Private Dancer (1984)

Private Dancer is one of the best selling albums of the 80'th with no less than seven single releases. After the success with Let's Stay Together in 1983, Tina’s new record company Capitol wanted a complete album, which was recorded in only two weeks in London. Al Greens Let’s Stay Together (from the 1983 B.E.F. session) and The Beatles Help, the first two singles, were produced and released before the recording of the album. What’s Love Got To Do With It was the first single to promote the album and topped the American charts while Tina was on tour with Lionel Richie. „I Might Have Been Queen“ and Show Some Respect are very autobiographical and especially written for Tina. Better Be Good To Me (Spider), I Can’t Stand The Rain (Ann Peeples), „Steel Claw“ (Paul Brady) and „1984“ (David Bowie) are cover songs. Private Dancer was an unreleased Dire Straits song, because Mark Knopfler thought it's a song for a woman. The European single Help was not included in the original American release and the Australian edition contains the extra track „Rock'n Roll Widow“. For promotion, Capitol Records released a 4-track Sampler for radio stations.

The album has been re-released several times: In 1985 as a vinyl picture disc, while Tina was on the road with her Private Dancer Tour; in 1997 as an EMI Centenary Edition; in 2008 from The Mail on Sunday in England as part of the promotion for Tina’s 50th Anniversary Tour and once again in 2015 as a 30th Anniversary Edition. In Colombia, it was released as a limited blue colored vinyl edition.

Design: John O’Brien / Shot That Tiger!
Photographer: Peter Ashworth 
Release: May 1984
Label: Capitol / EMI
Format: Vinyl (Colored, Picture) / CD / Cassette / Digital
Charts: UK: #2 / Germany: #2 / Europe: #1 / USA: #3 (Pop), #1 (R&B)  / Australia #7
Certifications: UK: 3x Platinum / Germany: 5x Gold, 2x Platinum / USA: 5x Platinum
Grammy: Album of the Year (Nomination) / Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocals for „What’s Love Got To Do With It“ / Best Female Rock Vocals for „Better Be Good To Me“ (1985)

European Release

American Release

CashBox - June 09, 1984

Tina Turner makes a spectacular return to vinyl with this outstanding new LP for Capitol Records. This is an album listeners will absorb tune to tune, each cut embued with an identity unique to the „Queen of Rock 'N’ Roll“ herself. With flaring vocals and gut-level intensity, Turner covers such diverse classics as Bowie’s „1984“ and Al Green’s „Let’s Stay Together“. With the phenomenal chart action of „Let’s Stay Together“ and the single „What's Love Got to Do With It,“ „Private Dancer“ should prove to be Turner’s strongest LP ever.

Billboard - May 26, 1984

Tina Turner Private Dancer - Includes The Hits "Let’s Stay Together" And "What’s Love Got To Do With It.“ See Tina Turner On Tour As Special Guest To Lionel Richie: May 15 - July 14.