Foreign Affair (Tina Turner album)

Foreign Affair is the seventh solo studio album by Tina Turner, released on Capitol Records in 1989. It was Turner's third album release after her massively successful global comeback five years earlier, and although the album was not a major success in Turner's native United States, it was a huge international success in Europe. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, her first number one album there. The album includes the single "The Best" which has gone on to become one of Turner's best-known songs.

This article is about the Tina Turner album. For other uses, see Foreign affairs (disambiguation).

Foreign Affair
Studio album by Tina Turner
Released	September 13, 1989
Studio	The Hit Factory (New York, New York, USA); Pathé-Marconi Studios (Paris, France).
Genre	Pop rock
Length	52:16
Label	Capitol
Producer	Dan Hartman Roger Davies Tina Turner Rupert Hine Graham Lyle Tony Joe White
Tina Turner chronology
Tina Live in Europe (1988) Foreign Affair (1989) Simply the Best (1991)
Singles from Foreign Affair
"The Best" Released: September 2, 1989 "I Don't Wanna Lose You" Released: November 18, 1989 "Steamy Windows" Released: February 17, 1990 "Foreign Affair" Released: May 5, 1990 "Look Me in the Heart" Released: August 11, 1990 "Be Tender with Me Baby" Released: October 13, 1990

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Commercial success

While Foreign Affair didn't perform as well as Turner's previous albums Private Dancer and Break Every Rule in the US, where it failed to crack the Top 30 in the Billboard 200, it was a worldwide hit, selling over 6 million copies.[2] It entered the UK Albums Chart at number one (Turner's first album to do so there) and went on to sell over 1.5 million copies in the UK. The album also reached number one in numerous countries including Germany and Sweden and topped the overall European Chart for 4 weeks.

Single releases

In Europe, six of the album's tracks became hit singles; "The Best" (U.S. No. 15 & UK No. 5), "Steamy Windows" (U.S. No. 39 & UK No. 13), "I Don't Wanna Lose You" (UK No. 8), "Foreign Affair" (Poland No. 7), "Look Me in the Heart" (U.S. AC No. 4 & UK No. 31) and "Be Tender with Me Baby" (UK No. 28).

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Steamy Windows"	Tony Joe White	4:03
2.	"The Best"	Mike Chapman, Holly Knight	5:30
3.	"You Know Who (Is Doing You Know What)"	White	3:45
4.	"Undercover Agent for the Blues"	White, Leann White	5:20
5.	"Look Me in the Heart"	Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg	3:46
6.	"Be Tender with Me Baby"	Albert Hammond, Knight	4:18
7.	"You Can't Stop Me Loving You"	Hammond, Knight	4:00
8.	"Ask Me How I Feel"	Hammond, Knight	4:46
9.	"Falling Like Rain"	David Munday, Sandy Stewart	4:03
10.	"I Don't Wanna Lose You"	Hammond, Graham Lyle	4:20
11.	"Not Enough Romance"	Dan Hartman	4:04
12.	"Foreign Affair"	White	4:27

B-sides

Title	Single(s)
"Bold and Reckless"	"The Best"
"Stronger Than the Wind"	"I Don't Wanna Lose You"
"Steel Claw" (Live)	"Look Me in the Heart"

Personnel

• Tina Turner – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (3, 7, 8, 10), arrangements (2, 8)
• Dan Hartman – electric piano (1, 3, 4), organ (1, 4), acoustic guitar (2, 6, 8, 11), keyboards (2, 3, 11), backing vocals (2, 5), percussion programming (5), Moog bass (11), drum programming (11)
• Jeff Bova – horn section (1, 4, 5), synth bass (3), organ (4), strings (5)
• Phil Ashley – keyboards (2, 7), bass pulse (2), organ (6), synthesizers (6), strings (6, 7, 8), acoustic piano (8), flute (8)
• Elliot Lewis – additional keyboards (2, 8), strings (2, 8), flute (11)
• Philippe Saisse – additional keyboards (2, 3, 6, 8), slap bass (3), flute solo (5), keyboard mallet and chimes (7)
• Rupert Hine – keyboards (9), bass (9), drum programming (9), backing vocals (9)
• Nick Glennie-Smith – keyboards (10, 12), strings (10, 12), synth bass (12), drum programming (12), bell tree (12)
• Casey Young – keyboards (10)
• Greg Mathieson – synth bass (10)
• Eddie Martinez – rhythm guitar (1, 3, 4), all guitars (5)
• Neil Taylor – slide guitar (1), guitar solo (1)
• Tony Joe White – lead guitar (1, 3, 4, 12), rhythm guitar (1, 3, 4, 12), harmonica (1, 3), synth bass (1, 4)
• Gene Black – rhythm guitar (2, 7, 8), lead guitar (6, 7), guitar solo (6), guitar (10)
• James Ralston – rhythm guitar (2, 6, 7, 8), guitar (10)
• Pat Thrall – guitar solo (2), additional lead guitar fills (6), slide guitar (8), electric guitar (11)
• Phil Palmer – guitar (9)
• Mark Knopfler – guitar (12)
• Carmine Rojas – bass guitar (1, 4, 5)
• T. M. Stevens – bass guitar (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11)
• J. T. Lewis – drums (1, 3, 4, 5)
• Art Wood – drums (2, 6, 7, 8)
• Geoff Dugmore – drums (10)
• Danny Cummings – percussion (3, 4, 7), shaker (5), congas (7)
• Albert Hammond – shaker (10), backing vocals (10)
• Gary Barnacle – all saxophones (1, 12), saxophone solo (10)
• Edgar Winter – saxophone solo (2)
• Tim Cappello – saxophone solo (5, 8)
• Roger Davies – arrangements (5)
• Lance Ellington – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11)
• Tessa Niles – backing vocals (2, 3, 5-8, 11)
• David Munday – backing vocals (9)
• Sandy Stewart – backing vocals (9)
• Holly Knight – backing vocals (10)
• Graham Lyle – backing vocals (10)

Production

• Dan Hartman – producer (1-8, 11)
• Tina Turner – executive producer, producer (2, 8)
• Rupert Hine – producer (9)
• Roger Davies – executive producer, producer (10, 12)
• Albert Hammond – producer (10)
• Graham Lyle – producer (10)
• Tony Joe White – producer (12)

Technical

• Chris Lord-Alge – recording engineer (1-8, 11), mixing (all tracks)
• Andrew Scarth – recording engineer (9)
• Mike Ging – recording engineer (10, 12)
• Tommy Vicari – recording engineer (10)
• Nick Froome – recording engineer (12)
• Vincent Frerebeau – additional engineer
• John Lee – additional engineer
• Dave O'Donnell – additional engineer
• James Allen-Jones – assistant engineer
• Darren Allison – assistant engineer
• Lee Curle – assistant engineer
• Tim Leitner – assistant engineer
• Paul Logus – assistant engineer
• Ray Pyle – assistant engineer
• David Scott – assistant engineer
• Elliot Singerman – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering

Studios

• Overdubs recorded at Multi-Level (Westport, CT); The Power Station (New York, NY); Lion Share Recording (Los Angeles, CA); E-Zee Studios (London, UK); Mayfair Studios (Primrose Hill, London, UK); Swanyard Studios (Islington, London, UK).
• Mixed at The Grey Room (Hollywood, CA).
• Mastered at Masterdisk (New York, NY).

Other Credits

• Bill Burks – art direction
• Tommy Steele – art direction
• Glenn Sakamoto – design
• Herb Ritts – center photography
• Peter Lindbergh – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[3] 15 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[4] 1 Canadian Albums (RPM)[5] 12 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[6] 1 Dutch Albums (Stichting Nederlandse)[7] 6 European Albums (Top 100)[6] 1 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 1 French Albums (SNEP)[9] 11 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] 1 Italian Albums (Hit Parade Italia)[11] 2 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[12] 7 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[13] 1 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[14] 8 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 1 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 1 UK Albums (OCC)[17] 1 US Billboard 200[18] 31 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[19] 83 Chart (1992) Peak position Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[20] 32

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[21] 80 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[22] 21 Canadian Albums (RPM)[23] 75 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[24] 60 French Albums (SNEP)[25] 17 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[26] 29 Italian Albums (Hit Parade)[11] 3 Norwegian Autumn Period Albums (VG-lista)[27] 1 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 29 UK Albums (OCC)[29] 8 Chart (1990) Peak position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[30] 4 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[31] 45 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[32] 7 Norwegian Winter Period Albums (VG-lista)[33] 17 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 5 UK Albums (OCC)[35] 13

Certifications and sales

[36]

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21]	Platinum	70,000^^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[37]	3× Platinum	150,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[38]	Platinum	100,000^^
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[39]	2× Platinum	200,000^^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[40]	Platinum	86,895[40]
France (SNEP)[41]	2× Gold	331,900[42]
Germany (BVMI)[43]	2× Platinum	1,000,000^^
Italy (FIMI)[44]	2× Platinum	500,000^*
Netherlands (NVPI)[45]	Platinum	100,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[46]	Gold	7,500^^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47]	Platinum	100,000^^
Sweden (GLF)[48]	Platinum	100,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[49]	4× Platinum	200,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[50]	5× Platinum	1,500,000^^
United States (RIAA)[51]	Gold	500,000^^
Summaries
Worldwide	—	6,000,000[2]
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"Steamy Windows"	Hot Dance Music/Club Play	13
1989	"Steamy Windows"	Billboard Hot 100	39
1989	"The Best"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	6
1989	"The Best"	Billboard Hot 100	15
1989	"Look Me in the Heart"	Adult Contemporary	4
1989	"Foreign Affair"	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	39
1990	"I Don't Wanna Lose You	Adult Contemporary	8

European promotional-only single

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1990	"You Can't Stop Me Loving You"	Polish music chart	20

References

1. Bil Carpenter (1989-09-13). "Foreign Affair - Tina Turner | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
2. "Dan Hartman Dies; Songwriter Was 43". The New York Times. April 7, 1994. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
3. "Australiancharts.com – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
4. "Austriancharts.at – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
5. "Top Albums/CDs". RPM. October 23, 1989. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
6. "The Affair Has Begun" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 14, 1989. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
7. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 28, 1989. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
8. "Albumit 1989-10 lokakuu" (in Finnish). InfoDisc. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
9. "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
10. "Tina Turner - Foreign Affair" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
11. "Gli album più venduti del 1989". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
12. "Charts.nz – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
13. "Norwegiancharts.com – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
14. "Listas de Afyve: 1989 Albumes". PROMUSICAE. October 7, 1989. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
15. "Swedishcharts.com – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
16. "Swisscharts.com – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
17. "Tina Turner | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
18. "Tina Turner Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
19. "Tina Turner Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
20. "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 1992. 5. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
21. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
22. "Jahreshitparade Alben 1989" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
23. "Top 100 Albums of '89". RPM. December 23, 1989. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
24. "Jaaroverzichten - Album 1989" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
25. "Les Albums (CD) de 1989 par InfoDisc" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
26. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
27. "Topp 40 Album Høst 1989" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
28. "Swiss Year-end Charts 1989". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
29. "Najlepiej sprzedające się albumy w W.Brytanii w 1989r" (in Polish). Z archiwum...rocka. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
30. "Jahreshitparade Alben 1990" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
31. "Jaaroverzichten - Album 1990" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
32. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
33. "Topp 40 Album Winter 1990" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
34. "Swiss Year-end Charts 1990". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
35. "1990 Top 100 Albums". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 39. 2 March 1991.
36. http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/tina-turner-cd-sales
37. "Austrian album certifications – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair" (in German). IFPI Austria.
38. "Canadian album certifications – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Music Canada.
39. "Doble platinum in Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 June 1990. p. 13. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
40. "Tina Turner" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
41. "Les Certifications" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
42. "Les Albums Double Or" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
43. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tina Turner; 'Foreign Affair')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
44. "Foreign Affair - 2x Platinum in Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. June 23, 1990. p. 12. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
45. "Dutch album certifications – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Foreign Affair in the "Artiest of titel" box.
46. "New Zealand album certifications – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Recorded Music NZ.
47. Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
48. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
49. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Tina Turner; 'Foreign Affair')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
50. "British album certifications – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Foreign Affair in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
51. "American album certifications – Tina Turner – Foreign Affair". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.