He only finished in third place at Eurovision 1958, but became an international hit that crosses continents. The fascinating story of the iconic hit that changed the face of Italian music worldwide.
When people think of dizzying international success coming from the Eurovision stage, the first names that usually come to mind are the band ABBA or Måneskin. But long before the era of streaming and music videos, there was one Italian singer who managed to do the impossible. The song “Nel blu, Watch Video dipinto di blu” (in English: “Blue, Painted in Blue”), known to many from the world of football as “Volare”, is probably the most successful song in the history of the contest in commercial and global terms, even though it did not win first place at all.
The Eurovision Loss that Became a Historic Victory
In 1958, the singer Domenico Modugno arrived in Hilversum, The Netherlands to represent Italy. Despite an amazing and successful performance, the song finished only in third place, behind France and Switzerland. But the real drama began precisely after the lights in the hall went out. To everyone’s surprise, the song turned into a cultural phenomenon in the United States, where it stayed at number one on the prestigious Billboard chart for five weeks – an unprecedented achievement for a song that is not in English, and one that came from a contest that at that time was not even broadcast on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
The success in America was not accidental. The large Italian community in the United States warmly embraced the song as a symbol of national pride and a connection to their roots, at a time when Italian immigrants were still struggling for their place in American society. The sweeping rhythm and liberating chorus turned it into a regular guest on radio stations, and from there the road to cover versions by giants like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra was short.
Unlike many Eurovision songs that were forgotten over the years, Modugno’s creation penetrated deeply into popular culture. We hear it in commercials, in movies and even as songs in football stands. Modugno himself may not have lifted the trophy in Hilversum, but he won worldwide fame that no other song ever received.
In the end, despite the enormous success in the United States, Domenico Modugno returned to Eurovision two more times (in 1959 and 1966), but he never managed to recreate the magic of that “blue paint” or even come close to the achievements of the big hit.
Nine Eurovision Songs that Didn’t Win – And Became Hits
| Singer & Song Title | Country & Year | Position at Eurovision | Achievements & chart positions |
| Spain 1973 | 2nd |
Number 9 on the American Billboard chart, number 1 in Spain, many cover versions, chosen as one of the 100 greatest Spanish songs of all time |
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| Ukraine 2007 | 2nd |
Viral hit in Russia, Eastern Europe and Western Europe, millions of views on YouTube, became a cultural icon and a popular party song |
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| Germany 1979 | 4th |
Number 3 on the German chart, number 1 on the charts in Russia and Japan, international disco hit, many cover versions |
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| United Kingdom 1968 | 2nd |
Number 1 on the charts in the United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Germany and Belgium, sold more than 1.5 million copies, became a global anthem |
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| The Netherlands 2014 | 2nd |
Number 2 on the UK chart, number 1 in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria, over 100 million plays on Spotify |
|
| Norway 2019 | 6th |
Number 1 on the Norwegian chart, number 10 on the UK chart, millions of plays on Spotify, popularity on social networks |
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| Ireland 2011 | 8th |
Number 1 on the Irish chart, number 3 in the UK, number 1 in Austria, popular summer hit |
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| Norway 2013 | 4th |
Number 4 on the Norwegian chart, number 15 on the Swedish chart, millions of plays, one of Norway’s most played songs in recent decades |
|
| Cyprus 2018 | 2nd |
Number 1 on the charts in Greece and Cyprus, number 64 on Billboard, over 200 million views on YouTube, global club hit |
Italy at Eurovision 2026
“Per sempre sì” (in English: “Forever Yes”) is the song to be performed by Sal Da Vinci, whose real name is Salvatore Michael Sorrentino, representing Italy at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. The song, which won “Festival Di Sanremo 2026”, was written and composed by Sal Da Vinci together with Alessandro La Cava, Eugenio Maimone, Federica Abbate, Federico Mercuri, Francesco Sorrentino, and Giordano Cremona. It is performed in Italian.
As Italy is part of the “Big 5,” Da Vinci automatically qualifies for the Grand Final on May 16th, but he will also perform his song during the first semi-final on May 12th.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Italy’s 51st participation in Eurovision. Italy joined the contest in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Italy’s most recent victory was at Eurovision 2021 with the song “Zitti e buoni” performed by the band Måneskin.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
