Memories Are Made Of This

Album

Single

Label

Capitol Records

Genre

Stage & Screen

Composer(s)

Terry Gilkyson;Richard Dehr;Frank Miller

Entered Chart

Dec 3, 1955

Peak Date

Jan 14, 1956

Released

November 28, 1955

Recorded

October 28, 1955 Studio Capitol (Hollywood)

Catalog #

Capitol 3295

B-Side

"Change of Heart"

This song is from the film The Seven Hills Of Rome in which it was sung by Mario Lanza. It was written by Terry Gilkyson (who previously had performed with the legendary folk group The Weavers in the early 1950s), Richard Dehr and Frank Miller in 1955. The backing vocals, singing "Sweet, sweet, the memories you gave to me," belonged to Gilkyson, Dehr, and Miller, the 3 writers of the song, under the name of The Easy Riders. They went on to have a #4 hit in 1957 with the folk song "Marianne." In the US, a cover version by Gale Storm reached #5, while in the UK the TV comedian Dave King's version also peaked at #5. According to 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Terry Gilkyson's daughter, the folk singer and songwriter Eliza Gilkyson said of her father, "He hated people looking for hidden meanings in his songs and he did it as a job. He went to the office every day and often wrote about us. Memories Are Made of This is about our family; it's him meeting my mother and having three kids." The song was adopted as the unofficial anthem for Hungarian refugees scattered around the world after the 1956 revolution against Soviet rule. Deana Martin borrowed the title for her 2004 book, Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter’s Eyes, and for her first full-length album in 2005.

Take one fresh and tender kiss
Add one stolen night of bliss
One girl, one boy
Some grief, some joy
Memories are made of this

Don't forget a small moonbeam
Fold in lightly with a dream
Your lips and mine
Two sips of wine
Memories are made of this

Then add the wedding bells
One house where lovers dwell
Three little kids for the flavor
Stir carefully through the days
See how the flavor stays
These are the dreams you'll savor

With His blessings from above
Serve it generously with love
One man, one wife
One love through life
Memories are made of this
Memories are made of this