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.
Go! Go! Go!
Dean Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on and dance with me
(Go go go go)
In to a trance with me
(Go go go go)
And try romance with me
Don't stop, don't stop, go go go go
(Go go go go)
(Go go go go)
And hold me tight tonight
(Go go go go)
I fell so right tonight
Don't stop, don't stop, go go go go
This heart of mine is beating overtime
It's four leaf clover time
(It's love) It's love, it's love, it's love
(Go go go go)
And swing me round the floor
(Go go go go)
And kiss me more and more
(Go go go go)
What are we waiting for
Don't stop, don't stop, go go go go go go
Go go go go
"Go Go Go Go" by Dean Martin is an energetic song that speaks about the desire to dance, have fun and fall in love. From the opening lines, "Come on and dance with me, in to a trance with me, and try romance with me," the song sets the tone for a night of wild abandon. As the title suggests, the song urges listeners to keep going, to not stop and let themselves get lost in the music.
The lyrics of the song emphasize the joys of falling in love and the excitement of being swept away by the music. Martin sings, "And hold me tight tonight, I feel so right tonight," capturing the rush of emotions that come with being on the dance floor with someone special. The chorus of "Go go go go" acts as a chant, encouraging everyone to let loose and enjoy themselves.
The song is a celebration of youth and life, of the thrill of the unknown and the possibilities that each new night brings. It's a reminder to not take life too seriously and to embrace the simple pleasures that surround us.
Overall, "Go Go Go Go" is a fun and lively song that captures the spirit of the 1960s. It's a classic that still has the power to get people on the dance floor today.
Line by Line Meaning
(Go go go go)
Let's move and start doing something exciting
Come on and dance with me
Join me in this jubilant activity and move to the rhythm of the music
(Go go go go)
Increase the level of enthusiasm and get lost in the music
Into a trance with me
Get into a state of euphoria together with me
(Go go go go)
Let's be adventurous and take risks that are worth taking
And try romance with me
Let's explore the idea of love and intimacy with each other
Don't stop, don't stop, go go go go
Let's enjoy the moment without any hesitation or second thoughts
(Go go go go)
The music is electrifying and captivating
And hold me tight tonight
Embrace me positively and assuage me from my fears
I feel so right tonight
I am euphoric and completely at peace right now
This heart of mine is beating overtime
My heart beats fast with what's happening right now
It's four-leaf clover time
A rare opportunity presenting itself, which I am making the most of
(It's love) It's love, it's love, it's love
This is the feeling of love and affection that I am feeling right now
(Go go go go)
Let's get lost in each other's arms and forget the world around us
And swing me round the floor
Let's dance enthusiatically and have fun
And kiss me more and more
Let's escalate the level of intimacy and affection
What are we waiting for
Why should we be waiting when the opportunity is too great to pass up
Don't stop, don't stop, go go go go go go
Let's keep suspending our reality and keep being lost in this moment
(Go go go go)
Let's keep the positive energy flowing and dance like there's no tomorrow
Lyrics © SOROKA MUSIC LTD.
Written by: DAVIDE CARDILLI, GIULIANO CAPELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Theisen
This song plays just about nonstop on a Dean's Party slot machine at the casino I work at!! Catchy song!!!
Daniel Gregory
Make you stir crazy after a few hours...😵😋
Christian Tyson
i love this slot
PUMPbrady
Played the slot in casino last night. I started singing along with the machine, and it made me almost not mind losing my cash. Almost!
David Theisen
@PUMPbrady LOL Yeah I also like playing our Monty Python and the Holy Grail game and the Zeus and Kronos Unleashed games
PUMPbrady
@David Theisen I also play Zeus and Kronos games. We have no Money Python machines sadly.
STEVEN SPENNEBERG
I heard this song for the first time, on a Slot Machine in a Casino. It was a Dream Martin machine, and when you hit the jackpot, it plays a video of Dean singing this song.
I had been feeling like a total loser for a few months. And when I hit that jackpot, and Dean start singing this to me, it was so emotional, I almost cried.
kelstuck23
The first time I heard this song was at my grandma's funeral because her children, my mom and aunt and uncles, thought it described how she was in life. She was always going somewhere and doing something whether it was attending her grandchildren's sporting/musical events or going out with her friends to lunch she was always on the move. I miss you grandma, I hope you are dancing the night away with grandpa now.
Luxe Cheree
One of the best singers that ever lived, todays generation just doesn’t produce this quality of talent!
Mike Thomas
Cool jam.I personally love these overlooked unplayed-on-the-radio gems.To me they're a lot better than the hits which were great but these particular tunes don't suffer from the obvious malady of being "overplayed".Just my OWN observation.