As a newly minted gay in the spring of 1977, I first heard this album in the dorm room of one John…McGuire. He was first man I ever did the deed with, and he was shocked—shocked I tell you—that at the time I had no idea who this Bette Midler was, and quite frankly her music did not appeal to me in any way. (I know, right? Should’ve turned in my gay card then and there.) But ya know, over the years it grew on me to the point that as I said, I know every note forward and backward and can now quote from it as effortlessly as I can from Personal Services.
I was just texting my old friend and housemate Michael (who shares my love of Bette and Personal Services) and in discussing Miss M., he said he was now going to have to dig out his copy and give it a listen because he—like most of us these days—needs some cheering up.
I was a teenager in the seventies and I remember that she was getting a tremendous amount of publicity for her live performances before this was released. This captured Bette at her height during this period of her career. I was especially happy to see that she covered Up The Ladder To The Roof by the post-Ross Supremes, one of my all-time favorite songs by the group.