Customer Reviews

Live at Last

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Bette Midler's Live at Last live album is a great achievment for the divine miss M! It was recorded in Clevland as part of the tour that stretched from her Clams on the Half Shell blockbuster broadway show. It features many of the same songs, and acts from the show and even has the mechanical "King Kong" from the original broadway production. Starting with her trademark opening song, Friends she goes in to full force. After proclaiming an audience member looks like s**t she goes right into the dynamic Bang, Your Dead. Neil Young's Birds is a soft ballad going into the hilarious comic relief where we find out she's sleeping with Jack Kennedy and is set to film the sequal to Jaws in which a shark is attacked by a great white woman. Shiver Me Timbers is a heartbreaking track that was actually the only single released from the album. The Vicki Eydie Show segment is a pre Deloris Delago lounge singer sketch. The second disc includes highlights Do You wanna Dance, Hello In There, and the phenomanal Delta Dawn. Bette Midlers live performance of Delta Dawn should have won a grammy. Ofcourse you hear some dirty Sophie Tucker Jokes and she ends with a energetic medley of Up the Ladder, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, and Friends. Granted Bette's live performances now are more entertaing, the sheer ferocity and raw emotion of her 70's live act is yet to be matched. I recommend to this to everybody.

First of all, let me say that I have a weird thing about live albums. For some reason, I seem to shy away from them, I don't tend to like them quite as much as studio albums. I should have known better with Bette. The woman was born to be in front of a live audience, she's so in her element. I already owned the DVD and CD soundtrack of "Divine Madness" and still didn't purchase this CD until after I saw Bette live in person myself on her Divine Miss Millennium tour in 1999. I finally realized I was going to have to land myself a copy of this album. After kicking myself for a while for waiting for so long to purchase it, I spent a lot of time listening and wishing so much that I'd been able to attend this concert in person (of course, I was only 6 years old, but I digress). It's just one of those performances where you can only wish you'd been there and count yourself lucky if you were. A phenomenal performance captured (thankfully) for all time that should be in every Bette fan's collection.

...because this record of a mid-70s concert in Cleveland is one of the best things Midler has ever done. An audience galvanizes her, and for much of this two-disc set she's on fire. Whether breaking your heart with a slow song ("did I sing the ballad yet? Was it wonderful?") or roaring through her trademark campfest-versions of forties classics, Bette is the consummate live performer. The only shame is that she's never done studio versions of some of the numbers -- "Bang You're Dead" in particular has a killer arrangement (and the band throughout is amazingly good). A must for the fan or an excellent introduction...

Bette Midler's first live album. Bette Midler as a live performer puts on a helluva show. This album shows that. The 2-Disc set catches Midler at her stunning, bitchy, emotional best. Midler's voice live, shows more than on her recordings. Her recordings never quite catch the essence of Midler. Her voice does so much more than any other in the recording industry, and this album shows that. Midler classics are here like Friends, Delta Dawn (this version is absolutely AMAZING), Hello In There, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, and Do You Want To Dance. Up The Ladder To The Roof is a stunning achievement having the upbeat gospel praise God beat and sound. The sexually comic Long John Blues is an outstanding example of Midler's voice. The classic Midler Sophie Jokes are also on this album. Also here is Fried Eggs, a hilarious, yet true to life emotional story that you'll memorize to tell all your friends. If you loved this Bette album, you'll love her other live album, Divine Madness soundtrack. Support Bette Midler! Buy the album here! Don't buy from an auction or download the songs for free!

why oh why don't 'they' release this show on dvd.It's been on television mid seventies in europe several times,in different countries(Belgium,holland,germany).So i't can't be that difficult to release the entire show on dvd.although i was still very young at that time i never forgot it and the moment i could afford it i bought the double album(of course the moment it was released on cd i bought that one too the lp's were worn out)the whole live at last is "Divine".
And what happened to the vhs release of 'art or bust'?

Bette taking Cleveland by storm, after she had hit mainstream but still clearly remembered where she had started. The television registration of this show created a furore and a cult following as far away as The Netherlands. A superb opening which begins in a hospital bed is followed by great songs such as My dreams of Dr. Long John, Around the World in Eighty Ways, by great Sophie Tucker jokes concerning her boyfriend Ernie, and a very direct and spontaneous contact with the audience about her hotel arrangements for that night. Experiencing Bette live on this album is appreciating her incredible dynamism and tireless energy from up close. Glad it is back on CD.

For all of you unlucky enough to not have seen the Divine Miss M in Concert, this is the CD for you!!! All the Best songs, and Sophie Tucker too!! PLus Delores DeLago to toast of Chicago. I have played this CD a hundred times and plan on a hundred more. Only thing better is Bette live in person!!

If you are a fan of the early years of Bette Midler, and you don't own this item ... SHAME ON YOU!

This 2-disc CD capture's Bette in her original form.Madonna was only able to steal the vulgarity and took it a step further. But Bette combines vulgarity, comedy and sincerety to a musical extravaganza! My favorite cut is the studio intermission hit "You're Moving Out Today",written with Carole Bayer Sager & Bruce Roberts.The dirty dentist "long John Blues" and Those Wonderfull Sophie Jokes will keep you smiling.Straight foreward ballads, Neil Young's "birds", Tom Waits "Shiver Me Timbers" and John Prine's "Hello In There". "Delta Dawn is a little overripe, however.

This albulm is just fantastic, what a great performer and the sound is great. This is one of my all time favourite, with such classic as "Delta Dawn" which is amazing, this albulm shows the Divine Miss M at her best.