Dean Martin - Mambo Italiano (1955) "Mambo Italiano," performed by Dean Martin and penned by Bob Merrill in 1954, became a defining track of the 1950s, capturing the charm of Italian culture set to a lively mambo rhythm. Initially a hit for Rosemary Clooney, the song reached the top ten in the US and France, and number one in the UK. Merrill composed the song in an Italian restaurant in New York City, humorously parodying the mambo craze and showcasing Clooney's vocal talents, despite her Irish-