Tina Turner - Simply the Best (CD)

Tina Turner's phenomenal reclamation of her stardom is perfectly chronicled on Simply the Best. With the exception of the Phil Spector epic "River Deep, Mountain High," everything included here comes from 1983 on. Turner's iconic voice and bluesy earnestness surface on a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." She brings a moody sensuality to "I Can't Stand the Rain." Equally adept at rock, soul, gospel, and R&B, Turner makes ordinary songs such as "Typical Male" and "Private Dancer" into extraordinary recordings. There are actually better Tina albums than Simply the Best, but it stands as a useful compilation of her comeback hits.

Simply the Best is surrounded by some of the best situations a compilation can hope for. Tina Turner's work for Capitol past Private Dancer was spotty, she made a bunch of appearances on soundtracks and other artists' albums, and most of the tracks on Private Dancer are good enough to own twice. Almost half of Private Dancer shows up on Simply the Best, but you don't have to endure the way the original album spiraled down into slick fizzle. Instead you have to endure a misguided, pumped-up house remix of "Nutbush City Limits," but that's it. Everything else here is either top-notch or campy, certifiable fun. A duet with Rod Stewart on "It Takes Two" supplies the fun along with the new track, "I Want You Near Me" (Turner to lover: "You're so good with your hands/To help me with a hook or zip"). The two other new tracks tacked to the end beat out most of the album cuts the collection passes on, plus you get the bombastic "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" without having to buy a dull soundtrack. The oldest cut by years is the monolithic "River Deep-Mountain High," which is a bona fide classic but sonically out of place here. Reprogram the disc to play it at the beginning or end, skip the new "Nutbush" completely, and you've got sparkling, nearly perfect overview of Turner's postcomeback career. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Performer	Tina Turner
Music genre	R&B / Soul
Music subgenre	Pop
Media format	CD
Edition	Standard
Language	English
Is collectible	Y
Number of tracks	18
Has parental advisory label	N
Number of discs	1
Series title	Simply the Best
Track listing	1. The Best (Edit) 2. Better Be Good to Me 3. I Can't Stand the Rain 4. What's Love Got to Do With It? 5. I Don't Wanna Lose You 6. Nutbush City Limits (the 90's version) 7. What You Get is What You See 8. Let's Stay Together (single verison) 9. River Deep-Mountain High (remastered version 1991) 10. Steamy Windows 11. Typical Male 12. We Don't Need Antoher Hero (Thunderdome) 13. Private Dancer (single edit) 14. Look Me in the Heart 15. It Takes Two (w/Tina Tuner) - By Rod Stewart 16. I Want You Near me 17. Way of the World 18. Love Thing
Record label	Parlophone (Wea)
Target audience	Everyone
Songwriter	Tina Turner
Occasion	Everyday
Track name	The Best, What's Love Got To Do With It, I Can't Stand The Rain, I Don't Wanna Lose You, Nutbush City Limits (The 90's Version), Let's Stay Together, Private Dancer, We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome), Better Be Good To Me, River Deep - Mountain High, Steamy Windows, Typical Male, It Takes Two, Addicted To Love (Live), Be Tender With Me Baby, I Want You Near Me, Way Of The World, Love Thing, What You Get Is What You See, Look Me in the Heart, Break Through The Barrier
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N