Music Review: Tina Turner "What's Love Got To Do With It"
Tina Turner
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What's Love Got To Do With It
Album: Private Dancer
Year: 1984
Tina Turner, burned by a past relationship, dismisses romance in the frumpy "What's Love Got To Do With It."
A dusky synthesizer opens the single, creating a late and lonely tone. Turner explains to a man who flirted with her that she is not interested in a date. His touch causes her to smolder inside. However, it's as far as she wants it to go. He's the wrong guy for her and surely will break her heart. "You must understand/That the touch of your hand/Makes my pulse react/
That it's only the thrill/Of boy meeting girl/Opposites attract."
She says it's a biological reaction and supposed to happen. She tells him it's something she has learned to disregard any romantic feelings. "It`s physical/Only logical/You must try to ignore/That it means more than that."
In the chorus, she says relationships are mostly sex. Love is secondary, an afterthought. Hearts are useless and complicate the situation. "Oh 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."
But the man is starting to get under her skin, despite her reluctance. She's unsure of how to act around him. But she's still grieving over the break-up she experienced recently. It's concerned her and she read it's part of the process. "It may seem to you/That I'm acting confused/When you`re close to me/If I tend to look dazed/I`ve read it someplace/I`ve got cause to be."
She can't think of the technical word for what's happening to her. However, she's mixed up and fights off her feelings for the man. "There`s a name for it/There`s a phrase that fits/
But whatever the reason/You do it for me."
After the chorus, Turner sings a rough "oohhh" over the beginning of the tinny synthesizer solo.
In the bridge, she's says that she's changing her negative attitude towards love. But she's not completely healed as of yet. She's still not ready to make herself vulnearable. "I`ve been taking on a new direction/But I have to say/I`ve been thinking about my own protection/It scares me to feel this way."
The chorus is sung three times to end the single. However, the second chorus adds "sweet old fashioned notion" to it. The first chorus is sung once again.
In the single, Turner is able to be detached yet hurt at the same time. She gives the lyrics some emotion which otherwise didn't exist. Although Turner's coarse vocals are a strength, it's not enough. The single has not aged well, mostly due to the use of the synthesizer. Then, it was a trendy addition. But now, it sounds silly.
Album: Private Dancer
Year: 1984
Tina Turner, burned by a past relationship, dismisses romance in the frumpy "What's Love Got To Do With It."
A dusky synthesizer opens the single, creating a late and lonely tone. Turner explains to a man who flirted with her that she is not interested in a date. His touch causes her to smolder inside. However, it's as far as she wants it to go. He's the wrong guy for her and surely will break her heart. "You must understand/That the touch of your hand/Makes my pulse react/
That it's only the thrill/Of boy meeting girl/Opposites attract."
She says it's a biological reaction and supposed to happen. She tells him it's something she has learned to disregard any romantic feelings. "It`s physical/Only logical/You must try to ignore/That it means more than that."
In the chorus, she says relationships are mostly sex. Love is secondary, an afterthought. Hearts are useless and complicate the situation. "Oh 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."
But the man is starting to get under her skin, despite her reluctance. She's unsure of how to act around him. But she's still grieving over the break-up she experienced recently. It's concerned her and she read it's part of the process. "It may seem to you/That I'm acting confused/When you`re close to me/If I tend to look dazed/I`ve read it someplace/I`ve got cause to be."
She can't think of the technical word for what's happening to her. However, she's mixed up and fights off her feelings for the man. "There`s a name for it/There`s a phrase that fits/
But whatever the reason/You do it for me."
After the chorus, Turner sings a rough "oohhh" over the beginning of the tinny synthesizer solo.
In the bridge, she's says that she's changing her negative attitude towards love. But she's not completely healed as of yet. She's still not ready to make herself vulnearable. "I`ve been taking on a new direction/But I have to say/I`ve been thinking about my own protection/It scares me to feel this way."
The chorus is sung three times to end the single. However, the second chorus adds "sweet old fashioned notion" to it. The first chorus is sung once again.
In the single, Turner is able to be detached yet hurt at the same time. She gives the lyrics some emotion which otherwise didn't exist. Although Turner's coarse vocals are a strength, it's not enough. The single has not aged well, mostly due to the use of the synthesizer. Then, it was a trendy addition. But now, it sounds silly.