Which song is your favorite from the illustrious singing career of top Gay Icon and Datalounge Legend Bette Midler?

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by Anonymous

reply 70

August 16, 2019 7:19 PM

I liked Bette’s cover of the Beatles’ song ‘In My Life’ the most.

I just checked the Billboard charts. I was surprised that Bette has had only one #1 song. That doesn’t feel correct.

by Anonymous

reply 1

August 14, 2019 6:55 AM

"Pretty Legs Great Big Knockers" is fabulous especially with Bette's Ernie and Soph jokes.

OP: Thanks for the video.

by Anonymous

reply 3

August 14, 2019 7:11 AM

She sang a lot of great covers. Back when people didn't do it on albums much anymore. She sang even more adventurous things in concert. And she picked pretty unique non hits by Neil Young, Tom Waits, Dylan, Patty Griffin, John Prine, Springsteen and Peter Gabriel. Even Jane Siberry. (I had something to do with that one) I'm very mean about singers who don't sing well, but there's something about the reedy resonant tone of Bette's voice - there's an ache in it that served so many ballads and rock/blues songs well. She's a good singer without a great voice. She has very predictable vocal habits though and she's fucked more than her share of songs up. She has two great albums - The Divine Miss M and almost 20 years later the beautifully produced Some People's Lives. Lots of good stuff in between and after. Her voice is instantly recognizable and in her case - it has a was both a warm and hollow, very emotional centre. That's more important than sounding perfect. I wasn't even born when her first recording came out, but I know her work well. One critic said that Bette Midler would do better if she stopped trying to prove that she was as good a singer as she was an entertainer. So yeah, she did sort of suffer and sell out after the Disney/Beaches/Wind Beneath My Wings success. The power ballads that were sometimes not really within her ability. But ONLY on record. In concert, she remained vulnerable, kick ass and adventurous. Far from perfect - raunchy, campy, adventurous and very moving. I'm a fan, can you tell?

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by Anonymous

reply 4

August 14, 2019 7:24 AM

Early early, fun. But very musical.

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by Anonymous

reply 5

August 14, 2019 7:28 AM

Wind Beneath My Wings is a great song, but it sounds dated and became too much of a pop culture joke.

by Anonymous

reply 6

August 14, 2019 7:30 AM

*Her voice is instantly recognizable and in her case - it has both a warm and hollow timbre with a very emotional centre. That's more important than sounding perfect.

Fixing my own words.

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by Anonymous

reply 7

August 14, 2019 7:39 AM

This is her Proud Mary, slow to high energy.

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by Anonymous

reply 9

August 14, 2019 7:43 AM

She's made for this song, or the other way around. What an original she was and her voice was very versatile and agile when she started. A modern throwback. Bette knows a lot about the music she likes from all periods and genres. Being a pop star didn't suit her as well. She's a bit pitchy for that, ha.

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by Anonymous

reply 10

August 14, 2019 7:50 AM

Pretty legs, great big knockers, rumplefugly face.

by Anonymous

reply 12

August 14, 2019 8:04 AM

The video for this used to be available. Bette was very pretty around this time... a bit worn looking. She did good work with Tom Waits songs. Corny, sweet, a bit much.

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by Anonymous

reply 13

August 14, 2019 8:14 AM

Her hits didn't age well and her voice is indeed very pitchy. But when it comes to ballad songs her voice has that special warm & soothing quality that connects to any audience.

by Anonymous

reply 14

August 14, 2019 8:20 AM

"Bette was very pretty around this time."

No, she most certainly was not.

by Anonymous

reply 15

August 14, 2019 8:24 AM

Yeah, she was. Kinda pretty and definitely sexy. And before she became queen of the ballads, she really felt what she sang too. That tremulous warm tone with the ache in her voice. She's unmistakeable.

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by Anonymous

reply 16

August 14, 2019 8:29 AM

Ah yes, we remember her well...

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by Anonymous

reply 19

August 14, 2019 10:19 AM

A fun song & my favorite Midler album.

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by Anonymous

reply 20

August 14, 2019 10:27 AM

I like Bette at her least saccharine.

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by Anonymous

reply 21

August 14, 2019 10:38 AM

I like Bette at her least saccharine.

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by Anonymous

reply 22

August 14, 2019 10:38 AM

I've mentioned this before, but hearing her music always reminds me of a friend of a friend who was stabbed to death by a trick in his apartment. The music he'd been playing was a side of her live album, which repeated over and over and over that night until finally, a neighbor called the police. The friend had been stabbed dozens of times, apparently.

by Anonymous

reply 23

August 14, 2019 12:54 PM

R23 was said trick caught?

by Anonymous

reply 24

August 14, 2019 4:49 PM

Not that I ever heard, r24, and I stayed in touch with one of those friends for a fair amount of time.

by Anonymous

reply 25

August 14, 2019 4:52 PM

Best version of this song

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by Anonymous

reply 26

August 14, 2019 5:03 PM

Samedi et Vendredi from Songs for the New Depression

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by Anonymous

reply 27

August 14, 2019 5:07 PM

Love her cover of this Dylan song:

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by Anonymous

reply 28

August 14, 2019 5:12 PM

Otto Titsling from Beaches is cute. Also, her version of Delta Dawn is the best.

by Anonymous

reply 29

August 14, 2019 5:19 PM

I cannot stand Wind Beneath My Wings. If anyone sang it to me, I’d punch them in the fucking face. ‘It must have been cold there in my shadow’...no, bitch! I’m the ONE throwing ALL the shade. Fuck you!

I fucking hate that song. I like everything else she’s done though.

by Anonymous

reply 30

August 14, 2019 5:26 PM

[quote]A fun song & my favorite Midler album.

Absolutely my favorite as well.

by Anonymous

reply 31

August 14, 2019 5:39 PM

I love her version of Skylark. And I still laugh at The Vicki Eydie Show. I've listened to it so many times I can lip-sync the entire thing.

by Anonymous

reply 32

August 14, 2019 6:25 PM

Bette singing Perfect Isn't Easy for the Disney animated flick Oliver And Company. She played a dog because, well, you know...

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by Anonymous

reply 33

August 14, 2019 6:33 PM

None of those songs. The ONLY song I like of hers is her remake of the Pointer Sisters song “Moonlight Dancing.”

by Anonymous

reply 36

August 14, 2019 6:38 PM

Love her cover of Randy Newman’s “I Think it’s Going to Rain Today” from the Beaches soundtrack.

by Anonymous

reply 40

August 14, 2019 7:10 PM

The very first song she ever recorded.

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by Anonymous

reply 42

August 14, 2019 10:54 PM

I remember that the Carpenters were trying to find songs for their second album, when they saw this unusual woman on Johnny Carson. It was a fairly unknown Bette doing "Superstar". Richard Carpenter loved it so much that they immediately recorded it, giving full credit to Bette's inspiration. Later when Bette won the Grammy for best new artist, the Carpenters presented her the award. Bette made some snide remarks about Karen on stage. Years later, when Karen died, Bette said she regretted doing that, she was just trying to create an image for herself.

by Anonymous

reply 47

August 15, 2019 12:33 AM

Bette was never pretty, you must be blind.

by Anonymous

reply 48

August 15, 2019 8:49 AM

For r40. Great song. Live on Carson.

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by Anonymous

reply 49

August 15, 2019 9:31 AM

[quote]I cannot stand Wind Beneath My Wings. If anyone sang it to me, I’d punch them in the fucking face.

R30 has stated her boundaries.

by Anonymous

reply 50

August 15, 2019 4:35 PM

[quote]r40 Big Noise.....

I misread this as [bold]Big Nose.[/bold]

"How rude!" I thought. Then, "Ya got that right!"

by Anonymous

reply 51

August 15, 2019 4:39 PM

Your eyes were being rude, r51.

by Anonymous

reply 52

August 15, 2019 4:50 PM

R30 Did you ever know that you’re my hero? You’re everything I would like to be

by Anonymous

reply 53

August 15, 2019 4:55 PM

P.S. I Love You, from For The Boys

by Anonymous

reply 54

August 15, 2019 5:12 PM

P.S. I Love You (from For The Boys).

by Anonymous

reply 55

August 15, 2019 5:32 PM

"Fiesta in Rio" of course.

[italic]What to do in Rio when you can't even pee-o

It was fiesta and I had the clap[/italic]

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by Anonymous

reply 59

August 15, 2019 7:33 PM

She covered one of my favorite songs and does a nice job of it...

"Boxing" by Ben Fold Five.

It's a heartbreaker.

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by Anonymous

reply 60

August 15, 2019 8:06 PM

Billy-a-Dick and Stuff Like That There from For The Boys are also terrific. As is It's The Girl from her It's The Girls! CD. I've always thought songs from the 20s, 30s and 40s suited her best.

by Anonymous

reply 61

August 15, 2019 8:25 PM

Yes, R18, I think 'Friends' is her anthem. It is her at her most ebullient.

by Anonymous

reply 62

August 15, 2019 8:45 PM

Her remake of this Marvelette's song is nice.

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by Anonymous

reply 63

August 15, 2019 8:52 PM

R62 I heard "Friends" on Continental Airlines "Theater in the Sky ' in 1974 from Denver to Portland Or and rushed out and bought the album upon landing!

by Anonymous

reply 64

August 15, 2019 8:52 PM

That's the dance mix so I'm cheating: To Deserve You.

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by Anonymous

reply 65

August 15, 2019 8:57 PM

The reason Bette had a lukewarm singing career is because almost all of her well-known songs were covers. She didn’t have enough original material.

by Anonymous

reply 66

August 15, 2019 9:19 PM

R67 Hi Bette! Try recording some original material for once. Kthanxbye!

by Anonymous

reply 68

August 15, 2019 10:20 PM

r23, was the person who was stabbed a DJ?

by Anonymous

reply 69

August 15, 2019 10:23 PM