Wildest Dreams

Wildest Dreams is the ninth solo studio album from Tina Turner with a total of six single releases. It contains the theme song for the movie Goldeneye, which was already a single in 1995, the two cover songs and songs written by the Pet Shop Boys and Sheryl Crow. The title song features guest vocals from Antonio Banderas on the European version and from Barry White on the North American release. Sting is also a special guest vocalist on On Silent Wings. The American version of the album was released with an alternate cover and some changes in the tracklist, including a hidden track. The Japanese edition includes the additional bonus track „Love Is A Beautiful Thing“. The album was reviewed in Billboard magazine in it’s issue from August 10, 1996.

While Tina was on tour in Europe, a two disc Special Tour Edition was released, including the original album plus a bonus disc with remixes, non-album tracks and live recordings from her Amsterdam concert.

Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
Makeup: Kevyn Aucoin
Release: April 1996 (Europe) / September 1996 (USA)
Label: Parlophone (Europe) / Virgin (USA)
Format: Vinyl / CD / Cassette / Digital
Charts: Germany: #2 / Europe: #2 / UK: #4 / USA: #61 (Pop), #26 (R&B) / Australia: #14
Certifications: UK: 1x Gold, 2x Platinum / Germany: 1x Gold / 1x Platinum

Tracks

Whatever You Want

was the first single to promote the album in Europe, including some remixed versions from Todd Terry and Arthur Baker and is noted for it’s complex orchestral arrangement and production. Tina used it as the opening number at her Wildest Dreams Tour. The CD digipack includes also remixed versions from the Massive Attack cover song Unfinished Sympathy, which was the encore song at the beginning of the tour. The single was not released in America.

The music video is very futuristic and features Tina standing with a long dress in a round hall with 'Matrix' like special effects surrounding her.

Writer: Arthur Baker, Taylor Dayne, Fred Zarr
Producer: Trevor Horn
Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
Release: March 1996
Format: 7“ Vinyl / 12“ Vinyl / 5“ CD / Cassette
Charts: UK: #23 / Europe: #23, #2 (Airplay) / Germany: #53
Music Video: 4:26 / Stéphane Sednaoui (Director)

On Silent Wings

is a country-flavoured song, written by Tony Joe White and Tina’s guitarist James Ralston. It was the second single in Europe and the third one in America, including guest vocals from Sting. Tina promoted it at several TV-Shows and used it as the encore at her Wildest Dreams Tour. The single was reviewed in Billboard magazine in it’s issue from April 19, 1997.

The music video was filmed in South Africa at a beach and the mountains around Cape Town. It includes also some live scenes from the Wildest Dreams Tour and shows Tina walking through the streets of Cape Town, surrounded by locals.

Writer: Tony Joe White, James Ralston
Producer: Trevor Horn
Photographer: Tony McGee
Release: May 1996 (Europe) / May 1997 (USA) 
Format: 7“ Vinyl / 12“ Vinyl / 5“ CD / Cassette 
Charts: UK: #13 / Europe: #45, #6 (Airplay) / Germany: #55 / USA: #47 (Club Play)
Music Video: 4:16 / David Mallet (Director)

Missing You

was originally a hit single from John Wait in 1984, who also wrote the song. Tina's cover version was the first single in America and the third one in Europe. She promoted the song at the TV-Show National Lottery in England and at the American TV-Show 60 Minutes with an unplugged version. The single was reviewed in Billboard magazine in it’s issue from August 3, 1996.

The black & white music video was filmed at a rainy set in Los Angeles and was also used for a Hanes commercial, the sponsor of the American leg of Tina’s Wildest Dreams Tour. It shows a very elegant and youthful looking Tina, dancing in the streets, surrounded by some male models half her age.

Writer: John Waite, Charles Sanford, Mark Leonard
Producer: Trevor Horn
Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
Release: July 1996 (Europe) / August 1996 (USA)
Format: 7“ Vinyl / 5“ CD / Cassette
Charts: UK: #12 / Germany: #66 / USA: #84 / Europe: #18 (Airplay)
Music Video: 4:07 / Peter Lindberg (Director)

Something Beautiful Remains

is a wonderful R&B ballad, released as the fourth single in England and as a promotion single in America. Tina performed the song live as the final encore at certain dates of her Wildest Dreams Tour, available on the Live In Amsterdam home video. The track was released 27 years later again as a digital single under the slightly different title Something Beautiful, reworked by Terry Britten to promote the compilation Queen Of Rock ’N’ Roll in 2023.

The music video was filmed in South Africa at a beach and the mountains around Cape Town. It includes also some scenes with Tina walking through the streets of Cape Town, surrounded by locals. The clip is very similar to the previous video for the single On Silent Wings and is also available in a remixed version.

Writer: Terry Britten, Graham Lyle
Producer: Terry Britten
Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
Release: August 1996 (USA) / October 1996 (Europe)
Format: 12“ Vinyl / 5“ CD / Cassette
Charts: UK: #27
Music Video: 4:24 (Original Version) / 3:55 (Joe Remix) / David Mallet (Director)

In Your Wildest Dreams

is the title track and the last single in Europe, instead of the second one in America. The different formats includes several remixed versions from DJ’s like Pink Noise and Deep Dish. The mixes on the 'Rhythm Series‘ single contain a sample of Michael Jackson’s song 'Human Nature'. The original guest vocals from Antonio Banderas on the European version of the album were replaced with vocals from Barry White for the American market and the single release. Tina promoted it at several TV-Shows and performed it live at her Wildest Dreams Tour. The single was reviewed in Billboard magazine in it’s issue from November 30, 1996.

The original music video features claymation versions of Tina and Barry White in comical situations with cameos by Antonio Banderas and Wallace and Gromit. Unfortunately, because Barry White did not agree with this version, it was only shown for a short time and was then replaced with a live video, taken from Tina’s concert in Amsterdam.

Writer: Holly Knight, Mike Chapman
Producer: Trevor Horn
Release: November 1996
Format: 12“ Vinyl / 5“ CD / Cassette 
Charts: UK: #32 / Germany: #32 / Europe: #33, #19 (Airplay) / USA: #34 (R&B)
Music Video: Claymation Version: 4:01 / Aardman Animation Studios / Live Version: 3:45 / David Mallet (Director)

Wildest Dreams Tour

Tina embarked on a world tour in the spring of 1996, to promote her new album, which was her biggest tour with over 250 dates in nearly 16 month, surpassing her Break Every Rule Tour from 1987 / '88. In America, it was sponsored with a massive campaign by Hanes, as Turner became the spokesperson for their new hosiery line.

Before opening night, Tina gave a private concert in Brunei, to celebrate the 19th birthday of the niece of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. In Johannesburg, she was accompanied on stage by the Vusa Dance Company on the song „Do What You Do“ and at the three concerts in Paris, actor Bruce Willis and his band „The Accelerators“ were the opening act and Bruce joined Tina on stage for the encore song „Unfinished Sympathy.“ Oprah Winfrey announced that she would follow the tour with her talk show from Houston to New York City. The hightlight of the show was the song Goldeneye, when Tina appeared in a golden iris.

To promote the European leg of the tour, the sponsor TDK released a Behind The Dreams video documentary, which follows Tina backstage and rehearsing the tour in South Africa.

Unfinished Sympathy with Bruce Willis

Opening Night: April 13, 1996 / Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Closing Night: August 10, 1997 / Meadows Music Theater, Hartford (USA)
Regions: Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America
Concerts: 250+
Visitors: 3 Mio. (Europe)
The Band: Sharon Owens: Dancer, Vocals / John Miles: Guitar, Vocals / Ollie Marland: Keyboard, Vocals / Cynthia Davila: Dancer, Vocals / Warren McRai: Guitar (replaced Bob Feit) / Jack Bruno: Drums / James Ralston: Guitar, Vocals / Karen Owens: Dancer, Vocals / Timmy Cappello: Percussion, Keyboard, Saxophone, Vocals / Chuck Booker: Piano, Vocals (replaced Kenny Moore) / Bob Feit: Guitar (Europe only) / Kenny Moore: Piano, Vocals

Promotion

Parlophone Records in Europe released two Cassette Sampler - both with six full songs and one with an additional minute of each track of the album. An Open Ended Interview on compact disc features 46 unnamed tracks with a total duration of 49 minutes, in which Tina talks about stage performances, previous tours and records, her image as a sex symbol, Goldeneye and of course about the new songs. Virgin Records in America released a NAC-Sampler with three edited versions from the album tracks. Two of them are only available on this record. Her North American sponsor Hanes issued a Collector’s Edition with three songs and in France, the track Unfinished Sympathy was released as a promotional disc, featuring an otherwise unreleased mix.

Tina herself promoted the album and tour first in London on November 15, 1995, dressed with a red sleeveless shirt and again in Paris on November 22, 1995, dressed with a black & white fake fur trouser and top. She spoke about the recent James Bond movie, the next world tour after a two year break and the new songs from her upcoming album. For the press, she lip-synced the song Goldeneye, while she was playing around with a golden water gun.

Additionally, Tina was also in France on February 12, 1996 at the Le Crillon Hotel in Paris for a series of interviews and promotional events. British photographer Duncan Raban travelled with her and he was granted exclusive behind the scenes access to take pictures, used later for the 'A day in the life‘ series in the tourbook.