To put it simply, Tina Turner was the best. Strong. Soulful. There was a reason why she was called the Queen of Rock-N-Roll. It was a title she earned through her literal blood, sweat, and tears, and though I knew it was coming long before it happened, her passing hit me harder than a celebrity death I can remember. She has been a part of the soundtrack of my entire life. My favorite song? “The Best,” hands down. 

The song was included on her third studio album as a solo artist foreign affair, which was released through Capitol Records and sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. In 2021, Parlophone Records released a special two-disc expanded edition, which I was lucky enough to find a copy of at Tower Records in Tokyo. 

Worth. Every. SINGLE. Penny.

Disc one includes a remastered version of the standard album that includes “Steamy Windows” and “Be Tender with Me, Baby, ” drawing inspiration from the souls of other great artists like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye. The whole album does. 

Disc two includes b-sides, remixes, and a previously unreleased demo of “The Best.” The woman was a powerhouse vocalist. A five-disc version was also released through Parlophone and included live tracks and promotional videos. 

While this release may not be as grand as the recent What’s Love Got to Do with It – it’s still pretty damn good. Both the two-disc and five disc albums can be ordered through Amazon.

More music reviews soon so…

Stay Tuned!