What’s Bucks Fizz Got To Do With It?

Bucks Fizz and the song that revived Tina Turner’s career

Bucks Fizz performing in 1984. Photo: Tuzapicabit. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

1984’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It” is a song about a woman who enjoys sexy times without emotional attachment. Written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, the song is synonymous with Tina Turner. So much so that the 1993 movie about her life was given the same title. “What’s Love Got To Do With It” revived Turner’s music career and established her as an 80s icon. However, just months before Turner’s version, British pop group Bucks Fizz recorded the original version of “What’s Love Got To Do With It”.

So many “What’s Love Got To Do With It” possibilities

“What’s Love Got To Do With It” did the rounds before it found its way to Turner. First, it was offered to Cliff Richard, who rejected it. Next, Phyllis Hyman wanted to record the song, but her label, Arista, said no. Then “What’s Love Got To Do With It” was offered to Donna Summer. Summer sat with the song for a couple years, but never recorded it.