Year-End Poll #9: 1958

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Now that we're reaching the end of the decade, we're seeing the culmination of the rising trends coming together in the charts. Traditional pop, early rock and roll, Latin pop, and the novelty song. Even going beyond the genres themselves, 1958 also marks a shift regarding the business side of the music industry. In August of this year, the Billboard Hot 100 was officially implemented, but we won't see the effects of that until next year. The 1950s serves as a fascinating transitional period in music culture.

And just to make things more complicated, some versions of the 1958 year-end chart feature both the A-sides and B-sides of some of the songs. I wondered if it had something to do with the introduction of the Hot 100, or perhaps because the B-sides charted equally or higher on different charts. But I have nothing to base that hypothesis off of and my own research hasn't helped me find anything. I reached out on the Billboard subreddit for help and a user named jdeeth was kind enough to give me a more thorough explanation. To make a long story short: in addition to the implementation of the Hot 100, 1958 was also the year Billboard started listing two-sided hits as a single entry, but this practice didn't catch on. However, there are future entries where two-sided hits are listed simultaneously again, but under different circumstances so I'll cross that bridge when it comes up.

Song of the Day - “Volare!”

Today marks the 65th anniversary of the very first Grammys being awarded - March 4th, 1959.

29 awards were given in this first ceremony, compared to the 91 given out nowadays.

Hosting this first Grammy Award show was three of the Rat Pack - Frank, Dino and Sammy, and it was held at LA’s Beverly Hilton Hotel’s grand ballroom.

The Song of the Year and Record of the Year was… “Volare!” By Italian Domenico Modugno.

Also known by its original Italian title, “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu”, this popular song was written by Modugno with Franco Migliacci, and was released in early 1958. It would sit atop the Billboard chart for over five weeks.

Dino would arguably make this song into the well-known croon-y tune it has become.

But the original is really the version…

The songwriters say the the song was inspired by a Marc Chagall painting, and by a dream each of them had about being blue and being inspired to fly…

It always makes me happy to hear it… and really, what better legacy can a song have…

[Mary Elaine LeBey]

Eurovision Fact #339:

Domenico Modugno's world famous 1958 entry for Italy 'Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu' was featured in the original Quantum Leap TV show. The main character, Sam Beckett, is transported into the body of an Italian mob boss, and is asked to sing Mondungo's Eurovision song at a wedding.

[Sources]

Participants of Hilversum 1958: Domenico Modugno, Eurovision.tv.

VOLARE QUANTUM LEAP, YouTube.com.

Quantum Leap. Season 1, episode 6 'Double Identity,' April 21, 1989.

Guarda "Paola Turci (Feat Paolo Fresu) - Dio come ti amo" su YouTube

Dio come ti amo...è la pura semplice, eterna verità.

Domenico Modugno-Linda Christian "Papá se quiere casar" (Appuntamento a Ischia) 1960, de Mario Mattoli.

Domenico Modugno at Condoritos Program

in at Studio, the Italian singer and composer Donenico Modugno sings his song "Notte Di Luna Calante"

for the Doña Treme's Birthday.

reference to the artist:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domenico…

PS: WITH RCA TK-60 Cameras and Rita has a pet

The     Song:

- version 1960

- version 1968-1970

Copyrights

The Song:

© Modugno / RCA / SonyMusic / Nuova Fonit Cetra Srl. All Rights Reserved.

Condorito

© WorldEditords / Pepo. All Rights Reserved.

Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)

The Three Musketeers  -  Syndicated -  1956

Adventure (26 episodes)

Running Time:  30 minutes

Stars:

Jeffrey Stone as D'Artagnan

Paul Campbell as Aramis

Sebastian Cabot as Porthos

Domenico Modugno as Athos

George Gonneau as Athos

Peter Trent as Captain de Treville

James Lanphier as Viscount St. Adair

Honor Blackman as Charlotte Brion

Trivia:  Domenico Modugno popularized the Song “Volare” in 1958

George Gonneau was the actor who dubbed the voice of Steve Reeves in the Italian epics.  

SONG AGAINST THE WAR

CHANSON CONTRE LA GUERRE

CANCIÓN CONTRA LA GUERRA

CANZONE CONTRO LA GUERRA

domenico modugno - lettera di un soldato

1963

Shawn Sage and Kyu Sakamoto

Shawn Sage is one of the few musicians I actually known. I first met him when he worked tables at the defunct Renaissance Cafe. I didn’t realize he was a musician until a week or so later when he did a set at one of many shows at the Cafe. So his cd ‘One Of The Good Guys’ is more than great music but also full of fine memories. His ‘She Don’t Want My Eyes on Her’ is one of the best country songs…

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This is Domenico Modugno, the musical genius who wrote Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu) and who made this song one of the most famous and sung in the world. But I will write another post on Volare. In this video he is singing another of his most beautiful songs "Vecchio Frack" (Old frack). Modugno wrote lyrics and music for it. It is the story (also told through metaphors) of an elegant man in a tailcoat who strolls through the deserted streets of a city at midnight and evidently commits suicide at dawn, and whoever sings the song does not know who this man is and since where does it come from. Inspired by a true story. As you can see Mimmo Modugno (as he was called) ONLY uses his voice and a guitar. He's not JUST singing a song, he's reciting it, interpreting it, he's BECOME the character of the song. Like Sinatra, Modugno too "becomes" the song he is singing. Without any other pitfalls or other winks. JUST having a beautiful voice is not enough to reach the heart of the listener. Modugno didn't have a beautiful voice like Sinatra but he put passion into it… just like Jerry, they used pathos when they sang. Even if you don't understand the words, look at him, listen to how he uses his voice, chords, guitar.. at one point he makes a cat noise. As if he is experiencing what the character in the song is doing. This is being an artist. Not just singer.

Two comments to the video.

It's not just a beautiful song, a masterful execution, solo plays for four, an impeccable caress on the guitar, a metronome percussion, the wonderful whistle and a vocal interpretation with its advances and the right emphasis in every executive moment. Simply impressive.

*****

An acoustic guitar and a stool. Mimmo Modugno didn't need anything else. A unique stage presence, an innate magnetism of a seasoned actor and the ability to pierce the screen giving the feeling that he is singing in front of you, just for you. It is the gift of adults. Domenico Modugno wonderful and unforgettable heritage of Italian music.

Eurovision Fact #96:

During the 1958 contest, Italy's 'Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu,' by Domenico Modugno was sung twice. This was due to technical difficulties, which was announced much to the surprise of announcers after the tenth and final song.

The representative declaring the technical difficulties stated:

"You are informed that because of technical difficulties on the Eurovision network, the first song, Italy, hasn't been seen and heard in various countries. Therefore, the song will be repeated again."

As a result of this, Italy ended up both opening and closing the contest. The nation placed third overall.

[Sources]:

Eurovision Song Contest 1958 (Full Show) 43:37-43:59, YouTube.com.

Hilversum 1958 Scoreboard, Eurovision.tv.

Hilversum 1958 Participants: Domenico Modugno, Eurovision.tv.

Two weeks in Puglia : Polignano a Mare

I take too many photographs, I know. I have too many of them on my computer these days too and, during the last ten years, I have fallen behind in publishing the photographs I have taken on my foreign travels during what has been for me quite a turbulent time. I have finally got round to sorting them out and here, today, is the first of a new series about the places I have visited and what I saw…

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Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) 

6 agosto … ricordiamo …

6 agosto … ricordiamo … #semprevivineiricordi #nomidaricordare #personaggiimportanti #perfettamentechic

2018: Jimmy il Fenomeno, pseudonimo di Luigi Origene Soffrano, attore italiano. Attore caratterista, ricordato per il viso dall’espressione inconfondibile, lo sguardo strabico, la parlata dialettale e la sconclusionata risata.  (n. 1932) 2018: Piero Pinto, architetto e designer italiano. Tra le sue realizzazioni private più importanti troviamo: villa e appartamento per Mariuccia Mandelli Pinto;…

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