Bette Midler (album) Bette Midler (album) Bette Midler is the eponymous second studio album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in 1973 on the Atlantic Records label. The album, produced by Arif Mardin and Barry Manilow, 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. "Bette Midler" reached #6 on the US albums chart and was later awarded a Gold Disc by the RIAA. The album was released on CD for the first time in
The Best of Bette (1981 album) single mix with an additional verse making its second appearance on a compilation album. The pictures used for the cover of the K-Tel version of "The Best of Bette" show Midler in concert, taken from the movie "The Rose". The compilation is sometimes listed as having been released in 1980, other times in 1981. Considering the fact that the "Divine Madness" album was released worldwide in November 1980 it was more likely issued in 1981. The first Bette Midler "greatest hits" compilation to be released worldwide, including the US and Canada, was 1993's "Experience the Divine". Side A Side B