The Best (song)

"The Best"
Single by Bonnie Tyler
from the album Hide Your Heart
B-side "The Fire Below"
Released 1988
Recorded 1988
Genre Pop rock
Length 4:07
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Mike Chapman, Holly Knight
Producer(s) Desmond Child
Bonnie Tyler singles chronology
"Band of Gold"
(1988)		 "The Best"
(1989)		 "Hide Your Heart (song)"
(1989)
"The Best"
Single by Tina Turner
from the album Foreign Affair
B-side "Bold and Reckless"
Released September 2, 1989
Format 7" single
12" single
CD single
Genre Rock
Length 5:30
Label Capitol
Writer(s) Mike Chapman, Holly Knight
Producer(s) Tina Turner, Dan Hartman
Tina Turner singles chronology
"634-5789 (Live)"
(1988)		 "The Best"
(1989)		 "I Don't Wanna Lose You"
(1989)
"(Simply) The Best"
Single by Tina Turner & Jimmy Barnes
from the album Simply the Best
Released May 1992
Format CD single
Genre Pop rock
Length 4:11
Label Mushroom
Writer(s) Mike Chapman, Holly Knight
Producer(s) Dan Hartman, Chris Lord-Alge
Tina Turner singles chronology
"I Want You Near Me"
(1992)		 "(Simply) The Best"
(1992)		 "I Don't Wanna Fight"
(1993)

"The Best" is a song written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight, originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler on her 1988 release Hide Your Heart. The single reached number 10 in Norway and number 95 in the United Kingdom.

The single was released on a CD in 1988 along with two rare tracks that Tyler recorded, "The Fire Below" and "Under Suspicion".[1]

Chart performance

Chart (1988) Peak
position
Norway (VG-lista)[2] 10
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[3] 95

Tina Turner version

The song was later covered by Tina Turner, and released as a highly successful single in 1989. It was included on her hit album Foreign Affair. The saxophone solo on Turner's version is played by Edgar Winter.

Holly Knight told Songfacts: "'Simply the Best' is one of those rare gems that's a positive song, and it's not cheesy. But the hard part is to write something in a positive mode that really is sincere — that's a tall order."[4]

In 1992 Turner recorded "(Simply) The Best", a duet version of the song with Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes, to promote that year's New South Wales Rugby League season in Australia. The single subsequently appeared on a limited edition bonus disc as part of the Australian release of her compilation album Simply The Best.

Versions and remixes

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 2
Canada (The Record)[8] 3
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[9] 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 3
France (SNEP)[11] 23
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 4
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 4
Italy (Musica e dischi)[14] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 28
Norway (VG-lista)[17] 5
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[18] 20
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 3
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 15
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[23] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 11
Chart (2010) Peak
position
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[25] 35
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[26] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21] 9
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[27] 70

Year-end charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[28] 33
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[29] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[30] 19
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] 52
Germany (Official German Charts)[32] 41
Italy (Hit Parade Italia)[33] 22
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[34] 27
Norway Autumn Period (VG-lista)[35] 14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 27
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[37] 41
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[38] 78

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[38] Platinum 70,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] Silver 200,000

^shipments figures based on certification alone

In popular culture

In the United States

The song was used during the ceremony that the San Francisco 49ers held as they retired number 16 in honor of quarterback Joe Montana.

The song was used during the ceremonies that the Pittsburgh Penguins held as they retired, un-retired, and re-retired number 66 for Mario Lemieux, as his surname means "the best" in French.

The song was used during the ceremony that the Philadelphia 76ers held as they retired number 3 in honor of Allen Iverson.

The song was played over the PA system at Madison Square Garden when Mark Messier was presented with the Stanley Cup after the New York Rangers' victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. The Rangers listened to it before the game.[40] It was continued to be played as the Rangers skated around the ice at the Garden with the Stanley Cup.[41] On the CBC, Bob Cole and Harry Neale said that "the crowd responded"[41] when the song was played over the PA system when the players skated around the ice, as they had throughout the game.

Bonnie Tyler's version of the song was used in a tribute video for WWE wrestler Edge that aired on the July 20, 2007 edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown.

Turner's version was used by NESN (New England Sports Network) on September 1, 2007, as a tribute when Boston Red Sox Rookie pitcher Clay Buchholz threw a No-Hitter at Fenway Park against the Baltimore Orioles in his second Major League start. This consisted of a 2-hour replay of the game, showing all 27 outs recorded for the night, as well as the 4 minute musical montage, entitled "Rookie Magic".

Additionally, Senator Joe Biden used Turner's recording as the theme song for his 2008 campaign for the presidency, and it was an unofficial anthem for the pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beecham.

Jim Carrey performed a few lines of the song in his tribute speech to Meryl Streep during her AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony in 2004.

Rush Limbaugh frequently plays Turner's version in his bumper music rotation.

Alec Baldwin's character in 30 Rock sings a verse of the chorus while looking at a picture of his boss during an episode in season one.[42]

In Europe

"The Best" is played at Ibrox Stadium, Scotland when the players of Rangers Football Club and the visiting team run on to the park.[43] On April 19, 2010 Rangers FC fans began a campaign to get "The Best" to number one in the UK Pop Charts.[43] It subsequently charted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart.[44]

Throughout the 1990s, Chris Eubank used "The Best" as both his nickname and entrance music before all of his world championship boxing matches. Arriving to the ring in a variety of forms, Eubank would always synchronise his entrance to the rising crescendo of the first verse and chorus, standing on the ring apron while tapping his gloves together nonchalantly. As Turner's second chorus boomed out he would leap over the top rope into the ring, shadow boxing and soaking in the cheers and boos from the crowd. As the pantomime villain of British boxing, Eubank used "The Best" to propel himself into the heart of British culture. [45] [46]

"Simply The Best" has become the slogan of loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland.[47]

In the original version of The Office, David Brent plays the Tina Turner version of the song at the end of a motivational speech, shouting, "I've been David Brent! You've been the best!"

Cadbury's used this song in their Keep Team Britain Pumped adverts with Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington.

The theme song of Besti Flokkurinn, an Icelandic political party standing in the 2010 Reykjavik local council elections, was "Simply The Best" by Tina Turner. Prior to the 2010 election the party published a localized version of the song with new lyrics.

In the 1980s in the North East of England, the song was used in a long running radio advert for a local motor garage, South Cleveland Garages, with the lyrics of the chorus changed to include the name of the company, forever linking the song and the company in local memory.[48]

Other

Japanese pro-wrestler Osamu Nishimura currently uses the song as an entrance theme.

It also became the theme song for the Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna. Senna surprised Turner by showing up on stage during her concert in Adelaide, Australia in late 1993, after Senna won the Australian Grand Prix earlier in the day. Turner had already sung "The Best" earlier in the concert but decided to play it again as a tribute to Senna immediately after he left the stage.

References

  1. ↑ BONNIE TYLER The Best (Rare 1988 UK 3-track CD single including The Fire Below and Under Suspicion (by Jim Steinman). eil.com. Retrieved 13 March 2013
  2. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Bonnie Tyler – The Best". VG-lista. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Bonnie Tyler: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ "The Best". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
  5. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Tina Turner – The Best". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Tina Turner – The Best" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tina Turner – The Best" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. November 25, 1989. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 30, 1989. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Singlet 1989-09 syyskuu" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Tina Turner – The Best" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Tina Turner - Top Titel" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  13. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Best". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 9, 1989. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 39, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Tina Turner – The Best". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Tina Turner – The Best". VG-lista. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  18. ↑ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Tina Turner – The Best". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tina Turner – The Best". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  21. 1 2 "Tina Turner: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Tina Turner – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Tina Turner. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Tina Turner & Jimmy Barnes – Simply The Best". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Tina Turner & Jimmy Barnes – Simply The Best". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 15, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2010-04-25". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  28. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1989". ARIA. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1989" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1989" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of '89". RPM. December 23, 1989. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  33. ↑ "I singoli più venduti del 1989". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Single Top 100 Van 1989" (PDF) (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Topp 20 Single Høst 1989" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Swiss Year-end Charts 1989". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  37. ↑ "End of Year Chart - Top 50 Singles of 1989". OCC. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
  38. 1 2 Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  39. ↑ "British single certifications – Tina Turner – The Best". British Phonographic Industry. Enter The Best in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  40. ↑ New York Rangers Hockey: Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals (television). MSG Network. 1994-06-14. Tina Turner's song, 'Simply the Best,' blaring over the loudspeakers. That's the song the Rangers listened to before the game.
  41. 1 2 Hockey Night in Canada: Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals (television). CBC. 1994-06-14.
  42. ↑ 30 Rock, Season 1, Episode 14
  43. 1 2 "Rangers fans launch bid to get Tina Turner hit Simply The Best to No.1". The Daily Record. April 21, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Rangers fans prove Simply the Best, taking Tina Turner hit back into the Top Ten". The Scotsman. April 26, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  45. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/19896783
  46. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1d4vqkCby4
  47. ↑ Mad Dogs and Ulstermen: the crisis of Loyalism (part one)
  48. ↑ Video on YouTube
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