Hi friends – welcome back to 50s Tunes with Steve - the best place to learn about, listen to, and snap along with some of the great artists of the 1950s.
Turner Classic Movies will be airing a special Dean Martin documentary Friday, November 19th at 8 p.m.
After hearing about this documentary, I figured now would be the perfect time to talk about the American-Italian artist that is Dean Martin, as he is and always will be one of my all-time favorite singers, and really the first 50s pop crooner I ever listened to.
So, kick ya feet up, lay back, and let’s dive into the swingin’ career and smooth voice of Mr. Dino Martino – Dean Martin.
Martin and Lewis
Dean Martin has come to be known as one of the most successful entertainers of the 20th century, but like many, he didn’t rise to fame without enduring the pains of a partner act.
Before going solo, Martin was associated with fellow comedic performer, Jerry Lewis – a high pitched, nasally voiced, slapstick and vaudevillian performer.
The two had met in the mid-1940s, becoming good friends, and eventually developing a solid routine that consisted of Martin singing while Jerry Lewis would do these stupid comic routines in the background. Martin would often participate in the comedy, but his role wasn’t nearly as exciting as Lewis’s.
With great success, the duo went on to be known as “Martin and Lewis” appearing on radio, television and in films.
They were arguably the most popular act of the early 1950s, but the partnership only lasted a decade before Martin got fed up with Lewis, and the amount of praise he was receiving while Martin looked like nothing but a side man who was there as a supporting character in the act.
Singing Solo, Frank Sinatra, and The Rat Pack
Martin had recorded many, many records between 1948 and his split from Lewis in 1957, but only a select few of those songs managed to have any great success, with a mere single record going to #1 – “Memories Are Made of This.”
Aside from that one hit song, the other 2 records that did fairly well were, “That’s Amore,” and “Sway.”
Following these hits, Martin recorded “Return To Me,” and “Volare” in 1958. Only “Return To Me” charted on the year end singles of 1958, reaching #10.
As I’ve said in prior posts, crooners struggled during this time due to the advent of Rock N Roll.
Due to this shift in music, Martin was not at this time fully focused on a singing career but had also decided to venture more into the world of acting where he met the legend himself, singer, actor, and all-around entertainer - Frank Sinatra.
After appearing for the first time with Sinatra in the movie “Some Come Running,” in 1958 the two practically became a new dynamic duo, going on to appear in various films together.
Martin was now beginning to become an even bigger star than before, and between the late 1950s and mid-1960s, he, Sinatra, and fellow performer Sammy Davis Jr., who was also closely associated with Sinatra, went on to become one of the greatest trios in history – The Rat Pack.
For Martin, the days of performing slapstick with Jerry Lewis were over, and The Rat Pack brought great success to the city of Las Vegas, Nevada - which they practically owned - where they attracted the older generation of people who still had a great appreciation for high society and classiness.
Mind you this was the beginning of the 1960s – a time when The Beatles were invading America with their shaggy hair and annoying British accents.
Believe it or not in 1964, Dean Martin recorded a song titled “Everybody Loves Somebody” which went all the way to #1 - knocking The Beatles hit record “A Hard Day’s Night” out of its position.
That’s always one of my favorite stories to tell!
Easy Listening Chart Hits
While the music scene had taken a far shift from the days of novelty songs and tender ballads, Martin continued to record music he saw best fit for him, and with the introduction of a new music chart titled the “Easy Listening” chart, this was his opportunity to shine.
Following his hit “Everybody Loves Somebody,” Martin hit big again in 1964 with “The Door Is Still Open to My Heart” which went to #1 on the easy listening charts and #6 on the popular music charts.
Again in 1964 Martin had another #1 record on the easy listening charts – “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” which has been performed my various artists across the board for decades.
Dino charted within the top 10 with many songs between 1965 and 1966, but he wouldn’t reach #1 again until 1967 with “In the Chapel in the Moonlight.”
Other Activities and Final Years
The main focus of this blog has, and always will be music, but I think it’s important to mention some of the other success Dean Martin saw in his career.
From 1965 to 1974 Dean Martin hosted his own variety television program which would include famous artists of the day, comic performers, and small sketch routines he would do with guest actors and actresses.
Dean Martin also pioneered the “Celebrity Roast.” I know the modern audiences of today may think of a celebrity roast consisting of Justin Bieber and Pete Davidson, but before all the nonsense they show now, celebrity roasts were hosted by Dean Martin and included some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, and everybody that appeared would dress with class!
Martin also recorded many Christmas songs in his life – most notably “Let It Snow,” and “It’s a Marshmallow World.”
Take a look at this music video that was put together a couple of years ago featuring an animated skit of Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow.”
In 1987 Martin’s son, Dean Paul Martin, died in a military plane crash. He was 35 years old.
Following the tragedy, Martin became depressed and dramatically torn apart – never fully recovering from the tragedy and his life took a down hill spiral from there.
In 1995 Martin died from a battle with lung cancer – a disease that came about from his constant smoking.
He was 78.
Watch The Special
I hope that after having the opportunity to read a little bit about Dean’s life and hearing some of his great records, you’ll be inclined to watch the special on his life on Turner Classic Movies.
It’s supposed to include rare footage of some of his performances, so I’m looking forward to it, and I hope you are too!
Until next time friends, this is your 50s music fanatic, Steven B. – signing off!
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