Weekly Photo Challenge: Achievement

In the Italian seaside town of Polignano a Mare there is a tall statue of a man with arms theatrically outstretched as trying to attempt flight.  This is likeness of singer/songwriter Domenigo Modungo who is perhaps the most famous son of Polignano who after a career in show business went on to become a member of the Italian Parliament.

Domenigo who? I hear you ask.  Well, let me tell you that Domenigo is renowned for writing and performing what is claimed to be the most famous, most copied, most successful, most lucrative in terms of revenue, Italian popular music songs of all time.  Think about it…have you got it…

“Nel blu dipinto di blu” or most popularly known as “Volare”

The song was written  for and performed at the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest where it came only third after France and Switzerland but was later translated into several languages and was covered by a wide range of international performers including Al Martino, David Bowie, Cliff Richard, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Luciano Pavarotti, The Gipsy Kings and my personal favourite Dean Martin.

Read the full story…