Bette Midler

Released: November 17, 1977

Songwriter: Billy Joel

Producer: Brooks Arthur

Bobby's driving through the city tonight
Through the lights in a hot new rent-a-car
He joins the lovers in his heavy machine
It's a scene down on Sunset Boulevard

Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby

Johnny's taking care of things for a while
And his style is so right for troubadours
They caught him standing with his face to the door
Now he won't be my fast gun anymore

Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby

Moving on is a chance that you take
Anytime you try to stay together
Whoa-oa-ho-ho-hoo
Say a word out of line
And you find the friends you had are gone forever, forever

So many faces in and out of my life
Some will last
Some will just be now and then
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again

Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Yeah, say goodbye
Yeah, say goodbye
Yeah, he's gotta say goodbye
He's gotta say goodbye
He's gotta say goodbye
Say goodbye
Yeah, say goodbye
Say goodbye, say goodbye
You gotta say goodbye
Say goodbye, say good bye, say goodbye . .

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

Broken Blossom

From the album

Broken Blossom (1977)

Bette Midler popular songs

Say Goodbye to HollywoodBette Midler

Bette Midler

Broken Blossom