Better Be Good To Me is a rock cover song from the US band Spider, released as the fourth single from the album Private Dancer. Tina promoted it at several TV-Shows in Europe and America and performed it live at every concert tour. Live versions are available on the album Live In Europe from 1988 and TINA Live from 2009. For her vocal performance on this song, Tina received her third solo Grammy Award in 1985. The previously unreleased b-side track is a cover from Eric Burdon and was already recorded and produced by John Carter in 1982.
Photographer: Peter Ashworth
Release: August ’84 (USA) / September '84 (UK) / January '85 (Germany)
Label: Capitol / EMI
Format: 7“ Vinyl (Picture) / 12“ Vinyl / Cassette
Charts: USA: #5 / UK: #45 / Germany: #52 / Australia: #28
Grammy: Best Rock Vocal Performance (1985) / Best Rock Vocal Performance (Nomination 1988)
Album: Private Dancer
Billboard - 1984
The follow-up smash to her No. 1 GOLD record "What’s Love Got To Do With It“ from the PLATINUM album PRIVATE DANCER
The music video was filmed in June 1984 at the Beverly Theater in Los Angeles, while Tina took a day off from her tour with Lionel Richie. It was packed with fans, invited to the venue by advertisements on local radio stations and shows Tina with a black leather jacket and trousers together with her band (including guitarist Jamie West-Oram from the British rock band The Fixx) on stage. Cy Curnin dances the part of Turner's mendacious lover, which was choreographed by Toni Basil. A short version of the clip was originally released on the Private Dancer EP on VHS and later on the Simply The Best video collection on DVD. A longer and officially never released version shows more of Curnin’s special appearance.
The American music magazine CashBox reported on July 07, 1984 about making the video and mentioned in their article, that also a music video for the song „I Might Have Been Queen“ was filmed, although this song was never released as a single.
Director: Brian Grant
Producer: Adrian Irving
Release: YouTube / Private Dancer EP / Simply The Best
MTV Video Music Award: Best Stage Performance (Nominated 1985)
Time: 4:03
CashBox - September 15, 1984
This third single from Tina Turner’s sensational „Private Dancer“ LP for Capitol is certain to become its third hit. Turner’s inimitible rough sassiness is rougher and sassier than ever on this cut, with a gutsiness that illustrates Turner’s uncontested stature as rock's first lady. „Better Be Good To Me“ grinds with a menacing beat that rolls and charges with the energized Turner vocal. A certain CHR winner, it should see chart action to match its strength as a first class rocker.