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.
Houston
Dean Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody puts me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got holes in both of my shoes
Well I'm a walking case of the blues
But the wind blew it away
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I haven't eaten in about a week
I'm so hungry when I walk I squeak
Nobody calls me friend
It's sad the shape I'm in
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got a girl waiting there for me
Well at least she said she'd be
I got a home and a big warm bed
And a feather pillow for my head
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody put me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
The song "Houston" by Dean Martin is a melancholic song about a man who is down on his luck and feels like a face without a name in a world that does not care about him. He is lonely and starving, and people treat him with disdain, which makes him feel unwanted and rejected. Despite everything, he is trying to find a way to turn his life around and to go back to Houston, where he has a girl who promised to wait for him, a home, and a bed. He believes that Houston is a place where he can start over again and overcome the darkness and the harshness of the world.
The lyrics evoke a sense of desperation and hopelessness, which is accentuated by the slow and mournful melody of the song. The singer is faced with overwhelming challenges, but he has not given up on life entirely. He still has hope that things will get better, and he is willing to take a risk and travel to Houston, hoping for a new beginning. The line "I'm a face without a name" speaks to the sense of anonymity and invisibility many people feel when they are struggling, as if they are not seen or heard by others who pass by them.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's lonesome in this old town
The singer feels isolated and alone in the current location.
Everybody puts me down
The people around him constantly criticize and belittle him.
I'm a face without a name
The singer feels insignificant and unnoticed, like he doesn't matter to others.
Just walking in the rain
The rain symbolizes the singer's own tears, and he is wandering aimlessly through life.
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
The singer has decided to return home to Houston for a fresh start.
I got holes in both of my shoes
The singer is poor and can't afford new shoes to replace his worn ones.
Well I'm a walking case of the blues
The singer is emotionally distressed and his current situation has only made it worse.
Saw a dollar yesterday
The singer had some money, but not much.
But the wind blew it away
The singer's fleeting wealth is easily lost, leaving him with nothing again.
I haven't eaten in about a week
The singer is malnourished and lacks basic sustenance.
I'm so hungry when I walk I squeak
The singer is literally starving and his body is making noises as a result.
Nobody calls me friend
The singer has no real companionship and feels alone.
It's sad the shape I'm in
The singer recognizes that his situation is bleak and it saddens him.
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
The singer has decided to return home to Houston for a fresh start.
I got a girl waiting there for me
The singer has someone in Houston who loves him and is waiting for his return.
Well at least she said she'd be
The singer is uncertain that his relationship will last or if she'll be there when he returns.
I got a home and a big warm bed
The singer has a comfortable place to live in Houston.
And a feather pillow for my head
The singer's bed is comfortable and he has a pillow for his head.
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
The singer has decided to return home to Houston for a fresh start.
Well it's lonesome in this old town
The singer feels isolated and alone in the current location.
Everybody put me down
The people around him constantly criticize and belittle him.
I'm a face without a name
The singer feels insignificant and unnoticed, like he doesn't matter to others.
Just walking in the rain
The rain symbolizes the singer's own tears, and he is wandering aimlessly through life.
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
The singer has decided to return home to Houston for a fresh start.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEE HAZLEWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lawiah
No Spin
No Curvature
No Gravity
No Space
No Spaceballs
No Space Weapons
No Space Men
Water cannot cling to spinning ball
People cannot cling to spinning ball
Ball Earth = Falsified
Behold thy Lord God of [G]ravity.
+
<O-|-<( )>-|-O>
trade mark for the Church of Heliocentricism, all rights reserved
Maxwell Johnson
DEAN MARTIN LYRICS
"Houston"
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody puts me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got holes in both of my shoes
Well I'm a walking case of the blues
Saw a dollar yesterday
But the wind blew it away
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I haven't eaten in about a week
I'm so hungry when I walk I squeak
Nobody calls me friend
It's sad the shape I'm in
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got a girl waiting there for me
Well at least she said she'd be
I got a home and a big warm bed
And a feather pillow for my head
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody put me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Jeremy Cremeans
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody puts me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got holes in both of my shoes
Well I'm a walking case of the blues
Saw a dollar yesterday
But the wind blew it away
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I haven't eaten in about a week
I'm so hungry when I walk I squeak
Nobody calls me friend
It's sad the shape I'm in
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got a girl waiting there for me
Well at least she said she'd be
I got a home and a big warm bed
And a feather pillow for my head
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody put me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Peace World
"Houston"
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody puts me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got holes in both of my shoes
Well I'm a walking case of the blues
Saw a dollar yesterday
But the wind blew it away
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I haven't eaten in about a week
I'm so hungry when I walk I squeak
Nobody calls me friend
It's sad the shape I'm in
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
I got a girl waiting there for me
Well at least she said she'd be
I got a home and a big warm bed
And a feather pillow for my head
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
Well it's lonesome in this old town
Everybody put me down
I'm a face without a name
Just walking in the rain
Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston
John Dolapo
OMG! Can this time ever come back? Whether yes or no, I just love this guy
Muffs 55mercury
I sure wish they would come back, yes.
markape1
I remember this song as a kid 30 years ago. I stumbled upon it today for the 1st time since. Brings back alot of wonderful memories from my childhood. What a talent Dean Martin was!
Derek Lee
One of the oldest comments I've seen on YouTube
A REDTAIL
One of our best Singers in my Lifetime, RIP Dean you are sadly missed by all of your Fans etc
laserluver1
I remember as a ten year old in 1965 listening to this song on a transistor radio in bed under the covers when I was supposed to be sleeping. It impressed me then and it still impresses me now.
Keith Eastwood
I first heard this song when I was five, my Dad sung it to me as we walked down a dusty road to home in the middle-of-nowhere Australia.
Fond memory.
Derek Lee
Crazy because this comment is identical to another comment on here. Darth?
Dj Ramos
Beautiful core memory god bless you !
(ツ)🌷be·liev·er🌻
That's cool!