I just found an album of Dean Martin's best songs. Actually, I already have many of them on my media drive (and more recently in the cloud with Google's Music Beta). I am mature but I don't think my interest in the music of Dean Martin is typical for someone my age.
I can, of course, remember Dean from B&W television. He used to show up on variety and musical shows a lot in the late 60's and early 70's. I remember him as the cool one who always looked about three sheets to the wind. I definitely don't remember listening to his music as a kid though.
Yet, I've really learned to appreciate his pure voice. I've come to appreciate him through visits to Las Vegas, and of course, Italy too. It's not really that I heard him in either place, but I now have the cultural knowledge to put his music into better context. Even on an Alaskan cruise a decade ago one of his songs was a part of Princess Cruise's tradition. On the journey through the Inside Passage, after one dinner, Baked Alaska is traditionally served. The lights were dimmed, candles lit, and waiters paraded with the flaming dessert throughout the entire dining area. That's Amore was the accompanying music.
