Who Did It Better: What's Love Got To Do With It

Who Did It Better:

What's Love Got To Do With It

Okay, I think it's fair to say that we all know who is going to win this one. This is more of a curiosity than anything else, but I thought it worth a listen - because what if Bucks Fizz's version was released before Turner's?

That question posed, I wasn't even aware of their version until it was brought to my attention by our good friend Sixpence.

So, let's have a little fun and do some shop and compare.

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Man! This is a song that got around!

Written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, What's Love Got To Do With It was first offered to Cliff Richard, who turned it down. It was then given to Phyllis Hyman, who liked and wanted to record the song, but Clive Davis, head of Hyman's label Arista, wouldn't allow it. The song then drifted into Donna Summer's universe, where it remained in orbit for several years, never landing in the recording studio. 

Enter, Bucks Fizz.

Who?

To be honest, I had never heard of them either. That's because they never broke big state side, but were quite a phenomenon in the UK.  

Bucks Fizz achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest. The group was created in January of 1981 specifically for the contest and was comprised of four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston. The group went on to have a successful career throughout the world, although the UK would remain their biggest market. There, they scored three #1 singles: Making Your Mind Up, The Land of Make Believe and My Camera Never Lies. They also enjoyed four additional Top Ten hits in the UK, going on to become one of the top-selling groups of the 80's. At last count, Bucks Fizz had sold over 50 million records worldwide. 

And they almost nabbed What's Love Got To Do With It.

Bucks Fizz was offered the song in early 1984. Jay Aston wanted to sing lead on the track, but was told by the producer the song was unsuitable for a female lead. The group proceeded to record it in February of 1984, with the lead sung by Bobby G. and was slated for inclusion on their next album, I Hear Talk.

But a little hurricane named Tina Turner touched down and had different plans for that song.

After leaving Ike, with nothing but her name, Turner worked every angle she could find. Vegas. Non-stop touring. The occasional one-off recording appearing on some forgotten movie soundtrack. Guest appearances on television variety shows. And four albums that were well-received, but failed to turn heads.

Her fifth album, Private Dancer, would change all that. 

In 1983, Turner had scored big with a stylish version of the Al Green classic, Let's Stay Together. It was enough to get Capitol Records to pony up for a full album. Released in the spring of 1984, What's Love Got To Do With It served as her next single and Turner's life would never be the same.

The song gave Turner her first (and only) Billboard Hot 100 #1 single, selling over a million copies worldwide. It was the second-biggest single of 1984 in the US and would go on to win three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. 

As for Bucks Fizz?

They shelved the song once Turner's version was released. The group's version would remain in a vault until 2000, when it was unearthed and included on a re-issue of their Are You Ready album.

Oh, that name? 

Bucks Fizz is a cocktail which was popular during the 1920's. It is identical to the Mimosa, but contains no triple sec (which true Mimosa's do.) It was chosen as the group's name because it was the favorite drink of Nichola Martin, who co-wrote the group's winning Eurovision entry.

And that's the whole story. 

Now... on to the competition.

The Song: What's Love Got To Do With It

The Competitors: Bucks Fizz vs. Tina Turner

What's Love Got To Do With It - Buzz Fizz

What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner

Bucks Fizz

According to Jay Aston (Bucks Fizz), the demo for What's Love Got To Do With It sounded very similar to the version released by Turner. Bucks Fizz, on the other hand, went in a different direction. 

Those are some serious Dazz Band electronics to start. I am not minding that beat at all, in fact, I like. Those vocals? A little colorless, pallid and underwhelming. Love that woodblock accent. 

Huh. This is not the blasphemy I was expecting. Until they get to the chorus... then it's 'Up With People' time. Or, as I also like to call it - terribly unhip white people ruining a song. At that moment, despite an interesting arrangement - I love the twang of that guitar string - this ends up sounding about as exciting as your average high school glee club.

The arrangement continues to deliver. Those icy synths cascading? Of the time and I do adore. Whoever put this together knew what they were doing. That wonderful synth pad swell as we go into the chorus? Perfect. Like a cloud welling up from nowhere. The lead vocalist is growing on me. 

Creating music with synths? It's more like architectural than musical.  

But those vocals on the chorus? So uninvolved and bland. It's the nature of the beast. It is hard, when harmonizing with four distinct voices, to get down and dirty - especially when a clean sound is what you're known for. I do wish one of them would break with pack and get a little soulful. 

Oh, that instrumental break. So funky and chunky. Love that synth guitar. It shreds nicely. Interesting backing vocals. I think I would have gone even more guttural with a full on football grunt. The lead vocalist bring zero heat on the break. And what is with that line reading? "Scares me to feel this... Way." Why the break? An odd choice. No one speaks like that.

That plucked funky bass background on the chorus? Think: the theme from Seinfeld.  Once you do, you can't un-hear it. They do zip with chorus. Just coasting. No heat. Oh, there's an attempt - at the 3:12 mark. But are those back-up singers or the group? Employing back-up singers when you have four voices makes no sense unless you're attempting to make up for a deficiency. 

I think the arrangement continues to deliver. Yes, it's all synthesizers and a bit dated, but 1984 is one of my favorite years for music and this arrangement has a lot of magic to it. Sadly, the vocalists are not up to the task at all.

I dare say, had Bucks Fizz beat Turner to the punch, this would have gotten some air play and possibly been a hit - not state side, but in the UK, for sure. It's likable enough. No, it doesn't come anywhere near the scorching sophistication of Turner's somewhat scornful interpretation, but then... how could it?

Tina Turner

This is as fixed in our collective subconscious as any song by any artist - although I am sure there is one of those rather insincere 'Reaction To...' videos out there with some young thing getting all big-eyed while hearing it 'for the first time'. Such crap.

I remember I was in Musicland on Hennepin Avenue staring at a Diana Ross greatest hits collection I was dying to own because it had Love Hangover and It's My Turn on it when Tina Turner's version of Let's Stay Together came over the sound system. I froze. I knew that voice. And the arrangement was everything I longed for: sophistication with a touch of jaded elegance and an emotional ache that throbbed liked my budding sexuality. The longing in her voice on top of that rather icy, breathy arrangement was something I'd never experienced; it was the musical embodiment of fire and ice. 

See, I knew the voice because I had a cassette copy of the soundtrack for a terrible film called Summer Lovers. I bought it for 99 cents. On it, Turner performs a version of Robert Palmer's Johnny And Mary which I thought was electric. And I was so excited that Turner had continued on that euro-pop path. 

I proceeded to the checkout counter and asked the clerk who and what that song playing was and where I could find it. I raced over to snag the last copy of Turner's 12" version - the only version available at that time. Now, keep in mind, I was working a counter at Woolworth's for minimum wage and had zero dollars... but I had to have that song. I walked up and knowingly wrote me a check I knew I didn't have the dinero to cover... bank fees be damned. 

It was worth it. 

And later, after I'd been 'promoted' to manager of the music department (still making minimum wage), I remember seeing the picture sleeve for Tina's latest offering. I played that thing so much, the old ladies over in the toy department complained to the store manager. To make 'em happy, I would throw them a Kenny Rogers song once and awhile. But that spring and summer? It was all about Tina. 

I remember singing What's Love Got To Do With It as I crossed the Hennepin County bridge on my way to a rehearsal after work; kicking my little feet and doing the back square step just like on the video. I got me some car honks, yes, I did. 

It was a golden age. 

Oh, no, child. I am not doing a breakdown of Ms. Turner's finest moment. That kind of magic? You do not carve up. You just allow it to flow over you like the soothing waters of a lost Babylon. This kind of magic? You simply experience.

Go on, now... enjoy.

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That's it for me, kids. 

This was a lot more fun than I expected. I especially liked waxing like a golden oldie, plucking moments from the memory machine. Thank you, Sixpence, for the stellar word up!

If you have any songs that somewhat  fit the criteria for this series, leave your suggestions in the comments section. I still have a couple of songs Anne Marie suggested and a few of my own, so this series is definitely going to continue for a bit. 

And let me know what you think of Buck Fizz's take on this classic. You know I always value the opinions of another - unless I'm feeling bullheaded and full of myself. 

Thanks for reading.