Songs for the New Depression

Last updated
Songs for the New Depression
SongsForNew.jpg
Studio album by
Bette Midler
ReleasedJanuary 8, 1976
Recorded1972–76
Genre Vocal
Length38:47
Label Atlantic (SD 18155)
Producer Bette Midler, Joel Dorn, Ahmet Ertegün, Arif Mardin, Mark "Moogy" Klingman, Jack Malken
Bette Midler chronology
Bette Midler
(1973)		Songs for the New Depression
(1976)		 Live at Last
(1977)
Singles from Songs for the New Depression
  1. "Strangers in the Night"
  2. "Samedi et Vendredi"
  3. "Old Cape Cod"

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.

Contents

Production and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide C+ [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

The album which saw her making her debut as a composer ("Mr. Rockefeller" and the French language "Samedi et Vendredi"), as well as co-producer and sound engineer features contributions from musicians as diverse as soul singer Luther Vandross, Todd Rundgren and Brazilian jazz accordionist Sivuca. Songs for the New Depression includes Midler's version of Tom Waits' "Shiver Me Timbers", a duet with Bob Dylan, "Buckets of Rain", and opens with her discofied take on Frank Sinatra's standard "Strangers in the Night" which became a No. 7 hit on the US dance chart. Two of the tracks, "Old Cape Cod" and "Marahuana", were originally recorded during the sessions for 1972 debut album The Divine Miss M but remixed three years later by producers Lew Hahn and Arif Mardin for Songs for the New Depression. The album peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard albums chart. "Mr. Rockefeller" was sampled by rapper Kanye West on the song, "Last Call", from his debut album, The College Dropout .

Track listing

Side A

  1. "Strangers in the Night" (Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder) - 3:22
  2. "I Don't Want the Night to End" (Phoebe Snow) - 3:53
  3. "Mr. Rockefeller" (Jerry Blatt, Bette Midler) - 4:05
  4. "Old Cape Cod" (Claire Rothrock, Allan Jeffrey, Milton Yakus) - 2:50
  5. "Buckets of Rain" (Bob Dylan), *Bette Midler - 4:00
  6. "Love Says It's Waiting" (Nick Holmes) - 1:41
    • From The Promise Suite

Side B

  1. "Shiver Me Timbers"/"Samedi et Vendredi" (Tom Waits, Midler, Moogy Klingman) - 6:25
  2. "No Jestering" (Carlton Malcolm) - 3:59
  3. "Tragedy" (Gerald Nelson, Fred Burch) - 3:06
  4. "Marahuana" (Arthur Jonston, Sam Coslow) - 2:30
  5. "Let Me Just Follow Behind" (Klingman) - 3:36

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart performance for Songs for the New Depression
Chart (1976)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [4] 50
US Billboard 200 [5] 27
US Top 100 Albums ( Cash Box ) [6] 14
US The Album Chart ( Record World ) [7] 20

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>Miss the Mississippi</i> 1979 studio album by Crystal Gayle

Miss the Mississippi is a studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. Released in September 1979, it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Country Albums 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>Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas</i> 1971 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records in October, 1971. It was Presley's first collection of new Christmas recordings since Elvis' Christmas Album (1957). Two songs from the album, "Merry Christmas Baby" and "O Come All Ye Faithful", were issued as a single in November, 1971. The album topped the Christmas LP's chart that year and would have charted high on the Billboard Top LPs chart, but from 1963 to 1973, holiday albums were not allowed to chart. Though lacking the commercial appeal of Elvis' Christmas Album from 1957, it gradually became a perennial favorite. In 1976, the album was reissued in the mid-priced RCA Pure Gold series with a new catalog number (ANL1-1936). The LP was certified Gold on November 4, 1977, Platinum on December 1, 1977, 2× Platinum on May 20, 1988, and 3× Platinum on July 15, 1999, by the RIAA.

<i>The Mad Hatter</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Chick Corea

Mad Hatter is a studio album by Chick Corea. Released in 1978, it is a concept album inspired by Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

<i>Secret Agent</i> (Chick Corea album) 1978 studio album by Chick Corea

Secret Agent is a studio album by Chick Corea, recorded and released in 1978. It is a musically diverse release that features Corea’s long-standing collaborators Joe Farrell on reeds and woodwinds, percussionist Airto, and vocalist Gayle Moran. Al Jarreau sings “Hot News Blues”, and a four piece brass section and string quartet also appear.

<i>Barbra Joan Streisand</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Barbra Joan Streisand is the thirteenth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released in August 1971 on Columbia Records. It was her second consecutive album produced by Richard Perry and features backing work by members of the female band Fanny. Like the two previous studio albums, the singer continued to opt for a more contemporary repertoire, this time choosing three songs by Carole King, two by John Lennon, two by Burt Bacharach and Hal David in medley form, one each by Laura Nyro and the trio Michel LeGrand, Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman, and one by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, who would go on to form Steely Dan.

<i>Playin Favorites</i> 1973 studio album by Don McLean

Playin' Favorites is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Don McLean, released in 1973. It was re-issued by BGO Records in 1995.

<i>Backtrackin</i> 1984 compilation album by Eric Clapton

Backtrackin' is a two-disc compilation album by Eric Clapton spanning the years 1966 to 1980. It was released in 1984. The compilation contains all of Clapton's best known songs with Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, and his solo 1970s work through his 1980 live album Just One Night. This compilation album is made in Germany and is only available in the United States as an import. It was originally released by Starblend Records, and has since been reissued by Polydor Records. This 2 CD compilation is currently out of print in some markets while still available in some form in others.

<i>A Trip to Marineville</i> 1979 studio album by Swell Maps

A Trip to Marineville is the debut studio album by English art punk band Swell Maps. It was released in June 1979, through record labels Rather and Rough Trade.

<i>Kusamakura</i> (album) 1988 compilation album by Alice

Kusamakura is a compilation album by Italian singer-songwriter Alice, released in Japan in 1988 on EMI Music/Odeon Records. The album's title translates as Grass Pillow.

<i>Il sole nella pioggia</i> 1989 studio album by Alice

Il sole nella pioggia is the eleventh studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Alice, released in 1989 on EMI Music.

<i>Zašto da ne!</i> 1994 studio album by Električni orgazam

Zašto da ne! is the seventh studio album by Serbian/Yugoslav band Električni orgazam. It was released in 1994 by PGP RTS. It is the band's first double album.

<i>Friendship</i> (Ray Charles album) 1984 studio album by Ray Charles

Friendship is a studio album by American singer and pianist Ray Charles. It was produced by Billy Sherrill and released in August 1984 by Columbia Records and Epic Records. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

<i>Seven</i> (Suns of Arqa album) 1987 studio album by Suns of Arqa

Seven is the fifth studio album by the band Suns of Arqa, released in 1987 by Rocksteady Records. The album was produced by Suns of Arqa founder Michael Wadada.

<i>Think It Over</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Cissy Houston

Think It Over is the third studio album by American gospel/soul singer Cissy Houston, released in 1978 on Private Stock Records. The album was produced by Michael Zager and features Houston's R&B hit "Think It Over", which peaked at #5 on the Billboards Dance chart and #32 on Billboards Hot Soul chart. The album was #7 on the Canadian Dance charts October 14, 1978.

<i>New Season</i> (Chisato Moritaka album) 1987 studio album by Chisato Moritaka

New Season is the debut studio album by Japanese singer Chisato Moritaka, released on July 25, 1987 by Warner Pioneer. It was produced by Yūzō Shimada, who also produced albums by Akina Nakamori, Naomi Tamura, and Aco. At the time of the album's recording, Moritaka had not started to write songs; instead, the album's songs were written by several composers such as Hiromasa Ijichi, Hideo Saitō, and Shingo Kanno.

<i>Mi-ha</i> Album by Chisato Moritaka

Mi-ha is the second studio album by Japanese singer/songwriter Chisato Moritaka, released on March 25, 1988, by Warner Pioneer. In contrast to the city pop-oriented debut album New Season, Mi-ha is a mix of rock and pop tunes, with its tagline: "Rock? Pop? Whichever is fine.". The album also marked Moritaka's songwriting debut with the title track.

<i>Plague</i> (The Watchmen album) 1992 studio album by The Watchmen

Plague is the second studio album by The Watchmen, released in 1992 by Prescient Thought.

<i>Mind Game</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Miho Nakayama

Mind Game is the seventh studio album by Japanese entertainer Miho Nakayama. Released through King Records on July 11, 1988, the album was Nakayama's second release after One and Only to not feature any singles. The album cover is a painting of Nakayama in a bikini by Robert Blue; it was also used as the jacket cover of the single "Mermaid".

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Songs for the New Depression Bette Midler". AllMusic . Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. p. 200. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  5. ↑ "Bette Midler Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  6. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. XXXVII, no. 41. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. February 28, 1976. p. 49. ISSN   0008-7289.
  7. ↑ "The Album Chart" (PDF). Record World . Vol. 31, no. 1497. New York: Record World Pub. Co. February 28, 1976. p. 42. ISSN   0034-1622.
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.