1989 - The Best 7 Inch Single
"The Best" is a single from Tina Turner's album "Foreign Affair".
"The Best" is a song written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight, originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler on her 1988 release Hide Your Heart. Knight and Chapman wrote this song for Paul Young of "Every Time You Go Away" fame, but he passed on it.
Holly Knight told Songfacts: "'Simply the Best' is one of those rare gems that's a positive song, and it's not cheesy. But the hard part is to write something in a positive mode that really is sincere — that's a tall order."
The song was later covered by Tina Turner, and released as a highly successful single in 1989. It was included on her hit album "Foreign Affair". The saxophone solo on Turner's version is played by Edgar Winter.
"The Best" was the first song Tina ever produced. She felt the song through her vains and felt free like a horse. Tina was convinced that this song didn’t have to be about two people, but that it also could be a thing like a car or an animal. That’s why The Queen herself came up with the idea to ride a horse in the official video.
The Foreign Affair Farewell Tour 1990 was a huge success. At first Tina opened the show with "The Best", and entranced the stage through a huge stairs, but for many reasons she decided to change the setlist and "The Best" moved to later on in the show. "The" Best has never left the setlist after 1990.
In 1991 Tina released a compilation album called "Simply The Best" which was named after her hit song "The Best".
In 1992 Turner recorded "(Simply) The Best", a duet version of the song with Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes, to promote that year's New South Wales Rugby League season in Australia. The single subsequently appeared on a limited edition bonus disc as part of the Australian release of her compilation album "Simply The Best".
Tina Turner performed "Simply the Best" at the 1993 New South Wales Rugby League's Grand Final.
Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" became the theme song of three athletes, including boxer Chris Eubank, race car driver Ayrton Senna, and tennis player Martina Navratilova.
"The Best" is played at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland when the players of the Rangers Football Club and the visiting team run on to the park. As a result of a campaign by the Rangers fans to get "The Best" to #1 in the UK singles Charts coinciding with the team taking the Scottish Premier League title, the song returned to the Top 10 in April 2010.
There are many official and unofficial remixes of "The Best". Here are the most important ones listed.
"The Best" (7" edit) – 4:11
"The Best" (Album version a.k.a. extended 12" mix) – 5:28
"The Best" (Extended Mighty mix) – 6:35
"The Best" (Single Muscle mix) – 4:16
"The Best" (Extended Muscle mix) – 5:28
"(Simply) The Best" (with Jimmy Barnes, 1992) – 4:11
"(Simply) The Best" (Extended mix) (with Jimmy Barnes, 1992) - 5:29
"The Best" has been released in multiple forms. 7" single, 12" single, cassette single, 3" cd single 5" cd single.
The B-side is "Undercover Agent For The Blues". This song was included on the album "Foreign Affair" and was written by Tony Joe White.
And there is a limited edition 7" single that has "What's Love Got To Do With It?" as B-side. (UK)
We can conclude that "The Best" was a huge success for Tina. It became a huge anthem worldwide and will live on forever.
Track Listing"The Best"
Album: Foreign Affair (originally from Bonnie Tyler) - 1989
I call you when I need you, my heart's on fire
You come to me, come to me wild and wild
When you come to me
Give me everything I need
Give me a lifetime promises and a world of dreams
Speak a language of love like you know what it means
And it can't be wrong
Take my heart and make it strong baby
[Chorus:]
You're simply the best
Better than all the rest
Better than anyone
Anyone I've ever met
I'm stuck on your heart
I hang on every word you say
Tear us apart
Baby, I would rather be dead
In your heart, I see the star of every night and every day
In your eyes I get lost, I get washed away
Just as long as I'm here in your arms
I could be in no better place
[Chorus]
Each time you leave me I start losing control
You're walking away with my heart and my soul
I can feel you even when I'm alone
Oh, baby, don't let go
[Chorus]
"Undercover Agent For The Blues"
Album: Foreign Affair - 1989
He was my lover, he was working undercover
The fellow knew all of the moves
He really had me romping, bare footing stomping
He just kept igniting my fuse
He was blinded by the blackness of my long silk stockings
He would rock me with an optical illusion
And this ain't how I thought it'd be
He just kept on keeping me in a state of total confusion
He took me for a ride
And rattled me down to my shoes
But I found out
He was an undercover agent for the blues
He never really needed love from any direction no I was just an innocent
bystander
He just kept getting kinkier, hook, line and sinker
Just too hot to handle
He took me by storm
It must have been a season for the fools
So bad
He was an undercover agent for the blues
He took me for a ride
And rattled me down to my shoes
But I found out
He was an undercover agent for the blues
"What's Love Got To Do With It"
Album: Private Dancer - 1984
You must understand
Though the touch of your hand
Makes my pulse react
That it's only the thrill
Of boy meeting girl
Opposites attract
It's physical
Only logical
You must try to ignore
That it means more than that
[Chorus:]
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love, but a second-hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
It may seem to you
That I'm acting confused
When you're close to me
If I tend to look dazed
I read it some place
I've got cause to be
There's a name for it
There's a phrase that fits
But whatever the reason
You do it for me
[Chorus]
I've been taking on a new direction
And I have to say
I've been thinking 'bout my own protection
It scares me to feel this way
[Chorus]
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love, but a sweet old fashioned notion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
Released: 1989
Genre: Pop/Rock
Length: 5.28 min.
Label: Capitol
Writers: "The Best" – M. Chapman and H. Knight
"Undercover Agent For The Blues" - L. White and T.J. White
"What's Love Got To Do With It" - Graham Lyle and Terry Britten
Producers: Dan Hartman, Tina Turner (The Best, Undercover Agent For The Blues) and Terry Britten (What's love Got To Do With It)
Chart Positions
Australia (Aria) – 4
Austria Ö3 Austria Top 40 – 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
Canada (The Record) – 3
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) – 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) – 3
France (SNEP) – 23
Germany (Official German Charts) – 4
Ireland (IRMA) – 4
Italy (Musica e dischi) – 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) – 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) – 28
Norway (VG-lista) – 5
Spain (PROMUSICAE) – 20
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) – 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) – 3
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) – 5
US Billboard Hot 100 – 15
1992
Australia (ARIA) - 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) - 11
2010
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) - 35
Scotland (Official Charts Company) - 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) - 9
1975 - Under my thumb
1975 - Whole lotta love
1976 - Acid Queen
1978 - Root Toot Undisputable Rock 'n Roller
1978 - Viva la money
1978 - Sometimes When We Touch
1979 - Fruits of the Night
1979 - Music keeps me dancin'
1979 - Backstabbers
1980 - Are you breaking my heart
1982 - Ball of confusion
1983 - Lets Stay Together
1984 - Help
1984 - What's love got to do with it?
1984 - Better be good to me
1984 - Private Dancer
1984 - I can't stand the rain
1985 - Show some respect
1985 - We don't need another hero - Mad Max
1985 - One of the living
1985 - It's only love - with Bryan Adams
1986 - Typical Male
1986 - Back where you started
1986 - Two People
1987 - Girls
1987 - What you get is what you see
1987 - Break every rule
1987 - Paradise is here - Special Edition
1987 - Tearing us apart - with Eric Clapton
1988 - Nutbush City Limits
1988 - Tonight Live - with David Bowie
1988 - Addicted to love
1988 - A change is gonna come
1989 - The Best
1989 - I don't wanna lose you
1989 - 6345789 - with Robert Cray
1990 - Steamy Windows
1990 - Foreign Affair
1990 - Look Me in the Heart
1990 - Be Tender With Me Baby
1990 - It takes Two - with Rod Stewart
1991 - Nutbush City Limits
1991 - Way of the world
1991 - I want you near me
1991 - Love Thing
1993 - I don't wanna fight
1993 - Disco Inferno
1993 - Why must we wait until tonight?
1993 - Proud Mary
1995 - Goldeneye
1996 - On silent wings
1996 - Whatever you want
1997 - Cose della vita - with Eros Ramazzotti
