Lost Tina Turner track with Aussie twist unearthed

A lost song recorded for Tina Turner’s blockbuster Private Dancer album has been rediscovered and it has a very Australian connection.

A song written by Australians George Young and Harry Vanda and recorded for Tina Turner’s classic album, Private Dancer, has been found 40 years after it was presumably lost.

The song, Hot For You, Baby, was recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood and originally intended to be a track on the blockbuster album.

A track recorded for Tina Turner’s Private Dancer album and written by Aussies Harry Vanda and George Young has been uncovered. Picture: Pete Still/Redferns

Ultimately, it didn’t make the cut of the Grammy-winning album, ditched instead for the hits What’s Love Got To Do With It, Better Be Good To Me and the album’s title track.

The song had previously been recorded by Aussie singer John Paul Young, most famously known for the disco classic Love Is In The Air (also written by Vanda & Young), but his version didn’t make a ripple when it was released in 1979.

Presumed missing, the master tape was recently rediscovered as the late Turner’s label put together a 40th anniversary re-release of Private Dancer.

Harry Vanda and George Young in their Easybeats days, wrote a song that Tina Turner would record for her Private Dancer album. It has been found 40 years later. Picture: Supplied

The Easybeats (from left): Snowy Fleet, Dick Diamonde, Stevie Wright, Harry Vanda and George Young pictured in 1986. Picture: Supplied

An fast rock song, full of power chords and a very 1980s cowbell (not unlike Turner’s Better Be Good To Me), Hot For You, Baby showed off Turner’s raspy, physical style of soul.

Vanda & Young were a prolific songwriting duo, writing the hit Friday on My Mind for their band, the Easybeats. When the Easybeats spilt, they went on to write hits such as Love is in The Air for John Paul Young and to produce early albums for AC/DC. (Young was the older brother of Angus and Malcolm Young.

Tina Turner performs on stage with Bryan Adams in 1985. Picture: Pete Still/Redferns

Turner had a close association with Australia; her longtime manager, Roger Davies, helped revitalise her career when she thought it was over. She also became synonymous with rugby league after the competition used her song The Best to promote the game and her performance of the song at the 1993 NRL Grand Final remains an iconic moment.

Private Dancer sold 20 million copies worldwide when it was released in 1984. The song What’s Love Got to Do With It went to number one in Australia and was, surprisingly, Turner’s first number one in the US.

The album won three Grammy Awards, including record of the year and best female vocal performance for What’s Love Got to Do with It.

Turner died in May 2023 at the age of 83. She had suffered a number of health issues including cancer, a stroke and kidney failure.