We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)

"We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" is a song written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten. It was recorded by American singer Tina Turner for the soundtrack album to the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, which starred Mel Gibson and Turner. On the heels of Turner's multiplatinum album Private Dancer (1984), the song was released as an edited 7-inch single, while the full album version was released as a 12-inch single and on the film's soundtrack album. In the United Kingdom, a shaped picture disc was also issued. The power ballad^[2] received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. In 1986, the song received the Ivor Novello Awards for Best Contemporary Song and Best Film Theme or Song.^[3]

"We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)"
Single by Tina Turner
from the album Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Released	June 21, 1985[1]
Recorded	December 1984
Studio	Mayfair Studios (London, England)
Genre	Rock
Length	6:07
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Graham Lyle Terry Britten
Producer(s)	Terry Britten
Tina Turner singles chronology
"Show Some Respect" (1985) "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" (1985) "One of the Living" (1985)

Recording

Turner was backed by a choral group from King's House School in Richmond, London. One of the choir members who appeared on the recording, Lawrence Dallaglio, became famous as a rugby union star and captain of the England national team.^[4]

Chart performance

"We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" became one of Turner's biggest hit singles. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, behind John Parr's "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)". It peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" features Turner dressed in her Aunty Entity costume from the Mad Max film, a heavy chain mail gown. As several spotlights shine on her, she proceeds to sing atop a platform while various scenes from the film are interspersed. In the last portion of the video, Turner is accompanied by a children's choir and Tim Cappello, her tour saxophonist, percussionist and keyboardist at the time. The music video received an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best Female Video.

Official versions/remixes

• Single Version – 4:16
• 7" Instrumental – 4:41
• Album Version (also released on 12" single) – 6:07
• Album Instrumental Version (also released as "Dub Mix" on 12" single) – 6:30

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1985–1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 3 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[9] 1 Denmark (Hitlisten)[10] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 4 France (SNEP)[12] 3 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 2 Italy (Musica e dischi)[14] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 7 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 2 Norway (VG-lista)[18] 2 Portugal (Musica & Som)[19] 2 South Africa (Springbok Charts)[20] 9 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[21] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 4 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[24] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] 3 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[27] 23 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[28] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[29] 29 West Germany (GfK)[30] 1 US Cash Box Top 100[31] 3 Chart (2022) Peak position Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[32] 90

Year-end charts Chart (1985) Rank position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[33] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[34] 10 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[35] 12 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 31 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[37] 24 Norway Summer Period (VG-lista)[38] 2 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[21] 14 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 6 UK Singles (OCC)[40] 43 US Billboard Hot 100[41] 57 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[41] 26 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[41] 49 West Germany (Official German Charts)[42] 6

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[43]	Gold	50,000^
Germany (BVMI)[44]	Gold	500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45]	Silver	250,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

In 1987, The Shadows did an instrumental of the song on their album ‘’Simply Shadows’’.

In 2004, Canadian singer Jane Child recorded a cover of the song, titling it "Beyond Thunderdome (We Don't Need Another Hero)" for the album What's Love? A Tribute to Tina Turner.^[46]

In 2007, Finnish supergroup Northern Kings covered the song on their debut album Reborn.^[47]

In March 2016, Seal and Jencarlos Canela performed a cover of the song during the Fox television special The Passion. It was sung in the story where Pontius Pilate (Seal) is torn at sentencing Jesus (Jencarlos) to death; the lyrics were amended to remove the reference to Thunderdome, which was replaced with "the love we know".^[48]

In May 2023, Swedish band Ghost covered the song on their EP Phantomime.

References

1. "FMQB" (PDF). p. 28.
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4. Day, Elizabeth (October 9, 2005). "Dallaglio: my secret life as Tina Turner's backing vocalist". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
5. David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. Australia: St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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31. "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
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34. "Jaaroverzichten 1985" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
35. "Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. December 28, 1985. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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37. "Top Selling Singles of 1985". RIANZ. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
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40. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1986). "Top 100 singles: 1985". BPI Year Book 1986 (8th ed.). British Phonographic Industry. pp. 48–49. ISBN 0-906154-07-3.
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46. Allmusic - What's Love? A Tribute to Tina Turner
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48. Hale, Mike (March 21, 2016). "'The Passion': Jesus' Final Hours as a Halftime Show". The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2016.