it just me? Does it suck? I feel like it sucks. It falls flat, especially when going alongside Tina’s iconic voice. Maybe the instrumentation or choice of instrument isn’t right. Not sure, but something isn’t quite feeling right. It gets better on the second half for some reason, which is where this album really shines. “Better Be Good To Me”, “Steel Claw”, and obviously “Private Dancer” are all incredible. “1984” ain’t her best work, though. Lyrically this album delivers. I’d easily give it a perfect score if that first side hadn’t been so funky. I love it, though. Loved the album, Tina. 4/5
Got this one too!
regular
I like that she covered Help and Lets Stay Together.
A little bit on the pop side. Prefer her rocking and soul side. Still happy to listen to this though.
I did not like this album. It’s in this weird space between disco and 80s pop but does neither very well. I will say it is very evocative of an era; I can easily picture my mom in a suit with big shoulder pads singing along.
I like doing this project because I get to hear all the songs my Dad referenced when he was trying to school me about the origins of music I was in to. Now I’m looking up all the artists who sang “I can’t stand the rain” before Missy did it in the 90s. Tina is an icon. I love her strong deep voice. “Whats Love Got To Do With It” is such a banger.
Private Dancer was undoubtedly a huge moment in Tina Turner's career, her return to the spotlight after a rocky solo career post Ike, and it produced a handful of the biggest hits of her career. The 1980's were a completely different sonic landscape from the soul, rock, and blues driven 60s and 70s when Tina established herself as the icon she is with her then-husband Ike. She was able to adapt to a new sound and era of music on Private Dancer, her fourth solo record. While this record has a handful of more live, raw sounding songs that harken back to that earlier sound, they're mixed with songs that embody the stylistic and production techniques popular at the time: thin, dry, and a more rigid adherence to quantization — an unfitting soundscape at times. The success of these tracks is a mixed bag, and they ultimately make the record sound dated forty years later. David Bowie apparently urged Capitol records to give Tina a solo deal after seeing her perform live a few years into her solo career started in 1978, a gesture that Tina was eternally grateful for. But he also penned the worst song on the record, the bizarre 1984.
I like the character Tina Turner, and what I know of the human behind the character, and the fact that they overlapped so much (she really did live out loud to an extraordinary degree), better than her music. I’m so glad she existed and I think her life embodied so much of the messiness of what we can do to each other, but this album is not my favorite.
I was surprised how much better the album got after What’s Love Got to Do With It. She can really belt it out man!
Some absolutely bangers on this! Didn't think I'd be a fan but made my train journey home very enjoyable!
Mrs Tina reinventing herself in the 80s is just too incredible of a comeback that this album will always rip.
Tina Turner's comeback album, at the age of 44, and a huge album in 1984. This is not an album I would choose to listen to, but overall Private Dancer (the album) is an enjoyable listen, save for "Steel Claw" and a cover version of Bowie's "1984". I wasn't too struck on the cover of "Help" either. The other cover versions on this album, there are 5 in total on a 10 track album, are much better than those two, with one ( "Lets Stay Together") being outstanding. The production is very 80's, that may grate with some. Overall a 3⭐ album. Would I listen to this album again? No. Would I buy this album? No. 1 "I Might Have Been Queen" - 3 2 "What's Love Got to Do with It" - 4 3 "Show Some Respect" - 3 4 "I Can't Stand the Rain" - 4 5 "Private Dancer" - 4 6 "Let's Stay Together" - This is a great song, and this version is performed excellently. - 5 7 "Better Be Good to Me" - 3 8 "Steel Claw" - This just doesn't work or fit with what has come before. - 2 9 "Help!" - 3 10 "1984" - What an odd choice of song to cover! It doesn't work. - 2 Total - 33 Average 3.3
So many hits
Pretty good, enjoyable. Some very strong tracks on it.
Her voice is incomparable. Despite the negative reviews from many, I quite enjoyed the album.
This wasn't terrible, but it was so terribly 80s. The last song, especially, 1984, was a little bit awful. The good makes up for the bad, though, so it gets a middle-of-the-road grade. Three covers, though... really?
I'm almost 500 days in, and over that time I've realised that the moment you get an album matters almost as much as the album itself. A good album can hit you poorly if you aren't in the mood and vice versa. This hit at the perfect time. Driving an 80's sports car while the sun is setting to your holiday destination, Tina Turner's Private Dancer is the perfect soundtrack for it. Some banging 80's pop of the good kind, the not Scritti Politti or Shakin Stevens kind. The hits on here everyone knows and are a joy to listen to again. The synths are great, the cheesy trumpet and guitar solo's are great and Tina Turner's voice is better here than it's ever been. This isn't the best album on this list by a long shot, but it was the perfect album to have gotten this very day.
I had a vague appreciation for Tina Turner before this and quite enjoyed this album. Some great tracks (What’s Love Got to do With It, Private Dancer, I Can’t Stand the Rain, and Let’s Stay Together). Her voice is great and some of the harmonizing really just scratches that itch in my brain. It’s very of the time, but is a solid listen
I really like Tina’s vocals but the musical production is very 80’s and has not aged well. Way over produced that comes off as sterile and computer generated. My favorite is “I can’t stand the rain”
bad eighties
So 80s, and also great hit songs
The eighties mon(IBV)
Pure ‘80s and pure Tina
love Tina
This album singlehandedly turned Tina Turner into a superstar. And it's easy to see (and hear) why. The heights (essentially: the singles) are extremely high, but there is some filler material as well. It wouldn't be much of an overstatement to say that with the production values present, this album is a prime example for the sound of the early 80s. 4/5
This was a worthy listen with a couple recognizable songs. But her voice was superior to the craftsmanship of the songs. Not a great album here but a decent one.
A little goes a long way here
Well done to the hipsters for putting in a genuine pop smash by a major female talent. Tina was a massive talent too and some of the songs here would have been dreadful pap in the hands of a lesser singer. Any album with Jeff Beck gets an instant two stars added to its score. And Jeff is equal to Tina’s talent. Vale to the both of them. For reasons that don’t need to be gone into here her extraordinary work with Ike is difficult to judge. It is more dangerous, raunchier and wilder. But the trauma porn that fuels a lot of this stuff is too much for them. So we have this. Like the Bonnie raitt album it’s slick, it’s professionally done. It beyond competent. And you can see the flash of ranch, of sleaze, of sex occasionally. This album made her the superstar she always was. 6 stars.
A fascinating pop record. Firstly hats off to whoever in Capitol Records decided to get behind her and find great songs. Secondly to then give her an array of producers to work with, which is what makes this a terrific record. Incredible to think Martyn Ware is involved here. All the awfulness of her experience on the rock and roll road, literally and metaphorically, sadly overshadows her incredible ability as a recording artist. What this album does is give her a eclectic mix of tunes which affords her the opportunity to show off her range as a singer and interpreter. It is a great album. I know that sounds like the bleeding obvious, but the whole record hangs together as a fantastic album. The hits are the hits, brilliant, timeless, tattooed on our brains forever. But the album tracks are equally special, her takes on 1984, Better Be Good to Me, Show Some Respect are just fantastic. The 80's drums are a bit nasty on occasions etc, but importantly some of the production stuff does not get in the way of the performance. A great record, she's simply the best.
I love Tina Turner. Love her. I own many Tina Turner records. But it's the r'n'b and rock-edged funk output of the 60s and 70s that really do it for me. Tina Turner has a long and influential history of rock music that is deeply rooted in black musical forms (funk, soul, R'n'B) but this album is pitched very clearly at a white mainstream audience. 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. And she earned it. Because she is awesome. Tina Turner really wrote the book on female rock performance and is one of the most iconic rock and roll singers of any gender. Full stop. And this is the album that really did it for her, pushing her into success -- multi-million sales, Grammy wins, world tours -- in a way she never had before. But... those compromises required to achieve 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 surely is, and terribly 80s. Not all of it has dated well) and her raspy voice. But compared 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. It is telling that a lot of the harder edged material from the sessions were clearly held off the album itself. None of the covers on this record offer any reason to prefer them over the originals unless you have a fetish for 80s drum machines and cheesy synthesizers. 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, which is disappointing. As a side note, I am tired of 1001 albums nominating albums seemingly because they were 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. Is there a possibility that Dimery wants to avoid having to acknowledge Ike? Or is the music just too black?
Oh, lol. I’m expecting 2 decent songs on this record. Tina Turner had a super unique voice, but come on, she wasn’t writing a ton of landmark songs. I have a vague recollection of her singing CCR covers not quite as well as the originals. Welp, here we go… I appreciate that Tina is 45 at the time of this recording, yet sounds every bit of 70...and a hard 70 at that. It probably sounds like I’m being a smartass, but her voice is the best part of what’s going on with this record. At points, she sounds like the female Tom Waits without the cool, carnival barker vibes. The rest of Private Dancer is really pretty terrible. One might wonder how she got so popular in the 80s? Truly, I think it’s a mystery. I was alive for the 80s, and musically, this is like a compilation of the worst parts of it. I guess I don’t hate “I Can’t Stand the Rain”, but probably more for the connection to Missy Elliot, who sampled it. Honestly, this record sucks pretty hard, and it’s very much a product of the time. The confounding thing is that there were SO MANY great artists making music at this time, but Tina Turner's Private Dancer feels like it's on a mission to dodge anything that actually made those great 80's artists great, and intentionally do the opposite. It feels like genuine, open rebellion against good taste. Oh gosh, there’s even an uninspired cover of Al Green on here. And it has a synthesizer solo. That poor son of bitch is undoubtedly turning in his grave. Fuck. This might be one of the worst records I’ve heard on this list. It’s better than Destiny’s Child, but maybe only because I take it marginally more seriously. It’s just so all-around fucking awful. Oh dear. The song, 1984…if it was a movie, it would be featured on Mystery Science Theatre 3000. 0.4/5 The 1-star review I’m shoehorned into giving this record is incredibly flattering. I’m only rating this record as highly as I am because I do like that she sounds like a 75 year old smoker at 45. And because of “I Can’t Stand the Rain”. Really, nothing else on this record goes right. The lyrics are so dumb, the music is laughably bad, and I have some legitimate questions about why she was a cultural phenomenon in the early 80s. Was she? Or was she popular because her husband was a bona fide piece of shit, and she just drew media coverage because of their relationship? Was that why we all knew who she was? It couldn’t be because of merit. It wasn’t because of this record. It can’t be because of this record. As I’m listening to this, I’m actually wondering which record producer owed someone a favor or lost a bet or something. No one will be able to ever convince me that anyone actually wanted to hear this record. Private Dancer really, truly blows.
Not bad
I never particularly liked Tina Turner, specifically because I don’t like her voice very much, don’t get me wrong she very clearly can sing and can sing very well it’s just not a voice I like. This album is was fine. Most of it was somewhat forgettable except for three songs. “What’s Love Got To Do With It” is obviously a good song, I enjoyed it quite a lot. “1984” it was decent but at least memorable. And finally “Help!” a cover of the 1965 song by The Beatles. This cover was bad, like really bad, I’m sorry but turning a 60s classic into an 80s pop ballad is never a good idea, but her delivery on the lines, the 80s production, everything about this was “not good” as the French say.
I love Tina, but this album is weak. Private Dancer gets stuck in my head all the time, but it's not a good song. Same with What's Love Got To Do With It. The covers are okay (I Can't Stand the Rain and Let's Stay Together), but I'd still rather hear the originals. Eh.
It is a pretty decent album, but not something I would listen to often. 3 stars or C+.
Best songs were the originals. She over sang and overplayed the covers. But you can clearly see why she's an icon. The voice is incredible and to become an icon at 45 years old at a time when older women were not in the cultural zeitgeist shows the power and appeal she had. However it's just not for me...
I feel a bit like this was one of the Oscars where someone who had done great things years ago, but had never won an award, gets an Oscar for a more recent work... though it's pretty clear to everyone that the more recent work isn't as inspired as the earlier work. She had a huge hit with "We Don't Need Another Hero" and the title track from this record was pretty big as well... but mostly I think this is an example of how a recording industry and a big label could force something into massive airplay. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, but it's no "Proud Mary"!
Tina Turner simply isn’t for me, and this album leans just a bit too far into the mainstream for my taste. Technically, Tina has a fantastic voice, no doubt about that, but I’m clearly not her target audience. The songs feel polished and radio-friendly, but without really grabbing me. 2/5
I remember Tina Turner appearing on The Tube on Channel 4 before then release of this album. She sang Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" and it was excellent. It is on this album and it, along with the title track and "What's Love Got to Do With It", are the tracks with which I am familiar. The album opens with that typical '80s, heavily chorused and processed guitar sound, which I really don't like but it fades into the background behind Tina's really impressive voice. It's not bad. I have never really liked "What's Love Got to Do With It" - not a bad song but the keyboard sounds are right out of "Africa" by Toto and, again, the production does nothing for me. The vocal on "I Can't Stand the Rain" is excellent too, the backing not so much, although it is a little bit more subdued. Ann Peebles's original is much better, as is Lowell George's cover, and I would reach for either of those before playing this again. The title track is written by Mark Knopfler, has Jeff Beck on guitar solo and Mel Galley on sax. It's not bad but still manages to be slightly less than the sum of its parts, Beck in particular phoning it in. "Let's Stay Together" proves that you can't replace Al Jackson Jr with a drum machine nor the Memphis Horns with a Fairlight. "Steel Claw" is '80s rock and marginally better than '80s pop/soul although not the best Paul Brady song I have ever heard. Tina takes the Beatles' "Help" as a slow ballad (she may have done this on the Tube as well) and it's not terrible, in fact it is one of the better tracks on the album, at least until the cheesy saxophone solo, but it's not as good as the slow version Deep Purple did on their first album in 1968. The less said about the cover of Bowies's "1984" the better! Tina Turner's voice is strong throughout but not best served by the '80s production. There again, it relaunched her career and sold by the millions so what do I know....?
Horribly in you face.
I tried Tina
Tina Turner had personality. Personality goes a long way. These are great versions of often great songs. It's slightly cheesy, in an 80s way, but this was a fun listen.
Her voice is incredible but I really can’t get into the music, feels dated and quite grating to me.
I love Tina Turner's power ballads, but the pop stuff is a little too much. It definitely deserves a place on this list. Too many covers!
Tina Tuner has an incredible voice! I didn’t mind this album, not my usual thing but had to do lots of driving around to school holidays activities, so enjoyed this in the car for a change from my kids music tastes! I was going to give it an extra star for having a track called 1984 - which many people correctly say is the best year - but then I realised it was a Bowie cover, and then I realised a bunch of them were covers
What's love, I can't stand the rain (great song), Show Some Respect, Steel Claw (meatloaf-esque).
I remeber when this was first released and I wasn't all that interested in it. I didn't like the title track or any of the singles I had heard. Hearing it for the first time I still don't like it. Her voice annoys me and the songs are boring. I don't get it.
Great and iconic, but not really my jam.
Tina Turner is so incredible but this album felt just a bit too repetitive for me. It probably doesn’t help that I am not a huge 80s music fan and this album is pretty much as 80s as it gets.
classic but long and repetitive🫨 highlights: Let’s Stay Together, Ball of Confusion, Let’s Pretend We’re Married
Some pretty good hits on here, but it’s so repetitive and 2 HOURS FOR WHAT
Ms. Turner I love youuuu
This album could have been 10 tracks of Steel Claw. That one goes hard!
This is very much an 80s album, through and through. The jangly Stratocaster throughout and gated drums are the calling card of that era. And while it’s not my favorite thing, the mellow synth lines underscoring everything bring it together like super glue. Tina Turner’s voice is the highlight of the album for me. Her performance is immensely powerful and yet reserved when it needs to be. Overall, nothing life changing but a very good pop record from the early 80s
This one hurt me. Tina Turner has got one of the most memorable, recognizable and emotionally charged voices of the time. I love her singing. Yet, I hate your typical 80s sound. Private dancer combines those two, and even has a cute cat on the cover, yet the good doesn't win here. I'm sorry, Tina.
Some songs are great, the rest meh. I enjoy listening to it more than the albums that have come before so far, but I don't want to give it a 4. I don't like her voice all that much.
Tina Turner :D edit: oppon listening to the album again, I've noticed that it's very repetitive. Even the songs that I already know and liked have the same repetion. So I'm changing my score from a 4 to a 3.
Some great songs from a strong woman with a powerful voice. I saw her in concert back in the early ‘70s and she knows how to put a good show on!
What's Love Got to Do With It.... Banger. Really enjoying this more than I expected. Well, until Better Be Good to Me, and then it started to fall off hard. Enjoyed I Wrote a Letter quite a bit.
Well there’s no doubt about it that she’s crazy crazy influential But this album was just not representative of this. Apart from the fact it felt like she was doing what the people wanted, there wasn’t really any part I was interested wowed by. Disappointed, honestly.
Everything about this is exactly how I remember the year 1984. Great for Tina that this album was made without Ike and a massive hit for her [it really was everywhere that year, or so i peripherally recall between my ~2821 spins of the new Van Halen record] but the music and glossy emotionless production completely overshadow her great voice (best heard in live setting or earlier bluesy hits). The album is a perfect encapsulation of 80s "product" in nearly every way - related: she had no songwriting credits on any song. At best it was somewhat nostalgic to hear these songs again but yeah once in 30 years (wait, 40? fuuuuuuuuuucccc....) is more than enough - it's "professional" in every way and also just as soulless, perhaps ironically. I'm not sure this is really a 1001-worthy record outside the huge publicity it gained. n.b. the nostalgia wears off pretty quickly and the last 2 covers are absolute horrors (Help, 1984). 4/10 2 stars.
The best hair of anyone who was alive in the 80's. Great singer too. The album as a whole isn't great but what's love got to do with it is one of the classic R&B / pop singles of all time.
A textbook example of what people mean when they say 80s production hasn't aged well. The omnipresent background synths, the synth-drenched vocal mixing, every melodioc/harmonic instrument having its notes mirrored by synths... I think you see a common theme. If you manage to tune out the ridiculously synthesised parts, the rest of this LP is pretty solid. Tina Turner's voice is fun, memorable, soulful. The backing vocals, when they appear (which is more rarely than I'd like), are fairly good. The percussion, while sometimes bad, is also varied enough to maintain interest. In terms of specific tracks: What's Love Got To Do With It is the obvious lead single here, the chorus being as universally known as it is. I'm not a huge fan of the percussion and synths on the track, but the chorus (and other elements, such as the bass playing) more than make up for it. The feel is warm, fuzzy, groovy. I Can't Stand The Rain is one of the better showcases of synthesisers – that high staccato is actually pretty good – and the singing is top-notch here. I think Let's Stay Together wouldn't have appealed to me as much if its instrumental wasn't so ABBA-sounding. But it is, and I love it for that. On the flipside, the title track (Private Dancer) is not as good as its Spotify listens would suggest, propped up entirely by its piano part. The hook "I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money" is annoying and gets old well before the 7-minute mark. The cover of the Beatles' Help! is bizarre – not exactly bad, but definitely missing the furious, fast-paced charm of the original. And the melody is thrown away entirely. Good luck trying to sing along to Turner's version. The cover of 1984 is also fine (the muddled strings and backing vocals being key highlights) but again a significant step down from the original. 3/5 Key tracks: What's Love Got To Do With It, I Can't Stand The Rain, Let's Stay Together
I don’t know why since I like Tina Turner but I really did not enjoy this album at all. Sad to say it but 1/5
4 - Good solid voice and good solid song writing
Mostly just meh for me 3/5
When people talk about Beyonce being so great it's because they never heard Tina, Aretha or Whitney. Tinas voice can move mountains. Icon.
Pop rock classic. Most songs amazing, 2-3 filler, but still good. 4/5
mixed bag of classics and plastic 80s
To say this is a standard 80's pop album feels somewhat derogatory, however compared to the unique styles and genre clashes often heard in modern pop music this does sound intrinsically 80's. Maybe that is because this is one of the biggest 80's albums and it had such an impact, I don't know I wasn't there, but this is a good album. Fantastic vocal performances, catchy songs, nice production and instrumental choices. Yeah nothing bad about it to be honest, probably would have been more enthralled by it at the time but now I can listen to 100 Gecs and feel the same way right? Favourites - What's Love Got To Do With It, I Can't Stand The Rain, Private Dancer, Let's Stay Together
Strong album, fun instrumentals, great vocals. Does become a bit repetitive to have an album solely to do with love and breakups, particularly considering how done to absolute death that topic already was by that point, let alone by today’s standards - but she’s a pop singer so can’t exactly expect her to be writing about swords and dragons and shit. I Might Have Been Queen (8/10) What’s Love Got to Do with It (9/10) Show Some Respect (8/10) I Can’t Stand the Rain (7/10) Better Be Good To Me (7/10) Let’s Stay Together (7/10) 1984 (7/10) Steel Claw (8/10) Private Dancer (7/10) 7.6/10
1. queen - 1 2. love - 2 3. rezpect - 1 4. rain - 1 5. dancer - 1.5 6. together - 0 7. good - 1 8. clauu - 0 9. help - 0 10. 1984 - 0 11. letter - 0 12. uuidouu - 1 13. young - 0 14. love - 2 15. better - 0 16. rain - 1 ONE GOOD ZONG, DIZAPPOINTING :(
the real boss
Shockingly the first time I’ve listened to a Tina Turner album. And much less shockingly it was great, loved her voice and the songs all hold up really well. Loved the Al Green cover too, it’s hard work to put your own spin on classics like that
Steel Claw is fire. Was not expecting a random Beatles cover.
The album is a 2 for me, but her incredible voice and her being a tremendously inspirational individual makes it a 3.
A few bangers on this one, and I found it interesting that a lot of well known artists wrote a bunch of the tracks. Ultimately though I don't think the rest of the album holds up to the level of the hits Standouts What's Love Got To Do With It Private Dancer 3/5
Great voice, mostly forgettable songs.
One of the biggest female pop stars is of course Tina Turner. I just noticed that the album cover has a black cat
The title track and what's love for to do with it are amazing but the rest was unremarkable
Tina is undeniably a great singer and performer. This album however is most notable for showcasing the shortcomings of 80s arrangements and production. The covers of I Can't Stand the Rain and Let's Stay Together hurt me. The originals have that sweet sweet groove of the Hi Records band and Willie Mitchell production. The covers sound like they were recorded in a space capsule with a band made entirely of shoulder pads and triangular haircuts.
Meh. Never was a fan and it's extremely dated.
Further evidence that the 80s killed music. With one exception (Prince), everyone who started making music in the 70s (or, heck, the 60s) got measurably worse in the 80s. This album provides ample opportunity to dissect that 80s sound--is it the wimpy drums? The tinny guitars? The unnecessary synths? Somehow, Tina's voice survives. 2.5
Great album. She really shines on the songs she sings with a gritty voice or a strident tone.
Man, she could sing!
The album linked in Spotify is NOT the original release so PLEASE ignore that painful version of HELP. It wasn’t in the original US version and it is godawful. Once you eliminate that, it’s a fine album. That lady had soul and a great set of pipes!
Yeah, that slaps. A few bangers, a few sick covers, and 2 stone cold classics
outstanding
YES!
A few good songs, plus Tina Turner just brings pure energy.
Great voice but man the music is dated and bad
I liked the two big hits … surprised by the number of covers in the rest. Didn’t love it.
Not my jam but I do like What's Love Got to do with It, as everyone does. 2.5/5 stars.
Some bangers in there
Tina has a voice that I didn't like when I was young, but now I appreciate much more. "What's Love Got To Do With It" is a classic but maybe a bit overplayed. The rest of the album is good but sounds a little dated to me. It was interesting to hear her take on "I Can't Stand The Rain".
A couple bonafide classics, a couple fun covers and a few tracks whose main positive is Turner's voice...all undermined by dated 80s production.
It's wild to think, given the legend we all knew her to be, that people doubted Tina Turner being any success without Ike - that there was *opposition* to signing her to the label. Though it's seriously (SERIOUSLY) dated, it's insane to think anyone could know her as a vocalist & doubt her chops. Her singing is amazing on every song - growly, throaty, and unmistakably her. In some instances, you can even forget the dated 80s instrumentation backing her performance.
скучно. всего пара по-настоящему рок-хуков. Очень много соула в вокале. А саунд близнец первых сольных альбомов Планта.
Tina (and her story) are awesome. She has a few hits and a whole lotta 80's nostalgia in sound and style.
Im not the only one who hates the production here, right? Tina is great though.
Private Dancer is a bold, confident, and very '80s comeback record that really lets Tina Turner show what she can do with the right songs behind her. I think what makes it stand out is how varied it is—some tracks lean pop, others feel more rock or soul, but her voice holds it all together. “What’s Love Got to Do with It” is the obvious highlight, but I also really like the title track for how haunting and subtle it is. For me, this album feels like someone reclaiming their power. It's polished, but never cold, and it has that mix of vulnerability and strength that Tina was so good at. A few of the songs don’t stick as much as others, which is why it’s not quite a perfect score in my book, but it’s still a really solid album that deserves the praise it gets.
So many hits that I didn't know were originally on this album
A classic.
banger after banger
Did not expect this at all.
When I saw this album pop up, I was far from excited. I was bracing myself for a bad ‘80’s pop record but this was surprisingly good. Of course, the production here is very ‘80’s but it’s Tina Turners voice that blew me away and is just so incredible. She makes this thing very listenable.
This was a hard listen… I totally respect Tina Turner and her career, but this is so 80’s in the wrong way. There is so much amazing music from the 80’s, but this type rubs me the wrong way. The hits were overplayed in my childhood to the point where I never want to listen to them again “I can’t stand the rain” is pretty great, but I’ve heard better versions though. Let’s stay together is almost good, but it turns into that damn 80’s sauce that I really don’t like, and Help is just awkward
Tina Turner has five-star talent, but I only have two stars’ worth of interest in this dated album.
There's a couple all-time hits. Has more of a 80's Pop Rock sound with synths and such. Title track comes off as sort of a support for professions that more conservative type folks would side eye and disrespect. Not at all similar to the Motown sound from her early career. Fine album.
A few bangers and I really respect Tina and love her voice. However there is way too much 1989s randomness and doing too much with weird covers mixed in to boot. Best to just replay the few hits
p524. 1984. 4.5 stars. How to make a comeback in style. One of the great voices and live performers on top form, coupled with great songs. Even the covers sound fresh. Half a point deducted dated synths. As for the album cover: she might have her legs crossed but you can still see Tina Turner's pussy.
Wow— what a banger. These songs are fantastic! Smooth 80s instrumentation, great lyrics and an amazing voice. The covers are amazing too
Great 80s fun here. Tina’s got an amazing voice. The second half lost me a bit and nearly dropped me down to a 3, but there are some real hits on the first half that saved the day. Pretty annoying that you can’t listen to the original track order on Spotify.
While disco ain't my bag, this ain't too shabby
I expected something different, more R&B based, but really likes it anyways, loved the Jeff Beck solo :D
2 1/2 June 1 2025 2 1/2 stars Does not stand up to the test of time. I still live I Can’t Stand the Rain. The guys from Heaven 17 sang backup. I recognized their voices. Bad covers of Help and 1984
Tina Turner's voice is spectacular, and there are some great and memorable songs on this album that really showcase it. However, the super 80s production is an unwelcome distraction at times. I really think this would have been a great choice to rerecord at a later date, day for it's 25th anniversary - it would be 5/5 with a more classic sounding backing band. I wasn't the biggest fan of the cover of Help! on the US version of the album - I don't think that added anything.
Decent album, but not really my style. I knew ‘What’s Love…’ for sure but I’ve probably heard some of the others at some point. Can’t fault it but didn’t love it, 3/5
Resulted in me checking out her earlier stuff from Ike & Tina. Great vocalist all around.
No expectations going in, but was surprised at how good some of the songs were. Probably wouldn’t listen again though.
Oh my god this 80s production
It’s okay. Never listened before but it was what I expected. Good legs, though.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, got a bit annoying near the end though
I love her singing but the music isn't my thing. I'm not a huge synth fan and a lot of the songs are very repetitive. Honestly, it's just not my genre. I do like it when the saxophone shows up though. And her voice really is so good. Glad she was able to use this album to make a comeback. Fav song: Private Dancer Least fav: Let's Stay Together
Going into Private Dancer, I really only knew Tina Turner from “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Turns out, there’s a surprising amount of range on this album, and it’s a fun ride from start to finish. Each track brings a little something different to the table, and honestly, I don’t think there’s a bad song here. Tina’s voice is powerful and full of character, and the production balances '80s polish with a bit of grit. That said, the album's uniqueness is a double-edged sword. It’s not exactly in my usual rotation, and I’m not sure I’d come back to it, but I’m definitely glad I gave it a full listen.
Great singles and the rest of the album was pretty good as well.
banger after banger. even the extended edition added songs go hard (Thunderdome song)
Was hovering somewhere between 3-4 but I accidentally listened to some of the extended edition I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. Better be good to me >>>>
One of the biggest comeback albums of all time. Super solid. Love the horns in Private Dancer. Solid cover of Al Green. But definitely more partial to Ike and Tina and pre-comeback Tina
Dated sounding for sure with the Casio and the '80s drum sound, but also nostalgic for me, though I had only heard 4 of these before. The Al Green and Beatles covers were just OK, Steel Claw was an interesting one going for the hard rock sound, like a Beat It vibe? I enjoyed it, and wouldn't mind hearing it again, so a low 4/5.
Tina is an all-time great, but this is some arid and soulless 1980s synthesized slop. Gets an extra star because, even though Simply the Best isn't actually on this album, it was very funny how mad Rangers were when Celtic started singing it at Ibrox.
Incredible vocal performance. The songs themselves don't always do it for me, though. Sounds incredible, but I don't connect with the songs on this like I do on 4 or 5 star albums.
Meh, Didn't Vibe
not really my kind of music, but not bad
80’s production sounds and stuck in its time. Not very modern. That said, Tina Turner has a phenomenal singing voice, elevating mediocre material. Highlights. The hit What’s love got to do with it. Private dancer, the Mark Knopfler written song, Better be good to me. When the material is good, it’s good. When it’s mediocre, it lands a bit flat. Highly overrated. 3 stars. Would give it 2.5 if I could.
2- Stars (4/15)
aight 😐👍
Love the hits. Leave the rest.
5/10
Fav: Private Dancer Least Fav: Better Be Good To Me Her voice is really good, but that 80s production will never sound good to me, it ruins some of the songs
A stone cold classic. The 80s were ridiculous.
High 3
Artiste connue par la BO de Mad Max 3. J'avais par ailleurs entendu 'What's Love Got to Do with It'. Dans les 2 cas je n'avais pas vraiment apprécié. Cet album ne me réconciliera pas avec TT. J'aime assez sa façon de chanter, son énergie, mais le reste ne suit pas. L'accompagnement a très mal vieilli: sons de synthé (affreux dans 'I Can't Stand the Rain', la version d'Eruption était nettement plus réussie), programmation de batterie, interventions de sax terriblement ratées dans 'Let's Stay Together' ... Je ne l'écouterais pas une seconde fois. =>2/5
Before I rate this, can we all just appreciate that moment in the 80s when Tina Turner and Rod Stewart had the same hair cut? I like Tina Turner's voice a lot, but I don't think she was helped by this era of arrangement and production. I feel like if she had recorded this same set of songs in the 70s or 90s I would like it a lot more.
Tina Turner has an amazing voice, but this album is so 80s, and not tue good kind of 80s.
Not a big fan of the production of this album. It sounds like 1985 and that’s not a good thing. No issues with Tina, just producing and the song choices to a degree also.
This is so, so very 80’s!!! Beyond the hits there are some huge and I mean huge misses…..The first 30 seconds of the Al Green cover “let’s stay together”. I thought this might be my favorite song and cover on the album — then the 80’s took over and by the end of the song, I was resolved that I would never listen to that cover ever again. But overall -- I mean it is still Tina Turner
Very enjoyable. Felt conflicted about how much I liked her Help! cover, but it really sounds like one of her own in this arrangement. I recognised and liked a few famous ones. No duds on the original version of the album, but found those on the 30th Anniversary edition (the only one I had access to) to be dull, aka the rock 'n roll ones: Rock 'n Roll Widow and Don't Rush the Good Things A stand out song from that edition, though, was I Wrote A Letter. One of the best on the album.
Man Let's Stay Together is so good. The Al Green album was one of my absolute favorites so far 600 albums deep and I am so happy that Tina Turner is able to do the song justice. This is a lot more upbeat with some great funk and a sweet synth solo that I liked way more than most of the rest of the synth of this album. Tina's voice on this album is so much fun. Most of the music is kind of standard fare 80s pop, but I still liked it. What's Love Got to Do with It is undeniably great, and I liked I Can't Stand the Rain, but songs like Show Some Respect and Better Be Good don't really age well at all. I'm definitely interested in some older Turner, and this one gets a pass mainly from the ridiculous Al Green cover.
A bit too 80s for me, but Tina Turner is great. Overall three stars bc it was good but not something I’d revisit.
Weegees bloody love Tina turner. Can’t say I agree though. Some good songs but the whole album was just quite long. Specific rating- 3.2 Fav song- I might have been queen Least fav- let’s stay together (so much worse than the original)
I always forget how much I like Tina
Tina Turner at her most 80s and it is glorious
This is one of my dad's favorite albums and after listening to it I get why he likes it, even though I don't enjoy her voice all that much. It's a tad too long for me too.
Nothing special. Not terrible
Pretty alright, very much 80s sound
Iconic. Love her cover of Help
Not my thing
Great covers of great songs. She's an icon.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I hate 'What's Love Got to Do with It', but everything else was great!
Private Dancer I listened to the 10 track international edition, rather than the 9 track US edition. I do like the 80s-ness of this, but I’m not sure it actually makes for a great album. When it works well, when the songs written for her and the song choices are good it’s very enjoyable, there’s a nice contrast between her distinctively fantastic 70s soul voice and the slick 80s production. I Might Have Been Queen, the excellent What’s Love Got To Do With It, I Can’t Stand the Rain, Let’s Stay Together and the great Private Dancer all work really well. But the flipside is that when the song choices aren’t great or the songs aren’t as good, it doesn’t work that well, and not even her voice can cover over the deficiencies. While some of the changes in the chorus are nice, Show Some Respect’s deliberate referencing of Nutbush City Limits just makes you want to listen to Nutbush City Limits. Better Be Good to me is ok, if a bit forgettable. And Steel Claw just isn’t a good song. I don’t mind the sound of 1984, and although I would give credit to her and Heaven 17 as Bowie fans for picking it, but you can’t escape the feeling that it was chosen because they were making the record in the year 1984. And the cover of Help is woeful - tempo, sound, instrumentation, everything - it just feels utterly pointless and devoid of any meaning or sense of interpretation. Overall a bit of a mixed bag, it’s all enjoyable enough in an 80s way, but with a few stand outs. Think that’s a solid 3 then. 💃💃💃 Playlist submission: What’s Love Got to Do With It
Alexa. Play me the most 80's thing you can. I've spent time trying to decide if this is a cynical ploy to make lots of money by TT's record company, or whether it has great artistic merit. But not too much time. Some 80s moments of pop brilliance. A great vocal. A couple of utter classics. A load of covers of varying quality, and a couple of forgettable albums fillers. But plaudits for the iconic album cover with Tina in fishnets and her black pussy front and centre.
Meh
I feel like I should have liked this more but I just thought it was ok.
El sonido de los 80s personificado. Un álbum con mucho groove, rock y soul. Las versiones de "Let's Stay Together" y de "Help" son excelentes. Algunos de los temas son un poco largos, pero aún así un gran álbum.
The main singles are still ok, but the cover of Help! is abysmal
No for me
Painfully 80’s and not in a good way.
1984, j'avais 14 ans, les hormones en vrac et une vision de la musique qui se dessinait violemment à grands coups de Doc Martens dans les portes. The Cure me retournait les neurones, The Smiths m'apprenait la mélancolie poétique et j'attendais la prochaine livraison de The The comme le messie. Dans ce paysage sonore personnel, Tina Turner, c'était... la musique des darons. Le truc qui passait sur NRJ entre deux pubs pour une marque de lessive, le son parfait pour les soirées de la classe moyenne qui voulait s'encanailler un peu. Pour moi, à l'époque, c'était l'antithèse absolue de la crédibilité. Un produit calibré, une machine à tubes pour adultes. Et putain, quelle machine. Il faut remettre les choses dans leur contexte, car "Private Dancer" n'est pas juste un album, c'est une putain de résurrection en mondovision. C'est le retour de la lionne. La meuf avait 44 balais, un âge où, dans le business musical des années 80, on vous mettait gentiment au rebut avec une pension et une tape sur l'épaule. Elle sortait d'années de galère, d'un divorce d'une violence inouïe avec cet enfoiré d'Ike Turner, et elle était considérée comme une relique du R&B des sixties. Personne, absolument PERSONNE, n'aurait misé un kopeck sur son retour. Et puis "Private Dancer" est arrivé et ce fut la plus grande success-story de la décennie, un gigantesque "allez vous faire foutre" musical et commercial à toute une industrie qui l'avait enterrée. Cet album, c'est la preuve par le son qu'on peut se réinventer, exploser les codes et devenir une icône planétaire quand tout le monde vous croit finie. C'est l'histoire d'une femme qui reprend le contrôle de sa vie, de son art, de son image. Une histoire de résilience, de force, d'indépendance. Alors, pourquoi ce 3/5 un peu chiche, me direz-vous ? Pour une raison simple, cruelle, mais incontournable : la production. Bordel de merde, cet album est un catalogue de tout ce qui a mal vieilli dans les années 80. La production a vieilli comme un yaourt oublié au fond du frigo. C'est une orgie de synthés baveux, de boîtes à rythmes froides et claquantes (la fameuse LinnDrum), de guitares clean avec un chorus à vous filer la nausée, et surtout... surtout... ce saxophone. Ce putain de saxophone dégoulinant de réverb' qui vient ponctuer chaque fin de phrase comme un type lourd qui essaie de vous draguer dans un bar d'aéroport. C'est le son de l'époque, celui de Dire Straits (Mark Knopfler a d'ailleurs écrit et joue sur la chanson-titre), de la pop FM bodybuildée, du "smooth jazz" qui s'infiltrait partout. Aujourd'hui, ça sonne terriblement daté, c'est un artefact, une capsule temporelle qui pique un peu les oreilles. Mais au milieu de ce marécage de claviers en plastique, il y a LA voix. La voix de Tina et là, on ferme sa gueule car à 44 ans, elle n'a rien perdu de sa puissance. Au contraire, elle a gagné une profondeur, une fêlure, une texture que les années de galère ont sculptée. C'est une voix écorchée, viscérale, qui peut passer de la caresse la plus sensuelle au hurlement le plus primal en une fraction de seconde. Elle ne chante pas les chansons, elle les vit. Elle prend des tubes potentiels écrits par des mercenaires du songwriting et elle se les approprie avec une autorité bluffante. C'est elle, et uniquement elle, qui sauve l'album de la naphtaline car elle injecte une âme et une urgence folles dans des arrangements qui, sans elle, ne seraient que de la pop synthétique de luxe. On s'est fait matraquer le cerveau avec les singles, et il y en a eu une chiée. "What's Love Got to Do with It?", avec son petit gimmick reggae-pop, est devenu un hymne planétaire sur le cynisme amoureux. "Better Be Good to Me" est un rock FM efficace. La chanson-titre, "Private Dancer", est une ballade narrative étrange, un peu glauque, magnifiée par son interprétation. Elle reprend même "Help!" des Beatles en la ralentissant, en la transformant en une complainte soul déchirante. C'est un best-of avant l'heure, un album construit pour tout défoncer sur les ondes, et la mission est plus que réussie. Au final, "Private Dancer" est un cas d'école. C'est un album historiquement monumental mais musicalement prisonnier de son époque. C'est le témoignage d'un triomphe humain et artistique absolument incroyable, mais enveloppé dans un papier cadeau sonore qui a jauni et pris la poussière. C'est un album que je respecte infiniment plus que je ne l'écoute pour le plaisir. C'est un 5/5 pour l'histoire, pour la performance vocale, pour la revanche d'une tigresse. Mais c'est un 1/5 pour la production typique de ces années-là. La moyenne donne donc un 3/5, et c'est bien payé. Respect éternel pour la femme et l'artiste, mais un respect un peu plus... daté pour l'emballage sonore.
Look, Aunty Tina is a legend. But, nobody NEEDS to hear her 5th studio album. Cheers.
OK album, sounds just like I expected it would
This is really really awesome, I have to say - love the Al Green cover, but the whole thing is bold and fun!
The typa album that'll start you off on a good day :)
this was fun!
Exceptional
Incredible voice, terrible production. Why do 80s instrumentals always sound so bad???
Very dated. Couple good songs aside from the hits. Solid record. Probably wouldn’t go back and listen.
She has a pretty good voice, but every song on this album is so basic and uninteresting. This the stuff you hear on your car radio. Sure, the music is playing, but you only occasionally remember that it's there just because nothing catches your ear. And the entirety of this album is that. Although I don't think it's bad, I don't really see a reason to go out of my way to listen to this. The title track is pretty nice, though. 5/10
Enjoyable
Really good!
Tina Turner is so cool. A lot of good songs here. My favourite is What's Love Got To Do With It. My least favourite is I Can't Stand The Rain. I guess I'm too used to the original version.
This was really fun, there’s a lot of female singer song writers on the list , getting aretha and Tina back to band is great , love the rb The b side was my fav, private dancer , hadn’t heard that let’s stay together cover and help stood out
I like Tina Turner, nothing but respect for my Acid Queen/Aunty Entity, but this music just doesn’t do anything for me — very 80s, but not in ways that the 80s sound has held up.
I mean... how could anyone give this less than a 5? And now that I'm done with my review, I've reviewed the other reviews, and apparently a lot of alleged "people" could and did give this less than a 5 - as in, like, 1s and 2s. Assuming no one would bother putting in the effort to spambot this silly challenge, I can only, once again, conclude that I'm simply living on a different planet than the majority of humanity... and thank goodness for that!
I loved most of this. I didn’t really care for the covers, but the stuff meant for Tina to sing was really fun.
Great artist! Great album! She had some of the top musicians and producers on this date. She kills it, as always. Overcame a hard life and an asshole husband and blessed us all with her gift. Thank you, Tina!
It was a good album. The covers of Help and Let's Stay Together were kind of interesting. Not too bad of an album
It's ok. Nice arrangements, nice production and great vocals. I always thought this was from the 90s. I've never really been interested in her but listening to this is actually ok. Doesn't sound outdated at all to my ears. Despite being pop music from the 80s. At the end. Is not the kind of music I really like but I'm glad I got the chance to listen to this with attention for the first time.
Not sure why I’ve never listened to a Tina Turner album before. Some absolute bangers on this
Strong 80s pop. The start of Tina Turner’s second era.
Get it Tina.
Tina Turner is the female iteration of Bruce Springsteen. Corny, tired and played out. I cant understand the appeal.
80s hair metal as distilled I think than it ever could be. Bangers here.
I can't think of an album that typifies the '80's more than this one. Production, videos, the album sleeve screams 1984. That said, Tina was in fine form vocally. Good choice of songs that she covered too. I can't say that I go back to it often, but its one of Tina's best.
I can get behind a Tina Turner album that is brash and in your face, but this isn’t. The bland, tepid music is really holding the vocals back. A few decent songs, but overall quite poor.
It’s Tina. This is an easy rating (She’s not my favorite, but god what a star)
Great pop-rock album with legendary Tina Turner
There are two great things about this album: "What's Love Got to Do with It" and Tina's powerful and emotional voice. Everything else is pretty bad, honestly. No other songs are overtly interesting or fun. The music itself is incredibly 80s to a fault, and Tina can't go all-out for the entire album, or even those moments would lose their power, so there's lots of times where her vocals are special, just good. Favorite Song(s): What's Love Got to Do with It
Die Stimme. Und bis auf das seltsame Cover von Help alles gute Songs.
Bloated 80s album. Better Be Good to Me and Steel Claw were OK.
Right off the bat, I’m listening to only the original version of the album here. I love you Tina, but I’m so far behind on albums to listen to here. That said - I dare one of you to listen to the 40th anniversary in its entirety. This is like the comeback album, a complete departure from her previous style. This being filled with covers by massive artists that Tina manages to make entirely her own is probably enough evidence as to how big a deal this was at the time. Let’s stay together in particular is one of Al Green’s best songs as it exists & I’ve got mad respect for Tina for not taking the easy route & doing a beat for beat cover of it. Absolutely full of energy, as you would expect - show some respect & steel claw were great songs for waking up on the morning walk. Okay I lied I listened to more than just the original album, but can you blame me? It’s Tina!
She's some voice, but by and large this isn't my sort of thing. The exception is Private Dancer itself, which evokes seedy dark rooms and desire for a world beyond them, for which Tina Turner is the perfect voice. Apparently, Dire Straits got as far as recording the instruments for "Private Dancer" before Mark Knopfler decided the lyrics weren't suitable for a male singer. My man, you wrote the song, what were you thinking about? Never has a set of words more required a female vocalist. I never knew the Knopfler connection until this listen through, and it's so clearly a Dire Straits song.
Very nice album, super powerful songs, there were a couple of hits in there as well, but overall really nice having in the background.
Rating system: 5 - transformative or ground breaking. Maybe a lifelong favorite. 4 - compelling enough that I want to return to it. 3 - has some quality but maybe just not for me. Or maybe it’s uneven. Or maybe it’s not that good but I’m in a generous mood. 2 - 80s mainstream pop 1 - that album where it sounds like Hitler is screaming at you, and anything else musically or ethically unlistenable.
At one point in her career, Tina Turners’s legs were insured at over a million dollars. I’m not even sure what it means, but it is more interesting than most of this album. Like most 80’s era comebacks, great talent is muddled by 80’s production value. I feel like Tina has a lot to say that is valuable and good, but I wish that the comeback had allowed for more of her talent to be highlighted.
I sort of get it, but it's really not my cup of tea.
Wow, what a thing! And the collaboration with David Bowie was totally off my radar. Great job, Tina ❤️
DNF. 80s music triggers my fight or flight response.
I like Tina Turner but this album is only a 3 for me. Maybe it's the time in which it was made.
Tina auf dem Höhepunkt Ihres Schaffens. Ihr gelingt eine perfekte Symbiose zwischen Soul und Rock. Mit dem fulminanten Leitsong „Private Dancer“, und den Hits „What‘s Love Got To do with it“ und „I can‘t Stan The Rain“. Aber auch die weiteren Songs gliedern sich excellent ein. 👍
I could spend a half an hour dancing around the kitchen to this most of this album. But that said, they’re not all that interesting of tracks, most sound essentially the same and don’t have outstanding lyrics. The first two were probably the best. I’d low key categorize this with ABBA in my mind.
I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Not to say it was the best thing I’ve ever heard but it was significantly better than what I was expecting going into an 80s pop album. It was enjoyable and had some really good hits. Also it was nice to have another woman represented on this list so dominantly plagued by men.
6/10 Favorite Tracks: I Might Have Been Queen, What's Love Got To Do With It, Show Some Respect Least Favorite Tracks:
Tina herself is clearly very skilled, but something here just fell a little flat for me. It got too repetitive and I was tired of the album pretty quickly. Favorite: I Can't Stand the Rain
Much respect to Tina Turner for her incredible voice and for the strength to get through what she endured because of her shitheel husband, but the music/production on this record is 1000% not for me.