"Memories Are Made of This" is a popular song written by Terry Gilkyson, Richard Dehr, and Frank Miller in 1955.
The most popular version of the song was recorded by Dean Martin. It reached #1 on the Billboard chart for six weeks in 1956, and became his biggest hit. He was backed by The Easy Riders (who consisted of Gilkyson, Dehr, and Miller), who wrote it. On the flipside of the 45 and 78 recording was "Change of Heart" written by John Rox. The record had been hard to find until it appeared on the 8-CD box set Memories are Made of This from Bear Family Music.
The secondary hit version at the time was by Gale Storm, US Billboard #5. A third charted version was by Mindy Carson, at #53. Terry Gilkyson and the Easy Riders recorded it for an album but did not attempt a hit single.
After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, the song was adapted into the "Honvágy-dal" ('The Song of Homesickness') and used as an unofficial anthem for refugees scattered around the world. Recorded by Ida Boros, it became a cultural phenomenon and a sign of protest against the communist government.
The song charted once more in 1966 by the Drifters, a minor, #48, hit for them. It was recorded by Anne Murray for her Croonin' album in 1993, but it was only released as a bonus track on the special Croonin' album put out by Heartland Records.
In Germany, titled Heimweh ("Homesickness") and performed by Freddy Quinn and with lyrics by Ernst Bader and Dieter Rasch, the song was 14 weeks at number one, the most successful song of 1956.[1] Worldwide it sold more than 8 million, thus exceeding sales of the Dean Martin version.[2]
German versions:
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| Preceded by "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie |
Billboard Top 100 number one single (Dean Martin version) January 14, 1956 (5 weeks) |
Succeeded by "The Great Pretender" by The Platters |