Maps of Music
A Winter Romance (1959)
Where the lyrics of A Winter Romance take you, and where it was really made.
Dean Martin's only Christmas-themed album for Capitol is not exclusively a Christmas record, since its winter theme reaches beyond the holiday songs.
View on the mapKey places
Recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood (1959)
Recording site Capitol Studios — The album was recorded in summer 1959 at the Capitol studios in Hollywood. Capitol released it as LP Capitol (S) T-1285. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Album story
Overview
- A Winter Romance: 1959 long playing album by Dean Martin
- Accompanied by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Gus Levene
- Released 16 November 1959 on Capitol Records (original LP Capitol (S) T-1285)
- Not exclusively a Christmas album
- Includes several songs associated with Christmas within a larger winter theme
- Original cover shows Martin embracing a young woman while flirting with a second attractive woman
Background
- Dean Martin's only Christmas-themed album for Capitol Records
- Martin later recorded The Dean Martin Christmas Album for Reprise Records in 1966
- Winter theme of the record links the holiday songs with other winter material
Recording
- Recorded in summer 1959 at the Capitol studios in Hollywood
- Repertoire mixes winter-themed songs with standards of American popular music
- Includes "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas"
- Credits: vocals by Dean Martin, orchestra direction by Gus Levene, production by Lee Gillette
Cover
- Original artwork shows Martin embracing a fetching young woman
- At the same time he throws a passing flirt at a second, attractive woman
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org
Artist
Career
- Born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, on June 7, 1917; sang with local bands and worked as a casino croupier before his career began.
- Formed the comedy team Martin and Lewis with Jerry Lewis in 1946; the partnership ended acrimoniously in 1956.
- Launched a solo career as singer and actor; signature song "Everybody Loves Somebody" reached number one in the US in 1964.
- Member of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, known for Las Vegas performances.
- Hosted the NBC variety series The Dean Martin Show from 1965 to 1974 and the Celebrity Roast specials from 1974 to 1984.
- Died on December 25, 1995, in Beverly Hills at age 78.
Legacy
- Sold about 50 million records worldwide and was honored with a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
- Hollywood Walk of Fame stars honor his work in film, recordings and television.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Billboard magazine's initial review, dated 30 November 1959, chose the album as one of its "Spotlight Winners of the Week"
- Billboard said the tunes all followed the winter theme and that Martin sang them with his usual ease and nonchalance
- Billboard called it a potent waxing for the holiday season
- A French-language article notes Billboard praised the winter coherence of the repertoire and Gus Levene's orchestral accompaniment
- The same article presents the album as especially suited to the year-end holiday period
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Capitol released the album as the only Christmas-themed LP Martin made for the label.
- The record's cover shows Martin with two women, one embraced and one flirted with, a detail from the original artwork.
- Martin's later Christmas album, The Dean Martin Christmas Album, came out on Reprise Records in 1966.
- The track list includes "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas".
- Billboard picked the album as a Spotlight Winner of the Week in its 30 November 1959 review.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org
View on the map