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)
In the Midnight Hour
Tina Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's when my love comes tumbling down
I'm gonna wait till the midnight hour
When there is no one else around
I'm gonna take and I'm gonna hold
Do all the things I've told
In the midnight hour, in the midnight hour
To see the twinkle in your eyes
I'm gonna wait till the midnight hour
That's when my love begins to shine
You're the only one I know
That really loves me so
In the midnight hour, in the midnight hour
Midnight midnight midnight tonight
The lyrics of Tina Turner's "In the Midnight Hour" are easy to follow along with, as they're essentially about waiting for a lover to return. The song creates a sense of anticipation that builds up right from the start. The beginning line "I'm gonna wait till the midnight hour" sets the stage for the entire song. The tone is nostalgic, almost melancholic, with Turner's voice evoking a longing for something the singer sees as unattainable. The metaphor of the "midnight hour" serves as a stand-in for a time of day when darkness falls, and the world goes quiet. The singer is waiting for a time when they feel truly alone and open to experiencing an intimate moment. The introduction of the phrase "when there is no one else around" reinforces this feeling of isolation.
The chorus takes a more celebratory tone, with the singer proclaiming that she's going to "take and hold" her loved one. The line "do all the things I've told" suggests an intimate act that the singer is waiting and preparing for. The second verse takes a more wistful tone, describing the stars coming out and noticing the twinkle in her lover's eyes. The final line "you're the only one I know that really loves me so" reinforces the theme of the song as seeking fulfillment in an intimate relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna wait till the midnight hour
I am choosing to delay taking action until a specific time, which is midnight.
That's when my love comes tumbling down
I will wait for the moment when my feelings of love become overwhelming and uncontrollable.
I'm gonna wait till the midnight hour
Once again, I am selecting midnight as my designated time to initiate action.
When there is no one else around
I am opting to wait until there are no other individuals present, thereby allowing my focus to be solely directed towards my intended target.
I'm gonna take and I'm gonna hold
I plan to physically touch and embrace the person I desire.
Do all the things I've told
I intend to fulfill various promises or commitments made to my loved one.
In the midnight hour, in the midnight hour
Once again, I reiterate the specific time period during which I plan to act.
I'm gonna wait till the stars come out
Another specific time frame I am selecting is when the stars in the night sky become visible.
To see the twinkle in your eyes
During this time frame, I hope to witness a spark or sign of affection in my loved one's gaze.
I'm gonna wait till the midnight hour
Reiterating my original plan of taking action at midnight.
That's when my love begins to shine
I view midnight as a time when my love for this individual will be most apparent and noticeable.
You're the only one I know
I express my belief that this individual is my sole source of love and affection.
That really loves me so
I have confidence that this person reciprocates my feelings of love and care for them.
In the midnight hour, in the midnight hour
Once again emphasizing my plan to act at midnight.
Midnight midnight midnight tonight
An additional callout to the specific time period during which I intend to execute my plan.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Wilson Pickett, Steve Cropper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kiwi rebelo
Wow, this is awesome, she is the simply the best! RIP Tina and Wilson Pickett 🙏🏾❤️ you both are missed!
Tomeka Haywood
Tina is awesome! No one can scream like her. Love it.
Arsen Jaho
As always, the Tina Turner version is the best! She is simply the best! 😍
jean globensky
I just love the Smile she puts on when she plays songs that she has loved through the years
Kidaagajoan
What a voice!
Don Hanlon
I had this on Vinyl years ago and later got on DVD, can't beat Tina🔥❤️
foma 2807
Красотка Тина!!
Музыка супер!❤
EclecticMusic67
OMG! Tina is SO Amazing! Loved her version!
Luis F.
Tina Turner: the BIGGEST!! - simply a five star singer. pure class a high level.
KingMellow11
I actually like this. Her tone is great.