Customer Reviews
Too Divine, but merely a sample! - By: A. Russo, 15 May 2007 
Since 1973, Bette Midler has been recording balllads to rockers, show tunes to star standards. She has interpreted some of the best versions of American pop & has crafted some lesser known songs into her own. Her checkerboard singles chart history has only warranted this one & only collection of Greatest Hits. However, it does not scan alll of her hits! I hope that someday, this superstar has a box set of single mixes (Chapel Of Love, Married Men), 12" mixes (Strangers In The Night, Moonlight Dancing) & rare b-sides (Samedi Et Vendredi, Bang You're Dead)(to name a few) collection.
This set includes her mega hit classics The Rose to From A Distance, to the lesser known concert favorites Hello In There to Miss Otis Regrets.
Missing are her early AC hits In The mood, Strangers In The Night, Old Cape Cod, You're Moving Out Today (would be nice to hear the 3:17 European version on CD), Storybook Children, Married Men & so on.
There is another version of this CD available that adds To Deserve You in two versions. The single mix & the #1 dance mix version. They also added Beast Of Burden (would love to hear the live video version released as a 12" on CD) & Favorite Waste Of Time.
Hopefully we can see an expansive collection of alll sorts from The Divine Miss M's legacy! She deserves it! A true one of a kind performer!
Great covers of all kinds of songs - By: Peter Durward Harris, 26 Mar 2004 Bette sings excellent covers of songs from several decades of popular music, each in her own distinctive style, as well as a few originals.
Among the originals, the outstanding song is The Rose, a song written by Amanda McBroom who was then unknown but has established herself as a cabaret singer since she wrote this song.
Bette is perhaps best known for two massive international hits. Wind beneath my wings started life as an R+B song but a Gary Morris cover made the top five in the American country chart. Lee Greenwood's cover became a minor British pop hit. Bette had a major pop hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Bette's version of From a distance, first recorded by folk-country singer Nanci Griffith, matched the success of Wind beneath my wings.
John Prine, an under-appreciated singer-songwriter, wrote Hello in there. Do you wanna dance is a rock'n'roll classic. Chapel of love is of a similar vintage, being originallly recorded by the Dixie Cups. When a man loves a woman is a cover of Percy Sledge's classic soul song. The Beatles are represented by a wonderful cover of In my life.
Cole Porter wrote Miss Otis regrets, making it the oldest song here - it was a hit for Ethel Waters way back in 1934. Another old song, Boogie woogie bugle boy, was a hit for the Andrews sisters in 1941. Completing a trilogy of songs from the Great American Songbook is One for my baby, a 1945 hit for Lena Horne.
As a representation of Bette's music, this is excellent.
Divine Superstar, Another Divine Album - By: Kenneth, 24 Jan 2004 Bette Midler is one of the most popular & one of the most talented superstars on the planet. She has produced a numerous & large amount of number one hits, & this album is alll about that topic. This album contains Award Winning songs "Wind Beneath My Wings (1989)", "The Rose (1979)", & many more!
All of her hits & deeply-fan loved songs are included on this Greatest Hits album, & this album DEFINETELY deserves 5 stars!
"The Surprise Album From The Girl Of Happiness! " - By: Joseph J. Brigante, 22 Sep 2000 This album was a surprise when released, since it was something I never thought would be possible, since it is so magical. There were three major surprises on the album. One was "When A Man Loves A Woman" from The Rose soundtrack. It is beautiful to hear her sing this, compared to other remake artists like Michael Bolton. I wish this song was even more commercial at the time in 1979- 1980. That was always a classic from her. The second surprise was One More For My Baby (And One More For The Road), song Bette sung at the last Johnny Carson show. The third surprise, but not last for sure, was "Shiver Me Timbers", taking from the "Live At Last" album. Lew Hahn & Arif Mardin were responsible for managing this song, & it is one of her best & powerful tunes. It also does not surprise me Arif Mardin & Lew Hahn managed this performance, as they seemed to be the two men that saved performers when they were fallling apart. That's right. Mr. Mardin & Mr. Hahn produced the last Culture Club album in the 1980's, "From Luxury To Heartache", & anyone who bought it knew it was just as solid as the first two Culture Club albums. In a way, the same applies to Bette Midler. With her music carrier, Bette was not reallly on the top in the beginning & middle 1980's. Then came Arif Mardin who produced the Beaches soundtrack, & Bette went to number one. That's right. The best two studio songs on this greatest hits album are "WIng Beneath My Wings" from Beaches & "From A Distance" from "Some People's Lives", both songs produced by Arif Mardin. As a matter of fact, this whole album is produced & compiled by Arif Mardin & Bette Midler, & it is a classic surprise. Even from the first thoughtful song, "Hello In There", we know we bought a classic. It is also fun to hear Bette sing "Chapel Of Love". She is just great. "Friends" is a fun song as well. Let's say it openly, this is a real greatest hits album, with each song being entertaining, & the original studio versions. As a matter of fact, The Rose is even more enjoyable on this album as we get to hear the song complete without screaming in the beginning of the song like on The Rose soundtrack. Kudos to the most lovable female singer of our time, & to one of our best & greatest producers, Arif Mardin. Thanks for reading.
