Anno Domenico Revisited: Volare 65

This is an updated version of an older Eurocovers post

It's Grammy time, the 65th edition sees nominations for Eurovision winners ABBA and Måneskin. (Not holding my breath though).

So time to look back (again) to that first ever Grammy winning Eurovision song (and record) Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu by Domenico Modugno. A.k.a. Volare.

This year on January 9, Domenico Modugno would have celebrated his 95^th birthday.

And on Februari 1 his Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) won the 1958 Sanremo contest.

Some facts about Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)

The song was written by Domenico Modugno (music) and Franco Migliacci (lyrics). The most used English lyrics are written by Mitchell Parish.
The song was written in 1957 but was first launched at the eighth San Remo contest (Final Februari 1st) where it was performed twice. Once by Domenico Modugno and once by Johnny Dorelli.
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu won the San Remo song contest and Modugno represented Italy in the third Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 in Hilversum, The Netherlands on the 12th of March.

Modugno was a relative newcomer back in 1958 and didn't have a stitch to wear. He had to borrow the blue tuxedo he performed in.

The Eurovision Song Contest was won by France's Dors Mon Amour by André Claveau and Modugno ended third with 13 points. 2 times 4 from Belgium and Germany and five times 1 point. And zero poing from Denmark and Luxemburg.

But Modugno laughed all the way to the bank, as his song , soon known as Volare (after the refrain) became one of the top 100 best selling singles of 20st century, a US #1 hit, A double Grammy winner and one of the most covered songs with several lives in most decades since the original recording.
Volare won the first ever Grammy for a song in 1959. Volare was Best Song and Best Record.

I don't know if he did pick up his award himself but he got a statue anyway, in Puglia, Italy.

Domenico Modugno went on to participate in Eurovision two more times. In 1959 with Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina) and in 1966 with Dio Come Ti Amo.

Modugno also wrote the 1962 entry Addio Addio which was performed by Claudio Villa.

Domenico Modugno passed away in 1994 at the age of 66.

Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu, outside Italy better known as Volare had several lives.

A disco version by Al Martino was a worldwide hit in 1975 and the Gypsy Kings made it a successful signature tune in 1989.

Names:

In the 50's and 60's many of the greats recorded Modugno's song: Dalida, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Cliff Richard, Wayne Newton, Petula Clark, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, The Platters, Bobby Rydell, Caterina Valente, Louis Armstrong, Chet Atkins, John Barry, Anne Shelton, Count Basie, Asha Bosle, Oscar Peterson, Brasilian legend Leny Eversong and even Anita Bryant....

Later recordings include those by David Bowie (OST Absolute Beginners), Juliette Gréco, Pavarotti, Engelbert Humperdinck, Barry White, Alex Chilton and also, Black Lace.

And as I love lists, these are Eurovision stars who recorded the song:

Al Bano, DJ Bobo, Dario Campeotto, Claudio Villa, Martine Clemenceau, Fud Leclerc, Conchita Bautista, Sergio Dalma, Simone de Oliveira, Lill Babs, Nora Brockstedt, Inger Jacobsen, Ulla Pia, Vice Vukov and also, Black Lace

(All Links go to other Eurocovers content)

In 2008, when Volare was 50, Eurocovers ran a series of articles of the many coverversions of Volare. If you use this link you can find all Anno Domenico related posts.

60th anniversary

2018 re-issue single

Carosello Records and Edizioni Curci launched a series of releases throughout 2018 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Volare and to honor one of the greatest artists in the history of Italian music.

An exclusive vinyl single was released of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Limited edition of 1958 copies).
It features the original 1958 version and an instrumental of the 1967 re-recording.
The single is housed in a black inner sleeve and also includes the sheetmusic. Nice!
(Fonit/Carosello 8034125 848027)

Back of the 60th anniversary sleeve

This is an updated version of an older Eurocovers post

CD Releases: Volare in the 10's

It's 55 years ago since Domenico Modugno's Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) conquered the world. You probably all know that Eurocovers loves a bit of history, so the Eurovision classic features in many posts, including the 2008 series Anno Domenico.

I hadn't looked into it much recently, but after a rainy morning browsing the net I noticed that the everblue evergreen is still being recorded in it's 7th decade.

Emma

Followers of the Italian Festival di Sanremo, the mother of all songcontests, know Emma.

Emma Marrone entered the 2011 Sanremo together with Modà and the song Arriverà.

In 2012 she went it alone and won Sanremo with Non è L’Inferno.

As a true Sanremo star, Emma knows her classics and she recorded Volare for the film Benvenuti Al Nord. It’s a comedy about the rivalry between the Italian North and the Italian South. Emma’s Volare accompanies the end credits. (video)

The track was released on the re-issue of her 2011 album Sarò Libera (2012) which also added the Sanremo winner in two versions. (Universal music Italy). 

Emma cites Gianna Nannini as one of her main inflences. She accompanied Gianna on her 2011 Io E Te tour (see below)
Emma's latest album is Schiena, released in April 2013.

2014: Emma Marone is selected to represent Italy in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen, Denmark. Read all about that here at the Copenhagen Collection.

Emma website

Chico and the Gypsies with Nana Mouskouri
Chico is Chico Bouchikhi, one of the founding members of the Gypsy Kings. in 2012 Chico and the Gypsies released an album with duets titled Chico and the Gypsies....and Friends.
Since the Gypsy Kings 1989 hit, Volare became a staple song for any self respecting Gypsy / Rumba outfit. So it's not unexpected the song found its way to this album. But the guest star on the song is a surprise: our Nana Mouskouri.

In Eurovision titles Nana Mouskouri would probably be the Grand Duchess of Eurovision or something.
In 1963 the Greek singer entered the Eurovision songcontest for Luxembourg with A Force De Prier (By the power of praying) and ended 8th.
No further explanation is needed, Nana Mouskouri continued to superstardom ever since and she is still touring the world with her emotional and uplifting encyclopedia of songs.

Other guests on the Chico CD include Charles Aznavour and Eurovision stars Gerard Lenorman and Patrick Fiori.
Here's a live video of Chico and Nana doing Volare

Chico and the Gypsies website

Gypsy Queens
U.K. based Gyspy Queens recorded Volare for their eponymous 2012 album. The band, led by Didier Casnati, presents a more jazzy style of gypsy music. Check out a BBC breakfast performance of the Queens' Volare here at their Youtube.

In 2010 Casnati already recorded Volare with Peruvian singer Jaime Cuadra for his album Latino (watch video)

Gypsy Queens just played the Isle Of Wight festival and you can also catch them at this years Glastonbury.
Their new single, also on the album, is a cover of L'Italiano, the Toto Cutugno classic. (video)

Gypsy Queens website

ケツメイシ
In Eurocovers Galaxy it's a small step from Gypsy music to Japan. Ketsumeishi is a Japanese hip-hop-pop boy/man band going since 2000. Their albums are simply titled Ketsunopolis (ケツノポリス) 1to 8.
1 was released in 2000 and 8 saw the light in 2012. Ketsunopolis 8 includes their coverversion of Volare in Japanese (ボラーレ).

Their 2012 hitsingle Love Love Summer includes two versions of Volare: The original album version and the FPM Everlust remix.
Volare is mostly a Gypsy Kings cover with some rappy bits thrown in, but still a great tune, especially the remix.

Ketsumeishi website

And some more

In 2010 actress / model / stylist / sex symbol Valeria Marini released Volare on a cdsingle with DJ Roberto Onofri. The cdsingle was only avalable with a magazine (Di Più) and allegedly sold 300.000 copies (of 500.000 pressed).

All proceeds were for the victims of the Abruzzo earthquake.

Source: ADNkronos

Vanessa Neigert recorded a German version of Volare fore her 2012 album also titled Volare. The album also includes a version of Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina), the 1959 Modugno Eurovision classic. Vanessa Neigert specializes in the classics from the 50’s and 60’s. She recorded the German 1962 entry Zwei Kleine Italiener for her debut album Mit 17 Hat Man Noch Träume (Ariola, 2009).

Vanessa Neigert website

Gianna Nannini is a famous singer in Italy, but attempts to make her success global have not resulted in world domination. Pity, really as she made some incredible albums. Her biggest claim to international fame is probably Un Estate Italiana (with Edoardo Bennato), a theme tune to the 1990 football world cup. In the 80's she scored a few European hits with I Maschi and Bello E Impossibile.

She released Volare on her 2011 album Io E Te. (Sony Music Italy) The song was also included on the live edition of the same album. Nannini probably had no trouble remembering the lyrics as she was one of the singers who recorded Volare For Ethiopia back in 1985 (see this Eurocovers post)

Gianna Nannini website

Andrea Bocelli never recorded a real studio version of Volare except for a Barilla pasta commercial. But he has been performing the song live on many occasions. Live album One Night In Central Park, recorded in (you guessed it) Central park, New York features a live version with David Foster at the piano. (Sugar Music, 2011)

Other stars guesting are Tony Bennett and Eurovision Royal Celine Dion. 

Andrea Bocelli website

Francisco recorded a Spanish live version of Volare with Santiago Segura for his album La Voz. 

Now, many singers are named Francisco, so I don’t really know who this is. He must be someone, as the album has some impirtant guests.
Update: Francisco won the OTI contest (Spanish language Song contest) twice. (1981 and 1992) and is a well known singer in Spain. (Thanks José Antonio!)

Well worth mentioning is that La Voz also includes a version of Al Di Là  (Más alla in Spanish) the Italian 1961 Eurovision entry, as it's a duet with no one less than Pastora Soler of Baku Eurovision fame. 
And there's Dio Come Ti Amo (Dios como te amo in Spanish) performed with Paca Ribes. This is Domenico Modugno's 1966 Eurovision song.
Other people guesting are Julio Iglesias Jr. and Daniel Diges (Oslo 2010) (Warner music Spain).

2010 The Oslo Weeks - Part 5: The Classics

Just one day until the first semifinal of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.

If you are one of the unlucky Eurocovers readers without any TV channel broadcasting the contest onto your couch, no problem. It's quite easy to catch the broadcasts this year. Just go to the Streaming TV page of the official Eurovision site. There you will be able to catch all three evenings of Eurovision extravaganza. Needs an octoshape install, but that doesn't hurt.

In the meantime here's just a few of the golden oldies recorded in Norwegian over the years. Some by Norways greatest stars and others by the lost and forgotten. And there's some links to Norwegian treasures featured previously at Eurocovers.

1958 Italy - Volare (Domenico Modugno)

Already featured in 2008: Anno Domenico, Norwegian versions of the Italian Classic by Nora Brockstedt  and by Inger Jacobsen with the Monn Keys  (Original post)
1959 Netherlands - 'n Beetje (Teddy Scholten)
- Det Kommer En Sommer - The Monn-Keys  - 7" (Triola TN 165) & EP

The Monn Keys were a Norwegian vocal outfit founded by Egil Monn Iversen and Sølvi Wang. In fact it was some kind of supergroup with different well known Norwegian vocalists joining the group off and on. (including Eurovision singers Inger Jacobsen, Nora Brocktedt and Arne Bendiksen).

Their recording career started way before Eurovision was invented but they picked up on a few of your favorite Eurovision tunes, dressed them up in Norwegian sweaters and even scored a few hits with them. The Monn Keys lasted from 1948 to 1964. They toured Scandinavia, most of western Europe and also America.

The b-side to the Det Kommer… single is Syng Lille Sangfugl, a cover the the U.K. entry Sing Little Birdie. (Still looking for that one though)

source: More about the Monn Keys (in Norwegian) at Balade.no where I also nicked this picture sleeve.

1960 France - Tom Pillibi (Jacqueline Boyer)
- by the Monn Keys with Sølvi Wang - on 7" (Triola TN 202)
1962 Germany - Zwei Kleine Italiener (Conny Froboess)
- Anita Thallaug - Tina Og Marina - on 7"(NorDisk NOR 67)
Anita Thallaugs place in Eurovision history was earned in 1963. In Eurovision she performed Solhverv (Solstice) which became Norways first nil-pointer. Thallaug was appointed to go to Eurovision even though two other artists had performed the song in the national final (Jan Høiland & Nora Brockstedt). Anita Thallaug never released the song.
Zwei Kleine Italiener, probably the biggest hit from the 1962 contest, was already widely covered in this Eurocovers post.
1962 Finland - Tipi Tii (Marion Rung)
- by Jan Høiland,  release details wanted
1966 Yugoslavia - Brez Besed (Berta Ambroz)
- Uten Ord - Karin Winje on 7" (Triola TN 487)
1967 U.K. - Puppet On A String (Sandie Shaw)
- Sprellemann - Benthe Aaseth .
Already featured in The Year Of The Puppet post Sprellemann
1967 Luxembourg - L'Amour Est Bleu (Vicky)
- Blå, Blå, Min Kjærlighed - Åse Kleveland  - on 7" (Polydor NH 66 814)
1969 U.K. Boom Bang A Bang (Lulu)
- Anne Mette in this post.
1973 Spain - Eres Tu (Mocedades)
Inger Lise (Rypdal) - I Mitt Liv on 7" (Talent TS 009). See comments

Rocky Roberts - Yes Yes My Love

Reply Songs are (obviously) songs that reply to a big hit and it was Michael Jackson untimely departure that got me thinking. Bear with me, I'll explain.
Back in the days I loved Off The Wall and Billie Jean just as much as anyone else, and I still do. Just like any other popmusic fan I have been swept along in the Michael Jackson craze and I am fascinated by the charts being stuffed with Michael Jackson hits. All the sad events transported me back in time and had me reliving the 80's, which were pretty fantastic times for me.

Of course there's no Eurocover by Michael Jackson and it's not really possible to celebrate the King Of Pop within the confines of Eurocovers.

Reply Songs
In those Thriller days I used to DJ and a favorite cliché of mine was mixing Billie Jean with the reply song Superstar by Lydia Murdock (I'm Billie Jean And I'm Mad As Hell).
The question arose, has there ever been a reply song for a Eurovision song? (Any excuse for a Eurocovers post with a Michael Jackson tie).

I actually found one, and even though it's a song heavily featured in some recent Eurocovers posts it's here again. Researching it of course lead to finding more about the singer etcetera, Eurocovers style. And incidentally there turned out to be more Michael Jackson links than I expected.


Rocky Roberts (1941 - 2005)
An interesting CV for Rocky Roberts. Born in Miami, spent some time in the U.S. navy, was a welter weight championship boxer and got his first musical cudo's with the Airedales, recording in the U.S. and in France. In the second half of the sixties he moved to Italy where he recorded most of his songs (as a solo artist) and he was a guest in every other popular TV music show. His American accent didn't stop him from having a great hit with Stassero Mi Butto (amazing YouTube link restored), watch the footwork MJ fans) and he was well known for his energetic Italian language coverversions of Motown and Atlantic soul hits, live and on record. Reach Out I'll Be There (Four Tops, also recorded by the Jackson 5), Chain Of Fools (Aretha Franklin) and Same Old Song (Four tops)

Yes Yes Dear Dear, Perhaps Next Year, Or maybe even never…

It's with the Airedales that Rocky Roberts recorded a reply song (in English) to Gigliola Cinquetti's Non Ho L'eta (Per Amarti).
Yes Yes My Love from the French 10"inch LP Rocks Et Slows - T.Bird from 1964 (BARCLAY 92.107)

The original track by Gigliola Cinquetti is about being too young to love and Rocky Roberts, always a gentleman, is prepared to wait. I don't know if they ever got together…

Here's some lyrics excerpts from both songs:
Non ho l'eta (from Italian)
"I don't have the age to love
I don't have the age to go out with you
I wouldn't know what to say as you know so much more than me
If you want to wait for me one day all my love will be for you".

Yes Yes My Love (original is in English)
"Yes Yes My Love, I know you're too young.
I'll wait for you
These tender years, I'll think of you
when the waiting is through, no more can I do
I'll watch the moon and the stars when I think of you
I'll wait with all my heart to be standing by you".

The track and album are from Rocky Roberts time in France where he mostly recorded French and American classics in English.
This Is My Prayer, the 'original' English version of Non Ho L 'Eta didn't have the being too young theme, which was just as well, as Vera Lynn from the previous Eurocovers post was well into her 40's when she recorded her version.

Volare
Yes Yes My Love is not the only Eurocover by Rocky Roberts. In 1970 he recorded Volare as an amazing soul ballad. Accept my apologies for overlooking that one in last years Anno Domenico posts, it's a Eurocover that is not to be missed.
Volare was a b-side to I Won't Think Hard Of You, released in the U.S. on the Chess label (Chess 2096). It can also be found on the compilation CD I Grande Successi Originali.

In 1969 Roberts entered the San Remo contest with La Belle Donne and in 1970 with Accidenti (together with Il Super-gruppo).
Rocky Roberts died in 2005, but his son Randy Roberts continues the family tradition, and hey presto, his MySpace features some nice acoustic Michael Jackson coverversions.


Rocky Roberts MySpace tribute.

One final link for the anoraks: The Airedales continued in the late 60's and 70's with band member (bassist) Wess Johnson as the new lead singer who took over from Roberts in 1967. And Wess is of course known from the 1975 Eurovision entry Era by Wess and Dori Ghezzi, which ended third for Italy and was a reasonable European hit. Contrary to popular myth only Dori is a Ghezzi.

Forces' Sweetheart Anne Shelton

While lingering at the sofa with a nasty back injury, I watched the Antiques Roadshow the other week. I may lose some of my credibility here, but the BBC TV show where people bring their antiques to have them valued intrigues me. I especially love it when some dear old dear comes up with some prop she used for a lifetime as an ashtray which turns out to be so valuable it can pay for healthcare and a dishy full time caretaker for the rest of her life.

My attention was drawn to some memorabilia of Anne Shelton. A lady had some pictures and I think some jewelery of Anne Shelton to be valued.

Anne Shelton was a Sweetheart Of The Forces in WWII and the memorabilia tied in with the remarkable history of the singer.
The item also set my Eurovision bells ringing and I knew there had to be some Anne Shelton connection to Eurovision or Eurocovers in my collection.

Anne Shelton (1923 - 1994)
Anne Shelton was the first artist to record the WWII classic Lili Marleen in English and made it a success in the U.K. In the war she also worked with Glenn Miller and needless to say, she toured and entertained the forces extensively.
It was only in 1956 that Anne Shelton had her first (and only) official #1 hit with Lay Down Your Arms, a coverversion of Ann Caroline written by Swedish song legend Åke Gerhard, originally recorded by Thory Bernhards in 1955.

In 1956 she also had three songs in the infamous British pre-selection for the first Eurovision Song Contest. The U.K. never made it to the actual contest because the selection procedures weren't finished in time. The three songs, I Can't Help Loving You, With All My Loving Heart, The Heart Of A Child have never been released on record as far as I know (please see comments, Thanks Thomas!). (There were 36 songs in the multi round competition, each performed twice by different artists).
She entered the British national finals again in 1961 with Light A Candle (released as a b-side to Don't Forget on Philips) and in 1963 with My Continental Love (A-side single on Philips) and both songs ended 4th.

In the 50's and 60's Anne Shelton toured all over the world but she never repeated the commercial success of Lay Down Your Arms. Later on she remained a celebrated guest performer at many commemorative concerts and WWII remembrance days. She continued to perform until her death in 1994.

Eurocovers celebrated 50 years of Domenico Modugno's Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) last year with many coverversions of the classic Eurovision tune. At the time I hadn't noticed Anne Shelton's version to be of any special interest among the 100s of versions out there (Sorry).
That was until last Sundays Antiques Roadshow.

Anne Shelton's Volare (in English) was released in 1958 on single (Philips PB852) and on the EP The Italian Touch (BBE12205)


Please visit the Official Anne Shelton Website for more information about this remarkable singer. A good 7"/ EP discography is here at 45rpm.
2008: Anno Domenico - 50 years of Volare at Eurocovers.

Other legendary Force's Sweethearts are Gracie Fields and of course Vera Lynn. They too recorded coverversions of Eurovision songs, more about them in future Eurocovers posts.
And for those who like their circles round: Thory Bernhards recorded one Eurocover: En Gång Skall Vi Åter Mötas, which is a version of Einmal Sehen Wir Uns Wieder (Germany 1961) by Lale Andersen. And Lale Andersen is the first singer to record Lili Marleen (in 1939).

2008 Anno Domenico - Io e i Gomma Gommas

Punk Rock version of Volare by Io e i Gomma Gommas. From their CD 50's...Morti 60's...Feriti.

http://www.gommagommas.it

2008: Anno Domenico - A few Volares from the olden days

Here's a selection of Volares from 1958

Umberto Marcato recorded at least 4 'modern' versions of Volare, but here's his original from 1958.
-

Aurelio Fierro (1923 - 2005) sings Volare with his signature high voice. (pictured right)

-

George de Witt (1922 - 1979), one time host of US TV show Name That Tune, croons away on an English version of Volare.

Alberto Semprini (1908-1990), heard here playing a piano version of Volare, was the original conductor of the orchestra for Domenico Modugno when he performed his song on the Eurovision stage in Hilversum, Netherlands.

2008: Anno Domenico - Jane Morgan

Selecting coverversions for Anno Domenico, the Volare year, isn't an easy task. Hearing the same song over and over again should come with a health warning. There's some hundreds lined up for re-listening and then I always like to find out some more about the artist and before I know it another few hours of my life have been whiled away on the world wide web trying to read languages I don't speak and decypher scripts I can't read . But I often end up concluding that most of the great and interesting Volares are made in America. Crooners, Moviestars and Blonde Bombshells with gorgeous picture sleeves do it for me all the time and so here's another one from that category.
And it's by an American singer who has some more Eurocovers to her name, so that's a bonus for all to be enjoyed.

Jane Morgan
Jane Morgan is an American singer born in 1924 whose first big hit was Fascination in 1957. The song, originally a French toujour-vert from 1932, featured in the Billy Wilder movie Love In The Afternoon (with Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Maurice Chevalier) and became a top 10 hit for Jane Morgan in the U.S.. The follow up hit The Day The Rains Came (Gilbert Becauds Le Jour Où La Pluie Viendra) ended just outside the top 20 in the States but was a #1 hit in the U.K.
Her fondness for reworking French classics is no surprise as her career started out in France where she toured and worked for four years prior to her American breakthrough.

The 1958 LP The Day The Rains Came (KAPP records KL - 1105) includes Jane Morgans version of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare). A adequate version laced with sugary violins, sung in Italian and English.

The 2nd Eurocover Jane Morgan recorded was an English version of Romantica, the Italian entry from 1960 (6th place, originally by Renato Rascel). A much better effort than Volare with a wonderful orchestral arrangement. She even took the song to the UK charts (39/5) (UK single: London HLR 9120). It has also appeared on various Jane Morgan LP's.



Udo Jürgens' Walk Away (Warum Nur Warum, Austria 1964, 6th) (Extensively featured in this Eurocovers post) was the third Euro-classic on Morgans repertoire. The song was released on her 1969 LP Traces Of Love (RCA 4171).

But it's a less known song which is my top favourite from the Jane Morgan Eurocovers collection.


My Poor Heart Feels Like Breaking
The opening line of the debut entry for Ireland in 1965, Walking The Streets In The Rain by Butch Moore (what's in a name). It describes the sentiment of the indeed heartbreaking tale about rain and tears and streets very well. The Streets became a blueprint for many Irish entries to follow and it's one of the saddest songs in anyones Eurovision collection.
The song ended 6th in Eurovision and was an Irish #1 for the original singer, but it has only been covered a few times.
Jane Morgans version with the appropriate rain-droppy violin intro was released in 1965 on the EP Maybe (Epic 9008, Portuguese edition pictured above) and on her LP Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (Epic LN 24247). In the UK it was a b-side to the Maybe single (Columbia).

There have been several compilation CDs with Jane Morgans hits, but I haven't found a CD with any of the Eurovision covers.

Source: An extensive Jane Morgan biography is here at E-notes.



2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. Other American Volares already featured are by Doo-wop stars The Platters, gay basher Anita Bryant, James Dean love interest Pier Angeli, Box Tops hero Alex Chilton, Disco Crooner Al Martino, soul singer Jesse Belvin and from last year Jazz Legend Ella Fitzgerald.
And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

2008: Anno Domenico - Volare meets The Beautiful Game (2)

With the Euro 2008 well underway, (we're talking football here, or soccer if you must) here's a second bunch of coverversions of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare), revamped to celebrate Football.
Germany's second game is tonight against Croatia, so here's a few football adaptations of Volare from a German perspective.

Finale (Ooh Ooh) by Buffalo Ball is a version of Volare from 2004. Zum siegen geboren (born to win) they brawl, but the Mannschaft had to leave the Portugal 2004 European Cup games after the first round. The song features a lot of football audience and TV style comments. Greece won the tournament and repeated that feat in Eurovision 2005.
In 2006 the World Cup was in Germany and another Volare was made, also titled Finale. DJ Schnippes surely listened to the Gipsy Kings for his version,. A new version is made and it's currently in the German top 100. Germany made it to the semi final in 2006, losing to eventual (now crushed) winners Italy.




In this post there's some Oranje Volares

2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. With this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

2008: Anno Domenico - Volare meets The Beautiful Game (1)

After Eurovision there's another event that enjoys some popularity in the European communities this year, the European Cup Football, Euro 2008. Similarities enough: It attracts colourful fans waving flags and what have you, there's joke entries, Diva's and Drama Queens and whole hordes of people migrate across Europe to catch their favorites in action.
There's some leg action, opening ceremonies and people drink a lot. It has all the ingredients of Eurovision except maybe neighbourly voting.
Tonight it's Oranje against the Azzurri in the Group of Death (a bit like Belgrades second semi final this year) and here's a little tribute to Dutch Football squads from the past. Oh, and it's Volare, Song #1 if it comes to Football related coverversions.

1990 Oranje Sjampagne
------ Duo de PelikaanDutch comedy version for the World Cup in Italy when the Dutch were kicked out in the second round by Germany.
1998 Oranje Oh Oh Oh
---- - Danny Lukassen
This was for the World Cup in France where the Dutch made it to the semi finals, but got out-penaltied by Brasil after a 1 all draw. In the match for third place Holland lost to Croatia.



More Volare meets The Beautiful Game coming soon

Eurovision 2008: Belgrade Weeks: Ljubim Te Pesmama

Ljubim Te Pesmama (I love you in my songs) by Belgrade born Extra Nena was the last Eurovision entry for Yugoslavia.
But when the song was selected in the national final Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia* had already declared independence. So the national final was organized by Serbian TV only, even though some Bosnian artists and songwriters participated. (see the first Belgrade weeks post for some more info).
Ljubim Te Pesmama starts as a melancholy ballad but bursts into full blown Balkan Schlager in the refrain. Extra Nena recorded it in Serbian, English, French and Italian. The song finished 14th in the competition in Malmö, 1992.
http://www.extra-nena.com/
* later officially known as Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia, I know….



Two artists covered Yugoslavia's swan song. (as far as I know)
A Finnish version Miksi Luokesi Jäänyt En was recorded by Paula Koivuniemi who released the song on a single (Fazer Finnlevy 100302) and on the LP/CD Rakkaudella Sinun (Fazer finnlevy 200311/312, 1992)

Earlier Paula Koivuniemi recorded Switzerlands 1980 entry Cinema in Finnish as Sunnuntainäytös (for a 1980 LP Eurovisio Special 80)

http://www.paulakoivuniemi.fi/

Eurovision star Siw Malmkvist recorded Ljubim Te Pesmama in German and in Swedish.
The German version Ein Hauch Von Florenz can be found as an extra track on cdsingle Geh Nicht In Den Rosengarten and on CD Musik Ist Wie Ein Freund. The title track of the album is a German version of the Croatian 1995 entry Nostalgija. (by Magazine & Lidija). (Both cdsingle and album on the Funny Artists label, 1999)
Swedish version Ge Mej En Doft Ifrån Rom was released on a very rare cdsingle by Siwan & Sivan (Siw Malmkvist & Siv Wennerberg) issued on the Debit & Kredit label (DK-001). This cds also includes a cover of Nostalgija (as: Musik Är Ingenting För Dej, in Swedish)
Siw Malmkvist represented Sweden in 1960 with Alla Andra Får Varann (10th place) and Germany in 1969 with Primaballerina (9th). You can read more about Siw Malmkvist and her Eurocovers in the Year Of The Puppet Post Siw Malmkvists Sprattelgummas



ANNO DOMENICO meets BELGRADE WEEKS
I've been trying to locate a Serbian version of Volare to tie in with the Domenico Modugno year, but I haven't found any sung in Serbian which is actually by an artist from Serbia. But here's an interesting one in Italian. Multi instrumentalist Slađan Jovanović recorded a mellow bossa-version of the song as a bonus track for his album Ginko.
And you can listen to / download all tracks from the album at his website at http://sladjan.net/. Volare is track 14.

2008: Anno Domenico - The Platters

I noticed that the Platters entered the U.K. album top 10 this week with a Best Of compilation. And as I had prepared a bit on their Volare anyway, what better time to post it than now.
I don't know what triggered this new interest in the U.S. vocal group, but it's remarkable for a group that was founded 55 years ago that people still go to the shop and buy their records.
Their most known hits Only You, The Great Pretender, My Prayer and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes were all recorded in the 50's but their version of Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) is recorded in 1964. It was released in Januari 1965 on the LP The 10th Anniversary Album.

The Platters had numerous line up changes and by 1964 they had run out of hits. The 10th Anniversary Album didn't change their fortune.

Volare doesn't feature all members from the early golden era; Buck Ram, female singer Zola Taylor and lead singer Tony Williams had left by then and each formed their own Platters.
Later even more ex-members toured with groups under the Platters banner
It was the Buck Ram Platters with a new line up that had a short run of hits with their 1966 & 1967 revival.

The line-up on Volare and The 10th Anniversary Album includes Sonny Turner, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed and Barbara Randolph. Herb Reed, the only original member still tours as Herb Reed and the Platters. Herb Reed is the only member who features on all official Platters recordings. The LP includes The Great Pretender and covers of hits like Love Me Tender, Don't Be Cruel, Rock Around The Clock and Song From Moulin Rouge.
The Platters' Volare is a light cha cha exercise with a little parlando intro treasure.

The new compilation The Very Best of Platters is out on Universal Music TV (UMTV 7944) in the U.K. and features 20 tracks. Other albums have been released in the past with the same title.

Sources: A lot more on Platters line ups, Platters groups and discography is at the Platters Info Site or check out the Herb Reed & The Platters homepage.



2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers highlights half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. Other American Volares already featured are by gay basher Anita Bryant, James Dean love interest Pier Angeli, Box Tops hero Alex Chilton, Disco Crooner Al Martino, soul singer Jesse Belvin and from last year Jazz Legend Ella Fitzgerald.
And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

Anno Domenico in Russia - Who is it? and some more bits and pieces

Here's a Russian version of Volare I have no clue about.

The song is probably titled Letayu (Летаю) and it sounds like an old recording, really old.
The second part of the song is Casetta in Canada, a 1957 San Remo song.But it doesn't really sound like a medley, so I'd like to find out if there's a full version of Volare and who actually sings this song.


If you know, please leave a comment or send a message.-------♫ Летаю / Летаю


2008 Release News: Jennifer Zamudio
An interesting coverversion will be released at the end of this month. It's the Norwegian entry of this year Hold On Be Strong, originally by Maria Haukaas Storeng (Youtube here). This very early coverversion is by Jennifer Zamudio from South Africa. The song is titled Ek Wag Op Jou (I wait for you) and can be found on Jennifers new CD Hier's My Hart. Find out more at Jennifers thuisblad (in Afrikaans).
On her previous CD Hoor Hoor she covered the Eurovision entries of Romania & Lithuania 2005 plus the Spanish 1991 ballad Bailar Pegados.

Jacques Aylestock
Oh, well, let's do another song then. Here's a charming unusual version of the French 1960 winner Tom Pillibi (Jacqueline Boyer). This sweet version is by Jacques Aylestock and what I know is that he was a 10 year old multi octave child prodigy soprano singer from Quebec who was launched as the next big thing in 1963. He eventually released two albums simply titled Jacques Aylestock Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. Tom Pillibi is on the first one (Select 298.066). Whatever happened to Jacques?


The Belgrade Collection
If you're interested in finding out about the cdsingles, versions and promo's of the 2008 contest you can get the Belgrade Collection File, a word doc. with all the info you need. (updated 2009)
If you haven't got a clue, Eurovision 2008, a three-nighter for the first time, is on May 20, 22 and 24 in Belgrade, Serbia. More about that later in the Serbweeks*

* Last year we had the Finweeks and I know Serbweeks doesn't sound as catchy, I tried Belgraweeks but that's too Belgium. Any suggestion for a good title?
The Helsinki File word doc., with all the details on last years Eurovision releases is still here.

Anno Domenico: Volare International - Denmark

Here's a Danish version of Volare by The Defenders. The song Vi Har Det Åh, Åh was recorded in 1967 and released on single (Sonet T 8271).

The song features in the movie Jeg Er Sgu Min Egen, a musical comedy about a young girl (played by Daimi) who is torn between a prissy life with her devout christian foster parents or a life with boys and music. The Defenders play themselves.

Special Thanks to Mikael.



There's a bit about The Defenders in Danish here.

2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers will feature half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. Other Scandinavian Volares featured at Eurocovers (so far) are from Norway and can be found in this post. And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

2008 - Anno Domenico: Volare International - Norway

With Eurovision 2008 on track with all entries chosen it's a long wait until the big nights. Instead of speculations, fan polls and betting odds, Eurocovers goes on about their regular business: 50 years of Volare.

I have updated the list with coverversions of Volare with the latest finds and corrections added. You can find it  here.
The Word Document features details on Domenico Modugno's own recordings of the song plus 1100 coverversions. There's some picture sleeves too for your entertainment.

In the previous Volare file, listing over 1000 coverversions of the Italian 1958 classic there were versions in about 25 languages but not in Norwegian. Thanks to Erik that has changed and here's two versions of the song in that language.

The first one is already mentioned in the Eurocovers post about Birthday Girl Nora Brockstedt. You can find her complete Eurocovers discography in the same post, just below the bit about Alex Chilton. Her Volare is titled I Dine Blå Øynes Blå.

Vi Svever Høyt I Det BlåThe second and quite different Norwegian version is by Inger Jacobsen (with the Monn Keys), another Eurovision singer who ended 10th in the 1962 contest with Kom Sol, Kom Regn (Come sun, come rain).
Kom Sol, Kom Regn can be found on the CD Diamanter - Presang Til Mor, one of two CDs collecting her most known work. (The other CD is just titled Diamanter and features a remastered Volare). Both CDs are on EMI Norway.

National selection regular Inger Jacobsen (1923 - 1996) also recorded the first two Norwegian entries Voi Voi and Sommer I Palma. Jacobsen had sung Voi Voi in a semi final.
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The above Dameblad picture of Inger Jacobsen is stolen from an article / discography (in Norwegian) which you can find here at MIC Norsk Musikinformasjon.
Although the site being in Norwegian doesn't make it easy, it's a fantastic browse for discography's, picture sleeves and bio's on many Norwegian artists.


Details on original vinyls wanted.

Thanks Erik!

2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers will feature half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen.
Other International Volares featured at Eurocovers are from Japan + Texas and Brasil.
And with this search link you'll get all the Volare posts.

Anno Domenico: Gay 'ole times with Anita Bryant

American singer / actress Anita Bryant shot to international infamy when she used her star status in her battle to stop a Miami law against discrimination on the basis of sexual preference. That surely alienated her gay fanbase, who felt like she was smashing their heads in with the Bible. And she only wanted to stop them from recruiting (!) and molesting innocent children.
Later on she toned down a little bit and changed her crusade against the bad bad gays corrupting American family values and American society to "Hate the sin, love the sinner".

After magically surviving her birth, her career started at a young age in the pageant industry, later winning titles like Miss America Pageant and Miss Oklahoma.
At 16 she released her first record Sinful To Flirt. She scored three hits in the early 60's including Paper Roses and released christian music records later in the 60's and 70's.
When she divorced she lost her new christian fundamentalist fanbase, and her career seemed to end in bankrupcy in 1997. Her second husband left her, allegedly, for another man.

In 2005 Barnsdall, Oklahoma she was honoured when a street got her name (Why?). Today she runs Anita Bryant Ministries International. (link here).
Read more about her birth story, (which is second to Jesus' birth only), a very effective gay orange juice boycott, a fruit pie (pictured) and Bryants life and hate campaigns and at her Wiki.

Her biography subtitled The Survival Of Our Nation's Families And The Threat Of Militant Homosexuality seems still available in the second hand bookstores bargain bins.

Anita Bryant recorded a great version Volare which appeared on her 1962 LP In A Velvet Mood (Columbia CS-8685) and it was also released as a 7" single (Columbia - S731571)


2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers will feature half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen. With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers posts that have featured (or mentioned) the song so far.

Anno Domenico: The Volare Stamp

Anno Domenico: Pier Angeli

Another Volare, Another tragedy. Sardinian born twin* Pier Angeli's entry in the history books on the shelf may be mostly about her being James Deans belle and all that, but she was an actress in her own right. And she sang a bit too.
*Pier Angeli's twin sister is actress Marisa Pavan.

Pier Angeli's first American film, Teresa (MGM 1951) won her a Golden Globe as best newcomer (New Star Of The Year) but she didn't really live up to these expectations in the films that followed. In 1956 she starred in Somebody Up There Likes Me alongside Paul Newman in a role originally intended for James Dean, but he was dead by then.

Pier Angeli was engaged to Kirk Douglas in the early 50's, had a short relationship with James Dean (the rumoured marriage never took place thanks to Mamma Angeli) and Dean was said to be heartbroken of the unrepairable kind.

Pier Angeli married (Eurocoverer*) Vic Damone in 1954. The marriage lasted 5 years. Her second marriage to Italian composer Armando Trovajoli only lasted 7 years. Angeli said that James Dean was the only love in her life.
1960's Films didn't bring her much success but just when things started to look up for Pier Angeli when she was offered a role in The Godfather, tragedy struck and she died at 39 of an medical incident. Speculations about suicide have never been confirmed.

Pier Angeli recorded Volare for her 1959 LP Italia Con Pier Angeli (Forum SF 9055, re-issued on Roulette SR 25051) which is now a collectable LP. Volare was also released as a b-side to Torero (Roulette 4104) The EP Italia Con Pier Angeli features 4 tracks of the LP but not Volare.
The LP was re-issued on CD in Japan in 2005 (EMI), I don't know of any other CD-issues.

Note From The Editor

All links to uploaded songs at Eurocovers have been deleted as my uploader has terminated my account for copyright infringement.

I can understand their point of view and bear no grudge against them, but to the petty little weazels who scour the internet just to be able to snitch for a few pennies: I hope your children will be ugly.

I won't be creating a new account, so from now on Eurocovers will only feature news, release info and links to websites with content that is legal and interesting for the Eurocovers reader.

All the Eurocovers posts, stories, discographies etcetera, stay up and I hope you'll still enjoy the read.

It was great while it lasted, wasn't it?

** Vic Damone recorded at least two Eurovision songs, both Italian entries. Al Di La from 1961 (on CD Feelings, 1993) and Dio Come Ti Amo (1966) on the CD Greatest songs of the 20st century.

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A Great Fanpage dedicated to Pier Angeli has wonderful pictures including some with James Dean.

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2008: Anno Domenico is a tribute to Domenico Modugno's Eurovision classic Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) which conquered the world 50 years ago. Eurocovers will feature half a century of remarkable coverversions of the Italian evergreen.
With this link you'll get all the Eurocovers posts that have featured (or mentioned) the song so far.