Name: "What's Love Got To Do With It" [Highly Rare Publishing Demo]
Brand: Arthur Baker
Availability: OutOfStock

"What's Love Got To Do With It" [Highly Rare Publishing Demo]

"What's Love Got To Do With It" [Highly Rare Publishing Demo]

---

Product variants

A highly sought after piece of music history!

A remarkable and highly coveted artifact from the golden era of pop music, this original publishing demo cassette represents the earliest known form of what would become one of the most iconic songs of all time.

Written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle and circulated by Chapel Music in the early 1980s, this demo captures “What’s Love Got To Do With It” in its raw, pre-production state - before its transformation into Tina Turner’s career-defining global hit.

Notably, this very cassette was sent to legendary producer Arthur Baker during the song’s initial pitching phase. At the time, it was passed over - only to be rediscovered years later after the track had already achieved worldwide acclaim, adding a compelling layer of “what if” to its provenance.

Highlights:

Extremely rare original songwriter demo - a direct window into the song’s earliest incarnation
Pre-fame recording of a track that would go on to define a generation
Documented connection to Arthur Baker, underscoring its journey through the industry
Authentic early-1980s publishing artifact, circulated by Chapel Music
A cornerstone piece for collectors of pop, soul, and recording history

A museum-worthy acquisition and a centrepiece for any serious music collection.

Pairs well with

Provenance

From Arthur Baker's personal collection

Disclaimer: Use of Recorded Material or Photography

By bidding on or purchasing any item from this collection that includes recorded audio material (such as master tapes, demo recordings, or unreleased sessions), or photography you agree to the following terms:

These recordings and photographs are sold strictly for private, non-commercial use by the winning bidder only.
Ownership of the physical item does not grant any rights to the underlying recordings, compositions, performances, images or intellectual property. All rights remain with the original rights holders.
You may not reproduce, copy, distribute, publish, share, broadcast, perform, licence, monetise, or otherwise exploit them in any form.
They must not be shared with third parties in any format, whether for free or for financial gain.
Any unauthorised use may result in legal action, including claims for copyright infringement, injunctive relief, and recovery of damages and legal costs.

By proceeding with a bid or purchase, you confirm that you understand and accept these terms in full.

Before you bid

Before you bid:

Please note that, on top of the final bidding price, you (the buyer) will be charged the following:

Buyer premium of 20% on top of the final hammer price. E.g. for a winning bid of $100, you will pay $120 plus shipping, insurance, and taxes. The buyer premium helps us invest in curation, appraisals, verification, content and platform development.
Shipping, packing, insurance & handling costs - see 'shipping' section below for more details
Import duties and taxes - these vary by location and are payable by the buyer upon delivery, if applicable

Shipping & insurance

Shipping method: All orders are shipped tracked.

Insurance: For all orders over $200 we will include 1.3% on top of the hammer price to cover insurance.

Packing: We work with trusted packing teams to ensure the best delivery of your items. This will be added to the final cost.

Expected delivery: Item ships 2 weeks after auction closes. Delivery time varies by location.

The bidding process

We run a popcorn bidding process. This means that if you put a bid in within the last minute of the auction, the clock will extend for another 5 minutes. This allows everyone time to get their bids in fairly.

Need help?