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Bette Midler Reveals She Didn't Expect Wind Beneath My Wings to Be a Hit; 'I Was So Proud of That Record'
Bette Midler, the iconic singer and actress, recently expressed surprise at the huge success of her 1988 film Beaches and its theme song, Wind Beneath My Wings.
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Bette Midler was surprised by the massive success of her 1988 film Beaches and its theme song
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Wind Beneath My Wings reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1989 six months after release
Bette Midler, the legendary singer and actress, recently expressed surprise at the enormous success of her 1988 film Beaches and its hit theme song, Wind Beneath My Wings. In an honest interview with PEOPLE, Midler admitted that the song's success caught her and her team off guard. "We didn't know what we had," she admits, reflecting on how the song unexpectedly rose to the top of the charts.
Wind Beneath My Wings' chart-topping achievement
Wind Beneath My Wings, which became synonymous with emotional moments and weddings, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1989. This came six months after Beaches was released in theaters during the holidays. The song's success was accompanied by many awards.
In February 1990, Midler and her producer, Arif Mardin, received the Record of the Year Grammy Award. The songwriters, Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley, also won the Grammy for Song of the Year.
Midler expressed her deep pride in the song and its late producer, Arif Mardin. "I was so proud of that record because Arif Mardin was such a genius, one of the funniest, kindest people in the whole world. I was so lucky to have him around me for so many years," she said. When the song won Record of the Year, Midler was overjoyed for him and still has Mardin's picture on her mantel.
Bette Midler was not enthusiastic about recording the song
Interestingly, Midler was initially reluctant to record Wind Beneath My Wings. In a 2021 interview with Gayle King, she admitted that she initially thought the song was a little corny and didn't fully understand it.
"I said, ‘I’m not gonna sing that song,’" she recalled. Despite her initial reservations, Midler's opinion of the song evolved over time. "I really like the song," she said, acknowledging its impact on her.
Midler's career has spanned decades with many hits, with Wind Beneath My Wings being one of her most enduring successes. Her most recent film, The Fabulous Four, is a more lighthearted exploration of friendship themes.
In the film, she portrays a self-centered widow who reconnects with old friends before her wedding. Midler praised her co-stars, including Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally, and Susan Sarandon, for their outstanding performances.
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