A Gift Of Love ((Remastered)) Bette Midler

• 1Favorite Waste Of Time02:46
• 2In This Life04:13
• 3The Gift Of Love04:07
• 4Bed Of Roses04:13
• 5From A Distance04:39
• 6Wind Beneath My Wings04:55
• 7Come Rain Or Come Shine03:15
• 8The Rose03:35
• 9As Dreams Go By05:11
• 10It's Too Late04:43
• 11All I Need To Know04:09
• 12Every Road Leads Back To You03:49
• 13Shining Star04:49
• 14To Deserve You05:16
• 15Night And Day05:31
• 16(Talk To Me Of) Mendocino (44.1kHz)03:01
• 17The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game (44.1kHz)03:36
• 18Let Me Just Follow Behind03:40
• Total Runtime01:15:28

Info for A Gift Of Love ((Remastered))

Bette Midler has been singing her way into people’s hearts since her debut album, The Divine Miss M (1972), helped the singer win her first Grammy® Award. Throughout her career, Midler has demonstrated a remarkable musical range, but many of her signature hits have focused on matters of the heart. That’s why Rhino is bringing together 18 of her best love songs for a new collection A Gift Of Love.

After Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertugun discovered Midler in 1972, the irrepressible singer with the unmistakable voice went on to enjoy an amazing career that continues to this day. This new collection includes highlights from albums she recorded for both Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. between 1976 and 2014.

The earliest recording on the new album is Let Me Just Follow Behind, which Midler recorded for her third album, Songs for the New Depression (1976). The most recent tracks — (Talk To Me Of) Mendocino and The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game — come from the sessions for Midler’s smash tribute to female trios It’s the Girls and are previously unreleased outside of the U.S.

This new collection spotlights a number of incredibly poignant tracks, like her cover of Marshall Crenshaw’s My Favorite Waste Of Time from No Frills (1983); Every Road Leads Back To You from the soundtrack to her film For the Boys (1991); Shining Star from Bette (2000); plus five tracks from her release Bette of Roses (1995), including It’s Too Late and As Dreams Go By.

A Gift Of Love would not be complete without three of Midler’s biggest hits: The Rose from the 1979 film of the same name in which Midler starred; the #1 Grammy-winning smash Wind Beneath My Wings from another Midler film, Beaches; and From A Distance, from her album Some People’s Lives (1990).

Digitally remastered

Bette Midler
grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she began singing at an early age. After winning several talent shows, it was clear what she had to do -- get the hell out of there! Ironically, playing an extra in the film, HAWAII, she earned enough money to move to New York City. She soon landed on Broadway, playing Tzeitel, the oldest daughter in the hit musical, Fiddler on the Roof, and singing Matchmaker eight times a week. (Even then, she understood the importance of doing one’s own matinees).

Once she began singing in clubs around town, word reached the owner of the famed Continental Baths, who immediately offered her a job. Performing at the baths, she developed the trademark act that would make her one of the most renowned talents of a generation. Bawdy humor, revealing costumes and a distinctive voice made for an act that was poignant, tacky and altogether fabulous. Her performances of songs like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Delta Dawn, and Superstar were unforgettable and caused audiences to fall in love with the self-anointed "Divine Miss M."

After being discovered by Ahmet Ertugun, the legendary president of Atlantic Records, Bette recorded her first album, The Divine Miss M, which hit #9 on Billboard's Top 200 Chart and went platinum. In 1973, she won her first Grammy for Best New Artist. After successfully touring the world and returning to Broadway in the Tony winning, Clams On The Halfshell, Hollywood beckoned. Midler’s first starring role in the feature film, The Rose, garnered two Golden Globe Awards, a Grammy for the film's title song and a best actress Oscar nomination. The Oscar itself went to Sally Field, whom Bette has arm-wrestled twice for the statuette but unfortunately, lost both times.

Midler went on to star in many successful films including Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune, Big Business and her most popular movie, Beaches, of which she says, “Thank God I made the right decision and played the character who lives!” She also starred opposite Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn in the mega-hit, The First Wives Club, which she enjoyed shooting primarily because she was playing the chubby gal and during filming, could eat whatever she wanted. She didn’t even need a trailer on that picture since she never left the craft services table.

Recently, she’s released Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook and Bette Midler Sings The Peggy Lee Song Book, which were both nominated for Grammys. Last year, she debuted Cool Yule for the holiday season, which features a special Christmas version of From A Distance. Bette also starred in the 2005 remake of The Stepford Wives but is happy to say that by now, almost everyone has forgiven her.

Forty years, four Grammys, four Golden Globes, three Emmys, a Tony Award and tons of record-breaking performances since she hit the scene, the "Divine Miss M" is still going strong. In February, 2008, she opened the critically acclaimed show "The Showgirl Must Go On" at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas which is bigger than anything she’s ever done … not that size matters.

She recently said that although it’s tough being a living legend, somebody’s got to do it. “In other words”, she added, “I’m not retiring and you can’t make me!”

This album contains no booklet.