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).
Hey There
Bette Midler Lyrics
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In this solitary gloom I call to myself:
Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes,
Love never made a fool of you. You used to be too wise.
Hey there, you on that high-flying cloud,
Though he won´t throw a crumb to you, you think some day he´ll come to you.
He's got you dancing on a string. Break it and he won´t care.
Won´t you take this advice I hand you like a mother?
Or are you not seeing things too clear?
Are you too much in love to hear?
Is it all goin´ in one ear and out the other?
And out the other?
Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes,
Are you talkin' to me?
Love never made a fool of you.
Not until now.
You used to be so wise.
Oh, that was a long time ago.
Hey there,
What?
You on that high-flyin' cloud,
Though he won´t throw a crumb to you,
You think some day he´s gonna come to you.
Woah, better forget him.
Forget him.
He's got his nose in the air.
He's got his nose in the air.
He'll have you dancing on a string.
A puppet on a string.
Break it and he won´t care.
He won't care for you.
Won't you take this advice I hand you like a mother?
Or are you not seein´ things too clear?
Are you just too far gone to hear?
Is it all goin´ in one ear and out the other?
The song "Hey There" by Bette Midler depicts a conversation that the singer has with herself when she is alone in her room. The lyrics suggest that she is in love with someone who is not reciprocating her feelings. She tells herself to forget about this person because he is only manipulating her and doesn't care about her. The singer worries that she might be blinded by her love and not seeing things clearly.
The opening line of the song sets the mood of loneliness, which is compounded by the use of solitary gloom, and the singer talking to herself. The phrase 'Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes' signifies the dreamer in Midler, addressing herself. The dreamer has used her wisdom to avoid the same fate as others who have fallen for love but now finds herself in the same predicament. The high-flying cloud is symbolic of the distant love that the singer cannot have. The song is empathetic to those who have danced on strings on love strings, and this serves as a warning to others.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately when I´m in my room all by myself,
Recently, when I am alone in my room,
In this solitary gloom I call to myself:
I express my thoughts out loud in this lonely atmosphere
Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes,
Addressing a person who is dreaming and hopeful
Love never made a fool of you. You used to be too wise.
In the past, love did not deceive this person, and they were intelligent and experienced
Hey there, you on that high-flying cloud,
Referring to someone daydreaming and euphoric
Though he won´t throw a crumb to you, you think some day he´ll come to you.
Although this person is being ignored, they still believe that the object of their affection will come to them
Better forget him, him with his nose in the air.
It is suggested that this person should move on because the object of their desire is arrogant and conceited
He's got you dancing on a string. Break it and he won´t care.
This person is being manipulated and controlled, but if they stop being controlled, the person they desire will not even notice
Won´t you take this advice I hand you like a mother?
Asking this person to accept this advice as if it is coming from a caring mother figure
Or are you not seeing things too clear?
Are you not able to perceive what is happening clearly?
Are you too much in love to hear?
Is your love causing you to ignore or not understand this advice?
Is it all goin´ in one ear and out the other?
Is this advice being completely ignored or not retained?
Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes,
Referring again to this dreamer, this optimistic person
Are you talkin' to me?
Asking if this person is listening to these words directed towards them
Love never made a fool of you.
This person was never foolish in love before
Not until now.
But currently, they are acting foolish based on their infatuation
You used to be so wise.
Again referring to this person being intelligent and insightful in the past
Oh, that was a long time ago.
However, that time has long passed
Hey there,
Referring to this person again
What?
Asking for attention and making sure they are still listening
You on that high-flyin' cloud,
Once again referring to this person's euphoric imagination
Though he won´t throw a crumb to you,
Even though the person they desire is not giving them any attention
You think some day he´s gonna come to you.
This person still believes that their desires will be fulfilled in the future
Woah, better forget him.
Again, it is suggested that it is best to move on from this unrequited love
Forget him.
Reiterating the point that it is for the best to forget the object of their affection
He's got his nose in the air.
Meaning the person they desire is arrogant and full of themselves
He'll have you dancing on a string.
This person is being controlled and manipulated by the object of their affection
A puppet on a string.
This person is being controlled like a puppet on strings
Break it and he won´t care.
If they stop the manipulation, the object of their affection would not even notice
Won't you take this advice I hand you like a mother?
Once again requesting that they listen to this advice as if it was coming from a motherly figure
Or are you not seein´ things too clear?
Again asking if this person can understand what is happening clearly
Are you just too far gone to hear?
Maybe they are too invested in this infatuation to be able to listen and understand this advice
Is it all goin´ in one ear and out the other?
Are they hearing this advice but not retaining or listening to it?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORG CHRISTIAN DOLIVO, GREG FIELDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Coleen Wilson
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