Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, comedian, and film producer. In a career spanning almost half a century, Midler has won three Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. She has sold over 35 million records worldwide and along with that has also received four Gold, three Platinum and three Multiplatinum albums by RIAA.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Midler began her professional career in several Off-Off-Broadway plays prior to her engagements in Fiddler on the Roof and Salvation on Broadway in the late 1960s. She came to prominence in 1970 when she began singing in the Continental Baths, a local gay bathhouse, where she managed to build up a core following. Since then, she has released 13 studio albums as a solo artist. Throughout her career, many of her songs became hits on the record charts, including her renditions of "The Rose", "Wind Beneath My Wings", "Do You Want to Dance", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and "From a Distance". In 2008, she signed a contract with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to perform a series of shows titled Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On, which ended in January 2010.
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 1989. A remastered version of the album was released by Atlantic Records/Warner Music in 1995.
This ole house once knew my children.
This ole house once knew my life.
This ole house was home and comfort
as we lived through storm and strife.
This ole house once rang with laughter.
This ole house heard many shouts.
Now she trembles in the darkness
when the lightning walks about.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more.
Ain't got time to fix the shingles.
Ain't got time to fix the floor.
Ain't got time to oil the hinges,
nor to mend the window panes.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer.
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints.
This ole house is gettin' shaky.
This ole house is gettin' old.
This ole house lets in the rain.
This ole house lets in the cold.
On my knees I'm gettin' shaky,
but I feel no fear or pain,
'cause I see an angel peekin'
through a broken window pane.
I ain't a-gonna need this house no longer.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more.
Ain't got time to fix the shingles.
Ain't got time to fix the floor.
I ain't got time to oil the hinges,
nor to mend the window panes.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer.
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints.
This ole house is afraid of thunder.
This ole house is afraid of storms.
This ole house just groans and trembles
when the night wind flings its arms.
This ole house is gettin' feeble.
This old house is needin' paint.
Just like me it's tuckered out,
but I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer.
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more.
Ain't got time to fix the shingles.
Ain't got time to fix the floor.
I ain't got time to oil the hinges,
nor to mend the window panes.
Ain't gonna need this house no longer.
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints.