She's simply the best.
"There is one legend who has the essence of all these things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent. Ladies and gentlemen, stand to your feet and give it up for the Queen."
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was an American-born singer, actress, dancer, and author.
Her career started in 1958, as a frequent collaborator with Ike Turner, who she eventually married in 1962. They ultimately separated – both domestically and professionally – in 1978, with Tina becoming a successful solo artist in the 1980s.
She had a long musical career and a string of hits on the R&B, Pop, and Rock charts until her semi-retirement in 2000, though would occasionally continue doing live performances until 2009. In 2013, she became a citizen of Switzerland, renouncing her American citizenship in the process.
Solo studio discography:
- Tina Turns the Country On! (1974)
- Acid Queen (1975)
- Rough (1978)
- Love Explosion (1979)
- Private Dancer (1984)
- Break Every Rule (1986)
- Foreign Affair (1989)
- What's Love Got to Do With It (1993, soundtrack)
- Wildest Dreams (1996)
- Twenty Four Seven (1999)
Film & TV contributions:
- Gimme Shelter (1970): Infamous Rockumentary that includes a Tina Turner performance.
- Tommy: as the Acid Queen.
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: As "Our Guests at Heartland"
- John Denver and the Ladies: As herself
- Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome: As Aunty Entity
- What's Love Got to Do with It (1993): Doesn't appear, but is the subject and provides most of the soundtrack.
- Last Action Hero: The Mayor
- GoldenEye: Performed the theme song.
- Schitt's Creek: Does not appear, but her song "The Best" factors into a major storyline.
- Brother Bear: Performed the song "Great Spirits".
Her life story is the subject of the 1993 Biopic What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), loosely based on her autobiography, I Tina. The film explores Turner's early life and relationship with guitarist/bandleader Ike Turner.
Tina provides examples of the following:
- Auto Erotica: "Steamy Windows" is an Intercourse with You song about parking up on a back road and getting busy in the back seat with someone.
- Disappeared Dad/Parental Abandonment: Tina's father was not around, and she was shuttled around various family members throughout her youth. Later, Tina raised her children and Ike's as a single mother.
- Drugs Are Bad: Due to Ike's struggles with cocaine and alcohol addiction, Turner has always been vehemently anti-drug. Ironically, she would later play The Acid Queen.
- Ethical Slut: In songs like "Steamy Windows", "What's Love Got To Do With It" and "Afterglow". Writer Cheryl Lavin has called her "the high priestess of raunch and roll".
- Hairstyle Malfunction: According to I, Tina, her trademark wigs started as a result of a hairstyling accident. Most of her hair had been burned off, so she and the Ikettes began wearing long wigs.
- Intercourse with You: Mixed with Auto Erotica: "Steamy Windows" is about parking up on a back road and getting busy in the back seat with someone.
- Large Ham: Her performances get passionate and over-the-top pretty often (examples include "Proud Mary", "Private Dancer", and "GoldenEye")."You see, we never EVER do anything... nice... and easy..."
- Leg Focus: Turner wore mini-skirts throughout her career to emphasize her gorgeous legs. Her legs are front and center for both the front and back cover
of the Private Dancer album. Turner became a spokesperson for Hanes hosiery, and she went so far as to insure her legs for $3.2 million! - Stage Names: She was born Anna Mae Bullock. Ike Turner decided to rename her Tina inspired by Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, and once they became life partners his surname came along. She had to win a court battle to keep the name and the recognition that came with it after their divorce.
- Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion: Played straight in the bridge of “Two People” and played with in the bridge of “I Don’t Wanna Fight,” in which the rhyme is in the first and third line but not the standard second and fourth.
- “Two People”I’ll come running to the rescue
You gotta stand by me
There’s a lot love between us
We should never let go - “I Don’t Wanna Fight”Hanging on to the pastIt only stands in our wayWe have to grow for our love to lastBut we just grew apart
- “Two People”
- Vague Age: When she was in her teens, she looked to be in her early twenties. When she was in her twenties and thirties, she often looked older. Since she was around fifty, she has looked pretty much the same.
- Wrong Guy First: "Till the Right Man Comes Along" is about a woman who meets a guy at a club and immediately realizes he's not "the one" but is good enough until the right man comes along.
