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A surprise treasure has been unearthed from Tina Turner’s vaults: the previously unheard track “Hot for You, Baby”, which was intended for use on her fifth solo album, Private Dancer.
Private Dancer, released in May 1984, propelled Turner back into stardom after escaping her abusive marriage to musician Ike Turner in the Seventies left her penniless and living off food stamps.
Turner was broke after the split and playing cabaret shows to pay off her debts. Yet she learnt that she still had fans in the R&B-obsessed UK, after The Rolling Stones invited her on their US tour and Rod Stewart asked her to play with him on Saturday Night Live.
Long believed to have been lost, “Hot for You, Baby” was recorded at Hollywood’s Capitol Studios but was bumped from Turner’s fifth album in favour of hits including “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and “Better Be Good to Me”. The album peaked at No 1 in the US and earned Turner four Grammy awards, including Song of the Year.
“Hot for You, Baby” was unveiled on the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show with Mark Goodier on Thursday (23 January), and forms part of a 40th anniversary edition of Private Dancer.
The song was written by Australian musicians George Young and Harry Vanda, and produced by John Carter, who signed Turner to Capitol in spite of the label’s misgivings.
Capitol, who were convinced to let Turner record an album after her success in Europe, only paid for her to spend two weeks in the studio, where she recorded songs such as “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, which had previously been rejected by Cliff Richard and Bucks Fizz.
Set to be released on 21 March, the special edition of Private Dancer includes a number of previously unreleased tracks, live performances and footage, and will be available on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.
Goodier, who is currently covering the Radio 2 breakfast show, said of the new song: “To have something new to hear from Tina Turner is a treat for fans of all generations and a reminder of her unique talent.
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“I’m lucky enough to have both interviewed Tina and seen her perform live. She was an outrageously good performer and at the same time a remarkable graceful lady, whose every note was shaped by her incredible life.”
Turner died aged 83 from natural causes at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, in 2023.
In what are believed to have been her final public remarks, she told The Guardian earlier that year that she was not afraid of death.
“As the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll. As a woman who showed other women that it is OK to strive for success on their own terms,” she said when asked how she wished to be remembered.
Asked what frightened her about growing older, she answered: “Nothing. This is life’s full adventure, and I embrace and accept every day with what it brings.”
