Volare (song)
 "Nel blu, dipinto di blu" |
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| Domenico Modugno at the Eurovision Song Contest 1958 | |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1958 entry | |
| Country | Italy |
| Artist(s) | Domenico Modugno |
| Language | Italian |
| Composer(s) | Domenico Modugno |
| Lyricist(s) | Domenico Modugno, Franco Migliacci |
| Conductor | Alberto Semprini |
| Finals performance | |
| Final result | 3rd |
| Final points | 13 |
| Appearance chronology | |
| ◄ Corde della mia chitarra (1957) | |
| Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina) (1959) ► | |
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Modugno's "Volare" was the Billboard Hot 100 single of the year 1958.
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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.
Modugno's recording became the first Grammy winner for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1958. It is the only foreign-language recording to achieve this honor. It spent five non-consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 in August and September 1958 and was Billboard's number-one single for the year. It is one of only three one-hit wonders to become single of the year in the history of the Hot 100 (followed by "Stranger on the Shore" by Acker Bilk in 1962 and "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter in 2006).
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[edit] 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 at the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest, where it came third.
The song is a ballad in a dramatic chanson style, in which Modugno describes the feeling he has, which resembles flying when with his lover. The song opens with a surreal prelude which the cover versions often left out: "Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più. Mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu; poi d'improvviso venivo dal vento rapito, e incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito." ("I think that a dream like that will never return; I painted my hands and my face blue, then was suddenly swept up by the wind and started to fly in the infinite sky.")
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 her performance and age.
[edit] At Eurovision
The song was performed first on the night (preceding the Netherlands' Corry Brokken with "Heel De Wereld"). At the end of the 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 transmitting the event, 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.
[edit] 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: "Воларе (Volare)" in Russian[1]; "Dans le bleu du ciel bleu" in French, "En el azul del cielo" in Spain, "Jouw ogen" in Belgium, "Taivaan sinessä" in Finland and "Azul pintado de azul" in Brazil and Latin America.
A year after the Eurovision, the 1st Grammy Awards ceremony was held, and Modugno received awards for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Billboard 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-selling 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. Bobby Rydell had a hit with his version, reaching #4 on the Hot 100 in the summer of 1960 (this version was later played over the end credits of the 1986 movie Vamp). An up-tempo Spanish version (partly in Italian) was recorded by the Gipsy Kings in 1989.
The Argentinian music composer Bebu Silvetti arranged a disco version of this song.
Sergio Franchi sang the song, with modified lyrics, as the television spokesman for the Plymouth Volaré in the 1970s.
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 Vidić, 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 "de_volare."
In the first season of Quantum Leap in the episode "Double Identity", the character Dr. Sam Beckett is shown singing the song.
The 6th season of the American version of Dancing with the Stars featured Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas dancing Samba 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.
[edit] 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[2]
[edit] Recorded versions
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Song details from Eurovision Song Contest 1958
- Web Karaoke with Italian lyrics
- Karaoke version by the Gipsy Kings (in Flash)
- 50 anni di un mito (Italian)
| Preceded by "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single (Domenico Modugno version) August 18, 1958 September 1, 1958 - September 22, 1958 |
Succeeded by "Little Star" by The Elegants |
| Preceded by "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single of the year (Domenico Modugno version) 1958 |
Succeeded by "The Battle of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton |
| Preceded by "Abre las Ventanas al Amor" by Roberto Carlos |
Billboard Top Latin Songs number-one single (Gipsy Kings version) April 21, 1990 - April 28, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Quién Como Tú" by Ana Gabriel |
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