2008Released
3:46

Did You Know?

Interesting facts and trivia about What's Love Got to Do with It. By Songfacts®.

This was Tina Turner's comeback song. She first hit the pop charts with her husband Ike in 1960, and their biggest hit came in 1971 with a cover of "Proud Mary." After enduring years of spousal abuse, Tina split from Ike in 1976 and her career was in limbo until "What's Love Got To Do With It" thrust her back in the spotlight 13 years after "Proud Mary." More hits followed, cementing her status as a music icon.

In this song, Tina Turner plays the part of a woman who enjoys the carnal encounters with her lover, but feels no emotional attachment. She wants him to know that there's nothing more to it, as for her it's purely physical. Their relationship has nothing to do with love, which she dismisses as "a sweet, old-fashioned notion." It's really an anti-love song, and Turner hated it. She balked at recording it, but had the good sense to defer to her manager, Roger Davies, who was engineering her comeback and was sure the song would be a hit. Davis got the song from his friends, the songwriters Terry Britten and Graham Lyle (who was in the duo Gallagher and Lyle), and it was Britten who produced the track. Turner could sell a song as well as anyone, so she could deliver a convincing vocal even if she didn't have a personal connection to the track. Outside of "Nutbush City Limits," her hits were written by others and interpreted by Tina, who could always get into character. She was never anyone's "Private Dancer," but she managed to make a song about one a hit as well.

This won Grammys in 1985 for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Female Vocal Performance. Turner gave one of the awards to Davies, whom she credited with reviving her career. Davies, an Australian who was new to the business, met Turner in 1979 after she had released a series of failed solo albums.

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Song Analysis

Key, BPM (tempo) and time signature of What's Love Got to Do with It.
C♯Key
MajorMode
4/4Time Signature
98BPM

Album

The album What's Love Got to Do with It is released on.
Tina!Tina Turner
2008Compilation

Released By

The record label that has released What's Love Got to Do with It.
Parlophone UK
© 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd
℗ 2008 Compilation (P) 2008 Parlophone Records Ltd. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable laws. 1750 North Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028.

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