Bathhouse Betty

Last updated
Bathhouse Betty
Bathhouse Betty.jpg
Studio album by
Bette Midler
ReleasedSeptember 15, 1998
Recorded1997–98
Genre Pop
Length44:58
48:27 (Japan)
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Arif Mardin, David Foster, Ted Templeman, Brock Walsh, Marc Shaiman, Chuckii Booker
Bette Midler chronology
Bette of Roses
(1995)		Bathhouse Betty
(1998)		 Bette
(2000)
Singles from Bathhouse Betty
  1. "That's How Love Moves"
  2. "My One True Friend"
  3. "I'm Beautiful"

Bathhouse Betty is the ninth studio album by the American singer Bette Midler, released in 1998. Bathhouse Betty was Midler's debut album for Warner Bros. Records, after having parted ways with sister label Atlantic Records in 1995 following the moderate commercial success of her later-platinum certified album Bette of Roses . Bathhouse Betty was certified Gold by the RIAA and spawned the Billboard Dance Club chart topper "I'm Beautiful".

Contents

Background and production

The title of the album, Bathhouse Betty, refers to Midler's early career when she performed her cabaret shows at gay bathhouses like the Continental Baths in New York which led to her becoming a gay icon with a loyal LGBT following ever since. When Midler promoted the album she said in an interview, "Despite the way things turned out [with the AIDS crisis], I'm still proud of those days [when I got my start singing at the gay bathhouses]. I feel like I was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement, and I hope I did my part to help it move forward. So, I kind of wear the label of 'Bathhouse Betty' with pride." [1]

Released some twenty-five years after Midler's breakthrough with the album The Divine Miss M , Bathhouse Betty was musically a comeback and a return to her roots and her high camp Mae-West-meets-the-Andrews-Sisters stage persona of the same name. The second single "I'm Beautiful"— a remake of a song by house music group Uncanny Alliance - opens with the spoken line, "This is the Divine Miss M and I'm here to share with you some rare and stimulating insight about my cosmic fabulosity!" and effectively set the tone for the following album.

"Ukulele Lady", a tribute to Midler's native Hawaii which she had first performed live in the 1997 TV special Diva Las Vegas , is an old evergreen written by Gus Kahn and Richard A. Whiting, published in 1925 and first made famous by Vaughn De Leath—and later recorded by among others Miss Piggy on The Muppet Show . Other songs on Bathhouse Betty include early girl group classics like Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles' debut single "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" and 1950's R&B chanteuse Big Maybelle's "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show", the latter featuring swing-rock band Royal Crown Revue. Contemporary covers include Ben Folds' tragicomic "Boxing", an imagined monologue by Muhammad Ali, originally featured on Ben Folds Five's 1995 self-titled debut album, Dave Frishberg's "I'm Hip" and Dick Gallagher and Mark Waldrop's "Laughing Matters", taken from Howard Crabtree's 1996 gay musical revue When Pigs Fly . "Big Socks", an original written and produced by Chuckii Booker, is a tongue-in-cheek contemporary R&B track whose lyrics debate the supposed correlation between the size of men's feet and other body parts; "Don't brag about your body, baby, and say that you're packin' a lot, 'cause all I see besides your big feet is that you got big socks."

Bathhouse Betty was not all campiness and laughs; the album opens with the ballad "Song of Bernadette" written by Leonard Cohen, Bill Elliott and Jennifer Warnes, and first recorded by Warnes on her 1987 album Famous Blue Raincoat . The title and the lyrics of the song refer to Bernadette Soubirous, a young French girl in the mid-19th century who claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary on several occasions. Bernadette was subsequently declared insane by the villagers of Lourdes, but canonized by the Catholic Church and proclaimed Saint Bernadette after her death. "Lullaby in Blue", which Midler described as her personal favourite on the album, was co-written by Leonard Cohen's son Adam and is a song about a woman who gave up a child for adoption: "I've never heard a pop song about a person who gives their child up and is missing the child... The first time I heard that song, I burst into tears." [2] The first single released from the album was the melancholy "My One True Friend", composed by David Foster, Carole King and Carole Bayer Sager and the lead song from the movie One True Thing which starred Meryl Streep and William Hurt.

One track from the Bathhouse Betty sessions, Julie Gold's "Heaven", was only released as a single B-side and featured as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of the album. Gold had previously written Midler's 1990 hit single "From a Distance".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

The album received mixed reviews from music critics. Michael Gallucci from AllMusic website gave the album two out of five stars and wrote that it "tries to be all things to all Bette Midler fans" including "high camp for her loyal, and early, drag cult", "straight-up covers of big-league songwriters, both veteran and modern" and "big, bad ballads for the people who made her a moderately successful Top 40 and box office draw". According to him it lacks personality and is "almost like looking at a photo album filled with vaguely familiar faces, none of which you really know that well." Robert Cristgau gave the album one star and chose "I'm Beautiful" and "Lullabye in Blue" as the best moments of the album.

Commercial performance

Bathhouse Betty reached number 32 on the Billboard 200; "My One True Friend" reached number 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart. "I'm Beautiful", which featured dance remixes by among others Victor Calderone, Danny Tenaglia and composer Brinsley Evans himself, was a major dance-floor hit, becoming a number 1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 8 on Hot Dance Music/Maxi Singles Sales.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Song of Bernadette" (originally recorded by Jennifer Warnes) Leonard Cohen, Bill Elliott, Jennifer Warnes Ted Templeman 3:46
2."I'm Beautiful" (originally recorded by Uncanny Alliance)Brinsley Evans Arif Mardin 3:55
3."Lullaby in Blue" Adam Cohen, Brock WalshBrock Walsh5:09
4."Ukulele Lady" (originally recorded by Vaughn De Leath) Gus Kahn, Richard Whiting Mardin3:34
5."I'm Hip" (originally recorded by Dave Frishberg) Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg Marc Shaiman 2:44
6."I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" (originally recorded by The Basin Street Boys) Leon René, Otis RenéMardin3:10
7."One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" (originally recorded by Big Maybelle) Rose Marie McCoy, Charlie Singleton Templeman2:46
8."Boxing" (originally recorded by Ben Folds Five) Ben Folds Templeman4:26
9."Big Socks" Chuckii Booker Chuckii Booker 3:51
10."That's How Love Moves" Jennifer Kimball, Ty Lacy, Fitzgerald ScottMardin3:54
11."My One True Friend" (from the motion picture One True Thing ) David Foster, Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager David Foster 3:49
12."Laughing Matters" (originally from the musical When Pigs Fly ) Dick Gallagher, Mark Waldrop Shaiman3:54
13."Heaven" (Japan bonus track; originally recorded by Nanci Griffith) Julie Gold Shaiman3:29

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart performance for Bathhouse Betty
Chart (1998)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [6] 55
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [7] 88
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [8] 68
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [9] 89
US Billboard 200 [10] 32

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [11] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Broken Blossom</i> 1977 studio album by Bette Midler

Broken Blossom is the fourth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, her second album release in 1977 and her fifth on the Atlantic Records label. Just as Midler's three previous studio albums Broken Blossom includes songs from a wide variety of genres, ranging from Edith Piaf's signature tune "La vie en rose", Phil Spector-esque covers of Billy Joel's "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" and Harry Nilsson's "Paradise" and hard rock like Sammy Hagar's "Red", to a jazzy duet with Tom Waits, "I Never Talk to Strangers", and a rendition of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes", originally from Walt Disney's 1950 film version of Cinderella. The album reached No. 51 on Billboard's album chart.

<i>The Divine Miss M</i> 1972 studio album by Bette Midler

The Divine Miss M is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Bette Midler, released in 1972 on the Atlantic Records label. The title of the album refers to Midler's famous stage persona. The album was co-produced by Barry Manilow, and includes several songs that since have become repertoire standards, such as "Do You Want to Dance?", "Chapel of Love", "Hello In There", "Friends" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". The album art was designed by Richard Amsel. It was released on CD for the first time in 1990. A remastered version of the album was released by Atlantic Records/Warner Music in 1995. A remastered deluxe edition was released in October 2016.

<i>Bette Midler</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Bette Midler

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.

<i>Songs for the New Depression</i> 1976 studio album by Bette Midler

Songs for the New Depression is the third studio album by the American singer Bette Midler, released in early 1976 on the Atlantic Records label. The album was released on CD for the first time in 1990. A remastered version of the album was released by Atlantic Records/Warner Music in 1995. A limited edition remastered version of the album was released by Friday Music in 2014.

<i>Live at Last</i> (Bette Midler album) 1977 live album by Bette Midler

Live at Last is the first live album by American singer Bette Midler, a two-disc set released in 1977, Midler's fourth album release on the Atlantic Records label. The album spawned from her live, recorded performance, "The Depression Tour" in Cleveland, entitled "The Bette Midler Show". The album was released on CD for the first time in 1993. A limited edition remastered version of the album was released by Friday Music in 2012.

<i>Thighs and Whispers</i> 1979 studio album by Bette Midler

Thighs and Whispers is the fifth studio album by American singer Bette Midler. Released in 1979, the album reached No. 65 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.

<i>The Rose</i> (soundtrack) 1979 soundtrack album by Bette Midler

The Rose is the soundtrack to the feature film of the same name starring Bette Midler, released in 1979.

<i>Divine Madness</i> (Bette Midler album) 1980 live album by Bette Midler

Divine Madness is an album by American singer Bette Midler and the Harlettes, released in 1980. It is a live recording taken from Midler's Divine Madness concert film, released the same year. The album, however, does not contain any of Midler's comedy routines and features only her musical performances from the show and it in fact only provides half of the songs that appear in the film. The original live recordings were also to a large extent edited and re-recorded in the studio for the soundtrack album.

<i>No Frills</i> (Bette Midler album) 1983 studio album by Bette Midler

No Frills is the sixth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, released on Atlantic Records in 1983. No Frills was Midler's first studio album in four years, following the movies The Rose, Divine Madness! and Jinxed!. The rock and new wave influenced album was produced by Chuck Plotkin, best known for his work with Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, and included three single releases; the ballad "All I Need to Know", a cover of Marshall Crenshaw's "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" and Midler's take on the Rolling Stones song "Beast of Burden".

<i>Some Peoples Lives</i> 1990 studio album by Bette Midler

Some People's Lives is the seventh studio album by American singer Bette Midler. It was released by Atlantic Records on September 4, 1990, in the United States. It contains one of her biggest hits, "From a Distance," which won songwriter Julie Gold a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1991.

<i>For the Boys</i> (soundtrack) 1991 soundtrack album by Bette Midler

For the Boys: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the feature film of the same name starring Bette Midler and James Caan, released on the Atlantic Records label in 1991.

<i>Bette of Roses</i> 1995 studio album by Bette Midler

Bette of Roses is the eighth studio album by the American singer Bette Midler. It was released by Atlantic Records on July 18, 1995, in the United States. The title was a play on the title of one of the tracks, "Bed of Roses". It became Midler's final album for the label, twenty-three years after the release of her debut album The Divine Miss M, since she was transferred to Atlantic's sister label Warner Bros. Records for her next two albums, then left the Warner group completely in 2002 when she signed with the Sony-owned Columbia Records.

<i>It Begins Again</i> Album by Dusty Springfield

It Begins Again is the tenth studio album recorded by Dusty Springfield and the ninth released. Recorded during the middle of 1977, It Begins Again was her first completed and released album since Cameo five years earlier. Two of the album's titles, "Turn Me Around" and "A Love Like Yours ", were tracks from the abandoned 1974 Longing sessions and Springfield decided to record new versions of both songs for It Begins Again, placing Chi Coltrane's "Turn Me Around" as the opening track.

<i>Longing</i> (Dusty Springfield album) Studio album by Dusty Springfield

Longing is the unreleased ninth studio album by Dusty Springfield, recorded in 1974 and planned for release the same year as her second LP for the ABC Dunhill Records label. Most of the Longing recordings were mixed and released much later on the compilations Simply Dusty (2000) and Beautiful Soul: The ABC Dunhill Collection (2001).

<i>Cool Yule</i> 2006 studio album by Bette Midler

Cool Yule is a first holiday album by American singer Bette Midler. It was released on October 10, 2006, through Columbia Records. The album features many standard Christmas tunes as well as a reworking edition of her Grammy-winning hit "From a Distance". In 2008, Cool Yule was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category.

<i>Beaches</i> (soundtrack) 1988 soundtrack album by Bette Midler

Beaches: Original Soundtrack Recording is the soundtrack to the Academy Award-nominated 1988 film starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. Midler performs most of the tracks on the album, released on the Atlantic Records label. The album also reunited her with producer Arif Mardin. It features one of Midler's best-known songs, the ballad "Wind Beneath My Wings", which was a number-one hit.

<i>Cass Elliot</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Cass Elliot

Cass Elliot is the fourth studio album released by Cass Elliot and the first album recorded for RCA Records, being released in January 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss My Brass</span> 2003–05 concert tour by Bette Midler

Bette Midler hit the road for the first time in four years with her 2003–05 Kiss My Brass concert tour. The first leg of the tour kicked off on December 10 in Chicago and went through the middle of February. The tour hit the top 40 cities across the U.S. with one stop in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The first leg of the tour ended in Atlantic City, New Jersey and the second leg of the tour began in Manchester, New Hampshire and ended in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Beautiful Dammitt!</span> 1993 single by Uncanny Alliance

"I'm Beautiful Dammitt!" was the second single released from the Uncanny Alliance LP, The Groove Won't Bite, released as a CD single and 12".

<i>A Little More Magic</i> 1993 studio album by Teddy Pendergrass

A Little More Magic is the twelfth studio album by American R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass. It was released by Elektra Records on September 14, 1993. This was the third and last album Pendergrass recorded for Elektra, and was commercially the least successful of the three despite featuring songwriting and production credits from well-known names such as Barry White, Gerald Levert and Leon Huff as well as Reggie and Vincent Calloway.

References

  1. ↑ "Bette Midler". Houston Voice. 23 October 1998. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019.
  2. ↑ Newman, Melinda (1998-09-05). "Midler makes Warner Bros. debut with 'Bathhouse Betty'". Billboard . Vol. 110, no. 36. pp. 15–16.
  3. ↑ Gallucci, Michael. Bathhouse Betty - Bette Midler. RhythmOne . Retrieved March 13, 2021.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ↑ Christgau, Robert. Consumer Guide Reviews: Bette Midler . Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 187.
  7. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7062". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bette Midler – Bathhouse Betty" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Bette Midler ベット・ミドラー – Japan – Albums – Bathhouse Betty バスハウス・ベティ". Oricon (in Japanese). オリコン. Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  10. ↑ "Bette Midler Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "American album certifications – Bette Midler – Bathhouse Betty". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 30 December 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.