Dino! Italian Love Songs [Bonus Tracks] (CD - 1962)

Liner Note Author: James Ritz.

Dean Martin typified both the romance and seeming effortlessness of the early-1960s swinger. This collection of lushly orchestrated songs features Italian pop classics like "There's No Tomorrow," "Arrivederci Roma," "Return to Me," and the Latin-flavored "Belle From Barcelona," all performed with Martin's familiar relaxed intimacy and devil-may-care swagger.

The only surprising thing about an album of Italian songs by Dean Martin, the most overtly Italian of the Italian-American pop singers, was that it wasn't recorded until near the end of Martin's recording contract with Capitol Records. Maybe it was the success of similar albums by Connie Francis that convinced the label or the artist that such a collection could have commercial appeal, but given that some of Martin's biggest hits, including "That's Amore" and "Volare," had been Italian-flavored, it's hard to see why they would have needed convincing. In any case, Martin was typically convincing on this album in both English and Italian, whether recutting his hit "Return to Me" or trying an alternate English lyric for "O Sole Mio" ("There's No Tomorrow"). Listeners should be forewarned that this is not a collection of Martin's Italian hits, but rather a newly recorded album (circa 1961). Nevertheless, it is a good match of singer to songs, and it became Martin's first charting album on Capitol. [The 2005 edition includes four bonus tracks.] ~ William Ruhlmann minimize