DEAN MARTIN - LITTLE OLD WINE DRINKER ME

LITTLE OLD WINE DRINKER ME

DEAN MARTIN

SONGWRITERS: DICK JENNINGS &HANK MILLS

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: WELCOME TO MY WORLD

LABEL: REPRISE RECORDS

GENRE: COUNTRY

YEAR: 1967

 

             Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". Martin gained his career breakthrough together with comedian Jerry Lewis, billed as Martin & Lewis, in 1946. They performed in nightclubs and later had numerous appearances on radio, television and in films.

     Following an acrimonious ending of the partnership in 1956, Martin pursued a solo career as a performer and actor. Martin established himself as a singer, recording numerous contemporary songs as well as standards from the Great American Songbook. He became one of the most popular acts in Las Vegas and was known for his friendship with fellow artists Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., who together formed the Rat Pack.

          Starting in 1965, Martin was the host of the television variety program The Dean Martin Show, which centered on Martin's singing and comedic talents and was characterized by his relaxed, easy-going demeanor. From 1974 to 1984, he was roastmaster on the popular Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, which drew celebrities, comedians and politicians. Throughout his career, Martin performed in concert stages, nightclubs, audio recordings and appeared in 85 film and television productions.

               His most iconic songs include "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?", "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", and "Volare".

          "Little Old Wine Drinker Me" (sometimes rendered with a comma between the final two words) is a country pop song written in the 1960s by Hank Mills and Dick Jennings. The title parodied what was then a well-known catchphrase in TV commercials for Italian Swiss Colony wine company: "The little old winemaker, me!". The song is about a man trying to drink away his romantic troubles.

          The song was first released by Charlie Walker in 1966, on the album Wine, Woman & Walker. It became a hit when it was released by Robert Mitchum in early 1967, and by Dean Martin later the same year on his album Welcome to My World.

     Mitchum's version spent two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at Nº. 96, while reaching Nº.9 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.

       Martin's version spent six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at Nº.38, while reaching Nº.5 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, and Nº.4 on Australia's Go-Set chart.

         In Canada, Martin's version and Mitchum's version reached Nº.32 on the RPM 100, in a tandem ranking.

         The Martin recording later became popular with the Scottish football club Clydebank and can often be heard being chanted on the terraces with ‘Tennessee’ being replaced with ‘Kilbowie’ in homage to the club's former ground in the town.

I'm praying for rain in California

So the grapes can grow and they can make more wine

And I'm sitting in a honky in Chicago

With a broken heart and a woman on my mind

 

I matched the man behind the bar for the jukebox

And the music takes me back to Tennessee

And he asked who's the fool in the corner crying

I say a little ole wine drinker me

 

I came here last week from down in Nashville

'Cause my baby left for Florida on a train

I thought I'd get a job and just forget her

But in Chicago, the broken heartache's still the same

 

I matched the man behind the bar for the jukebox

And the music takes me back to Tennessee

When they ask who's the fool in the corner crying

I say a little ole wine drinker me

I say a little ole wine drinker me.