Bette Midler

Released: September 15, 1998

Songwriter: Rose Marie McCoy Charles Singleton

Producer: Ted Templeman

My baby jumped up this morning
Sat on the side of the bed
He said, "I'm leaving you, baby."
And this is just what I said
I said, "I can't make you stay if you want to go
But it's high time, baby, that you should know

One monkey don't stop no show
One monkey don't stop no show
So, if you still wanna go, go ahead
And I mean every word I said."

My baby thought I was jivin'
And he went right out the door
He left me about three in the morning
I got me a man at four
Some women cry when their men bleed them
Dry, long and slow
But I found out somethin' a long time ago

One monkey don't stop no show
One monkey don't stop no show
So if he gets too big for his pants
You better spring that new one and give him a chance

I used to be chicken hearted;
Cry when he'd walk out the door
'cause I was just young and stupid
Ha! Ain't like that no more
'Cause I had a hard way to go
But I learned the score
And I'm here to tell you
And I should know

One monkey don't stop no show
One monkey don't stop no show
And let him do anything he choose
There's a million men who can fill his shoes

One monkey don't stop no show
One monkey don't stop no show
One monkey don't stop no show
You can tell him I told you so

Bette Midler is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, comedienne and actress. Named in honor of Bette Davis, Midler’s career began performing off-broadway until she developed the stage persona The Divine Miss M while singing at the world-famous Continental Baths gay bathhouse. A pre-fame Barry Manilow, the venue’s in-house piano player, produced her Grammy-nominated debut album which scored three US top 40 singles including the Grammy-nominated “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”. Midler took home the Best New Artist Grammy that year, her first of three career wins.

Throughout the 1970s, Midler found further success with music, Broadway, television and film. The Rose, Midler’s 1979 acting debut, earned her both Oscar and Academy Award nominations, and its namesake song won her a Golden Globe and another Grammy – also giving Midler her first success overseas.

The early 1980s proved less successful for Midler with four under-performing singles and a box office flop with the film Jinxed. However, the second half of the decade would prove far more fruitful with a handful of very successful films including Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune and Beaches, the latter featuring a chart-topping cover of “Wind Beneath My Wings” that won Midler her third Grammy and is considered one of the greatest songs in American film history.

more tracks from the album

Bathhouse Betty

From the album

Bathhouse Betty (1998)

Bette Midler popular songs

One Monkey Don’t Stop No ShowBette Midler

Bette Midler

Bathhouse Betty