Bootleg Betty
Bette Midler & Bonnie Tyler Release “Married Men” Simultaneously (Videos)
By Mister D
July 9, 2026
Bette Midler and Bonnie Tyler (RIP) each recorded and released their own separate versions of the song (written by Dominic Bugatti and Frank Musker) in 1979, which competed with each other due to the near-simultaneous releases:
Bonnie Tyler recorded it first (often claimed as the original version for the soundtrack of the 1979 film The World Is Full of Married Men). Her single charted at #35 in the UK.
Bette Midler released her version shortly after (included on her album Thighs & Whispers). It charted in North America, reaching #40 on the US Billboard Hot 100. She also performed it live on Saturday Night Live in 1979.
The song originated from Mick Jackson’s earlier recording, but Tyler and Midler’s versions are the best-known.
