Bette

Bette Midler | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 10, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 10, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00004YNDV
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,121 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bette gives us her Best once again, October 11, 2000

By 

LEE (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bette (Audio CD)

Bette Midler's new album, "Bette" doesn't break any new ground musically, but it does give Bette's fans more of why we love her; Smart and catchy tunes, old and new, delivered with the style and panache we expect from the Divine Miss M.

The highlights of this album include Bette's remake of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach's "God Give Me Strength". Like Tina Turner, Nancy Wilson and Annie Lennox, Bette can take someone else's song (Costello's take on this song is full of power and passion)and masterfully turn it into her own. You feel the pain and angst of love gone awry in her singing.

Also, the catchy do-wop feel to "Nobody Else but You",which is the theme to Bette's new sitcom, is fun and frothy; the sly and silly "In These Shoes" is another Divine romp in the style of former Midler comic gems like "I'm Beautiful" and "I Look Good"; and "Bless You, Child" is an interesting paradox of stoic and reaffirming lyrics set against a electronic dance background.

The production for most of this album is steered by Don Was of Was Not! Was fame. Was has produced records for the like of Bonnie Raitt and the B-52's. Also Midler's longtime collaborator, Marc Shaiman, helps in the producing of this album. Interesting of note is that Madonna's famous backup girls, Nikki Harris and Donna DeLory, do some vocal work on "Bette". Hmmmm....Would they be killer Harlettes or what!

Word has it that songs from "Bette" the album will be featured this season on "Bette" the sitcom. Here's hoping radio picks up some of these great songs for their airplay!

Sweet and somber, sassy and sexy, "Bette" will not disappoint Midler's legion of loyal fans, and if you've never bought a Bette Midler album...shame on you...catch up and get this one!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bette - It's great to have you back!!, October 11, 2000

By 

D. A. Vall-lloveras (Los Angeles CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bette (Audio CD)

Bette is back with a new CD and her first network TV show on CBS to boot! Again, the Divine Miss M presents a great selection of familiar and not-so-familiar material. The CD opens with the wonderful "That's How Heartaches Are Made", a hidden classic of the 1960s recorded by Baby Washington, Dusty Springfield and the Marvelettes among others. She also tackles Teddy Pendergrass' "Love TKO", the Manhattans' "Shining Star" and the Temptations' "Just My Imagination." The latter with less success than the others (check out "Just My Imagination" sung by Gwennyth Paltrow and Babyface on the new "Duets" Soundtrack CD). She does go for a bit of camp on "In These Shoes" with a latin beat that is just a bit too close to Santana's "Supernatural." However, she does really shine on "Moses",(with a nice island/calypso beat and wonderful horns); the ballads "Color of Roses" and "When Your Life Was Low"; the bluesy "God Give Me Strength" and the theme for her TV Show "Nobody Else But You." The real sleeper here may be the hypnotic dance track "Bless You Child."

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bette in a long time, October 11, 2000

By 

"mmmoon" (Jersey City, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bette (Audio CD)

"Bette" is a much more focused collection than "Bathhouse Betty." There's some really terrific material included here. The outstanding tracks are "In These Shoes', an irresistible Latin number which is Bette's tongue-in-cheek contribution to the current 'Latin craze'. Patti Griffith's "Moses' also has a Latin tinge, with perhaps a bit of Paul Simon thrown in for good measure. One of the best things she's recorded in years. Both excellent choices, and arranged and performed beautifully.

She includes some nice Philly Soul covers in "Just My Imagination' 'Shining Star" and "Love TKO." "Nobody Else But You," the theme song of her new TV show. this one was written by Bette and her accompanist Marc Shaiman. Very catchy and upbeat-reminiscent of "Friends" with a Laura Nyro influence.

The Standout ballad is 'When your life Was Low". a perfect song for Bette-beautiful melody, with a nice bitter twist to the lyrics. Much more interesting than the material what the record companies have been foisting on her since "Beaches'

All in all, "Bette' contains some of the best things she's ever committed to record, and it all feels like material that she actually LIKES, instead of what Warner Brothers thinks will get played on radio. Don Was does a great job of capturing her talent. Highly recommended...