The Best is a rock song, originally released by Bonnie Tyler in 1988, but only with minor success. Tina’s version was the first and highly successful single from the album Foreign Affair, promoted at several TV-Shows in Europe and performed live at every concert tour. The song became Tina Turner's anthem and was used to promote the New South Wales Rugby League in Australia with commercials and two exclusive releases, the Winfield Cup Edition in 1990 and the Grand Final Edition in 1993. Beside the regular single, a 'Limited Edition Postcard Pack' was released in England. The song was reissued in 1995 under the 'Back to Back Hit Series‘ on the Collectables label.
Tina re-recorded the song together with Jimmy Barnes in 1992 under the slightly different title (Simply) The Best, and Tina’s former keyboarder Olly Marland released a special remix for Tina’s birthday in 2020. A previously unheard demo was released digitally in 2021 to promote the Foreign Affair (Deluxe Edition).
Writer: Holly Knight, Mike Chapman
Producer: Dan Hartman, Tina Turner
Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
Release: August 1989 / 1990 (Winfield Cup) / 1993 (Grand Final) / 1995 (Reissue) / 2010 (Karaoke) / July 2020 (Digital)
Format: 7“ Vinyl / 12“ Vinyl / 3“ CD / 5“ CD / Cassette / Digital
Charts: Europe: #3, #1 (Airplay) / Germany: #4 / Australia: #4 / UK: #5 (1989), #9 (2010) / USA: #15
Certifications: UK: 1x Silver
Album: Foreign Affair
- The Best (Edit) 4:10
- The Best (Album Version) 5:30
- The Best (Single Muscle Mix) 4:16
- The Best (Extended Mighty Mix) 6:36
- The Best (Extended Muscle Mix) 5:29
- The Best (Karaoke Edition) 5:32
- The Best (Ollywood Remix) 3:34
- The Best (Extended Special Remix) 8:29
- The Best (Turntable Remix) 5:31
- The Best (DJ Cut-Up) 4:52
- Bold And Reckless 3:48
- Undercover Agent For The Blues 5:19
- What’s Love Got To Do With It 3:48
I'm responsible for the arrangement on that one, because I changed it a lot...And it's the best! That song, I was in L.A. at the time, and everytime I was in my jeep driving I'd blast it because it was the beat. It makes you feel, even if you're not in love, you feel so in love with that song. You just feel that someone is there that's the best. You know wher someone is really right, they're the best. It doesn't matter that they're not as pretty or as great or as rich as someone else. You're just the best. That song is so good for so many feelings and so many situations, and the best! I had to have it, I wanted it. — Foreign Affair promotional interview
The concept for the music video was Tina‘s idea. It shows her singing and dancing in the Mojave dessert and riding a horse during the saxophone part. Otherwise unreleased alternate scenes with Tina riding the horse were shown in the TV-Special Tina Turner Giving Her Best on VH-1 in 1989.
Director: Lol Creme
Producer: Lexi Godfrey
Time: 4:11
Home Video: Foreign Affair (Deluxe Edition)