Bette Midler is the second studio album by American singer Bette Midler, released in 1973 on the Atlantic Records label. Produced by Arif Mardin and Barry Manilow, Bette Midler 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
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 16, 1973
Recorded1973
GenreVocal
Length32:32
LabelAtlantic
ProducerArif Mardin, Barry Manilow
Bette Midler chronology
The Divine Miss M
(1972)
Bette Midler
(1973)
Songs for the New Depression
(1976)
Singles from Bette Milder
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Christgau's Record GuideB+[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

Bette Midler reached No. 6 on the US albums chart and was later awarded a Gold Disc by the RIAA.

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

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Skylark"Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer3:02
2."Drinking Again"Doris Tauber, Mercer2:48
3."Breaking Up Somebody's Home"Al Jackson Jr., Timothy Matthews3:49
4."Surabaya Johnny"Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Herbert Hartig4:54
5."I Shall Be Released"Bob Dylan4:56

Personnel

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Production

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Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  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. ^ Coleman, Marc; Brackett, Nathan (2004). "Bette Midler". In Brackett, Nathan; Christian, Hoard (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 540. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4968". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  5. ^ "Bette Midler Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  6. ^ "The Top 100 Albums of '74" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 22, no. 19. December 28, 1974. p. 15. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved May 16, 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  7. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1974". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "American album certifications – Bette Midler – Bette Midler". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 29, 2017.