Tina Turner - Wildest Dreams

Whatever You Want

This was Tina's first album of new material in seven years, and it really stands out as a first-rate album. Just exactly why it really went nowhere is a complete mystery. Again overseas, it was huge, with many massive hits. Here in the States, it disappeared. One could blame her record company for not promoting it well, or radio for not playing it, I really don't know. I do know, however, that this is a great disc. Her cover of "Missing You" is incredible. She seems to spit out her scorn for who has done her wrong in the lyrics of this song, and makes it her own in the process. For sheer sexiness, "In Your Wildest Dreams" is SO awesome. The song also features the late, great Barry White in a co-lead singing spot, and it really works well. The rest of the album has a romantic, edgy feel that is so fresh for Tina, and it seems she had a ball doing it. The James Bond theme, "Goldeneye" is on this disc, and it actually fits in the scheme of the album surprisingly well, as most movie songs stand out like a sore thumb on albums not directly attached to a movie project. Overall, Ms. Turner is in fine form vocally, and the album has a great feel to it. It does stand as one of her best overall efforts, and is well worth getting. August 28, 2006

The best post-"Private Dancer" Turner record? Darn straight!

Turner's discography has been held to the standard of the amazing 1984 comeback record "Private Dancer" since it's release. While efforts such as 1987's "Break Every Rule" & 1989's "Foreign Affair" came close, no gold in breaking the rule of "Private Dancer" being de-throned as Tina's best solo album.

Then, in 1996 "Wildest Dreams" came along. Now, while ironically this was Tina's most disappointing commercial record in the States, overseas this record would soar well beyond double-platinum status. With commericiality aside, "Wildest Dreams" to me ranks as Tina's finest record in her post-"Private Dancer" catalogue. It is uniform, cohesive, yet there are the elements of sass, romance, & Tina's soulful voice that make this record standout.

Clearly, living in Europe for over a decade had worn off on Tina. While she hinted at this on the look of the predecessor to this album, "Foreign Affair", with pictures of Tina in French cafe's & a such; the record was an American pop/rock record. Here, while you could at first say this a typical "American R&B" album, upon closer inspection, there is a loose, romantic European sheen woven throughout the whole album. It's mood is very European. From the vintage black & white cover with Tina wearing a short skirt & black jacket, to the fashionable approach the record takes.

This is due to the produers, some of Europe's finest, who helmed the project. From Nellee Hooper, the Pet Shop Boys, U2's Bono, all help "Wildest Dreams" shine.

The title track is a steamy duet with the late-Barry White, which has to be heard to really enjoy. The duet seems fresh, sensual, & over a cool ambitious melodic riff & creeping beat, sizzles. Other highlights include the theme to Bond film "Goldeneye" (one of my favorite Bond themes!) which finds Tina getting brassy, "Confidential" is simple Euro-pop at it's finest. This cut finds Tina just relaxed, giving a cool, almost detached delivery, until the chorus where the emotion of being involved with someone who won't be open with a relationship overtakes Tina.

Tina's vocals are in perfect shape as demonstrated on the soul workout of "Whatever You Want" & an awesome cover of 1980's pop staple "Missing You" which starts off quiet, then explodes with Tina's voice & the arrangement follows suit.

I had previously bought "Twenty Four Seven", this album's follow-up first, this record blows that out of the water. "Wildest Dreams" is Tina at her most soulful, sensual, & fun. Highly recommend to any music fan. December 2, 2005

A Step Into The Modern Music Industry

"Wildest Dreams" in my opinion is the most amazing album of Tina Turner's history. The full powered and emotional "Missing You", her big hit off the album. "In Your Wildest Dreams" was definetly one of Tina's sexier songs on the album. A song she almost was embarresed to sing, but as her quote "I normally would of been embarresed to sing this song but I am doing it now because it is now". "Whatever You Want" starts out a sensous song but turns into an extreme racket, the music video for this song is the most incredible laser-effects that I have ever seen. "Do What You Do" was written by the same man who wrote Tina's smash hit "What's Love Got To Do With It". In an exclusive interview on the "Wildest Dreams Tour" DVD Tina tells us how this man always gets her to do these very different types of songs. "Thief Of Hearts" is just such a fun song that you could listen to and sing along to every single time that you heard it. "On Silent Wings" a very peaceful song from the different rackety songs before it. The song "Something Beutiful Remains is the song that Tina did not want to do that much at all, but however the song was actually part of the 12:00 minute "Dancing In My Dreams". "Confidential" was a very quiet song. "All Kinds Of People" was sung with Sheryll Crow (I beleive) as a backup singer, because Tina says that Sheryll still has that little innocent voice (this was in '96, now she is definetly no little innocent voice). Tina looked at her upcoming album that was going to be released and took that song off of it because she believed that an older person should be singing it. "Unfinished Sympathy" is definetly one of the absolute best song on the album and probably the easiest to remeber lyrics to. The song was mainly 2 verses with the first 2 lines being something different on each verse going straight into "You really hurt me baby, you really cut me baby". And then the "soul without a mind" part. I don't know if the whole pleasure of the song is its simplicity. "Goldeneye" is what began the production of this whole album, Tina was chosen to do the theme of the James Bond movie "Goldeneye" and was absolutley perfect doing it. It also is an amzing act in the "Wildest Dreams Tour, Live In Amsterdam" DVD. "Dancing In My Dreams" was about a black and white relationship. A very slow song.l The true ending to this album is a extended remix of "Something Beutiful Remains" This album is simply the one and only best!! March 7, 2005

Tina still sounded good on this album!

Wildest Dreams has to be one of her best post-Private Dancer era albums. The album does have a pop/ Euro dance feel to it on most songs. But Tina really pulls it off on here! I still like the sexy Wildest Dreams with Barry White. Whatever You Want sounds good. Her remake of John Waite's Missing YOu is nice. I like the techno-dance Thief of Hearts. One of the surprises here is Silent Wings with Sting---both singers sound fabulous here. And Tina still continues to do some great songs with longtime songwriters/producers Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, people behind her '84 comeback, What's Love Got To Do WIth It?Tina just sounds fabulous through 63 minutes of this album! Oprah Winfrey just used one of her song titles as a theme for her current season, Wildest Dreams come true. She still has that song playing in the background on some of her shows, so 8 years since its 1996 release, it's still a well remembered song from that album. It makes this album have a much stronger and sturdier life span just like Private Dancer did in the '80s. Some of Tina's best music in her career! October 25, 2004

An Excellent Album From The Rock Legend!

In the 1980's, the now legendary success story of Tina Turner made her one of the biggest female recording artists ever. Her days of loneliness with Ike were over, and she now back on track, with multi-million selling albums such as "Private Dancer," "Break Every Rule" and "Foreign Affair." A greatest hits collection, "Simply The Best" followed in 1991, with the soundtrack to the autobiographical movie on Tina's troubled life, "What's Love Got To Do With It?"

Fans were left eagerly awaiting Tina's latest release - her first album of brand new songs in seven years. It arrived in September 1996, and was called "Wildest Dreams." The album has experienced moderate success in America, but big sales have been achieved in Europe where Tina is by far at her most famous. The album produced many Top 10 hits and further proved that - now in her 60's - Tina Turner is still a rock legend and a true force to be reckoned with.

Wildest Dreams opens with the fantastic song "Missing You." This cover-version is absolutely fantastic, and Tina's vocals are very impressive. Heavy guitars and drums are added to awesome effect and violin strikes towards the end are particularly enjoyable. A fantastic Tina classic. "In My Wildest Dreams" is another highlight. There is only one word to describe this song - sexy! Tina's vocals are gravely and husky in such a mysterious tone, and the beat is deep and moody. The lyrics are equally intense, and a vocal guest appearance from Antonio Banderas spices things up even further. With "Whatever You Want," Tina goes back to her hardcore rock roots by pumping out this absolutely amazing power ballad and sings to her lover, telling him that whatever he wants, he can have. "Do What You Do" is a pure pop dance number. An infectious beat dominates the song, and Tina's incredible vocals twist around the arrangement perfectly.

"Thief Of Hearts" is a brilliant dance number in which Tina hits the disco floor and belts out a fantastic song about loving guys, giving them what they want, and running away while stealing their hearts. "On Silent Wings" is a wonderful mid-tempo ballad which will relax any listener. Tina's vocals are once more on top form, and the beat is very open and beautiful. You can imagine Tina stood on a mountain top singing this song, because it has such an excellent melody. "Something Beautiful Remains" is an average song on this album. It's not the best song, but it's good enough with some great lyrics and a mysterious beat. "Confidential" is another highlight. Penned by the Pet Shop Boys, the song is about Tina telling her lover that she can keep anything confidential if he indeed confides in her. The melody is relaxing and tranquil, and Tina's voice is smooth and silky.

"The Difference Between Us" is not featured on my version of this album, so I cannot comment on it. "All Kinds Of People" is a wonderful mid-tempo song about the various races in the world, and how everyone is equal. A real quality power anthem. Tina's cover-version of Massive Attack's "Unfinished Sympathy" isn't as good as the original version, but it's a worthy effort. "Goldeneye," the theme from the James Bond film of the same name, is another album highlight. Tina's trademark husky vocals make this song sizzle, and the traditional strings of a Bond theme are also present. "Dancing In My Dreams" is an excellent ballad in which Tina sings about dancing in her dreams. There isn't much of a beat, but the drums make for a heavenly kind of image in the brain.

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

Wildest Dreams is not Tina Turner's best album, but it does come very close to being so. It seems that at present, Tina Turner is taking a well-deserved break after a hectic 40 years in the music business. The woman deserves all her success and the fact that her record sales are fast approaching 100 million is something to be very proud of. Wildest Dreams is the kind of album that you can put on to chill out or relax to. It's definitely not a party album, but it's not meant to be. Buy it now and experience this legend. July 18, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...