‘It's Only Love’ is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Bryan Adams, featuring American singer Tina Turner. Released as a single on October 21, 1985, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and the accompanying video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. It was the sixth and final single from Adams' album Reckless (1984) and was included on Tina Turner's live album Tina Live in Europe (1988), as well as being added to both artists' greatest hits compilations: Adams' Anthology (2005) and Turner's All the Best (2004). It reached number 15 in January 1986 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and number 29 in the United Kingdom. The 12-inch single included the 1985 live version that would later appear on the album Tina Live in Europe (1988).
When Adams was asked to name his most memorable collaboration, he replied, "Working with Tina Turner was amazing. I used to go to see her in the clubs when I was in my late teens/early 20s before she hit the big time. It was incredible to watch her. Amazingly when we toured together years later, I never saw Tina walk through a performance, she always put on a great show, and was gracious and grateful to her audience. It was such a privilege to have sung with her, especially since I was only 24 at the time."
The day before Tina Turner arrived in Vancouver for a concert, her people told Adams she wanted to meet him, so after her show, he went backstage. Turner told him she loved the song and agreed to record her part for ‘It's Only Love’ the next day. Adams likened the experience to a whirlwind passing through. "I remember when she left the studio... I looked back into the control room, and I saw the engineers just sort of stood there and I went in and said, 'I hope you got that on tape,'" he recalled to Absolute Radio presenter Leona Graham. "And they all sort of looked at me and said 'yeah, we got it.' It was almost like a tornado had come through the studio and just blown everything apart. It was one of the best moments for me ever recording, for sure."
The video is a live clip from Tina Turner's 1985 Private Dancer Tour. It begins with Turner in her trademark black leather minidress and jean jacket, introducing Bryan Adams. He then joins her on stage for a live performance of the song. The video won Best Stage Performance in a Video at the 1986 MTV Awards. It was the first music video ever to use Skycam.
Label – A&M
Songwriters – Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance
Producers – Bob Clearmountain, Bryan Adams
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1: Bryan Adams]When the feeling has ended
There ain't no use pretending
Don't you worry, it's only love
When your world has been shattered
Ain't nothing else matters
It ain't over, it's only love
And that's all, yeah
[Verse 2: Tina Turner]
When your heart has been broken
Hard words have been spoken
It ain't easy, but it's only love
And if your life ain't worth living
And you're ready to give in
Just remember that it's only love, oh
[Bridge: Bryan Adams & Tina Turner, Bryan Adams]
You can live without the aggravation
You gotta wanna win, you gotta wanna win
You keep looking back in desperation
Over and over and over again
[Outro: Bryan Adams, Tina Turner, Both]
Yeah, yeah, it's only love, baby
Oh, yeah, hey, hey
Ooh, baby, baby, it's only love, love, love
Love, love, love
When your world has been shattered
Ain't nothing else matters
It ain't over, it's only love
If your life ain't worth living
And you're ready to give in
Just remember that it's only love, yeah
That's all
Yeah, it ain't easy, baby, it's only love
And that's all