What’s Love Got to Do with It | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: G#m11 | G#m11 | G#11 | G#11 :||
Verse 1
| G#m11 | G#m11 | G#11 | G#11 |
You must understand, though the touch of your hand makes my pulse react.
| G#m11 | G#m11 | G#11 |
That it’s only the thrill of boy meeting girl, opposites attract.
| E F# | F# (F#sus4) | E F# | F# (F#sus4) |
It’s physical. Only logical.
| E | F# |
You must try to ignore that it means more than that. Oh-oh-oh.
Chorus 1
| (B) G#m/A# F#/G# (F#) | E F# |
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
| (B) G#m/A# F# | E F# |
What’s love, but a second-hand emotion?
| (B) G#m/A# F#/G# (F#) | E F# |
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
| (B) G#m/A# F# | E F# |
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?
Verse 2
It may seem to you that I’m acting confused when you’re close to me.
If I tend to look dazed, I read it some place, I got cause to be.
There’s a name for it. There’s a phrase that fits.
But whatever the reason, you do it for me. Oh-oh-oh.
Chorus 2
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
What’s love, but a second-hand emotion?
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?
Solo (key change)
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab/Bb (Ab) | Gb Ab |
Who?
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab | Gb Ab |
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab/Bb (Ab) | Gb Ab |
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab |2/4 Gb |
Middle 8
|4/4 Db11 | Db |
I’ve been taking on a new direction.
| Db11 | Db |
But I have to say.
| Aadd9 | B/A |
I’ve been thinking about my own protection.
| Abm11 | Dbadd9 N.C |
It scares me to feel this way, oh-oh-oh.
Chorus 3
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab/Bb (Ab) | Gb Ab |
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab | Gb Ab |
What’s love, but a second-hand emotion?
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab/Bb (Ab) | Gb Ab |
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
| (Db) Bbm/C Ab |2/4 Gb |
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?
Chorus 4
(What’s love) got to do, got to do with it?
What’s love, but a sweet old-fashioned notion?
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Who needs a heart, when a heart can be broken?
Chorus 5
(What’s love) ooh, got to do with it?
(What’s love? A second-hand emotion).
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?
Outro
|4/4 (Db) Bbm/C Ab/Bb (Ab) | Gb Ab |
(What’s love) ooh-ooh (got to do with it?) got to do with it?
What’s Love Got to Do with It Chords: Learn the progressions
I feel the best way to understand this masterpiece is to work out how to play the chords on one acoustic guitar.
This means we have to incorporate that awesome bass line, keyboard motifs, and full chords.
I’ve designed some TAB for this, you can access it here: What’s Love Got to Do with It – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
For the verse, we initially maintain the intro chords G#m11 and G#11, although the rhythm changes (check the TAB).
Next, we go to an E chord and reveal the key since E – F# must be chords IV and V, making What’s Love Got To Do With it in the key of B and that initial G#m11 or G#11 chord VI. G#11 may sound like a major chord, but it’s not, there is no 3rd.
Here are all of What’s Love Got to Do with It’s verse in full.
| G#m11 (VI) | G#m11 | G#11 (VI) | G#11 |
| G#m11 | G#m11 | G#11 |
| E (IV) F# (V) | F# (F#sus4) | E F# | F# (F#sus4) |
| E | F# |
Next up we have the chorus which does resolve to B (chord I) although it’s so incredibly quick we barely notice it. I’ve put it in brackets to indicate it, like this:
||: (B) G#m/A# F#/G# (F#) | E F# |
| (B) G#m/A# F# | E F# :||
Following a key change to Db where we play the solo and chorus in this new key there is one new section, the middle 8. Here it is, in the new key of Db.
| Db11 | Db | Db11 | Db |
| Aadd9 | B/A | Abm11 | Dbadd9 N.C |
That Aadd9 and B/A must be chord IV and V from the key of E so we’ve changed the key again here. The Abm11 to Db feel like the II – V in the key of Gb.
You will definitely need TAB to play What’s Love Got to Do with It on just one acoustic guitar. When you can do this, creating a part for the electric guitar in a band setting will be super easy.
Having gone through the TAB (which will take a while) all you need is this little chord chart.
What’s Love Got to Do with It Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: What’s Love Got to Do with It Chord Chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: What’s Love Got to Do with It iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
The tune that became a movie!
Released in 1984, Tina Turner‘s What’s Love Got To Do With It also became the name of the film (1993) documenting the Queen of Rock ‘and ‘N’ Roll’s life.
Reaching the Top 10 in several countries, it claimed the top spot in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, selling around 2 million copies worldwide.
Most people clearly didn’t know how badly her husband, Ike, had treated her for years as following the release of the movie, Ike Turner became the most hated man in the country. Tina on the other hand became even more celebrated, rightfully so!
Following the huge impact of What’s Love Got To Do With It (the movie), Tina got the call to sing for another movie, Golden Eye (1995). This would be her last big hit.
What’s Love Got to Do with It Chords | Related Pages
What’s Love Got to Do with It | Guitar Lesson + TAB
With this guitar lesson, you can learn to play What’s Love Got to Do with It by Tina Turner using TAB and chord analysis.
| G#m11 | G#m11 | F#/G# | F#/G# |
You must understand, though the touch of your hand makes my pulse react…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
Tina Turner tunes
Tina Turner was discovered by Ike, joined his band, and even married him. Together they achieved great success with many hits.
Off stage, Ike was an abusive husband. When they divorced Tina would embark on a remarkable solo career and Ike would end up the most hated man in America.
Tina Turner on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about What’s Love Got to Do with It chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
