Turbo Lover
{{Short description|1986 single by Judas Priest}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Turbo Lover
| cover = Turbo_Lover.jpg
| caption = Cover for the 7" single
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Judas Priest
| album = Turbo
| B-side = Hot for Love
| released = 7 April 1986{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-04-05.pdf|title=Music Week|page=39}}
| format =
| recorded = 1985
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Glam metal{{cite web|last=Begrand|first=Adrien|date=5 April 2017|title=36 Essential '80s Pop Metal Tracks|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1922586/36-essential-80s-pop-metal-tracks/lists/ultimate-playlist/|access-date= 21 June 2021|website=Stereogum}}
- synth-metal{{cite web|last=Hartmann|first=Graham|date=20 May 2013|title=Judas Priest, 'Turbo Lover' (Live) – Exclusive Video Premiere From 'Epitaph' DVD + Blu-ray|url=https://loudwire.com/judas-priest-turbo-lover-exclusive-video-premiere-epitaph-dvd-blu-ray/|access-date=21 June 2021|website=Loudwire}}
}}
| length = 5:33
| label = Columbia
| writer = {{hlist|Rob Halford|K. K. Downing|Glenn Tipton}}
| producer = Tom Allom
| prev_title = Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
| prev_year = 1984
| next_title = Locked In
| next_year = 1986
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|aqtmv-OxUI4|"Turbo Lover"}}
}}
}}
"Turbo Lover" is a song by the British heavy metal group Judas Priest that the band released as a single from their album Turbo. Both came out in 1986. Unlike the album, which reviewed mixed and often critical responses, most of the reception for this song has been positive, and it has been praised as a Judas Priest classic by music journalists.{{cite web|last=Bowar|first=Chad|date=19 January 2017|title=Judas Priest Unveil Live Version of 'Locked In'|url=https://loudwire.com/judas-priest-live-version-locked-in-turbo-30th-anniversary-edition/|accessdate=16 December 2024|website=Loudwire.com}}
The song's lyrics alludes to motorcycle riding, and it broadly features an aggressive, sexual tone, with frontman Rob Halford having described the single as embodying "escapism". Musically, it incorporates a synthesizer-based sound to the band's traditional type of heavy metal music; one music magazine has compared the particular style of "Turbo Lover" to that of Kraftwerk.
Lyrics
The song's lyrics have been described as being about "auto"-eroticism.{{cite web|last=Begrand|first=Adrien|date=20 June 2002|title=Judas Priest: Turbo / Priest . . . Live!|url=https://www.popmatters.com/judaspriest-turbo-2495953217.html|access-date=21 June 2021|website=PopMatters}} An article by the musical publication Loudwire remarked that the track succeeded by "[c]elebrating the band's connection with motorcycle culture and everything leather".
Frontman Rob Halford has said: "I just liked the analogy of the motorcycle as a euphemism for love. And 'I'm your turbo lover, Tell me there's no other.' It's got kind of a sexual undertone to it – which is fine. It's been done many times in rock n' roll: to use a machine, car, or motorcycle. It's just a fun bit of escapism more than anything else."{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/rob-halford-of-judas-priest|title=Rob Halford of Judas Priest: Songwriter Interviews|last=Prato|first=Greg|website=Songfacts.com|date=5 November 2020|accessdate=16 December 2024}}
Reception
The music journalist Steve Huey, writing for the service AllMusic, praised the track as "a successful reimagining of the Priest formula" and otherwise stated in his review of the song's parent album, Turbo, that he viewed it "easily the best song on the record".{{cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Turbo - Judas Priest|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/turbo-mw0000190570|accessdate=16 December 2024|publisher=AllMusic}} A piece published by Decibel Magazine described the single as "one of the classiest songs in [Judas Priest's discography]".{{cite web|last=Begrand|first=Adrien|date=29 December 2010|title=Justify Your Shitty Taste: Judas Priest's "Turbo"|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2010/12/29/justify-your-shitty-taste-judas-priest-s-turbo/|accessdate=17 December 2024|website=Decibel Magazine}} As well, the musical publication Loudwire ranked the song at number ten on its list of the "10 Best Judas Priest Songs".{{cite web|last=Hartmann|first=Graham|date=24 August 2012|title=10 Best Judas Priest Songs|url=https://loudwire.com/best-judas-priest-songs/|accessdate=16 December 2024|website=Loudwire.com}}
Track listing
;7" single
{{track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = Turbo Lover
| length1 = 4:39
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Hot for Love
| length1 = 4:12
}}
;European 12" single
{{track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = Turbo Lover
| note1 = Extended Version
| length1 = 5:33
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Hot for Love
| length1 = 4:12
}}
;US 12" single
{{track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = Turbo Lover
| note1 = Hi-Octane Mix; Long Version
| length1 = 7:24
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Turbo Lover
| note1 = Hi-Octane Mix; Short Version
| length1 = 3:59
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1986) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|artist=Judas Priest|44|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2022}} |
See also
{{Portal|1980s|United Kingdom}}