Dissect DJs - Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do With It

Episode Date: June 13, 2023

We pay tribute to the late legendary pop queen Tina Turner by breaking down her most iconic jam from 1984 "What's Love Got to Do with It". We all know the song, but what does it actually mean? We put on our dissecting gloves and try to scope it out. What does love got to do with it?  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dice. D.J. DJ. Dice. Dice. Touch of your hand makes my folks react That it's only the thrill.

It's here. Oh, what's going on, everybody? Tina. Tina. Got to bring Tina. And also, you know, we got to bring the Dicek. Dijays in the building. What's going on, everybody?

What up, Steve? Because we are the DJs. They're like to spin it. Fix it. Throw up back and dissected. And we're back with episode 101 and our main girl, Tina Turner, may she rest in peace. We lost a legend, Justin.

We did, we did. And we wanted to go through one of her legendary songs. We were like, should we do a discography? Disgography, go through the whole thing or should we just focus on one? And this time we decided to focus on one because both of us had this confusion as to what this song actually means. What does love have to do with it? I feel like it has to do with everything. And why is she asking that question?

It's one of those songs that I grew up with, and I know you did too. Yeah. And my mom used to sing it. Oh, yeah. I feel like anybody... She had like a pain behind it, my mom. Like, maybe because my dad divorced. Okay.

Whatever. All right. We went right there. Keep it going. Keep it going. All right. I'm on cover. I feel like anybody that grew up in the 90s mom was playing this at some point.

And I just grew up with it being like a song that I listened to and it made sense because I was a kid and I never really thought about it but as I got older I was just I have thought about like what the song means but I never really like deeply dissected it dissected it and that's what we're here to do today we're going to dissect Tina Turner

what's love got to do with it produced in 1984 by Terry Britain and Tina Turner when I was born okay there you go I knew something was I liked about this one everything great comes out in 1984

Michael Jordan got drafted at the Bulls That's all I got Justin was born And Tina Turner She released what's love got to do with it And that's all we really need here Dysak DJ so You must understand

How the touch of your hand Makes me pulse react Okay so those last words were actually Makes my pulse react I mean I was just singing I was trying to karaoke through it I know but you miss spoke like two words Let me try to get

You must understand how the touch of your hand makes my pulse react. Woo! I feel it. Right away. I feel it. Like, something about just the simple touch of this either man, and it doesn't actually state that, a person makes the pulse react. Like, makes your, you start to sweat.

Makes your heart beat harder than it should. Immediate, out of the gauge, it's like a powerful little line there. It is. I want to know more about this. It's simple but effective. You know, it's minor touching, but you feel the pulse immediately be like, oh, that's not just minor touching to me.

That's like you touching my hand means something to me. Yeah. And we find out right away that it is a boy because she goes that it's only the thrill of a boy-meeting girl opposite a track. Just in case, Justin's lyricing. It's confusing for anybody to follow. That it's only the thrill of boy, mean girl.

Opposites attract. And I got a stance on that last thing. I've been hearing my whole life that opposites attract. We went over this, actually, an episode. Have we? Well, you'd have to follow that up because I don't actually remember what it is. I believe we have. Paula Abdul.

Over 100. Oh, that's right. Opposites attract. Yeah. Do you take two steps? Well, what uptakes, dude? You like to smoke? But whatever it is.

smoke and she doesn't. I was always like, that episode, we both go like, if she likes to smoke it, he doesn't smoke, that, their relationship is not going to work. That was just one of like 20 things. But yeah, we agree. Go ahead and get into it about this opposite track because it was a while ago and restate. Okay. That this is bullshit.

I think opposites may attract opposites don't stay together. Sooner or later, these opposites are going to come head to head. Especially if they're complete opposites. Like, there's just too much that. There's so many things. And that song I remember it was like One of them likes to get up early and go to bed And the other one stays up all night and stuff

And it was just stuff It was all these things Or it was just like Eventually these things are going to come to head There's no chance they work out You're not going to actually be able to maintain And it might be based off crazy physical chemistry And that actually leads into the next line

Which is literally it's physical It's physical Only logical Only logical. And I think those two lines completely combat each other. It's like, okay, it may be physical. It's not logical. What?

You mean it's only logical. Yeah. It's the opposite logical. It's just physical. It's physical right now. It's not logical. As short as those two lines were, very confusing. It's physical, only logical.

She just said it's physical. How is it only logical if you just said it's physical a line before? This is where my brain starts to explode. That's what we're here for, though. It's like when your brain explodes, we grab all the compartments and we put them together and we're like, let me formulate this puzzle and dissect this motherfucker.

That's right. And then the last line before she gets into the fantastic, oh, that we all know, right? You must try to ignore that it means more than that. What means more than that? It felt like an unfinished sentence? Did it to you? We still got a lot of song to go,

but so far I got a guy, a man touches her, makes her heart react. She explains that it is a boy and a girl, and that's opposite because they're boys and girls. It's physical, only logical, which doesn't make sense. And then you must try to ignore that it means more than that, which it means more than nothing because you haven't made any sense yet. All right, Tina, you're losing me.

I got to be honest, Tina. You know you can't back yourself up right now, and I get that, but you're losing me here. I don't really understand why you must need to ignore that it means more than that. I feel like often in these kind of situations, you might say you can't ignore that it means more than that. No chance. Why must they ignore that it means more than that?

I feel like you, okay, if this is a thing. If anything, you take it in and you would. I'm actually immediately feeling like the actual meaning this song is more confusing than I thought because then, of course, she goes into the epic, oh, what's love got to do, got to do. with it. So what's love but a secondhand emotion? What's love got to do with it?

Got to do with it. Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken? Lots of reasons. Four questions. Back to back. And what's love got to do with it? Usually most things. What's love but a secondhand emotion?

I guess. I mean, what other emotions? It feels like she's really trying to downplay what love is in the same. Yeah, she's just trying to, is she just trying to bang? It kind of feels like that. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it feels like she is really trying to be like, don't catch feelings. Yeah, so she's just trying to get out there, do her thing, and not actually catch feelings.

So maybe she's trying to really follow on that whole opposite to track thing. And that's why it's only logical, because it's physical. Okay, maybe, all right, let's peace, let's gather as we go along and climb up the ladder. All right, so it's physical. And it's only logical that you must try to ignore that it doesn't mean. But then she says it means more than that Damn it, Tina You almost had it

I was with you And she switched it on you And then she asked multiple times What's love got to do A secondhand motion What's love got to do Who needs a heart when it can be broken I feel like we're on the track here

Of she's out there She doesn't want to catch feelings And that's okay I'm raising my hand Go ahead I need a heart To pump oxygen Into the rest of my body

I need it to connect to my arteries and my veins. Also, probably the most important organ of the body. If we're looking at it from a biological standpoint, love it. Or a logical standpoint. Oh, what's that? You're doing it right now.

Okay. You're going very logical with the heart thing. This is good. This is how I like to think about things. Right. Like, not only is a heart about love and all this things, but let's talk about the literal heart. Who needs a heart?

Everybody needs a heart. I absolutely need my heart. I'm trying to take this from me, Tina. sure it can be broken metaphorically anybody that's living okay if you are living it is absolutely vital I know that you have vital signs you're trying to tell me that just because like a girl can make me upset for a couple weeks and make me feel like devastated that that I don't need the main organ that pumps blood and oxygen all throughout my body I disagree

Tina I disagree hardcore I actually need that organ very much We might need to listen to more of what Tina has to say just to, because as of right now. No, I'm out. This episode is over. I've decided I need my heart for both oxygen reasons and love reasons. Just because he could be good wrong. I feel like John Cusack can say anything. He says, you know what?

Maybe I want to get hurt. Maybe I want to. They're like, I know. You're going to get hurt. Maybe I'm ready to get hurt. I don't know. That's part of the game. That's part of life.

That's how it goes. That's how the dice. rolls, all right? You have that heart because it makes you feel emotion. It makes you feel love, makes you feel things. And not just love, and not just love, but also pride in your work. Pride in your everyday living. Pride in your health.

Pride in your ability to go to the gym and be like, that was dope. I got a great workout. Pride in your ability to make shit happen. Now it comes from right here. I just tell you something you inspired me. I don't even know what the hell you just said. I'm here to do. But I'm inspired.

Let's finish what Tina had to say. I've got to hear the rest of this. Because at this point, we've got a different understanding. I need a heart, Tina. All right, dude, dude. Okay. Before we get into the, you know. where she breaks it down

because I can sing this whole song even though I had no idea what it means and she just confused the shit out of me with this next line Tina continues to Man this song did make I thought I actually had no idea with the song meant I just thought I knew like what's love got to do with it

It's a kind of an orchestra I don't know I honestly never thought deeper into it But here she goes It may seem to you that I'm acting confused When you're close to me If I tend to look dazed I've read in some place I've got cause to be

What is what is she going here This feels like she's taking her Past relationship experience out on this new person And maybe he's a perfect guy Maybe he's doing everything right And maybe she's like looking like around like No this isn't right this doesn't feel like And the way you break things down Castle

You are you might be you're right next to genius All right settle down So she's acting gut I'm just I'm imagining this playing out right now. I'm imagining, okay, I'm the guy next that Tina's talking to right here. And she's like, I'm acting confused. Like, maybe I'm being the perfect guy. I'm doing all the right things, you know. I'm opening her doors for her. I'm making great plans. Yeah. Taking her extravagant events. All the things that she might want. And then the whole,

and she keeps like acting. She's telling me that it may seem like I'm acting confused. And if she's telling me that, she's damn sure acting confused. If she's aware of it, she knows she's doing it. I tend to look dazed. She knows she's looking dazed. She's looking around like, oh, this is weird. And by the way, I'm overlooking all of this, because if you're noticing it, I'm noticing it. And I'm just going to keep rolling with it because I'm like,

all right, she's acting a little weird, even though I'm like kind of doing everything perfect right now. I don't know what that's about, but I'm just going about me, right? Yeah. I'm a little dazed and confused at this point. because Tina's little dazing and confusing right now Because Tina is just talking

Okay so what you're basically saying Is she's the gist of what I've gotten so far from this Is that she's meeting a new guy She's getting excited from the new relationship However she's coming from a past relationship that sucks However this new relationship is physical But it's not logical and she wants to do it But she doesn't want to put all her feelings into it

Because she's afraid of getting hurt from when she did it before And that's why she's got cause to be scared And a little dazed and worried I think that's the crux of it. I think this is all just like her letting a past relationship and a past experience dictate her entire moving forward. And she might be dealing with the perfect guy, but she's unable to appreciate it because she's like so ready for things to go wrong. Gotcha. And like things to like not be right that she's just on the defense.

And she's walking around looking like dazed. And she's like, I don't understand. Like what are you going to do the thing where you like grab my arm? tell me like, hey, you fucking stand closer to me when we walk through public, you know, like do something like that. I don't know. I don't know. I'm trying to read between the lines, Tina, okay?

I'm doing, I'm dissecting right here. I'm dissecting. And there's a name for it. There's a phrase that fits, but whatever the reason, you do it for me. All right. I actually had a question about that because my lyrics have that too, but I didn't hear that. It says pre-chorus two. Did you hear it?

I was listening for it, and I didn't hear that. I don't know of a version. There's a name for it. There's a phrase for it. Yeah. Did you hear that part? Yeah, absolutely. All right, maybe.

We can go back in here. All right, man. All right, play that part right now. Got calls to be. There's a name for it. There's a phrase that did. But whatever the reason to do it for. Take it down.

Take it down, Tom. Right. We all think we could sing it, you know. Like, we all get in our car. Talking about the. Levels, man. What's love, but I second-handed War sure.

Pretty good. You do a pretty good, Tina. I just don't like it when you make the levels jump through my headphones. I apologize. That first one is a little bit harsh. I got hype and excited. Un understandable.

We're listening to Tina Turner. She makes you want to scream and shout and scream what's love got to do with it. So I think we've got a good understanding. I'm getting there. I feel like this is actually one of those songs where I'm really piecing the, puzzle together as we go.

I think I'm figuring it out. I feel like by the end of the next verse, we're going to be like, okay, I understand what Tina was trying to tell us all this years ago. I can tell you this, that we're going to go through one more line that gives us some substance, and then after that, Tina just goes all in with, whoa, what's love got to do for the rest of the song?

So we're going to hear this remainder of substance, let the song play out in its entirety, and then really dissect the remainder of this song. and figure out exactly, Tina, the hell are you saying, girl? Before we give you 100% credit on your absolutely spot-on interpretation of what the song means, can we just give a shout out to whatever that instrument is in the background there? You literally just stole exactly the first thing I was going to go to. What is this?

Arbottica or flute or whatever the fucking do. Who sang that? Do they have it in the fucking artist? That was an whistleer was? It was an instrument that was all over the place in the 80s. The 80s loved that, and then they just got away from it. I've never heard it again since. I don't know what that is.

Because me and you both keep doing the air instrument of it, but we don't know what it is, so we're kind of playing it like it's an oboe or something. We don't know what it is. Pinky Twinkie. Yeah, a little pinky thing over here. Every time the notes, like, flutter. But, yeah, I love that instrument.

And there's sort of this like, like the 80s had. They love that. Yeah, there's a lot of Janet songs that had. There's so many times in the 80s that was like a popular thing. And it's one of the things that makes 80s music what it is. But I don't, I've never known with that instrument. I actually think that you came kind of close to it when you,

you triggered something in my brain when you said harmonica. I think that might be like a version of it. Yeah, you know how sometimes they put like a little like filter on the harmonica and it can kind of change the sound of it? Because it's not a regular harmonica. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think maybe that's what it is. That's actually, I think...

Very harmonic. Very harmonic. But let's go back to the original. Dude, I think you called it. She's been taking on a new direction, so she's trying to be a new guy. But she has to say she's been thinking about her own protection, so protecting herself from like whatever happened in her past.

It scares her from feeling the way she does about getting into this new relationship, which is exactly what she said the whole time, Steve. You fucking read through the lines, because I swear to you, when we first started getting into this, I was like, the fuck is she talking about, which is usually how I feel about these things,

and you're somehow able to decipher through what Tina had to say, through what most artists have to say, and man, that's why I give you, you know, that's why you're a dissecting. Do I get five slabs on that? I mean, as far as your... I'm just going to pretend you gave me five slabs.

Five slaps as far as you answering and figuring out what this song meant. Yeah, yeah, I'll give you, go ahead and give you five. That's not what I'm saying, what it is, dude. It's not where we're giving Tina. That was just for me. That's for me. That's for Castle answer.

Don't get too excited, Tina. Yeah, watch out, Tina. We might, we may not. Hold off. You might get it. It got me hype, but it didn't give me that hype. And if anything, if you possibly get fire charts, because of that whistle flute harmonica thing.

Yeah, that's going to give you at least a snap. We will see. I still don't get why the whole thing is about what's love got to do with it. It really makes me feel like she's talking about how she's trying to protect herself. She really clearly doesn't want to get hurt. She's trying to protect her emotions. But saying what's love got to do with it is such like a broad stroke of not opening yourself up to what might be really in front of you, might be the emotion that you've needed to get over this past experience that you've had.

And just asking what it is, it feels like it should be like an easy answer. Like a girl asked me that that I was like becoming, you know, enamored with and we were really starting to like go play together. and have these great experiences, and then she came at me with that, I would be, I'd be as dazed and confused as she is when I'm walking around a dope concert or an amusement park or a cool event. Like, I'd be like, what kind of a question is that? Like, what, are you telling me that just because you had your heart broken in the past, that now you just don't need a heart anymore?

Like, and now you don't think love has to do with anything in the rest of your life, and you're like, well, that part of me is done. Like my whole love experience is just gone. I'm not going to be able to do that again. So let's just have opposites attract affection. That's all we got. That's all this is. Let me tell you.

There's two different versions I see of what's love got to do with it. One I see with my girlfriend, I'm like, what's love got to do with everything I do? It's like with love. And I'm trying to, everything is what love got to do with it. Absolutely. And then I think of my single days, what's love got to do with? Not a single fucking thing. And love didn't mean shit.

I was just slamming it out. You know what I mean? So this is like the different in life It's love's got everything to do with what I'm doing now And then previous it's love didn't do shit So it's a good question Tina So she's caught in that That kind of in between right there

Where it really She either wants to give her all Or give nothing but still bang I get it Yeah kind of I guess What's love But a sweet old-fashioned notion See, sweet old-fashioned nothing, that's banging.

Notion. Like lotion. Motion in the ocean. Stop, but don't do the sound effects, please. Hubba, hubba. It's interesting because this is like, on the surface it sounds like a love song. Because you keep saying the word love.

The love is all over the place, right? And it sounds like a song that you and your partner would really want to, like, dance to and have a good time to, and maybe like, you know, feel some strong affection towards as listening, but she is really trying to go against the grain of love the whole time. In fact, calling love nothing but a sweet old fashion notion, as though it's just this old concept that existed way back in the day that is no longer like a thing

that like anybody believes in. Like we don't actually think that's a real thing, right? It's an old concept. Obviously, that's old fashioned thought that. that, you know, we've all come. Like, the way that she's kind of generalizing the idea of, like, not being open to love as a general emotion that, like, everybody should just understand. It's very interesting because it feels like a song that was created a very specific time in somebody's life when they were really, I'm sorry, I'm trying to think of here.

Don't try to help me because you always start giving me that answers. Dude, I had so many random account who weren't going to my life. I am. Flabbergasted. I know. Burnt out on the idea. Flabbergasted, dude, that was perfect. I had it.

Burnt out is definitely a better one. Real quick, I would like to... That wasn't finished, though. They burnt out on love, but, like, the fact is, like, this is a very specific portion of a person's life, and they kind of put this thing out as, like, a lifelong ballad, right? A jam that everybody could listen to forever and always, like, have a song. some sort of feel some sort of way about. And the thing about this emotion that she's going through,

that I've been there, believe you have been there, it tends to be a passing phase. It tends to be a thing that hopefully is for a short period of time. I mean, it doesn't linger me too long, but there's no real timetable as to how long this actually might stick with you. So I actually think it's interesting that we got Tina in this phase. I believe this might have been when she was after her divorce with I-Turner, I think. Don't quote me of that.

I haven't done the research on that. But I feel like this may be around when this has. So that might speak to some of the feelings that are coming out. And I know that they had a very tumultuous marriage. To good word. So the fact that we got these kind of raw emotions from one of our great artists of yesterday and just like the 70s and the 80s and even back to the 60s, I believe, and then continued on. Like literally, like, I, we grew up in the 90s and Tina was still a very strong presence that I remember seeing all the time.

And so the fact that we got this raw emotion from her at a time when most people might not be down to actually write their feelings down and put it out there and make some crazy music to it. And she gave us this blissful jam as a result that literally ended up. being like the most off-the-charch jam she ever created. I applaud. You know, these aren't my clap. I hear you. That would be great if she's the one that wrote it, but the songwriters were actually a Graham Lyle and Terry Britton. So, okay, take away everything I just said. I had nothing to do with her feelings whatsoever. Well, then what's love got to do with it? Nothing. She just, well, yeah, whatever. That's normal. You were going to say something. I don't want to take it away. No, no. I just was listening to what you said. And I was like, you know,

if she wrote this, then you're right. It probably was about her. and Ike and all this, but then I looked at it and it's Graham Lyle and Terry Britton. Well, now I'm more confused than ever. Well, you know what? I don't know what Love's got to do with it, folks. Well, give me your slaps and snaps as far as the song. Wait, wait, before we get to slaps and snaps, give me the top three things that comes to your mind when you first think of Tina Turner.

I think of her dancing. I think of this song randomly. and I think of her tumultuous relationship with Ike. Yeah. And because there was a lot of jokes and stuff that were like made in comedy. In the 90s, our younger audience might not be able to relate to this. But when we grew up in the 90s, it was like a constant joke. Ike Turner was a very constant joke as like an abusive husband.

I remember watching seeing like. Yeah. Isn't that crazy? It was a joke. It would be like abusive husband. Yeah. I remember like Mad TV. I said. Like, he was very, their failed

relationship was brought up a lot in, like, the comedy circles, and, like, it was reference a lot. Like, I only knew Ike Turner based on him being. He must have been, like, out there with it. Like, yeah. For that many people to joke about it, he must have been

just in public. Like, what? It's very known, yeah. Like, just. Yeah. Something that was in the 90s, and you would never see again. By the way, I don't joke about this. You know, I have, my mother was beaten, beating in her first marriage,

which we're getting deep quick, but, so I'm not. trying to say I make a joke about this, but my goodness, there was so many jokes in the 90s about this thing. It was like, why you guys make it fun of the fact that this one was beat by this man? That's funny, though. It was funny. I think Eddie did it in one of his. It's a different time for comedy. So my three things that I think of with Tina was, one, she had iconic hair. Yeah, big hair. They're big hair usually. She had that hair that was like long, but still like, tall. She used to tick over a stage.

Yeah, and that was the other thing. It's her stage presence with her, her, I always remember she always wore these really short skirts. Like I always remember even like as a kid I would be watching it, it would be like, it feels like, it almost feels like she forgot to wear pants, like, but she would be on stage. Like she would wear these really short skirts, you know, but like then just kind of not the way you would necessarily see that now, the way it was a different kind of like dress. It was almost like it was short, but then somebody just like snipped around the edge. Like it didn't like form fit the way you would see like a tight dress now And that was their style though It would always be very flashy, very shiny

And then the other thing would be just like you What's love got to do with it? A song that I grew up with just sticks in your head This is just one of those songs you hear on the radio When we were kids that just always sticks with you It's one of those ones that like I could have not heard for 20 years And then I hear it again and I'm like oh my God I remember that song.

You don't forget this song. And you might not actually think about what it means. And that's what we're here to do. The dissect DJ's dissect what's love got to do with it. And you know what? It's got a lot more than I think Tina wants to recognize. It's kind of got a lot to do with it. And I do need my heart, Tina.

Give it back to me. Slaps and snaps. What do you got? Yeah. That was a three. That was a three. slaps, you know what, Tina was a legend, I'm going to give her another snap for that and that instrument. I'm going to give another snap to that. So that combined equals a fourth snap.

Because one snap equals half a slap. So that was me mathing it out in real time. And, uh, yeah, four slaps. What's the love to do with it? What you got? Two slaps and like a kind of an aggressive hit against the microphone? I'm actually afraid to ask why you hit them. I don't know if I want to know. My brain had this funny skit that I was going to get into. It's just not appropriate. Do you want to do it again? No, that's exactly what I wanted.

I know you and you're going to tell me tomorrow. You can you actually take that part out? Yeah, that's why I don't want to do this. You're going to do that. I was about to go off for like a 30 seconds. You all don't understand. You get two slaps. How many times as the editor that dies like DJ?

You've got to go off on these things. Justin goes out of his mind when he's going and he's talking. And then the next day he's like, hey, you have to take that out, actually. And then I have to figure out how to edit it so that I can seem it together. And right now you're doing it on the slaps. And that I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to be able to edit around that. It was just two slaps because it reminds, he did this song and their relationship reminds me of my mother's first. And then we're going to stop right there.

Okay. And there it is. So that's it. What are we supposed to follow that up? That's it. It's sad. It's very dissecting. It's very dissecting.

It's dissecting my life, my childhood, and my trauma. Oh, wow. What about Tina's trauma? That's what we're here to do. We're dissecting team as trauma, which is what the song is clearly all about. I don't have any love for that. That's why love has nothing to do with it. Hey, who needs a heart?

If a heart can be broken. Next! I do. I need a heart. No bet.