“What’s Love Got to Do With It” was first recorded by Bucks Fizz in March of 1984. They were the first to be offered the song that was intended for their next album. Once they heard Tina’s version it was not released until 2000.
Tina Turner released this song as a single in May of 1984. It was her first #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in Canada and Australia, #3 in the UK.
This is the sixth time a cover song was a double winner. Song of the Year and Record of the Year for 1985. Tina collected the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance as well.
It was written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten. They would write her follow-up “We Don’t Need Another Hero” that went to #2. Between them and with other co-writers Graham Lyle and Terry Britten have created dozens of charted songs in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia. There are 70 versions of the song
Mostly Music Covers 
Like I always say around here….never knew this was not a Tina written tune. Her music was not really my vibe but her vocals were brilliant. If Tina had done a one off metal album I would have been in!
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Lol she was in Mad Max, that’s close, no?
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Tina’s version is my favorite song of 1984, and blows the original by Bucks Fizz out of the water. I also wrote about this song several years ago.
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It was very critical to her career that’s for sure.
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I love Tina Turner, so I may be biased here. I have to say Bucks Fizz’s version is pretty underwhelming, so she “wins” hands-down in my book.
Much of Tina’s appeal to me were her unique and powerful vocals, paired with her energy as a life performer, which I got to witness myself twice.
Somewhat similar to Joe Cocker, I feel pretty much any song that got the “Tina Turner treatment” automatically got better. More objectively speaking, “What’s Love Got to Do With It” is a decent but not a great pop song. But sung and performed by Tina Turner, it was a winner!
Admittedly unrelated to the quality of the song, I also like the fact the “Private Dancer” album made Tina Turner a viable solo artist after her traumatic experience with the abusive Ike Turner.
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Yes something she deserved for sure.
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I’ll agree, it would have been a hit- perhaps not a smash hit but sorta middle Top 20 as it stands. The bones of the song were there in the Sucks Whiz version for sure, but Tina’s version amped it up and gave it some street cred.
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Not much of a comparison for me, Sucks Whiz, you said it!
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The song title that is often used to show the difference between the 60s and 80s: “All You Need is Love (Beatles 1967), to, well you know the rest!
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I actually don’t recall running across that comparison but the light just went on!
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I hate t say it, but I like Bucks Fizz’s version better than Tina Turner’s. I like how all of them sing on the chorus, and the instrumentation is simpler.
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Well I won’t kick you off for that comment and I know you like to go against the wind sometimes. Always good to get a musicians point of view John.
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good trivia! I knew she hadn’t written it, but I did think it was written specifically for her and for that album. Coulda been Bucks Fizz’s big chance… but my rough guess is that it wouldn’t have done as much for them as her even if she had for some reason not released it.
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She certainly sang it like it was written for her.
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Tina’s version…her personality and voice carries it much farther.
That would have pissed me off if that had happened…but Turner owns it.
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She totally does.
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Bucks Fizz did a decent job, and I can’t disagree with Leon that they may have had a minor hit with it, but they really didn’t stand a chance against Tina’s depth and soul. Sixteen years is a really long time to sit on something!
You sure find a lot of obscure recordings of well-known songs, Randy… hat tip to you!
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Of course not even Tina Turner expected it to that big but you are right there are few others who could have done what she did with it. It’s amazing how often I run across songs that are not released until many many years after they are recorded. In fact Secondhandsongs has a category “Released more that 10 years after recording”, some as much as 40-50 years!
While I was aware of the original before this post, I can’t take much credit for this series as I am just following the Grammy Winners. Oh I guess I had to know which ones were covers so, thank you for the nod!
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Credit where credit is due, Randy!
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If a band is offered a song, they should have the first chance to release it. I’m sure they were pissed when another version was recorded, but maybe there was no clause in the contract for that. However, I don’t think it would have been a big hit for them anyway.
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I imagine you’re right, anyone would be pissed! It’s not that uncommon to see this happen with songs. Its first out of the gate when it comes to getting your record released and as you know many reasons why it may not have been. I also think your assessment on being a hit may be correct as well.
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