Rod Stewart & Tina Turner: It Takes Two Single (1990)

A Duet Dynamite Revival

Rod Stewart & Tina Turner’s “It Takes Two” 7-inch vinyl single, was released in the UK on November 12, 1990, on Warner Bros. Records (catalogue: ROD 1 / 5439-19493-7). Backed with “Hot Legs (Live),” this soul-pop cover of the Marvin Gaye/Kim Weston classic, written by William Stevenson and Sylvia Moy, was produced by Bernard Edwards and Rod Stewart. The A-side’s electrifying chemistry and Turner’s courtesy of Capitol Records appearance peaked at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart for 8 weeks. Issued in plastic injection labels, paper labels, 12-inch extended remix, and promo VHS variants, it’s a high-energy ‘90s highlight.

Single Overview

A-Side: “It Takes Two” (Rod Stewart & Tina Turner)

Written-By – Moy, Stevenson. Producer – Bernard Edwards, Rod Stewart.

B-Side: “Hot Legs (Live)” (Rod Stewart)

Written-By – Rod Stewart. Producer – Rod Stewart. From Absolutely Live.

Release Details:

Label: Warner Bros. Records (UK pressing, 45 RPM).

Published By – Jobete Music (UK) Ltd. (A), Cardinal Music Ltd. (B).

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – WEA Records B.V. (1990 A/B1, 1982 B).

Copyright © – WEA International Inc.

Pressed By – Lyntone Recordings Ltd. (LYN 47673 in some).

Mastered At – Musitech.

UK Formats:

Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single

Plastic Injection Labels (ROD 1 / 5439-19493-7):

A: “It Takes Two” (Rod Stewart & Tina Turner) – Producer – Bernard Edwards, Rod Stewart – Written-By – Moy, Stevenson

B: “Hot Legs (Live)” (Rod Stewart) – Producer – Rod Stewart – Written-By – Rod Stewart

Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single

Paper Labels (ROD1 / 5439-19493-7)

A: “It Takes Two” (Rod Stewart & Tina Turner) – Producer – Bernard Edwards, Rod Stewart – Written-By – Moy, Stevenson

B: “Hot Legs (Live)” (Rod Stewart) – Producer – Rod Stewart – Written-By – Rod Stewart

Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Single (ROD1T / ROD 1 (T) / 7599-21815-0):

A: “It Takes Two (Extended Remix)” – Remix – Nick Launay

B1: “It Takes Two”

B2: “Hot Legs (Live)”

Plated/Pressed By – P.R. Records Limited.

VHS, Promotional Single:

“It Takes Two.”

Notes: Labels: A Warner Communications Company. Sleeve: A Time Warner Company. Tina Turner courtesy of Capitol Records. Barcode on labels/sleeve.

UK (Warner Bros. ROD 1 / 5439-19493-7): Released November 12, 1990. 7-inch (plastic/paper labels), 12-inch, promo VHS.

Country Variations

The single was released in the UK along with

France - Warner Bros. - 1990

Germany - Warner Bros. - 1990

Italy - Warner Bros. - 1990

Australia - Warner Bros. - 1991

Production and Context

Produced by Bernard Edwards/Rod Stewart (A/B1), Rod Stewart (B2). Recorded in 1990. The lineup: Rod Stewart (vocals), Tina Turner (vocals). “It Takes Two” was a duet revival, while “Hot Legs (Live)” from Absolutely Live. Released amid Stewart’s Vagabond Heart era, it competed with Mariah Carey and The Righteous Brothers.

Singles Released and Chart Performance

“It Takes Two” was a standalone duet single:

Chart Performance:

Entry Date: November 24, 1990.

Peak: No. 5 (December 1, 1990).

Weeks on Chart: 8 (Nov 24, 1990 – Jan 12, 1991).

Chart Run: No. 12 (Nov 24), No. 5 (Dec 1), No. 7 (Dec 8), No. 19 (Dec 15), No. 32 (Dec 22), No. 33 (Dec 29), No. 35 (Jan 5), No. 53 (Jan 12).

Legacy and Collectibility

“It Takes Two” is a Stewart-Turner duet dynamo, with “Hot Legs (Live)” a rowdy B-side. Original UK 7-inch vinyls fetch £3–£8 on eBay/Discogs, 12-inch (£5–£15), promo VHS (£10–£25). Verify catalogue ROD 1.

Streams on Spotify via compilations preserve the analog fire. This single is a must-have for Stewart/Turner fans and ‘90s pop collectors.

Have you snagged this duet dynamite in your vinyl collection? Does It Takes Two take you? Share in the comments!

Sources

Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube