Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was… Read Full Bio ↴Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, comedian, and producer. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed the "King of Cool" for his seemingly effortless charisma and self-assurance.

He and Jerry Lewis formed the immensely popular comedy duo Martin and Lewis, with Martin serving as the straight man to Lewis' slapstick hijinks. Martin went on to become a star of concert stages, nightclubs, audio recordings, motion pictures, and television, and was also a member of the "Rat Pack". Martin was the host of the television variety programs The Dean Martin Show and The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. His relaxed, warbling, crooning voice earned him dozens of hit singles, including his signature songs "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare", and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"

Martin was born on June 7, 1917, in Steubenville, Ohio, to an Italian father, Gaetano Alfonso Crocetti (1894–1967), and an Italian-American mother, Angela Crocetti (née Barra; 1899–1966). They were married in 1914. His father, who was a barber, was originally from Montesilvano, in Abruzzo, and his maternal grandparents' origins are believed to be also from Abruzzo, although they are not clearly known. Martin had an older brother named William Alfonso Crocetti (1916–1968). Martin's first language was Abruzzese, a dialect of Neapolitan, and he did not speak English until he started school at the age of five. He attended Grant Elementary School in Steubenville, where he was bullied for his broken English. He later took up the drums as a hobby as a teenager. Martin then dropped out of Steubenville High School in the 10th grade because he thought he was smarter than his teachers. He bootlegged liquor, served as a speakeasy croupier, was a blackjack dealer, worked in a steel mill, and boxed as a welterweight.

As Martin's solo career grew, he and Frank Sinatra became friends. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Martin and Sinatra, along with friends Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. formed the Rat Pack, so-called after an earlier group of social friends, the Holmby Hills Rat Pack centered on Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, of which Sinatra had been a member (The Martin-Sinatra-Davis-Lawford-Bishop group referred to themselves as "The Summit" or "The Clan" and never as "The Rat Pack", although this has remained their identity in popular imagination). The men made films together, formed part of the Hollywood social scene, and were politically influential (through Lawford's marriage to Patricia Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy).

The Rat Pack was legendary for its Las Vegas Strip performances. For example, the marquee at the Sands Hotel might read DEAN MARTIN—MAYBE FRANK—MAYBE SAMMY. Their appearances were valuable because the city would flood with wealthy gamblers. Their act (always in tuxedo) consisted of each singing individual numbers, duets and trios, along with seemingly improvised slapstick and chatter. In the socially charged 1960s, their jokes revolved around adult themes, such as Sinatra's womanizing and Martin's drinking, as well as Davis's race and religion. Sinatra and Martin supported the civil rights movement and refused to perform in clubs that would not allow African-American or Jewish performers. Posthumously, the Rat Pack has experienced a popular revival, inspiring the George Clooney/Brad Pitt "Ocean's Trilogy."

Martin returned to films briefly with appearances in the star-laden, critically panned but commercially successful The Cannonball Run and its sequel Cannonball Run II. He also had a minor hit single with "Since I Met You Baby" and made his first music video, which appeared on MTV. The video was created by Martin's youngest son, Ricci. On March 21, 1987, Martin's son, actor Dean Paul Martin (formerly Dino of the 1960s "teeny-bopper" rock group Dino, Desi & Billy), died when his F-4 Phantom II jet fighter crashed while flying with the California Air National Guard. Martin's grief over his son's death left him depressed and demoralized. Later, a tour with Davis and Sinatra in 1988, undertaken in part to help Martin recover, sputtered.

Martin, who responded best to a club audience, felt lost in the huge stadiums they were performing in at Sinatra's insistence, and he was not interested in drinking until dawn after performances. His final Vegas shows were at Bally's Hotel in 1990. There he had his final reunion with Lewis on his 72nd birthday. Martin's last two TV appearances involved tributes to his former Rat Pack members. On December 8, 1989, he joined stars in Sammy Davis Jr's 60th anniversary celebration, which aired a few weeks before Davis died from throat cancer. In December 1990, he congratulated Sinatra on his 75th birthday special.

Martin, a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in September 1993, and was told that he would require surgery to prolong his life, but he rejected it. He retired from public life in early 1995 and died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema at his Beverly Hills home on Christmas Day, 1995 at the age of 78. The lights of the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed in his honor. Martin's body was interred at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. The crypt features the epitaph "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime", the title of his signature song.

In 1996, Ohio Route 7 through Steubenville was rededicated as Dean Martin Boulevard. Road signs bearing an Al Hirschfeld caricature of Martin's likeness designate the stretch with a historical marker bearing a small picture and brief biography in the Gazebo Park at Route 7 and North Fourth Street. An annual Dean Martin Festival celebration is held in Steubenville. Impersonators, friends and family, and entertainers, many of Italian ancestry, appear. In 2005, Clark County, Nevada, renamed a portion of Industrial Road as Dean Martin Drive. A similarly named street was dedicated in 2008 in Rancho Mirage, California. Martin's family was presented a gold record in 2004 for Dino: The Essential Dean Martin, his fastest-selling album, which also hit the iTunes Top 10, and in 2006 it was certified "Platinum".

For the week ending December 23, 2006, the Dean Martin and Martina McBride duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" reached No. 7 on the R&R AC chart. It also went to No. 36 on the R&R Country chart – the last time Martin had a song this high in the charts was in 1965, with the song "I Will," which reached No. 10 on the Pop chart. An album of duets, Forever Cool, was released by Capitol/EMI in 2007. It features Martin's voice with Kevin Spacey, Shelby Lynne, Joss Stone, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Robbie Williams, McBride and others. His footprints were immortalized at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in 1964. Martin has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one at 6519 Hollywood Boulevard for movies; the second at 1617 Vine for recordings; and a third at 6651 Hollywood Boulevard for television. In February 2009, Martin was honored with a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Four of his surviving children, Gail, Deana, Ricci and Gina accepted it on his behalf. In 2010, Martin received a posthumous star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Martin was married three times. His first wife was Elizabeth Anne "Betty" McDonald, (July 14, 1922 – July 11, 1989) of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. Martin and McDonald married in 1941 and had four children: Craig Martin (born 1942), Claudia Martin (March 16, 1944 – February 16, 2001), Gail Martin (born 1945); and Deana Martin (born 1948). Martin and McDonald divorced in 1949 and Dean gained custody of their children. Betty lived out her life in relative obscurity in San Francisco, California.

Martin's second wife was Dorothy Jean "Jeanne" Biegger (March 27, 1927 – August 24, 2016), a former Orange Bowl queen from Coral Gables, Florida. Their marriage lasted 24 years (1949–1973) and produced three children: Dean Paul Martin (November 17, 1951 – March 21, 1987), Ricci Martin (September 20, 1953 – August 3, 2016)[15] and Gina Martin (born 1956).

Martin's third marriage, to Catherine Hawn, lasted three years before Martin initiated divorce proceedings. They had no biological children of their own but Martin adopted Hawn's daughter, Sasha.

Martin's uncle was Leonard Barr, who appeared in several of his shows. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he lived at 363 Copa De Oro Road in Bel Air, Los Angeles, before selling it to Tom Jones for $500,000 in June 1976.

Martin's son-in-law was the Beach Boys' Carl Wilson, who married Martin's daughter Gina. Figure skater Dorothy Hamill and actress Olivia Hussey were his daughters-in-law during their marriages to Martin's son, Dean Paul Martin.

C'est Si Bon
Dean Martin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Si bon si bon)
See'est si bon (Si bon si bon)
Lovers say that in France (Si bon si bon)
When they thrill to romance (Si bon si bon)
It means that it's so good
Ah see'est si bon (Si bon si bon)
So I say it to you (Si bon si bon)
Like the French people do (Si bon si bon)

Because it's oh so good
Every word every sigh every kiss dear
Leads to only one thought and it's this dear
Oh it's on so good (Si bon si bon)
Nothing else can replace (Si bon si bon)
Just your slightest embrace (Si bon si bon)
And if you only would
Would be my own for the rest of my days
I would whisper this phrase
See'est si bon (Si bon si bon)
The river Seine (Si bon si bon)
The Left Bank (Si bon si bon)
The Eiffel Tower (Si bon si bon)
The meatballs, pizzas, school cheating, now that's stuffs pretty good too
(En voyant notre mine ravie)
I have only one thought and it's this dear
Oh it's so good (Si bon si bon)
Nothing else can replace (Si bon si bon)
Just your slightest embrace (Si bon si bon)
And if you only would
Be my own for the rest of my days
I would whisper this phrase
My darling see'est si bon (Si bon si bon)
Gigi si bon (Si bon si bon)
Mimi si bon (Si bon si bon)

And all those mademoiselles that are si bon
In fact you'd be surprised how much good stuff there is around here Frank (Si bon si bon)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dean Martin's song C'est Si Bon express the joy of love and how it's an experience that is so good. The French term "C'est Si Bon" is translated directly to "it's so good" and is commonly used by lovers in France to describe the feeling of being in love. The song suggests that every word, sigh, and kiss shared between two individuals in love leads to only one thought - that it's so good.

The lyrics also speak of Paris, France, the city of love, and the attractions that make it a romantic place, such as the River Seine, Left Bank, and the Eiffel Tower. Furthermore, the song implies that even though there are other good things in life, nothing compares to the feeling of being in love and the slightest embrace of a loved one. In essence, the song captures the essence of the French love experience and the feeling of being in love.

Line by Line Meaning

See'est si bon
This phrase is commonly used in France to express that something is very good.

(Si bon si bon)
Repeating the phrase ‘Si bon’ for emphasis.

Lovers say that in France
In France, people in love often express their positive feelings by saying ‘Si bon’ repeatedly.

When they thrill to romance
When they are engaged in a romantic relationship, this phrase is often used in order to express pleasure and excitement.

It means that it's so good
This phrase is used to express that something is extremely enjoyable or desirable.

So I say it to you
The singer is telling their significant other that they find them and their relationship extremely satisfying.

Like the French people do
They are using the French custom of saying ‘Si bon’ to express their positive emotions.

Every word every sigh every kiss dear
All of the intimate moments shared between the two lovers.

Leads to only one thought and it's this dear
All of those intimate moments lead to the realization that their relationship is ‘Si bon’.

Nothing else can replace
There isn't anything that could make their relationship any better than it already is.

Just your slightest embrace
Even the simplest of actions from their significant other is enough to make them happy.

And if you only would
‘If only’ their loved one would agree to be theirs forever.

Would be my own for the rest of my days
They want their loved one to be theirs forever.

The river Seine
The iconic river that runs through Paris, France.

The Left Bank
The southern bank of the Seine, historically known for its intellectual and artistic community.

The Eiffel Tower
The iconic monument located in Paris and a symbol of love and romance for many.

The meatballs, pizzas, school cheating, now that's stuffs pretty good too
The artist is pointing out that there are other things that are also ‘Si bon,’ such as delicious food and even cheating in school (although it is not encouraged).

(En voyant notre mine ravie)
While reading this line, the singer is smiling.

My darling see'est si bon
The singer is expressing their love for their significant other by telling them that their relationship together is ‘Si bon.’

Gigi si bon
The artist is referencing the popular French musical film, ‘Gigi,’ to illustrate that there are other things that are also good.

Mimi si bon
This is a reference to the character Mimi from the opera ‘La Boheme’ and is another example of how other things can also be considered ‘Si bon’.

And all those mademoiselles that are si bon
There are many other women who are also good, yet the singer is expressing his love for just one.

In fact you'd be surprised how much good stuff there is around here Frank (Si bon si bon)
The singer is playing again on the repetitive phrase ‘Si bon’ and is saying that there are many good things around, not just their love for their significant other.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BEUSCHER ARPEGE, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Henri Betti, Andre Hornez

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS