Tina Arena’s path to fame started on the Australian TV show ‘Young Talent Time’ in 1977 where she performed for several years before her retirement from the show in 1983, in 1985 she released her first single, but it barely made it into the Top 100.

She was back in music in 1990 with the album ‘Strong as Steel’ which had the No. 3 hit ‘I Want Your Body’, Promotion of Tina’s music was also featured on the #6 Oldsmobile of Ken and John Lawes in Australia’s version of NASCAR.

Tina wasn’t happy with EMI, and it wasn’t until 1994 that she returned with the Columbia label releasing her Studio Album ‘Don’t Ask’ and that began a long run of success including a couple of Top 5 singles in France.

Two No. 1 studio albums in Australia, six studio albums that peaked in the Top 5 and one that charted in America at No. 101 among other impressive statistics.

Here are six tracks that I do enjoy hearing when the opportunity arises.

Turn Up The Beat

Turn Up The Beat

It was difficult for ex-Young Talent Time members to establish a solo career after the show, Tina had a go in 1985 with ‘Turn Up The Beat’, it was a minor success peaking at No. 92, but it was not good enough to get an album released and it would be almost five whole years before her next release.

It is a good, fun sounding 80s song that is probably better regarded now than when it was released in 1985, it would have been interesting if this song came out a few years later when Tiffany and Debbie Gibson were chart toppers.

I Need Your Body

After being a star on Young Talent Time and flopping with ‘Turn Up The Beat’, some would have packed up their career and moved on but thankfully Tina did not do that and in 1990 she released ‘I Want Your Body’ to get success.

The song peaked at No. 3, a big difference from ‘Turn Up The Beat’, despite the success, music historian Ed Nimmervoll noted that Tina ‘was not comfortable. This was not her. This was not what she wanted to be for the rest of her life.‘ and so the next few years were spent learning and developing for the future.

It is a lesson that sometimes doing something to get noticed is not worth doing if it is something that is not who you are or is not what you are comfortable with doing.

Chains

It was four years between singles and such a break can be risky as the music world can change so much in that time, people find new music interests and leave the artist far behind, but ‘Chains’ came out and showed the public was still very interested in what Tina had to sing.

The first couple notes really grab your attention and when Tina sings it draws you in, the song promises something, and the music and Tina’s voice builds up and then bang she showcases her vocal power.

It peaked at No. 4 in Australia, No. 6 in the UK and No. 38 in America, one of two songs to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

Wasn’t It Good

‘Wasn’t it Good’ was a ballad written by Tina Arena, Heather Field and Robert Parde and it hit peaked at No. 11 on the Australian charts.

This song doesn’t rely too much on instruments, some ones have them over the top of the vocals, this one has it more accompanying, this song is definitely one of my favourites.

Heaven Help My Heart

‘Heaven Help My Heart’ peaked at No. 22, which is a bit surprising, it is a great song with the right mix of vocal power, great drumbeat, a nice amount of guitar and piano.

Is it the perfect song to listen to if you want to have a nice, pleasant afternoon listening to music, not too soft but not too loud in instruments.

Burn

This song in Australia peaked at No. 2 when it was released in 1997, it was written by Tina Arena, Pam Reswick and Steve Werfel.

It is a song that makes you think and one where Tina shows how powerful her voice is, a delight to listen to.

 Jo Dee Messina covered the song in 2000, and it got to No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs chart and No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100.