Bette Midler

Released: November 7, 1972

Songwriter: Jeff Barry George “Shadow” Morton Ellie Greenwich

Producer: Geoffrey Haslam Barry Manilow Ahmet Ertegün

"Hey, Betty? Is that Jimmy's ring you're wearing?"
"Uh huh."
"Oh! Must be nice riding on that motorcycle after school, huh?"
"Uh huh."
"Is he picking you up after school today?"
"Unh uh!"
"Well, where'd ya meet him?"

I met him at the candy store
He turned around and smiled at me
Ya get the picture? (Yes, we see)
That's when I fell for the leader of the pack

My folks were always puttin' him down
Down! Down!
They said he came from the wrong side of town
They told me that he was bad
But I knew that he was sad
And thats why I fell for the leader of the pack

One day my dad said, "Find someone new."
New! New!
I had to tell my Jimmy that
Whoa, we were through
He stood up and then he asked me why
But all I could do was cry
I'm sorry I hurt you
The leader of the pack

He sort of smiled and he kissed me goodbye
The tears were beginning to show
And as he drove away from me
On that rainy, rainy night
I begged him to go slow
But whether he heard me
I'll never, never, never, never know!
Look out now, now, look out!
Whoa oh no no no! Whoa no no no! No! No!

I felt so helpless! What could I do-wo-wo-wo-wo?
The only, only love that we had was through
At school they all stop and stare
I can't hide the tears
I just don't care!
I will never forget you
The leader of the pack!
Whoa-oo-woh! Gone gone gone!
Gone gone gone!
The leader of the pack is
Now he's gone!
The leader of the pack is
Now he's gone!
The leader of the pack is, whoa gone!
Gone gone gone!
Gone gone gone!
Gone gone gone!

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

The Divine Miss M

From the album

The Divine Miss M (1972)

Bette Midler popular songs

Leader of the PackBette Midler

Bette Midler

The Divine Miss M