"We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" or more commonly known as "We Don't Need Another Hero" is the hit theme song from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle and performed by Tina Turner, who starred as Aunty Entity in the film.
The song appears on the soundtrack to the film and was released as a single. It was also released on Turner's album Private Dancer.
Music Video[]
The music video features Turner dressed in her costume from the film, a heavy chain mail gown. As several spotlights shine on her, she proceeds to sing atop a platform while various scenes from the movie 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.
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 record, Lawrence Dallaglio, became famous as a rugby union star and captain of the England national team.
Lyrics[]
The lyrics[1] were written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle. Of course they are very thematic of their times — a world gripped in Cold War with the ever-present fear of thermonuclear apocalypse — and for the film itself being set in that potential post-apocalypse world, in this case, lost children dealing with its aftermath.
Recognition[]
Tina Turner's 2008 live performance.
"We Don't Need Another Hero" became one of Tina Turner's greatest worldwide hit singles. It peaked at #2 on the United States' Billboard Hot 100, at #3 in the UK charts and #1 in Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Germany, Australia and Canada.
The song received both a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
In 2008, Turner performed the song live at Madison Square Garden wearing a modern interpretation of Aunty Entity's iconic chain-mail costume. Surrounding her were recreated Thunderdome props, as well as Aunty Entity's militia. Combatants also fought within the mock Thunderdome.[2] Turner has since performed it several times on tour.[3]
Cover Versions[]
There have been many cover versions of the song. Genres range from jazz piano to heavy metal.
- In 1985–1986, the Argentine-Oceanian person Lorena Novoa covered this song in 3 episodes of Young Talent Time.
- In 1988, Johnnie Nuich and Courtney Compagnino covered this song in the Universal Studios Hollywood episode of Young Talent Time.
- In 2000, Swedish singer Regina Lund covered the song on her album Year Zero. Her version was a jazzier rendition which was softer and slower.
- In 2007, Northern Kings, a Finnish heavy metal group, covered the song on their debut cover album Reborn.
- In 2012, Espen Eriksen Trio, a Norwegian jazz piano group, covered the song as an instrumental on their album What Took You So Long.
- In 2023, Ghost, a Swedish satanic metal/rock group, covered the song on their EP Phantomime.
References[]
- ↑ Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) Lyrics. AZLyrics. Retrieved on September 21, 2025.
- ↑ Smith, Lizzie (December 2, 2008). Tina Turner recycles that famous flesh-revealing Mad Max dress at the age of 69. Daily Mail. Retrieved on September 21, 2025.
- ↑ theravenphoenix665 (June 27, 2010). Tina Turner We Don't Need Another Hero Live 2009. YouTube. Retrieved on September 21, 2025.