Bette Midler (album)

Bette Midler is the eponymous second studio album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in 1973 on the Atlantic Records label.
The album, produced by Arif Mardin and Barry Manilow, includes Midler's interpretations of Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark", Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill's "Surabaya Johnny", Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" and Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" as well as a Phil Spector medley.
Bette Midler reached #6 on the US albums chart and was later awarded a Gold Disc by the RIAA.

This article is about the 1973 album. For the 2000 album, see Bette (album).

Bette Midler
Studio album by Bette Midler
Released	November 16, 1973
Recorded	1973
Genre	Vocal
Length	32:32
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Arif Mardin, Barry Manilow
Bette Midler chronology
The Divine Miss M (1972) Bette Midler (1973) Songs for the New Depression (1976)
Singles from Bette Milder
"In the Mood"

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Christgau's Record Guide	B+[1]

The album was released on CD for the first time in 1989. A remastered version of the album was released by Atlantic Records/Warner Music in 1995.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Skylark"	Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer	3:02
2.	"Drinking Again"	Doris Tauber, Mercer	2:48
3.	"Breaking Up Somebody's Home"	Al Jackson Jr., Timothy Matthews	3:49
4.	"Surabaya Johnny"	Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Herbert Hartig	4:54
5.	"I Shall Be Released"	Bob Dylan	4:56

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Optimistic Voices/Lullaby of Broadway"	Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg / Harry Warren, Al Dubin	2:27
7.	"In the Mood"	Joe Garland, Andy Razaf	2:39
8.	"Uptown/Da Doo Ron Ron"	Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil / Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector	3:23
9.	"Twisted"	Wardell Gray, Annie Ross	2:25
10.	"Higher & Higher (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me)"	Carl Smith, Raynard Miner, Gary Jackson	4:06

Personnel

• Bette Midler – lead vocals
• Barry Manilow – piano, percussion, backing vocals, musical arranger, musical conductor
• Ken Ascher – keyboards
• Pat Rebillot – keyboards
• Don Grolnick – keyboards
• David Spinozza – guitars
• Cornell Dupree – guitars
• Frank Vento – guitars
• Hugh McCracken – guitars
• Stu Woods – bass guitars
• Chuck Rainey – bass guitar
• William Salter – bass guitar
• Milt Hinton – double bass
• Will Lee – bass guitar
• Rick Marotta – drums
• Grady Tate – drums
• Bernard Purdie – drums
• Steve Gadd – drums
• Luther Rix – drums, percussion
• Ralph MacDonald – percussion
• Arif Mardin – percussion
• Kenneth Bichel – synthesizers
• Gene Orloff – concert master
• Gail Kantor – background vocals
• Merle Miller – background vocals
• Sylvia Shemwell – background vocals
• Myrna Smith – background vocals
• Tasha Thomas – background vocals
• Shirley Brewer – background vocals
• Ann S. Clark – background vocals
• Sharon Redd – background vocals
• Robin Grean – background vocals
• Charlotte Crossley – background vocals

Production

• Arif Mardin – producer
• Barry Manilow – producer
• Gene Paul – recording engineer
• Lew Hahn – recording engineer
• Jimmy Douglass – recording engineer for additional recordings
• Robbert Warner – recording engineer for additional recordings
• Elliot Scheiner – recording engineer for additional recordings
• Buzz Richmond – recording engineer for additional recordings
• Scott Schreckengosf – recording engineer for additional recordings
• George Piros – mastering
• Dennis King – mastering
• Richard Amsel – cover art
• Lee Gurst – backliner photo
• Loring Eutemey – album design
• Recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York, N.Y.
• Additional recordings at A & R Studios, New York, N.Y.; Atlantic Recording Studios, New York, N.Y. & Kaye / Smith Studios, Seattle, Washington
• Re-mixed by: Lew Hahn & Arif Mardin

Charts

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[2]	14
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[3]	3
US Billboard 200[4]	6

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5]	Gold	500,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
2. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
3. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4968". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
4. "Bette Midler Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
5. "American album certifications – Bette Midler – Bette Midler". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 29 December 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.