Dean Martin - The Essential Dean Martin 2CD (2014)

Though he was regarded as one of the best singers of his generation, Dean Martin initially rose to fame as part of a comedy act. In 1946, Martin teamed up with funnyman Jerry Lewis, and the two were soon a sensation, headlining at nightclubs and starring in movies and TV shows built around the duo's anarchic humor. Many people believed Martin was just the straight man who belted out a tune occasionally until he landed a recording contract with Capitol Records in 1953 and launched a series of hits that showed off his rich, supple baritone and his strong but playful, devil-may-care phrasing. Martin's popularity as a vocalist only grew after he and Lewis split up the act in 1956, and despite the rise of rock & roll, Martin's grown-up pop music retained its audience; Martin's signature hit, "Everybody Loves Somebody," even nudged the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" off the top of the Billboard Singles Charts in August 1964. The Essential Dean Martin is a two-disc set featuring 40 tracks from Martin's recorded catalog, and includes hits and fan favorites from his years with Capitol (1953-1963) as well as his later tenure with Reprise Records (1963-1978). Those looking for an introduction to Martin's work or an overview of his best-known recordings will find what they're looking for with this set. Review by Mark Deming

Tracklist:

Disc: 1
1. That's Amore
2. Sway
3. Memories Are Made of This
4. Innamorata
5. Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)
6. From the Bottom of My Heart
7. Senza fine
8. Tik-A-Tee, Tik-A-Tay
9. Who's Got the Action?
10. Baby-O
11. C'est si bon
12. Corrine, Corrina
13. Face in a Crowd
14. La Giostra (The Merry-Go-Round)
15. Everybody Loves Somebody
16. The Door Is Still Open to My Heart
17. Every Minute, Every Hour
18. You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
19. You'll Always Be the One I Love
20. Send Me the Pillow You Dream On

Disc: 2
1. (Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You
2. Houston
3. Bumming Around
4. I Will
5. Somewhere There's a Someone
6. Come Running Back
7. A Million and One
8. Nobody's Baby Again
9. It Just Happened That Way
10. (Open up the Door) Let the Good Times In
11. Lay Some Happiness on Me
12. Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me
13. In the Chapel in the Moonlight
14. I Can't Help Remembering You
15. In the Misty Moonlight
16. You've Still Got a Place in My Heart
17. A Place in the Shade
18. I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am
19. Drinkin' Champagne
20. The Things We Did Last Summer