Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu, better known as Volare, was the Italian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1958 in Hilversum performed by Domenico Modugno, which he also co-wrote with Franco Migliacci. He was inspired to write the song after viewing several paintings by artist Marc Chagall.
The ballad composed in the chanson style describes the feelings a man has when he is with his lover, which resembles flying. At the contest, the song was performed first preceding the Netherlands. However, many countries that aired the contest that year were not able to hear the entry due to a transmission fault, so it was also performed at the end of the presentation before the voting started. Despite this, it finished in third place with 13 points. After the contest, it became a massive global hit and an Italian classic, even earning two trophies at the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959 for Record and Song of the Year - the only foreign-language song in the awards' history to ever achieve that honor.
The song has since become the most covered Eurovision song of all time, covered by international artists ranging from Cliff Richard to Vitamin C. One of the best-known covers is a 1989 flamenco version by Spanish-speaking French group the Gipsy Kings. It was also voted the second-best Eurovision song of the first 50 years at the Congratulations gala in 2005 behind Waterloo by ABBA.
Lyrics[]
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
Volare, oh oh…
Cantare, oh…
Nel blu dipinto di blu
Felice di stare lassù
E volavo, volavo felice
Più in alto del sole ed ancora più su
Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva, lontano laggiù
Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me
Volare, oh ho…
Cantare, oh ho ho ho…
Nel blu dipinto di blu
Felice di stare lassù
Ma tutti i sogni nell’alba svaniscono perché
Quando tramonta, la luna li porta con sé
Ma io continuo a sognare negli occhi tuoi belli
Che sono blu come un cielo trapunto di stelle
Volare, oh ho…
Cantare, oh ho ho ho…
Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu
Felice di stare quaggiù
E continuo a volare felice
Più in alto del sole ed ancora più su
Mentre il mondo pian piano scompare negli occhi tuoi blu
La tua voce è una musica dolce che suona per me
Volare, oh ho…
Cantare, oh ho ho ho…
Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu
Felice di stare quaggiù
Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu
Felice di stare quaggiù con te
I think such a dream will never come back
I painted my hands and my face blue
Then suddenly I was ravished by the wind
And I started flying in the infinite sky
Flying, oh ho…
Singing, oh ho ho ho…
Blue painted in the blue
Happy to be up there
And I was flying, flying happily
Higher than the sun and even higher
While the world was slowly disappearing, far beneath
A soft music was playing just for me
Flying, oh ho…
Singing, oh ho ho ho…
Blue painted in the blue
Happy to be up there
But all the dreams fade away at dawn, because
While setting, the moon takes them away
But I keep dreaming in your beautiful eyes
Which are as blue as a sky quilted with stars
Flying, oh ho…
Singing, oh ho ho ho…
In the blue of your blue eyes
Happy to be down here
And I keep flying happily
Higher than the sun and even higher
While the world is slowly disappearing in your blue eyes
Your voice is a soft music playing for me
Flying, oh ho…
Singing, oh ho ho ho…
In the blue of your blue eyes
Happy to be down here
In the blue of your blue eyes
Happy to be down here with you
| Eurovision Song Contest 1958 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Domenico Modugno •  Corry Brokken •  André Claveau •  Solange Berry •  Alice Babs •  Raquel Rastenni •  Fud Leclerc •  Margot Hielscher •  Liane Augustin •  Lys Assia
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu • Heel de wereld • Dors, mon amour • Un grand amour • Lilla stjärna • Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog • Ma petite chatte • Für zwei Groschen Musik • Die ganze Welt braucht Liebe • Giorgio
| |||
Videos[]
Italy 1958- Domenico Modugno - Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu
Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) (Remastered)