That's Amore

Album: Dean Martin Sings (1953)
Charted: 2 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • One of Dean Martin's most famous songs, "That's Amore" describes love the way they do it in the southern Italy town of Napoli ("Amore" is Italian for "Love"). Filled with passion, the singer compares the feeling to his favorite Italian foods: pizza and pasta fagiole. It's a quirky romantic song poking a bit of fun at Italian stereotypes, something Martin - born Dino Crocetti - had every right to do.
  • The lyrics were written by Jack Brooks with music by Harry Warren. The song first appeared in the 1953 movie The Caddy, starring Martin and his comedy partner Jerry Lewis. In his autobiography, Lewis said that when he and Dean were making The Caddy, the writers left Dean with little to do. Knowing this would increase their already strained relationship, Jerry went behind Dean's back and asked songwriter Harry Warren to write a hit song for Dean to sing in the movie. This was the result. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Terry - Willmar, MN
  • This has been used in a variety of movies, including Rear Window (1954), Ishtar (1987), Moonstruck (1987), Grumpier Old Men (1995), White Chicks (2004), Enchanted (2007), and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016).

    It's also appeared in these TV shows:

    Frasier ("The Crucible" - 1993)
    Friends ("The One With The Hypnosis Tape" - 1997)
    ER ("Gut Reaction" - 1998)
    King of the Hill ("The Wedding of Bobby Hill" - 1999)
    The Simpsons ("The Italian Bob" - 2005, "A Tree Grows In Springfield" - 2012, "Them Robot" - 2012)
    Veronica Mars ("Hot Dogs" - 2005)
    The Sopranos ("Moe n' Joe" - 2006)
    Without A Trace ("Check Your Head" - 2006)
    It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia ("The Gang Dines Out" - 2012).

Comments: 10

  • Toni from FloridaOne question - the backup singers, was that norma zimmer and her ensemble?
  • Anna Rae from Turin, ItalyThe correct line is "when the stars make you drool just like pasta e fagiol
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1954 {January 10th} "That's Amore" by Dean Martin peaked at #2 {for 4 weeks} on Billboard's 'Best Selling Singles In Stores'* chart, for the four weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those four weeks was "Oh, My Papa" by Eddie Fisher...
    And also at the time, "That's Amore" was at position #3 on the Billboard's 'Most-Played Records On Juke Boxes' chart and at position #4 on the Billboard's 'Most-Played Records By Disk Jockeys' chart...
    Between 1948 and 1969 the Steubenville, Ohio native had thirty-nine records on the Billboard charts, seven made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "Memories Are Made of This" for 6 weeks in 1956 and "Everybody Loves Somebody" for 1 week in 1964...
    Two of his seven Top 10 records peaked right at #10, "Powder Your Face with Sunshine (Smile, Smile, Smile)" in 1949 and "I Will" in 1965...
    He just missed having an eighth Top 10 record when his "I'll Always Love You" peaked at #11 in 1950...
    Dean Martin, born Dino Paul Crocetti, passed away at the age of 78 on Christmas Day of 1995...
    May he R.I.P.
    * And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the 'Best Selling Singles In Stores' Top 10 on January 10th, 1954:
    At #3. "Rags To Riches" by Tony Bennett
    #4. "Changing Partners" by Patti Page
    #5. "Stranger In Paradise" by the Four Aces
    #6. "Stranger In Paradise" by Tony Bennett
    #7. "Ricochet" by Teresa Brewer
    #8. "Secret Love" by Doris Day
    #9. "What It Was, Was Football (Parts 1 and II)" by Deacon Andy Griffith
    #10. "Heart of My Heart" by the Four Aces
  • Carolyn from California, Central ValleyJust watched ''Moonstruck" with Cher and Dennis Quade on this Sunday afternoon. The movie ended with Dean Martin singing, Thats Amore. Great movie and great song.
  • Cherilyn from Houston/beaumont TexasGreat song. I have the movie The Caddy. That song should have won the Oscar though. I like Secret Love when the song went gold Jerry gave Dean the gold record on the set of The Colgate Comedy Hour.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyThis song was nominated for Best Song at the 1953 Academy Awards!!! {The song that won was "Secret Love"}
  • Alice Moyer from White Plains, NyMy Daddy taught me the words to this song when I was little in White Plains, New York where I grew up. We were at a Italian restaurant when it came on the jukebox and he kept putting quarters in and playing it over and over till he taught it to me. No one could sing it better than Daddy & Dean, Not even Jerry & Dean LOL!
    Alice Moyer, White Plains, NY
  • Lalah from Wasilla, AkWe sing this at weddings, karoke bars and pubs. You can get the crowd at any football game to sing it and I once got half a bus to sing it. I've even sung it in church. And you can't help but smile when singing it. It's an American classic. We know it better than the words to our national anthem
  • Larry from Coral Springs, FlVery romantic classic.
  • Andy from Halesowen, West Midlands, United KingdomNice romantic classic. I would imagine many of us who have been "smitten" at one time or another can relate to it. Works just the same in Newcastle, New York, Nashville, Nurnberg, Nairobi or New Delhi as it does in Naples :))
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Maria Muldaur

Maria MuldaurSongwriter Interviews

The "Midnight At The Oasis" singer is an Old Time gal. She talks about her jug band beginnings and shares a Dylan story.

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.

Crystal Waters

Crystal WatersSongwriter Interviews

Waters tells the "Gypsy Woman" story, shares some of her songwriting insights, and explains how Dennis Rodman ended up on one of her songs.