Bootleg Betty
Video: Bette Midler – Waterfalls – It’s The Girls
By Mister D
June 24, 2026
Bette Midler’s cover of TLC’s “Waterfalls” turns the 1995 upbeat R&B hit into a stripped-down, emotional ballad that hits much harder.
In 2014, for her album It’s The Girls!, Midler reimagined the song as a slower, piano-led torch song (no rap verse). She performed it live, including on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and in her 2014 UK special Bette Midler: One Night Only. The tempo drops, the production simplifies to piano and soft drums, and her powerful, expressive delivery makes the lyrics about regret, loss, AIDS warnings, and chasing dreams feel raw and haunting.
Why it “hurts all over again”
TLC’s original is catchy and cautionary with a strong groove. Midler’s version exposes the pain in lines like:“A lonely mother gazing out of her window / Staring at a son that she just can’t touch…”
It shifts from party anthem energy to intimate heartbreak, emphasizing themes of family estrangement, risky choices, and consequences. Many listeners and recent posts call it “haunting” or say it “recasts” the song as a slow warning.
It’s a masterclass in how a great singer can completely reframe a song. If you’re a fan of either artist, it’s worth a listen—especially if you want the feels turned up.
