Bette Midler (December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedia… Read Full Bio ↴Bette Midler (December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known to her fans and especially in gay culture, as The Divine Miss M. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Jewish parents from New Jersey, and raised there. Midler relocated to New York City to pursue acting on stage, and in 1970 she began singing at the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse in the city, where she became close to her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow, who produced her first major album, The Divine Miss M in 1973. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her name in two syllables, and Midler uses one.

During her career, she has won four Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards. She performed a new concert show, The Showgirl Must Go On, live five nights a week at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 2011 (together with Cher and Elton John).

Fever
Bette Midler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Never know how much I love you.
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me,
I get a fever that's so hard to bear.

You give me fever when you kiss me.
Fever when you hold me tight.
Fever in the morning.

Fever all through the night.

Sun lights up the daytime,
And moon lights up the night.
I light up when you call my name,
And you know I'm gonna treat you right.

You give me fever when you kiss me.
Fever when you hold me tight.
Fever in the morning,
And fever all through the night.

Everybody's got the fever.
That is something you all know.
Fever isn't such a new thing.
Fever started long ago.

Romeo loved Juliet.
Juliet, she felt the same.
When he put his arms around her,
He said, "Julie, baby, you're my flame.

Thou giveth fever when we kisseth.
Fever with thy flaming youth.
Fever, I'm afire.
Fever, yeah, I burn, forsooth."

Cap'n Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very mad affair.
When her daddy tried to kill him,
She said, "Daddy, oh, don't you dare.

He gives me fever with his kisses.
Fever when he holds me tight.
Fever, I'm his missus,
So Daddy, won't you treat him right."

Now you've listened to my story,
Here's the point that I have made:
Chicks were born to give you fever,
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade.

They give you fever when you kiss them.
Fever if you live and learn.
Fever 'til you sizzle.
What a lovely way to burn.
What a lovely way to burn.

What a lovely way to burn.
What a lovely way to burn.

Overall Meaning

Bette Midler's song Fever is a seductive ballad that explores the intense and overwhelming feelings that come with romantic love. The lyrics express the singer's deep love and feelings of attachment towards their significant other. The song describes the physical sensations that are evoked when they are in their lover's arms, from the heat of the fever to the warmth of the sunlight. The chorus repeats the phrase "fever" to emphasize the intensity of these feelings.

The song's verses also reference famous historical love stories, such as Romeo and Juliet and Captain Smith and Pocahontas, adding to the theme of passionate love that knows no boundaries. Midler's sultry vocals underscore the idea of seduction and desire that is central to the song's lyrics. The final verse ties all the different elements of the song together, suggesting that these intense feelings are universal and experienced by everyone.

Fever was originally written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell in 1956 and has been covered by many artists, including Peggy Lee and Elvis Presley. Midler's version was released in 1973, and it became a hit for her, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Line by Line Meaning

Never know how much I love you.
I can't express the depth of my love for you.

Never know how much I care.
I care about you more than anything in the world.

When you put your arms around me, I get a fever that's so hard to bear.
Your embrace makes me feel excited and overwhelmed with passion.

You give me fever when you kiss me.
Your kisses ignite a burning passion within me.

Fever when you hold me tight.
Holding me in your arms brings an intense, burning desire.

Fever in the morning.
This passion for you never fades, no matter the time of day.

Fever all through the night.
Even in my dreams, thoughts of you fill me with desire.

Sun lights up the daytime,
The sun brings light to the world and illuminates everything around it.

And moon lights up the night.
The moon casts a romantic light on the world at night.

I light up when you call my name,
The mere sound of your voice brightens my day and fills me with excitement.

And you know I'm gonna treat you right.
I'll make sure to love and cherish you the way you deserve.

Everybody's got the fever.
Everyone experiences this intense desire at some point in their lives.

That is something you all know.
It's a universal feeling that we've all experienced.

Fever isn't such a new thing.
This type of passion has been around for generations.

Fever started long ago.
This burning passion has been around since the beginning of time.

Romeo loved Juliet.
Their love is a classic example of passion and desire.

Juliet, she felt the same.
Their love was mutual and filled with intense passion.

When he put his arms around her,
Their embrace was electric and filled them both with desire.

He said, "Julie, baby, you're my flame."
He expressed the intensity of his love for her with a fiery metaphor.

Thou giveth fever when we kisseth.
Their passion for each other was so intense that it caused a feverish reaction.

Fever with thy flaming youth.
Their youthful love caused intense passion and desire.

Fever, I'm afire.
The passion for each other has ignited an intense burning desire within them.

Fever, yeah, I burn, forsooth.
He is overwhelmed and consumed by his desire for her.

Cap'n Smith and Pocahontas Had a very mad affair.
Their love was viewed as taboo and scandalous by many.

When her daddy tried to kill him,
Their love was met with disapproval and danger.

She said, "Daddy, oh, don't you dare.
She refused to let her father come between her and the man she loved.

He gives me fever with his kisses.
Their love and passion for each other is all-consuming and overwhelming.

Fever when he holds me tight.
Being in his arms fills her with an intense burning desire.

Fever, I'm his missus,
She is committed to him and their passionate love affair.

So Daddy, won't you treat him right.
Her love for him is so strong that she fights for their right to be together despite disapproval from her father.

Now you've listened to my story,
These stories of passionate love are universal and have existed throughout history.

Here's the point that I have made:
The point of these stories is that passionate love is a powerful force that has been around since the beginning of time.

Chicks were born to give you fever,
The feeling of intense burning passion and desire is a natural part of human existence.

Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade.
This type of passion knows no boundaries and is felt by people all over the world.

They give you fever when you kiss them.
The passion we feel for someone can be ignited by the simplest of actions like a kiss.

Fever if you live and learn.
Passionate love can sometimes lead to heartbreak and pain.

Fever 'til you sizzle.
The intensity of passion can sometimes be overwhelming and all-consuming.

What a lovely way to burn.
Despite the risks, passionate love is a beautiful and exhilarating experience.

What a lovely way to burn.
What a beautiful and exciting way to experience life and love.

What a lovely way to burn.
What a beautiful and intense way to feel alive and connected to another person.

What a lovely way to burn.
What a beautiful and passionate way to experience the world and human connection.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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