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Monday, August 5, 2019

"Typical Male" by Tina Turner

Top 10 Alert!
Song#:  2851
Date:  08/30/1986
Debut:  49
Peak:  2
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  Turner's comback album Private Dancer was a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum hit that spawned three Top 10 hits. For her follow-up, Turner decided to work with some of the same folks that helped shape Private Dancer including songwriters Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, composers of Turner's #1 hit "What's Love Got to Do with It." The pair would write five song for the new album, Break Every Rule, including this first single. The tune debuted in the top half of the Pop chart and then quickly made its way up to the #2 spot where it stayed for three weeks, blocked from the #1 spot by hits from Cyndi Lauper and Janet Jackson. The song would also be a hit at R&B getting to #3 while going to #11 at Dance and #23 AC. It would be Turner's fifth Pop Top 10 solo hit. Turner would earn a Grammy nomination for the song in the Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, category.

ReduxReview:  I think Turner was looking for consistency with Break Every Rule. Kinda like - if it worked once, let's do it again! Britten and Lyle's roles as songwriters and producers expanded while others who contributed songs (either written for Turner or covers) and/or production to Private Dancer were also back onboard including Rupert Hine, Paul Brady, Mark Knopfler, and David Bowie. Even Bryan Adams joined in following a duet with Turner for his Reckless album, "It's Only Love" (#15 Pop). Despite a similar cast, Break Every Rule didn't really sound like Private Dancer, Pt. 2. There were less cover tunes and the emphasis was more on mainstream pop/rock. It also wasn't quite as good as Private Dancer. With the exception of this tune, the Britten/Lyle compositions were a bit weak and the LP could have used a little R&B injection. Still, it was a pretty good effort and this first single was a highlight. The production and arrangement worked well, the chorus is memorable, and Turner sounds on-point and energetic. It's just a bummer there wasn't anything else as catchy as this on the album (although I did really enjoy the brooding Rupert Hine closing track "I'll Be Thunder").

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  The b-side to this single was a song titled "Don't Turn Around." Penned by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, the song was recorded by Turner as a possible track for Break Every Rule. In the end, the song was not selected for the album and instead used as the b-side to "Typical Male." For the most part, non-album b-side songs tend to get heard, but then are quickly forgotten. They will sometimes be included as bonus tracks on reissued LPs or on compilations, but rarely do they have much of a life after their original b-side appearance. "Don't Turn Around" is one song that beat the odds and became a hit - twice. The UK group Aswad picked up the track in 1988 and recorded a reggae-tinged version for their album Distant Thunder. It was issued out as the LP's first single and it went to #1 in the UK and Top 10 in several other countries. It wasn't as successful in the US where it stopped at #45 on the R&B chart. Then in 1994, the Swedish band Ace of Base recorded a version for their debut album. It would be issued out in the US as their third single and it would get to #4 Pop and #7 AC. Others have recorded the song including R&B singer Luther Ingram, who took the tune to #55 R&B. Neil Diamond would cover the song in 1992 and get to #20 on the AC chart. Bonnie Tyler also recorded the song for her 1988 album Hide Your Heart. Not bad for a tune that was originally a buried b-side.

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