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Volare (song)
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"Nel blu dipinto di blu" ("In the blue painted blue"), popularly known as "Volare" (Italian for the infinitive form of the verb "to fly"), is Domenico Modugno's signature song. It is the only song ever by an Italian artist to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Domenico Modugno's recording of this song was the first Grammy winner for Record of the Year (1958). It is also the only foreign-language recording (sung entirely in Italian) to take this top honor.
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Encyclopedia
"Nel blu dipinto di blu" ("In the blue painted blue"), popularly known as "Volare" (Italian for the infinitive form of the verb "to fly"), is Domenico Modugno's signature song. It is the only song ever by an Italian artist to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Domenico Modugno's recording of this song was the first Grammy winner for Record of the Year (1958). It is also the only foreign-language recording (sung entirely in Italian) to take this top honor. In addition, the song was Billboard's #1 single for 1958. It is one of only three "one-hit wonders" to become single of the year in the history of Billboard's Hot 100 (followed by 1962's "Stranger On The Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk; and, 2006's "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter).
Composition
Written by Domenico Modugno (music and lyrics) and Franco Migliacci (lyrics), "Nel blu dipinto di blu" was presented by Domenico Modugno and Johnny Dorelli at the 1958 Sanremo Music Festival, winning the contest and achieving instant popularity. It was then chosen to represent Italy in the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest and came third.
The song is a ballad in a dramatic chanson style, in which Modugno describes the feeling he has (which he likens to flying) when with his lover.
The English lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish.
Alternative English lyrics were written in 1958 by Dame Gracie Fields, and they were used in most concerts she performed in from then until her death in 1979. She often changed the words to suit the performance, and her current age.
At Eurovision
The song was performed first on the night (preceding the Netherlands' Corry Brokken with Heel De Wereld). At the close of voting, it had received 13 points, placing 3rd in a field of 10.
Due to a transmission fault, the song was not heard in all countries so it was performed at the end as well, before the voting took place.
It was succeeded as Italian representative at the 1959 Contest by "Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)," also performed by Modugno.
Popularity
The song became widely known as "Volare," from its refrain, and reached the top of the charts all over the world through translations into various languages: "?????? (Volare)" in Russian by Sofia Rotaru; "Dans le bleu du ciel bleu," France (translated by Jacques Larue in 1958); "En el azul del cielo," Spain; "Jouw ogen," Belgium; "Taivaan sinessä," Finland; "Azul pintado de azul," Mexico, Argentina, Brazil.
A year after the Eurovision the first Grammy Awards ceremony was held, and Modugno received awards for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Billboard magazine also awarded Modugno a prize for best song of the year, and he received three gold records from the recording industry: best singer, best song, best-seller album.
The song's popularity endures, and it was voted as the second favourite entry in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest at the 50th anniversary concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005.
The song has been covered at least 100 times over the years. Versions were quickly recorded after the initial success - partly in English, partly in Italian - by The McGuire Sisters and Dean Martin. Mitchell Parish also prepared lyrics in English. Bobby Rydell had a hit with it that reached number four in the summer of 1960 and was later played over the end credits for the 1986 movie Vamp. An up-tempo Spanish version (partly in Italian) was recorded by the Gipsy Kings in 1989.
Sergio Franchi sang the song, with modified lyrics, as the television spokesman for the Plymouth Volaré in the 1970s.
It has even been used in a 2004 Arby's TV commercial.
A version was used by fans of Arsenal to serenade the midfielder Patrick Vieira, and Manchester United fans have created versions for cult heroes Diego Forlan and Nemanja Vidic, as well as a parody of Arsenal's song for Vieira, mocking the midfielder's error in the 1999 FA Cup Semi-Final replay which led to Ryan Giggs' famous extra-time winner.
It is also present in the video game Counter-Strike, within the map "cs_italy."
When former New York Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca would bat at Shea Stadium, a small snippet of the song would play.
In the first season of Quantum Leap in the episode Double Identity the character Dr. Sam Beckett is shown singing the song.
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 6) featured Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas dancing the Samba (Brazilian dance) to the Gipsy Kings version of the song.
The 1980 comedy classic film Hollywood Knights referred to the song in a witty version performed by Newbomb Turk (Robert Wuhl) to the delight of a High School Pep Rally audience, albeit with adverse reactions from the sponsoring adults at the scene.
Kevin Kline sings an excerpt from this song in the movie "A Fish Called Wanda".
Quotations
When ABBA’s "Waterloo," was voted as the "all time favourite song of the Eurovision Song Contest" (Volare came second), the creators Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, said when they received the prize
I myself voted for "Volare" but I am pleased that so many people voted for us.
- ? Benny Andersson
Recorded versions
External links
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