Daily Caller
Bette Midler Reveals She Was Shocked By Her Epic Hit
By Leena Nasir
July 19, 2024
Bette Midler said she had no idea her iconic song, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” would ever amount to anything when it was first produced.
The song has become a fan favorite for weddings and is a staple single widely played among fans of many generations. “Wind Beneath My Wings” was the soundtrack hit from the Beaches that stole the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989 and will forever be recognized as one of Midler’s greatest hits. Midler insisted that the incredible success from this signature song caught her by surprise during a recent interview with People.
“We didn’t know what we had,” Midler told People, as she spoke of the biggest hit she produced during her decades-long career in the music industry.
She told the outlet that the movie “Beaches” itself was initially “dismissed” by critics, so she didn’t have high hopes for anything associated with it. The legendary artist reportedly described her surprise when the song “started to climb the charts.” She noted that within six months of the film’s debut roughly around the time of the holiday season, the number one spot had been clinched, according to People.
A few months later, Midler and her producer, Arif Mardin, were surprised once more when they took home the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, and the songwriters who contributed to the success of the single won the Grammy for Song of the Year, People reported.
Mardin passed away in 2006. The milestone moment is near and dear to Midler’s heart.
“I was so proud of that record because Arif Mardin was such a genius, one of the funniest, kindest people in the whole world. I was so lucky to have him around me for so many years,” Midler told People. (RELATED: Bette Midler Blames Famous Child Star Lindsey Lohan For Destroying Her Sitcom)
Midler was not the first to remake the song. Previous renditions were produced by Lou Rawls, Roger Whittaker, Sheena Easton, and others. According to People, Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley originally penned the single in 1982.
