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).

Sweet And Low
Bette Midler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sweet and low, sweet and low,
wind of the western sea.
Low, low, breathe and blow,
wind of the western sea.
Over the rolling waters go.
Come from the dying moon and blow.
Blow him again to me
while my little one,

while my pretty one sleeps.
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest;
Father will come to thee soon.
Rest, rest on mother's breast;
Father will come to thee soon.
Father will come to his babe in the nest.
Silver sails all out of the west
under the silver moon.
Sleep, my little one,

sleep, my pretty one,
sleep, my little one, sleep.

Overall Meaning

Sweet and Low is a song performed by Bette Midler that is based on a poem of the same name written by Alfred Tennyson. The poem describes the wind of the western sea, which blows sweet and low over the rolling waters, and is called upon to blow again to the poet's loved one while they sleep. The gentle, soothing nature of the wind is reflected in the song, which is composed of soft, comforting tones and slow, lulling melodies. The song creates a calming, peaceful atmosphere that is intended to help the listener relax and settle into a restful sleep.

The lyrics also touch upon the theme of separation, with the promise that the mother and father will be reunited with their child soon. The image of the silver sails in the moonlight evoke a sense of hope and magic, as if anything is possible. The repetition of the phrases "sleep, my little one" and "sleep, my pretty one" reinforce the idea of security and safety, and the soothing, repetitive nature of the song is meant to lull the listener into a state of deep relaxation.

Overall, Sweet and Low is a beautiful, tender lullaby that captures the essence of Tennyson's poem and creates a sense of peace and tranquility for the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Whisper softly, whisper softly

wind of the western sea.
Breeze from the direction of the sunset

Low, low, breathe and blow,
Breath softly, blow gently

wind of the western sea.
Breeze from the direction of the sunset

Over the rolling waters go.
Travel over the waves

Come from the dying moon and blow.
Come from the setting moon and breathe gently

Blow him again to me
Blow the breeze toward me once more

while my little one,
While my child,

while my pretty one sleeps.
While my beautiful child is sleeping

Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
No additional meaning, just a vocalization

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest;
Sleep and relax, sleep and relax