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)
Never Been to Spain
Tina Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I kinda like the music
Say the ladies are insane there
And they sure know how to use it
The don't abuse it
Never gonna lose it
I can't refuse it
Well I never been to England
Well, I headed for Las Vegas
Only made it out to Needles
Can you feel it
It must be real it
Feels so good
Oh, feels so good
Well I never been to heaven
But I been to Oklahoma
Well they tell me I was born there
But I really don't remember
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
What does it matter
What does it matter
Well I never been to Spain
But I kinda like the music
Say the ladies are insane there
And they sure know how to use it
The don't abuse it
Never gonna lose it
I can't refuse it
Well I never been to heaven
But I been to Oklahoma
Well they tell me I was born there
But I really don't remember
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
What does it matter
What does it matter
In Tina Turner's song "Never Been to Spain," the singer shares their admiration for the music and women of Spain, despite never having visited the country. The line "Say the ladies are insane there, and they sure know how to use it" suggests that the women of Spain are confident in their sexuality and passionate about their pursuits. The singer seems to be drawn to this energy and charisma, as well as the unique sound of Spanish music.
Later in the song, the singer also expresses their appreciation for the Beatles and the feeling of being in Las Vegas, even though they didn't make it past Needles, California. The line "Can you feel it, it must be real it" suggests that even though the singer didn't fulfill their original intention of going to Las Vegas, there is still a palpable energy or excitement associated with the idea of it.
The lyrics "Well I never been to heaven, but I been to Oklahoma / Well, they tell me I was born there, but I really don't remember" further emphasizes the singer's sense of disconnectedness from certain geographical locations. The fact that they don't remember their birthplace adds to this idea of feeling detached from physical spaces or roots. Overall, the song seems to be an ode to the power of music and the ability of certain locations or experiences to evoke strong emotions or desires, even if the singer hasn't directly experienced them.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I never been to Spain
I have never physically been to Spain.
But I kinda like the music
However, I enjoy and appreciate the music that originates from there.
Say the ladies are insane there
The women in Spain are known to be wild and exciting.
And they sure know how to use it
They use their charm and allure to their advantage.
The don't abuse it
But they don't take advantage of their power over others.
Never gonna lose it
They will always have their power and presence.
I can't refuse it
I cannot deny the appeal of these women and their culture.
Well I never been to England
I have also never been to England.
But I kinda like the Beatles
However, I appreciate the music that comes from there too, such as that of the Beatles.
Well, I headed for Las Vegas
I attempted to travel to Las Vegas.
Only made it out to Needles
But I only made it as far as Needles, California.
Can you feel it
Do you understand the excitement I feel?
It must be real it
It is a genuine thrill for me.
Feels so good
It is a pleasurable experience.
Oh, feels so good
It is especially enjoyable.
Well I never been to heaven
I have also never been to heaven.
But I been to Oklahoma
But I have been to Oklahoma.
Well they tell me I was born there
I have been told that I was born in Oklahoma.
But I really don't remember
However, I have no recollection of it.
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
It is important to note that I was born in Oklahoma, not Arizona.
What does it matter
But ultimately, the location of my birth does not hold much significance.
What does it matter
Same as above, repeating for emphasis.
Well I never been to Spain
Repeating the first verse.
But I kinda like the music
Repeating the second verse.
Say the ladies are insane there
Repeating the third verse.
And they sure know how to use it
Repeating the fourth verse.
The don't abuse it
Repeating the fifth verse.
Never gonna lose it
Repeating the sixth verse.
I can't refuse it
Repeating the seventh verse.
Well I never been to heaven
Repeating the eighth verse.
But I been to Oklahoma
Repeating the ninth verse.
Well they tell me I was born there
Repeating the tenth verse.
But I really don't remember
Repeating the eleventh verse.
In Oklahoma, not Arizona
Repeating the twelfth verse.
What does it matter
Repeating the thirteenth verse.
What does it matter
Repeating the fourteenth verse.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Hoyt Wayne Axton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind