| "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight?" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Tina Turner | ||||
| from the album What's Love Got to Do with It | ||||
| B-side | "Shake a Tail Feather" (album version) | |||
| Released | September 16, 1993 | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
| |||
| Tina Turner singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight" on YouTube | ||||
"Why Must We Wait Until Tonight" is a song performed by American recording artist and actress Tina Turner for her 1993 What's Love Got to Do with It soundtrack album. The track was written and produced by Bryan Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange. It was released in September 1993 by Virgin and Parlophone, peaking at number 16 in the United Kingdom and number 25 in Ireland. In the US, the song reached numbers 97 and 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100.
Larry Flick from Billboard magazine described "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight" as "a pleading ballad, that derives much of its drama and intensity from La Tina's incomparable vocal style." He added, "Plunking piano/synth riffs click over a shuffling and percussive beat, with just a subtle touch of Hammond organ here and there to provide a blues subtext."[1] Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box named it "a showcase for Turner's vocal prowess and should see no resistance at hit or adult radio formats." He also complimented the songwriters for "giving the ballad a dramatic grandeur that few could handle. Turner, of course, pulls it off with ease, the result is one of her most accessible single releases ever."[2]
A reviewer from The Daily Vault deemed "the sensuous rendering" as "almost as good", as "What's Love Got to Do With It".[3] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report said, "The lyrics speak of fine wine, something that defines Tina Turner's amazing artistry—which just keeps getting better. Writers/producers Bryan Adams and Mutt Lange give her the words and the melody and she does the rest. By the way, if you're one of the few who haven't seen the movie What's Love Got To Do With It yet, do it tonight!"[4] Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song a score of four out of five, stating that the singer "offers one of her more relaxed vocal performances" on a "pleasant" ballad.[5]
| Chart (1993–1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 49 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] | 22 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] | 43 |
| Europe (European Hit Radio)[9] | 12 |
| Germany (GfK)[10] | 55 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[11] | 25 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[12] | 16 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[13] | 23 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[14] | 97 |
| US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[15] | 10 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[16] | 83 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | September 16, 1993 |
|
Virgin | [citation needed] |
| United Kingdom | October 18, 1993 |
|
Parlophone | [17] |
| October 25, 1993 | CD2 | [18] | ||
| Japan | December 22, 1993 | Mini-CD | EMI | [19] |
| Australia | March 28, 1994 |
|
Parlophone | [20] |
