The Best of Bette (1978 album)

For the 1981 compilation with the same title, see The Best of Bette (1981 album).
The Best of Bette
Greatest hits album by Bette Midler
Released 1978, CD 1987
Recorded 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977
Genre Vocal
Length 51:13
Label Atlantic K-50530
Bette Midler chronology

Broken Blossom
(1977)		 The Best of Bette
(1978)		 Thighs and Whispers
(1979)
Singles from The Best of Bette
  1. "Buckets of Rain"

The Best of Bette was the first compilation album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in 1978. This greatest hits album was issued in the UK, Continental Europe, Scandinavia and Australia to coincide with Midler's first world tour. Later editions released in 1979 also came with a free poster promoting her then upcoming movie The Rose. The Best of Bette, confusingly released with near identical cover art to 1973's Bette Midler, featured songs from Midler's first four studio albums with the addition of one track from 1977's Live at Last, the studio recording "You're Moving Out Today". The version included on The Best of Bette is the rare single mix which features an extra verse that is not found on the Live at Last album or on many of the single releases worldwide.

While other hits compilations followed in both Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s, such as the 1981 version of The Best of Bette on the K-tel label and 1987's Just Hits, Midler's first best of collection issued in the US was 1993's Experience the Divine.

The Best of Bette including the rare single mix of "You're Moving Out Today" was issued on CD in Australia only in 1987.

Track listing

Side A

  1. "Friends" (Mark Klingman, Buzzy Linhart) - 2:49
  2. "In the Mood" (Garland, Razaf) - 2:37
  3. "Superstar" (Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell) - 5:00
  4. "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" (Billy Joel) - 3:02
  5. "Do You Wanna Dance?" (Bobby Freeman) - 2:56
  6. "Buckets of Rain" (Bob Dylan) - 4:00
  7. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (mono album version) (Don Raye, Hughie Prince) - 2:26
  8. "You're Moving Out Today" (Single Mix) (Bette Midler, Carole Bayer Sager, Bruce Roberts) - 3:18

Side B

  1. "Delta Dawn" (Larry Collins, Alex Harvey) - 5:16
  2. "Uptown"/"Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)"/"Da Doo Ron Ron" (Jeff Barry, Gerry Goffin, Ellie Greenwich, Carole King, Barry Mann, Phil Spector, Cynthia Weil) - 3:22
  3. "Hello In There" (John Prine) - 4:15
  4. "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (Chevis, Jackson, Miner, Smith) - 4:08
  5. "La Vie En Rose" (Mack David, Louiguy, Edith Piaf) - 2:59
  6. "I Shall Be Released" (Bob Dylan) - 4:55

Personnel & production