Domenico Modugno (January 9, 1928 – August 6, 1994) was an Italian singer a… Read Full Bio ↴Domenico Modugno (January 9, 1928 – August 6, 1994) was an Italian singer and songwriter.
From a young age Domenico wanted to become an actor and in 1951, after his military service, he enrolled in an acting school. While still studying he had a role in a cinematographic version of Filumena Marturano by Eduardo De Filippo, and some other films.
In 1957, his song Lazzarella, sung by Aurelio Fierro, came second in the Festival della Canzone Napoletana, bringing him the first popularity.
In 1958 he took part to the Festival della Prosa, in Venezia, with the comedy La rosa di zolfo by Antonio Aniante. The turning point of his career came in that year, when he also participated to the Sanremo Music Festival, presenting, together with Johnny Dorelli, the song Nel blu dipinto di blu. Co-authored by him and Franco Migliacci, the song won the contest and suddenly became an enormous discographical success.
Nel blu dipinto di blu represented Italy in the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest, where it came third.
Become widely known as Volare, from its refrain, it was translated in many languages (Dans le bleu du ciel bleu, France; En el azul del cielo, Spain; Jown ogen, Belgium; Taivaan sinessa, Finland; Azul pintado de azul, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil) reaching the top of the charts all over the world; the year later the first Grammy Awards was held and Modugno received (as an author of the song) both the Song of the Year and the Record of the Year awards. As of 2006, this is the only time an Italian artist received a Grammy award.
The song reached #1 in America. According to Songfacts, it was the first foreign-language single to top the singles charts in the rock era and during a time when most hits were either penned by outside songwriters or covers of previously recorded songs, this was the first Hot 100 #1 to be written or co-written by its singer. The Billboard magazine also conferred him a prize for the best song of the year and he got three gold albums from the recording industry: best singer, best song, best-seller album.
The song also fared very well in the long run, and was voted as the second favourite song in the Eurovision Song Contest history at the 50th anniversary concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005. The song has received many covers over the course of the years.
Modugno won the Sanremo Music Festival for the second time in a row in 1959 and represented Italy again in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959 (with Piove, also known as Ciao, Ciao Bambina) and 1966.
In 1967 Modugno and Pier Paolo Pasolini co-wrote Cosa sono le nuvole, the ending song (sung by Modugno himself) of "Che cosa sono le nuvole?", one of the six episodes of the italian movie "Capriccio all'italiana".
From a young age Domenico wanted to become an actor and in 1951, after his military service, he enrolled in an acting school. While still studying he had a role in a cinematographic version of Filumena Marturano by Eduardo De Filippo, and some other films.
In 1957, his song Lazzarella, sung by Aurelio Fierro, came second in the Festival della Canzone Napoletana, bringing him the first popularity.
In 1958 he took part to the Festival della Prosa, in Venezia, with the comedy La rosa di zolfo by Antonio Aniante. The turning point of his career came in that year, when he also participated to the Sanremo Music Festival, presenting, together with Johnny Dorelli, the song Nel blu dipinto di blu. Co-authored by him and Franco Migliacci, the song won the contest and suddenly became an enormous discographical success.
Nel blu dipinto di blu represented Italy in the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest, where it came third.
Become widely known as Volare, from its refrain, it was translated in many languages (Dans le bleu du ciel bleu, France; En el azul del cielo, Spain; Jown ogen, Belgium; Taivaan sinessa, Finland; Azul pintado de azul, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil) reaching the top of the charts all over the world; the year later the first Grammy Awards was held and Modugno received (as an author of the song) both the Song of the Year and the Record of the Year awards. As of 2006, this is the only time an Italian artist received a Grammy award.
The song reached #1 in America. According to Songfacts, it was the first foreign-language single to top the singles charts in the rock era and during a time when most hits were either penned by outside songwriters or covers of previously recorded songs, this was the first Hot 100 #1 to be written or co-written by its singer. The Billboard magazine also conferred him a prize for the best song of the year and he got three gold albums from the recording industry: best singer, best song, best-seller album.
The song also fared very well in the long run, and was voted as the second favourite song in the Eurovision Song Contest history at the 50th anniversary concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005. The song has received many covers over the course of the years.
Modugno won the Sanremo Music Festival for the second time in a row in 1959 and represented Italy again in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959 (with Piove, also known as Ciao, Ciao Bambina) and 1966.
In 1967 Modugno and Pier Paolo Pasolini co-wrote Cosa sono le nuvole, the ending song (sung by Modugno himself) of "Che cosa sono le nuvole?", one of the six episodes of the italian movie "Capriccio all'italiana".
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
The Golden Collection
Domenico Modugno Lyrics
Cosa sono le nuvole Che io possa esser dannato Se non ti amo E se così…
Dio come ti amo Nel cielo passano le nuvole Che vanno verso il mare Sembrano…
Il Maestro Di Violino MAESTRO Allora è pronta signorina? ALLIEVA Sì maestro …
Il Vecchietto Mamma dov'e' il nonno? Nonna andiamo alla giostra? Nonno, no…
L'Avventura Come bella l'avventura Un cavallo e una chitarra Ogni punto …
Malarazza Tu ti lamenti, ma che ti lamenti? Pigghia nu bastune…
Nel blu dipinto di blu Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più Mi dipingevo…
Notte chiara Che notti chiara chiara ch'adduri 'e tramuntana e nu grill…
Piange... Il Telefono (Pronto) Ascolta Mamma? Vicino a te? Devi dire a mamma C'? Q…
Piove Mille violini suonati dal vento Tutti i colori dell'arcobale…
Resta Cu'mme Resta cu' mme Pe' carità Stattè cu' mme Nun me lassà Famme p…
Sole Malato Sole, sole malato Appi s'mponta n'albero n'gia luto S'to cie…
Strada 'nfosa 'Mmiez'a na strada 'nfosa Ce simmo ditte addio Sola pé n'ata…
Tu sì 'na cosa grande Tu si' 'na cosa grande pe' mme 'Na cosa ca…
Tu si 'na cosa grande Tu si' 'na cosa grande pe' mme 'na cosa ca me…
Un Pagliaccio In Paradiso Ehi pagliaccio la figlia del padrone Ti ha baciato Ma tu non…
Vecchio frack È giunta mezzanotte Si spengono i rumori Si spegne anche l'i…