Bootleg Betty
47th Celebration of Bette Midler’s Thighs and Whispers Album,
By Mister D
Oct 16, 2026
Midler’s fifth studio album, released October 1979, produced by Arif Mardin, leans heavily into disco and late?70s club aesthetics.
Additionally, it carries a mood described as Thighs and Whispers.
It reached #65 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.
It stayed on the Billboard 200 for 17 weeks, peaking on October 27, 1979.
The album’s title is a campy riff on Ingmar Bergman’s Cries and Whispers, Thighs and Whispers.
? Singles & Chart Highlights
- “Married Men”
- Reached Top 40 on the U.S. Club Play Singles chart.
- Also a UK Top 40 hit for Bonnie Tyler the same year.
- “My Knight in Black Leather”
- Peaked at #70 on the U.S. dance charts.
- Other singles: “Hang On in There Baby,” “Big Noise from Winnetka” (later a staple opener in Midler’s tours).
? Awards & Accolades
There are no major awards associated with Thighs and Whispers — no Grammys, no American Music Awards, no industry trophies. Its accolades are historical and multicultural rather than institutional.
However, its producer Arif Mardin was a 12?time Grammy winner whose involvement is often cited as a mark of prestige.
Critical Reception (Contemporary & Retrospective)
- Mixed reviews on release.
- Robert Christgau: C+ — “the songs are pretty good… but they aren’t that good.”
- Rolling Stone (Stephen Holden): Argued Midler’s stage charisma couldn’t be fully captured in a studio album.
- The Globe and Mail: Felt Midler was still defining her musical identity.
- Retrospective reassessment:
- The album is now seen as a cult disco artifact, with tracks like “My Knight in Black Leather” and “Married Men” celebrated for their camp excess.
- Midler herself later called her late?70s disco era “abysmal” — but fans and critics have since reclaimed it as part of her camp legacy.
Key Trivia & Archival Notes (Thighs and Whispers)
- Title pun: A playful twist on Bergman’s Cries and Whispers.
- Broadway connection: “Millworker” comes from the short?lived musical Working.
- Tour legacy: “Big Noise from Winnetka” became a signature opener in Midler’s concerts for decades.
- Extended mixes: Several singles were released as 12?inch disco mixes at the height of the era.
- Remasters: CD release in 1990; remastered reissue in 1995.
Why Thighs and Whispers Matters Today
Nevertheless, even without awards, Thighs and Whispers is a crucial chapter in Midler’s evolution.
It is a disco experiment.
- captures her willingness to play with genre,
- showcases early seeds of the camp sensibility that later defined her,
- bridges her comedic nightclub persona with her emerging dramatic power (The Rose followed immediately after).
Moreover, it’s a glittery, strange, theatrical time capsule.
Bootleg Betty fans know it is ripe for panels, timelines, and camp?forward celebration, Thighs and Whispers.
