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.
Make It Rain
Dean Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the common folk like me
Makin' bets to what degree of fool we are
Through your rose-coloured windows
You see yourself above us
Standin' in the mud and gazin' at the stars
The common cold, the heartburn and the heartache
Put our pants on just the same
Your worth don't make you better, babe
'Cause I can tread water, babe
As long as you think you make it rain
While you got your raisin', girl
And your diamond-studded world
I got pulled up on the hungry side o' town
I cut my teeth on bacon rind
There ain't no hide as tough as mine
But it might be fun awhile to be your clown
So, get your whip and do your thing
And I'll run around the ring
Ride my white horse, wear my armour too
Aah, but I don't easy blister, babe
I'll be your Court Jester, babe
Don't think you won't pay the fiddler too
I put your hand in mine
It was a shockin' time to find
The water hot, the current strong and deep and wet
You had me strugglin' for a time
A-draggin' on your line
But never fear, this fish will never swim
While you're playin' with my mind
I'll be payin' with your money, honey
As long as your account can stand the drain
I'll fan the flame and make it hotter
'Cause I think I can walk on water
As long as you can make it rain
Aww, I'll hang around awhile
Study your style
Come out a whole lot wiser man indeed
'Cause the last time anyone as grand
As you appeared and looked around
Found the grandest star up in the East
Hey, but I don't see no halo
Just a little girl with a lot of gold
Wantin' one more trinket for her golden scene
Aah, but you got a hot one hangin', kid
Don't let him say you never did your best
Be my guest, make it rain
Aah, make it rain
Babe, make it rain
Make it rain
Oh, make it rain
Dean Martin's song Make It Rain provides an insightful commentary on the class divide and wealth inequality that plagues society. The song begins with Martin acknowledging the attitudes of the wealthy towards the common folk, with the former looking down upon the latter and making bets on their supposed idiocy. Martin points out that despite these differences, rich and poor alike suffer from afflictions such as heartburn and heartache, and ultimately are equals in many ways. He rejects the notion that one's worth is tied to their material possessions, asserting that he can still survive and thrive despite not being as wealthy as some of the people he knows.
Martin goes on to describe how he has experienced life on the flip side of wealth and power, having grown up in a poorer area of town and having to struggle for everything he has. Despite this, he acknowledges the allure of the glamorous lifestyle of the rich and famous, and seems to imply that he may have entertained the idea of playing the 'clown' for a time in exchange for access to more resources. Ultimately, however, he recognizes that this is not a long-term solution and that ultimately, he will always be his own person with his own unique perspective and experiences.
In the final verses, Martin reflects on the power dynamics present in his relationship with a wealthy woman. He admits that he is willing to play along with her whims and desires for a time, but ultimately asserts that he will come out wiser and stronger for the experience. He also implies that he is using the relationship to extract resources and opportunities that he wouldn't otherwise have access to, stating that he will 'make it rain' by draining her account. The final line of the song seems to suggest that Martin is aware of the trade-offs inherent in such a relationship and is willing to play along with them, but that he ultimately values his autonomy and self-respect more than any temporary windfall.
Line by Line Meaning
The wealthy ones like you look down
You believe that your wealth makes you superior to others like me
On the common folk like me
You see me as just a commoner, beneath you in status
Makin' bets to what degree of fool we are
You enjoy making fun of us and betting on our stupidity
Through your rose-coloured windows
You look at the world through a distorted and idealistic perspective
You see yourself above us
You view yourself as superior and look down on those with less wealth
Standin' in the mud and gazin' at the stars
You may be wealthy, but you are still grounded in reality, yet you aim for the stars
But the rich and poor have in common
Despite our differences in wealth, we still share common struggles
The common cold, the heartburn and the heartache
We all experience physical ailments and emotional pain regardless of wealth status
Put our pants on just the same
Despite your wealth, you still have to dress and live like everyone else
Your worth don't make you better, babe
Your wealth does not make you a superior person
'Cause I can tread water, babe
I can survive and thrive without relying on your wealth
As long as you think you make it rain
As long as you believe that your wealth gives you power
While you got your raisin', girl
While you are busy enjoying your luxurious lifestyle
And your diamond-studded world
And surrounded by your diamonds and materialism
I got pulled up on the hungry side o' town
I come from a less wealthy background and worked hard to get where I am
I cut my teeth on bacon rind
I have lived a tough life, eating anything I could to survive
There ain't no hide as tough as mine
I am a strong person, and nothing can break me
But it might be fun awhile to be your clown
I can play along with your game for a little while
So, get your whip and do your thing
You can try and control me, but I will not break
And I'll run around the ring
I will entertain you and follow your lead
Ride my white horse, wear my armour too
I can put on a show and pretend to be whoever you want me to be
Aah, but I don't easy blister, babe
I can handle anything you throw at me without getting hurt
I'll be your Court Jester, babe
I can be your servant, entertaining you whenever you desire
Don't think you won't pay the fiddler too
You will eventually have to answer to someone for your actions
I put your hand in mine
I trusted you and followed your lead
It was a shockin' time to find
You were not what I expected you to be
The water hot, the current strong and deep and wet
The situation was difficult and challenging
You had me strugglin' for a time
You made things difficult for me, and it took me a while to adjust
A-draggin' on your line
I was being controlled and manipulated by you
But never fear, this fish will never swim
I will never completely submit to your control
While you're playin' with my mind
While you are attempting to manipulate me
I'll be payin' with your money, honey
I will take advantage of your resources and use them to my own benefit
As long as your account can stand the drain
As long as your wealth can support my actions
I'll fan the flame and make it hotter
I will exacerbate the situation and make things more intense
'Cause I think I can walk on water
I am confident in my abilities to handle anything you throw at me
Aww, I'll hang around awhile
I will continue to engage with you and your games
Study your style
I will observe and analyze your behavior
Come out a whole lot wiser man indeed
I will learn from this experience and become a smarter person because of it
'Cause the last time anyone as grand
You are pretending to be someone greater than you actually are
As you appeared and looked around
When you came into the spotlight and assessed your surroundings
Found the grandest star up in the East
You identified the brightest, most successful individual nearby
Hey, but I don't see no halo
I do not see any special nobility or greatness in you
Just a little girl with a lot of gold
You are just a young woman with a lot of wealth
Wantin' one more trinket for her golden scene
You crave more materialistic items to fit into your luxurious lifestyle
Aah, but you got a hot one hangin', kid
You have a valuable possession, possibly a romantic partner
Don't let him say you never did your best
Do not let him criticize you for not trying hard enough
Be my guest, make it rain
Do your best to maintain your wealth and power, but I will not simply bow down to you
Aah, make it rain
Do what you must to keep your power and wealth intact
Babe, make it rain
My thought process as I watch you try to control everything
Make it rain
Maintain your power and wealth, but I will not be sucked in by your manipulations
Writer(s): Billy B Mize
Contributed by Anna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.