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).

For All We Know
Bette Midler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sweetheart, the night is growing old.
Sweetheart, my love is still untold.
A kiss that is never tasted,
Forever and ever is wasted.

For all we know we may never meet again.
Before you go, make this moment sweet again.
We won't say good night until the last minute.

I'll hold out my hand and my heart will be in it.

For all we know this may only be a dream.
We come and go like a ripple on a stream.
So love me tonight. tomorrow's made for some.
Tomorrow may never come, for all we know.

For all we know this may only be a dream.
We come and we go like a ripple on a stream.

So love me tonight. tomorrow was made for some.
Tomorrow may never come, for all we know.

Overall Meaning

The song "For All We Know" is a tender ballad by Bette Midler expressing the uncertainty of life and the importance of savoring every moment. The first verse starts with the singer calling out to her lover, informing him that the night is growing old, and yet, she has not found the courage or opportunity to express her love. The next line talks about a kiss that was never tasted, and the regret that it brings. The second verse echoes the first verse's message of urgency and calls for making the most of the present moment. The refrain of the song is a hopeful plea to cherish the time one has with their loved ones because tomorrow is never guaranteed.

The bridge of the song explores the concept of life as a fleeting moment and compares human existence to a ripple on a stream. The bridge serves to reinforce the message of the chorus, which is to love and savor every moment. The final verse comes full circle to the concept of the unreliability of life and the importance of cherishing the time that we have. The singer proclaims that tomorrow may never come and that one should not regret not expressing their love.

The song's message, delivered through Midler's iconic voice and powerful lyrics, has resonated with listeners for years. The song was originally composed in 1941 by J. Fred Coots and had lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. Many different artists have covered the song since then, including Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, and Nina Simone. "For All We Know" has become a classic love song and reminds us that time is fleeting, and we should cherish the present moment with our loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

Sweetheart, the night is growing old.
The time is passing by and we should not waste our time together.

Sweetheart, my love is still untold.
I have not yet expressed the full extent of my love for you.

A kiss that is never tasted,
Not taking a chance to experience love before it's gone is a regretful waste.

Forever and ever is wasted.
If love is not expressed it can never truly live on forever.

For all we know we may never meet again.
We should cherish our moments together because we never know what the future holds.

Before you go, make this moment sweet again.
Make our time together memorable and sweet before we have to part ways.

We won't say good night until the last minute.
We will make every moment count and not say goodbye until we absolutely have to.

I'll hold out my hand and my heart will be in it.
I will give you all of my love and hold your hand until the very last moment.

For all we know this may only be a dream.
Our love and time together may feel like it's too good to be true and we should cherish it while we can.

We come and go like a ripple on a stream.
Our time together is fleeting and we should make the most of it.

So love me tonight. tomorrow's made for some.
Cherish our time together and let tomorrow worry about itself.

Tomorrow may never come, for all we know.
We do not know what the future holds and should not let go of the opportunity to express our love.

For all we know this may only be a dream.
Our love and time together may feel like a dream and we should cherish it while we can.

We come and we go like a ripple on a stream.
Our time together is fleeting and we should make the most of it.

So love me tonight. tomorrow was made for some.
Cherish our time together and let tomorrow worry about itself.

Tomorrow may never come, for all we know.
We do not know what the future holds and should not let go of the opportunity to express our love.

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J Fred Coots, Samuel M Lewis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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