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.
Silver Bells
Dean Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughin', people passin', meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you hear
Silver bells (silver bells)
Silver bells (silver bells)
Ring-a-ling
(Ring-a-ling)
Hear them ring
(Hear them ring)
Soon it'll be Christmas Day
(Strings of street lights, even stop lights blink a bright red and green)
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
(Hear the snow crush, see the kids bunch, this is Santa's big scene)
And above all this bustle you hear
(Silver bells) silver bells
(Silver bells) silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling
(Ring-a-ling)
Hear them ring
(Hear them ring)
Soon it'll be Christmas day
(Silver bells, silver bells)
(Silver, silver bells)
The lyrics to Dean Martin's song, "Silver Bells" speak to the festive tone of Christmas in the city. The song begins by describing sidewalks that are "dressed in holiday style" and the atmosphere of Christmas that fills the air. Children are laughing and people are passing by with smiles on their faces. Every street corner echoes with the sounds of silver bells ringing.
The second verse speaks of the city's Christmas lights and decorations, as well as the flurry of shoppers rushing home with their treasures. The snow falls and the children gather, anticipating Santa's arrival. Despite the chaos, the sound of silver bells continues to ring out above the noise.
The lyrics of "Silver Bells" paint a vivid picture of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season in the city. The emphasis is on the sounds and sights of Christmas, as well as the joy and excitement that the holiday brings. It's a celebration of the season and the joyous spirit that it inspires in people.
Line by Line Meaning
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
The sidewalks of the city are crowded with people, buzzing with energy and excitement.
Dressed in holiday style
The streets are decorated with Christmas lights and ornaments, showcasing holiday spirit.
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
There's an intangible sense of joy and warmth in the atmosphere, indicative of the festive holiday season.
Children laughin', people passin', meeting smile after smile
Amidst the steady crowds, people are happily interacting with each other with a visible sense of glee.
And on every street corner you hear
Everywhere you go, you're met with the sound of jingling silver bells.
Silver bells (silver bells)
The sound of bells ringing is omnipresent, signaling the arrival of the holiday season.
It's Christmas time in the city
The festivities and celebratory atmosphere point to the fact that it's the time of the year associated with Christmas.
Ring-a-ling
The constant ringing of bells adds to the energy and buoyancy of the holiday season.
(Ring-a-ling)
The sound of bells ringing gets louder and more persistent.
Hear them ring
The sound of bells ringing is so prevalent that everyone can hear it.
(Hear them ring)
The sound of the bells persistently fills the air.
Soon it'll be Christmas Day
The excitement in the air is a precursor to the coming of Christmas day.
(Strings of street lights, even stop lights blink a bright red and green)
The entire city is decorated with Christmas lights, and even the red and green stop lights reflect the festive nature of the holiday season.
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
People, having completed their Christmas shopping, are rushing back to their homes eagerly.
(Hear the snow crush, see the kids bunch, this is Santa's big scene)
The sound of crunching snow is heard while people are witnessing scenes of children gathering and having fun, which is representative of Santa's jolly vibe.
(Silver bells) silver bells
The sound of jingling bells is still a persistent presence everywhere you go.
(Silver bells) silver bells
The bells continue to ring incessantly, signifying the arrival of Christmas.
It's Christmas time in the city
The festive energy points to the fact that it's the time of the year associated with Christmas.
Ring-a-ling
The bell's ringing continues to fill the air with sounds of Christmas.
(Ring-a-ling)
The sound of the bells persistently continues.
Hear them ring
The chime of the silver bells is now a constant reminder of Christmas.
(Hear them ring)
The bells continue to ring, signifying the ongoing festivities.
Soon it'll be Christmas day
The persistent excitement and energy continue towards the arrival of the most important day of the holiday season, Christmas day.
(Silver bells, silver bells)
The sound of ringing Christmas bells continue to fill the air.
(Silver, silver bells)
The bells remain a key symbol of Christmas festivities in the city.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@123mvsmith
Deans voice is great in itself, but the violin arrangements in the song just amaze me...
@joycesmith2880
The very best ...no one had a voice like him ..there never will be another " Dean Martin "
@patriciajanemcgrath627
Dean Martin and Christmas: a match made in Heaven ❤❤😊
@maddmaxx636
This song is amazing, and so is this version of it. It hurts to listen to it because a ex fiancée and I danced to it on the last Christmas we spent together. I lost her heart and I really did lose her. I miss her dearly and Id give anything to have her back and for her heart to beat again.
So this song makes me think of her and our special dance Ill never forget.
@usaneebeilles9510
Life’s never been easy, but our memories are precious. Have a healthy 2024 🔔Good wishes to you. Take Care.
@elainestone3341
You know it's Christmas when you hear the voice of Dean singing all these wonderful songs, he was the greatest, especially at Christmas time ❤️
@jimgilbert9984
And Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas."
@xFreG
2 Reply's.
@jimgilbert9984
And Burl Ives singing "Holly, Jolly Chistmas," Tex Ritter singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," etc.
@MostlySunny27-pd3xj
Beautiful voice- love hearing his Christmas songs. Merry Christmas (2023) everyone. Have a safe & happy holiday!