Here In My Heart

Album: I Love You Because (1952)
Charted: 1 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Al Martino's friend Mario Lanza dropped his plans to record this when Martino told him he'd set his heart on recording this. Martino's first single, it went on to become a transatlantic #1.
  • This was the first song ever to hit #1 on the UK charts. Al Martino knew this was a UK #1, but had no idea it was the first until someone told him he'd made The Guinness Book of Records. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for above 2
  • Martino died on October 13, 2009 at age 82. Born Alfred Cini in south Philadelphia in 1927, Al worked as a bricklayer before joining the Marines (where he was wounded in the invasion of Iwo Jima), all the while hoping to be a singer like his friend Mario Lanza. Upon his return he adopted his grandfather's surname and began work in New York nightclubs, eventually winning Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts program and a recording contract with Capitol Records in 1952. "Here In My Heart" topped the charts that year and was followed by "Take My Heart" (#12 - 1952). Unfortunately, this drew the attention of organized crime figures, who bought out his management contract. Al fled to England and had no American chart records for the next seven years, until a friend was able to work out his safe return in 1958. Over the next twenty years, Al had six top 20 hits, including "I Love You Because" (#3 - 1963), "Painted, Tainted Rose" (#15 - 1963), "I Love You More And More Every Day" (#9 - 1964), "Spanish Eyes" (#15 - 1966) and "To The Door Of The Son" (17 - 1975). He is best remembered for the role of Johnny Fontane in The Godfather trilogy of movies, which many say was based on Frank Sinatra, a claim Al always denied.

Comments: 1

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 12th 1966, Al Martino performed "Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    Just over three weeks later on March 6th the song entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart position #81; four weeks later on April 3rd it would peak at #30 {for 2 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 8 weeks...
    And on April 17th it reached #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart; the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "I Want to Go With You" by Eddy Arnold...
    As stated above, Al Martino, aka Johnny Fontane, passed away October 13th, 2009 at the age of 82...
    May he R.I.P.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Band Names

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.

Chris Squire of Yes

Chris Squire of YesSongwriter Interviews

One of the most dynamic bass player/songwriters of his time, Chris is the only member of Yes who has been with the band since they formed in 1968.