BetteBack October 29, 1977: Bette Midler To Release “Broken Blossom”

Syracuse Post Standard
October 29, 1977

There will be an avalanche of new album releases in time for Christmas giftbuying.
“Broken Blossom” is the title of Bette Midler‘s forthcoming LP, her f i f t h, which was produced at the Record Plant in Los Angeles by Brooks Arthur. The album includes Tom Waits’ “I Never Talk to Strangers,” Walt Disney’s “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” Gerry Coffin’s “Someone That I Used to Love,” Craig Doerge and Judy Henske’s “Yellow Beach Umbrella” (a prospective single), David Pomeran2′ “Daybreak,” Billy Joel’s “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” (already covered most masterfully this year as a single by Ronnie Spector and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band), and Bessie Smith’s “Empty Bed Blues.”

Helping to comprise “Blue Lights in the Basement,” Roberta Flack’s first album in more than two and a half years, will be “The Closer I Get to You” (a duet with Donny Hathaway), the Box Tops’ “Soul Deep,” Rachel Ferry’s reggae-infected “Fine, Fine Day,” and three Eugene McDaniels compositions – “Why Don’t You Move in With Me,” “25th of Last
December” and “Love Is the Healing.

The Ramones’ third album will be called “Rocket to Russia” and feature “Rockaway Beach,” “Cretin Hop” and “Surfin Bird.”

Billing themselves as “Allman and Woman,” Gregg and Cher Allman will be issuing their much-heralded duet album, “Two the Hard Way.” Among the LP’s 11 tracks will be the Miracles’ “You’ve Heally Got a Hold on Me” and Jimmy Webb’s “Do What You Gotta Do.”

Warner Bros. Records is now promising “Decade,” the long-delayed, three-LP Neil Young retrospective, for next month. The album touches on all the stages of Young’s career – with the Buffalo Springfield, with David Crosby. Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, with Crazy Horse, and as a solo performer. Among the alburn’s more familiar tracks are “Mr. Soul,” “Broken Arrow,” “Sugar Mountain,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Ohio,” “Helpless,” “Heart of
Gold,” “Cortcz the Killer” and “Long May You Run.” Also included are such previously unissued tracks as “Down to the Wire” {with the Springfield). “Star of Bethlehem” and “Deep Forbidden Lake.”

“Death of a Ladies’ Man,” a somewhat unusual album from Leonard Cohen, is due shortly. The record was produced by Phil Spector, and, according to a Warner Bros, spokesman, it was given Spector’s “full wall-of-sound treatment.” Specter also cowrote all the tracks with Cohen, including “Iodine,” “Fingerprints,” “Paper-thin Hotel.” “True Love Leaves No Traces.” “I Left a Woman Waiting” and the title cut.

Due from Frank Zappa is “Zappa in New York,” a two-LP set recorded live. The album, with tracks like “Punky’s Whips” and “The Illinois Enema Banditz-features the violin and keyboards work of ex-Roxy Music member Eddie Jobson and narration by television announcer Don Pardo.

America’s first album without recently departed member Dan Peek will be “America Live,” an in-concert set including “Ventura Highway,” “Sister Golden Hair.” “I Need You,” “Daisy Jane” and “Horse With No Name.” George Martin produced, and Elmer Bernstein contributed orchestral arrangements.
Arlo Guthrie’s next, “The Best of Arlo Guthrie,” will in part consist of “Motorcycle (Significance of the Pickle) Song,” “Coming Into Los Angeles,” *’City of New Oleans,” and the entire 20-minute “Alice’s Restaurant.”

The debut album from the Sex Pistols, titled “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols,” will consist of “Anarchy in the U.K.,” “God Save the Queen,” “Pretty Vacant,” “Holidays in the Sun,” “Liar,” “No Feelings,”‘ “Problems.” “Seventeen;’ “Bodies,” “New York 11 and “EMI.” The band is currently working on a film project with director Russ Meyer; It is expected that the film sound track will be the second Sex Pistols album.