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).

Small World
Bette Midler Lyrics

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[Rose:] Funny, you're a stranger who's come here,
Come from another town.
Funny, I'm a stranger myself here.
Small world, isn't it?

Funny, you're a man who goes traveling
Rather than settling down.
Funny, 'cause I'd love to go traveling.

Small world, isn't it?

We have so much in common,
It's a phenomenon.
We could pool our resources
By joining forces from now on.

Lucky, you're a man who likes children.
That's an important sign.
Lucky, I'm a woman with children.
Small world, isn't it?
Funny, isn't it small and funny and fine?

[Herbie:] We have so much in common,
It's a phenomenon.
We could pool our resources
By joining forces from now on.

Rose: Lucky, you're a man who likes children.
Herbie: That's an important sign.
Rose: Lucky,
Herbie: You're a
Rose & Herbie: woman with children.
Small world, isn't it?
Rose: Funny, isn't it

Herbie: isn't it
Rose &Herbie: small and funny and fine?

Overall Meaning

The song Small World by Bette Midler is a duet with two characters, Rose and Herbie, expressing their mutual amazement at how small the world can seem at times. Rose is surprised to meet a stranger who has come to her town, just as she herself is a stranger there. She and the stranger acknowledge that they both love traveling, an interest that seems to connect them. Herbie then joins in, expressing that they have so much in common that it's almost like a phenomenon. They could even join forces and pool their resources.

The scene then shifts to Herbie expressing his own surprise that Rose is a woman with children, just as he is a man who likes children. They both see this as a lucky coincidence and remark on the smallness of the world, which seems to bring people together in unexpected ways. The song ends with both characters singing that the situation is small and funny and fine.

Overall, the lyrics of Small World express the idea that even in a big world, people can find connections with each other through shared interests, experiences, and even simple coincidence. The repetition of the phrase "small world" emphasizes this idea, while the duet format allows for a conversation between two characters that highlights the various ways in which people can connect with each other, despite their differences.

Line by Line Meaning

Funny, you're a stranger who's come here
I find it amusing that you are someone who has come to this place from another town

Come from another town
You are from a different place

Funny, I'm a stranger myself here
It's ironic because I feel like a stranger in this place as well

Small world, isn't it?
It's amazing how we've both ended up in the same place

Funny, you're a man who goes traveling
I find it amusing that you prefer traveling over settling down in one place

Rather than settling down
Choosing to travel instead of staying in one place for an extended period

Funny, 'cause I'd love to go traveling
It's ironic because I too have a strong desire to travel

We have so much in common
We share many similarities

It's a phenomenon
It's remarkable and unusual

We could pool our resources
We could combine our efforts and assets

By joining forces from now on
Collaborating together on future endeavors

Lucky, you're a man who likes children
I consider it fortunate that you have an affection for children

That's an important sign
It reflects positively on your character and priorities

Lucky, I'm a woman with children
I consider myself fortunate to be a mother and for you to have an affinity towards children

Funny, isn't it small and funny and fine?
It's both amusing and an incredible coincidence that we have so much in common and have crossed paths in this small world

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JULE STYNE, STEPHEN SONDHEIM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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