As I’m sure most of the student population here at FTHS can admit, romance is something that many of them has yet to experience, which is rather reasonable. The students that make up our high school, like most others, are mere teenagers who haven’t found a truly significant other. So often are high school students exposed to television shows, stories, dramas, and films that revolve around the idea of romance and giving it all for that one person, yet most of the youngins watching these cannot actually relate. With that being said, how can one inexperienced in love describe it, or even imagine the feeling of it? While writers and philosophers have argued and debated on ways to synthesize the feeling of true love, Dean Martin does it in his own way. Through the most stereotypical Italian-American sounding song to ever grace this planet, Dean Martin uses analogies relating to Italian culture and bliss to describe the feeling of love, for those who have never experienced it. 

Dino Paul Crocetti was an Italian-American entertainer who was born to two Italian parents on June 7, 1917. Until the age of five, his primary language was Italian, which made school difficult for him as he was bullied and had difficulty understanding things due to his poor English. After dropping out of school at age 15, he became a boxer known as “Kid Crochet.” Unfortunately for him, this venture didn’t go so well; it resulted in more pain than it was worth and he eventually dropped out of it. Then, after changing his name to Dean Martin and experiencing a major break in the 1940s, he became an internationally recognized comedian, actor, and most of all, singer. 

    Of his most recognized songs, “That’s Amore” stands out from the rest. Unlike his other hits, “That’s Amore” embraces Dean Martin’s Italian heritage and has that distinctive Italian sound that cannot be found elsewhere. While he does have other songs of similar nature, “That’s Amore” has a characteristic, jolly, street-performance feel to it. When you search up “Italian Music” on Youtube, Dean Martin’s Italian playlist, followed by “That’s Amore” are some of the top results after some genuine Italian music. One can almost imagine hearing this song being performed in the distance as they go through a beautiful neighborhood in Italy, embracing the scenery and being entranced by the culture. 

    Throughout the 1953 song, Dean Martin compares the feeling of amore, love in Italian, to various landmarks of Italian culture, such as the pizza and pasta e fasule. The song has this comedic feel to it that hails from Dean Martin’s experience as a comedian, yet it still conveys the feeling bliss in love. Honestly, not much more can be said about this song. Like many other works of art and culture, some things are better suited for personal interpretation by the individual listener, and a mere article isn’t enough to convey the feeling of the song. Personally, I see this as a comedic and fun way of portraying the feeling of love for those who haven’t yet experienced it. However, some may see it differently. While the song may be old and its style may be outdated by modern standards, it can still be agreed upon that it sounds great nonetheless and the fact that the message it conveys is universal.  Just as “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie,” it is fact that “that’s amore.”