BetteBack February 7, 1991: Bette Midler Always Puts Meaning Into A Song

Syracuse Herald Journal
February 7, 1991

THE CRITIC: Shane Kurowski, a senior at West Genesee High School.

THE MUSIC: Bette Midler, “Some Feopte’s Lives.”

WHAT HE THINKS: following the success of “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler had only one way to go.

With her soulful voice and beautiful orchestration to accompany it, she has completed an album that continues in line with her previous works. Midler does not dwell in the current socio-political flow of many other artists. Instead, she slays with the old standbys, love and. relationships.

“One More Round,” the first song on the album, seems to have no place on this album. The only thing accomplished in the song is that Midler shows she can count to four; the rest of the songs prove that she has much more talent than this. The Cote Porter cover, “Miss
Otis Regrets,” is especially enjoyable with it’s ’40s, “Boogfe-Woogie Bugfe Boy” style and sound.

Ballads like the title song, “Some People’s Lrves,” abound on this album and this is where Bette Midler is at her best. She can use her romantic voice to full effect, even coming across at times as a sultry torch-singer. “Moonlight Dancing” is one of the few pop-inspired
songs with its up-tempo beat and keyboard arrangements. There is true vocal talent in these songs for people who haven’t been mesmerized by Madonna and the rest of the pop icons. This may not be an album for everyone, because you need to be open to understand the songs about love and hope and the expression of the emotions conveyed by many of the songs. Only a handful of people can really put meaning into a song, and I believe that Bette Midler is one of them.