Turner began her career with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm in 1957. Under the name Little Ann, she appeared on her first record, "Boxtop", in 1958. In 1960, she debuted as Tina Turner with the hit duet single "A Fool in Love". The duo Ike & Tina Turner became "one of the most formidable live acts in history". They released hits such as "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", "River Deep – Mountain High", "Proud Mary", and "Nutbush City Limits" before disbanding in 1976.
In the 1980s, Turner launched "one of the greatest comebacks in music history". Her 1984 multi-platinum album Private Dancer contained the hit song "What's Love Got to Do with It", which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became her first and only number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. At age 44, she was the oldest female solo artist to top the Hot 100. Her chart success continued with "Better Be Good to Me", "Private Dancer", "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)", "Typical Male", "The Best", "I Don't Wanna Fight", and "GoldenEye". During her Break Every Rule World Tour in 1988, she set a then-Guinness World Record for the largest paying audience (180,000) for a solo performer.
Turner also acted in the films Tommy (1975), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), and Last Action Hero (1993). In 1993, What's Love Got to Do with It, a biographical film adapted from her autobiography I, Tina: My Life Story, was released. In 2009, Turner retired after completing her Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour, which is the 15th highest-grossing tour of the 2000s. In 2018, she became the subject of the jukebox musical Tina.
Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, Turner became one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She received 12 Grammy Awards, which include eight competitive awards, three Grammy Hall of Fame awards, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was the first black artist, and first woman, to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone ranked her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Turner has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame. She was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. She was a 2005 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and Women of the Year award.
In 2020, she came out of retirement to collaborate with Norwegian producer Kygo on a remix of "What's Love Got to Do with It". With this release, she became the first artist to have a top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades in the UK.
Studio albums
Tina Turns the Country On! (1974)
Acid Queen (1975)
Rough (1978)
Love Explosion (1979)
Private Dancer (1984)
Break Every Rule (1986)
Foreign Affair (1989)
Wildest Dreams (1996)
Twenty Four Seven (1999)
1984
Tina Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someday they won't let you, now you must agree
The times they are a-telling, and the changing isn't free
You've read it in the tea leaves, and the tracks are on TV
Beware the savage jaw
In 1984
And tell that you're eighty, but brother, you won't care
You'll be shooting up on everything, tomorrow's never there
Beware the savage jaw
In 1984
(Come see, come see, remember me)
I played out an all night movie role
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
In 1984 (who could ask for more)
1984 (who could ask for more)
(More)
I'm looking for a vehicle, I'm looking for a ride
I'm looking for a party, I'm looking for a side
I'm looking for the treason that I knew in '65
Beware the savage jaw
In 1984
(Come see, come see, remember me)
I played out an all night movie role
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
In 1984 (who could ask for more)
1984 (who could ask for more)
(More)
1984, 1984 (more)
1984, 1984 (more)
1984
1984
In Tina Turner's song "1984," the lyrics tell a story of impending societal control, warning the listener to be aware of the "savage jaw" that is coming in 1984. The first verse suggests that times are changing and that the listener must agree with these changes or not be allowed to exist. The second verse alludes to violence and the potential for manipulation and lies, stating that the listener's head will be split open and filled with air, making them believe that they are eighty years old even if they are not. They will be shooting up on everything, but tomorrow will never come.
The chorus repeats the warning to "beware the savage jaw" in 1984, with the bridge of the song taking a turn to the personal. The singer is "looking for a vehicle," suggesting they are searching for a way out or a way to escape. They are also looking for "treason" they knew in 1965, perhaps pointing to ideals or beliefs they once held that are no longer practiced or relevant.
Overall, "1984" is a warning about the changes that are coming, the potential for violence and manipulation, and the need to be aware of what is happening in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Someday they won't let you, now you must agree
At some point in the future, you will no longer have a choice and will be forced to comply with rules and restrictions.
The times they are a-telling, and the changing isn't free
Current events are indicating that changes are coming, but there will be a cost or sacrifice involved in implementing them.
You've read it in the tea leaves, and the tracks are on TV
Signs and signals are indicating what is to come, and these predictions are being reinforced by information in the media.
Beware the savage jaw
Be cautious of those who will use violence or aggression to exert control or influence over others.
In 1984
This is a reference to George Orwell's novel '1984,' which depicts a dystopian society where individuals are controlled by an authoritarian government.
They'll split your pretty cranium, and fill it full of air
You will be subjected to brainwashing and propaganda that will manipulate your beliefs and thoughts.
And tell that you're eighty, but brother, you won't care
You may be deceived into believing that you are old or nearing the end of your life, but this will not matter as you will have been effectively brainwashed.
You'll be shooting up on everything, tomorrow's never there
You may resort to dangerous habits or behaviors to escape the reality of your situation, but the future will seem bleak and uncertain.
I played out an all night movie role
The artist has experienced a prolonged, intense situation that felt like a role in a movie.
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
The person the artist trusted thought their experience would have a different outcome, but in reality, they both became a part of something bigger than themselves.
I'm looking for a vehicle, I'm looking for a ride
The singer is searching for a means of escape or a way to move on from their current situation.
I'm looking for a party, I'm looking for a side
The artist may be seeking companionship and a sense of belonging, but also looking for their own place or purpose in the world.
I'm looking for the treason that I knew in '65
The singer is nostalgic for a time when rebellion or nonconformity was more prevalent and may be seeking to recapture that feeling of revolution or fighting against the status quo.
1984 (who could ask for more)
This is repeating the title of the song and book, seemingly sarcastically suggesting that a dystopian society is something no one would want, despite the fact that some may be working towards it.
1984 (more)
This is the continuation of the repetition of the title, suggesting that there is more to be concerned about in regards to the events predicted in the book and song, and to stay aware and alert.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind