"What's Love Got to Do with It" is a song written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten, and recorded by Tina Turner for her fifth studio album, Private Dancer (1984).
Although Turner had already scored a late-1983 top 30 hit with her rendition of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together", "What's Love Got to Do with It" became her first and only Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, selling over 2,000,000 copies worldwide.
The song was written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, who originally offered it to Cliff Richard, but it was rejected.
The sheet music for the song shows the key of C♭ major in common time with a suggested tempo of "moderate groove".
He noted that it is a "soft synth-driven track countered by Turner's battle weary voice, barely hiding the cynic in her", and stated that the song "reeks of attitude".
[10] A reviewer from People Magazine noted "the sophisticated pop" of the song, adding that it has "the characteristic flair and energy that have made Tina the envy of every singer this side of Aretha.
The single went to number one[12] on the US Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for three weeks, giving Turner her first and only solo number-one hit in the U.S. Turner was 44 when the song hit number one, at the time making her the oldest female solo artist to place a number-one single on the US Hot 100.
The song also spent five weeks at number two on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, from July 14 to August 18, 1984, "When Doves Cry", by Prince, being the reason it never reached its number-one spot.
[14] The accompanying music video for "What's Love Got to Do with It" features Turner walking down the street in a leather miniskirt, engaging with the public, intercut with scenes where she is singing directly to camera.
An alternate black-and-white video directed by Bud Schaetzle features Tina singing the song against a black background while couples argue in a bar.
It features footage of Warren G and Adina Howard performing the song, with clips from the film Police Story 3: Super Cop.
A remix of the song was released as a single by Norwegian DJ and record producer Kygo and Tina Turner.
I love working around timeless vocals and although it's challenging to preserve elements of the original track and adding my own touch, I'm extremely happy with how it turned out!
[114] The video is directed by Sarah Bahbah and features Laura Harrier and Charles Michael Davis as star-crossed lovers who, despite looking on paper as having a strong and playful relationship, behind the scenes the couple lacks a deep emotional connection to last.