Private Dancer

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Lore & Background

The song was initially intended for Dire Straits' 1982 album Love over Gold. The instruments were recorded, but Mark Knopfler considered the lyrics unsuitable for a male singer, so the track was dropped. Legal restrictions prevented the original recording from being used by Tina Turner, so two years later it was remade by members of Dire Straits (minus Knopfler). Terry Williams replaced original drummer Pick Withers, and lead guitar was performed by Jeff Beck. Tina Turner told DJ Roger Scott: 'Roger [Tina Turner's manager] knows Knopfler's manager Ed Bicknell, and Bicknell said, "I think Mark has a song that could fit Tina, that he never used because he thought it was a song for a girl." Mark produced the song and sang it, and after he did it he felt that it was not a song for a man, so it was just sitting on the shelf… He gave me the track and I copied it with Dire Straits people – most of them. At first I was going to try to just put my voice on Mark's tapes, but there was a record company problem, so we got Mark's musicians, Dire Straits, and went into the studio... Someone said, "Why did you select "Private Dancer"? It's a song about a hooker. Is it because you've been a hooker?" And I was shocked... I didn't see her as a hooker... I can be naive about some of these things. But actually the answer is no. I took it because it was an unusual song. I'd never sung a song like it. And I wish you could hear Mark's version of it. He's got a very English-sounding voice... and it was really quite beautiful.... A very arty song... so I put the old soulful touch on it.' Knopfler once said the song was ruined due to 'them drafting in Jeff Beck to play the world's second-ugliest guitar solo.' The song shares the same tune as the song 'Love over Gold' which had been recorded by Dire Straits two years previously and later released as a live single.

In Their Own Story

The accompanying music video for 'Private Dancer', featuring dance choreography by Arlene Phillips, was directed by Brian Grant and filmed at the Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton Park in London. It features Turner as a disillusioned taxi dancer, although the song has also been interpreted as being sung from the perspective of a prostitute. The video was later published on Turner's official YouTube channel in March 2009, amassing more than 40 million views as of June 2023.

Reader's Guide

Origin and era. Written by Mark Knopfler and originally intended for Dire Straits' 1982 album Love over Gold, the song was dropped because Knopfler considered the lyrics unsuitable for a male singer. Legal restrictions prevented the original recording from being used by Tina Turner, so two years later it was remade by members of Dire Straits (minus Knopfler), with Terry Williams on drums, Jeff Beck on lead guitar, and Mel Collins on tenor saxophone. The recording was produced by John Carter for Turner's fifth solo album, released as the album's fifth single in October 1984. The track reached number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the US R&B chart, with moderate international success, reaching number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. The album version runs 7:11, with a 7-inch edit of 3:54; the album version was remastered in 2015 and titled 'Private Dancer – 2015 Remaster.' Personnel: Tina Turner – vocals; Jeff Beck – guitar solo; John Illsley – bass guitar; Alan Clark – keyboards; Hal Lindes – guitar; Terry Williams – drums; Mel Collins – tenor saxophone; Julian Diggle and Carter – percussion; Norman Seeff – cover photography (US); Peter Ashworth – cover photography (UK). Cover versions: American singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello recorded a cover for her album Ventriloquism, released March 16, 2018. In 2015, Canadian electronic musician Peaches performed a piano version on The Strombo Show at the home of George Stroumboulopoulos, and had previously played the song live at different concerts.

Did You Know?

• The song was originally intended for Dire Straits' 1982 album Love over Gold, but Mark Knopfler dropped it because he thought the lyrics were unsuitable for a male singer.
• Legal restrictions prevented Tina Turner from using the original Dire Straits recording, so the track was remade two years later by members of Dire Straits (minus Knopfler) with Jeff Beck on lead guitar.
• Knopfler once said the song was ruined due to 'them drafting in Jeff Beck to play the world's second-ugliest guitar solo.'
• The song shares the same tune as Dire Straits' 'Love over Gold,' which was recorded two years earlier and later released as a live single.
• The music video, directed by Brian Grant and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, was filmed at the Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton Park, London, and had amassed more than 40 million YouTube views as of June 2023.