Volare

"Volare" (Italian for the infinitive form of the verb "to fly") is another popular name for Domenico Modugno's signature song "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (literally "In the blue painted blue").

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.

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.
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: "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 dozens of 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 minor hit with it. A Spanish version (partly in Italian) was recorded by the Gipsy Kings.

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 Viera

It is also present in the video game Counter Strike, within the map "cs_italy".

At times while New York Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca bats, you can hear a small snippet of the song play

Quotations
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, creators of ABBA’s "Waterloo", voted as the "all time favourite song of the Eurovision Song Contest" said when they received the prize ("Volare" came second):

"I myself voted for 'Volare' but I am pleased that so many people voted for us"

― Benny Andersson

Lyrics

Spanish (for those who wants to challenge this tongue twisted language =D Beautiful though)

Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)

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

CHORUS

Volare, oh oh...

Cantare, ohohoho...

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

CHORUS

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

CHORUS

Volare, oh oh...

Cantare, ohohoho...

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 scompar

La tua voce è una musica dolce che suona per me e negli occhi tuoi blu

Translation

Blu painted in the blue (Flying)

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

CHORUS
Flying, oh oh...

Singing, ohohoho...

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

CHORUS

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

CHORUS

Flying, oh oh...

Singing, ohohoho...

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

English

Sometimes the world is a valley of heartaches and tears,

And in the hustle and bustle, no sunshine appears,

But you and I have our love always there to remind us

There is a way we can leave all the shadows behind us.

Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!

Let's fly way up in the clouds,away from the maddening crowds

We can sing in the glow of a star that I know of

Where lovers enjoy peace of mind

Let us leave the confusion and all disillusion behind

Just like birds of a feather, a rainbow together we'll find

Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!

No wonder my happy heart sings, your love has given me wings

Your love has given me wings, your love has given me wings

MP3

Link1 - by Gypsy Kings

Link 2 - by Dean Martin

These 2 versions sound similar. Gypsy Kings' version is more upbeat but Dean Martin owns it with his voice. I have another version performed by poppy female vocal Vitamin C. Quite interesting though...Lyrics is just so nice *dreamy...drooly...*..but since the network is having problem, I'll upload it sometimes later

YOUTUBE

1) Vanilla mood girls never fail to blow a youthful charm into the song

2) Jazzy version by Joey DeFrancesco Trio surely woos you with amazing skill and impressive refreshment for the song



3) And the original in Eurovision contest by Domenico Modugno


4) Yeah, this is the English version by Ximena