About the song
Few artists could pour as much raw power and soul into a performance as Tina Turner. Whether she was belting out rock anthems or delivering quiet, emotionally charged ballads, she always made you feel something. “He Belongs to Me” is one of those understated yet powerful moments in her catalogue—a song that doesn’t roar with volume, but aches with truth.
First recorded in the early 1970s during her time with Ike Turner, “He Belongs to Me” didn’t receive the same spotlight as Tina’s major hits, but it remains a hidden gem. A cover of Bob Dylan’s 1965 composition, this version is transformed entirely in Tina’s hands. Where Dylan’s original was steeped in ambiguity and subtle melancholy, Tina Turner infuses it with deep emotion, rich vocals, and a woman’s fierce sense of knowing and possession.
There’s an almost sacred stillness to the way she sings the title line: “He belongs to me.” It’s not shouted—it’s claimed, as if her voice is wrapping protectively around the memory of a man she won’t let go. The phrasing is delicate, but the feeling behind it is resolute. She doesn’t need to raise her voice—her presence is enough.
This song showcases one of Tina’s lesser-seen strengths: emotional restraint. Known for her explosive stage energy and fiery vocal power, here she dials it back just enough to let the words breathe. That’s what gives “He Belongs to Me” such poignancy. The emotion is in the silence between the lines, in the husky edge of her voice, in the quiet pain of love that’s held onto tightly—even when it’s slipping away.
Listening to Tina Turner’s rendition today, you’re reminded not only of her vocal brilliance, but of her ability to reinterpret a song so completely that it becomes hers. This isn’t just a cover. It’s a reclamation. A transformation. A testament to the enduring power of voice and feeling.
For those who know Tina only through her high-energy hits like “Proud Mary” or “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, “He Belongs to Me” is a soulful reminder of her range, her depth, and her unrivaled ability to turn quiet moments into unforgettable ones.
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Lyrics
He’s got everything he needs, he’s an artist, he don’t look backHe’s got everything he needs, he’s an artist, and he don’t look backHe can take the dark out of the nighttime and turn the daytime blackYou will start out standing, proud to steal him anything he seesYou will start out standing, proud to steal him anything he seesBut you will wind up just peeking through a keyhole on your kneesOh no he never ever stumbles, ’cause he got no place to fallno no no no he never stumbles, ’cause the man got no place to fallHe’s nobody’s child, an the law can’t touch him at allHe wears an Egyptian ring, that sparkles just before he speaksHe wears an Egyptian ring, and it sparkles just before he speaksThe man is a hypnotist collector, and you are his walking antiqueAnd he belongs to meBow down to him on Sundays, and salute him when his birthday comesBow down to him on Sundays, and salute him when his birthday comesFor Halloween, buy him a trumpet and for Christmas, buy him a gunHe’s got everything he needs, he’s an artist, and he don’t look backHe’s got everything he needs, he’s an artist, and he don’t look back