Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu – Bilingual Lyrics Italian/English

• By: Domenico Modugno
• Album: 100 Songs Italy

Lyrics & Translation

[Italian]

[English]

Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più

I think a dream like this will never return

Mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu

I painted my hands and face blue

Poi d'improvviso venivo dal vento rapito

Then suddenly I was caught by the wind

E incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito

And I began to fly in the infinite sky

Volare, oh, oh

To fly, oh, oh

Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh

To sing, oh, oh, oh, oh

Nel blu, dipinto di blu

In the blue, painted blue

Felice di stare lassù

Happy to be up there

E volavo volavo felice più in alto del sole ed ancora più su

And I flew, flew happy higher than the sun and even higher

Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiù

While the world slowly disappeared far away down there

Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me

A sweet music played just for me

Volare, oh, oh

To fly, oh, oh

Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh

To sing, oh, oh, oh, oh

Nel blu, dipinto di blu

In the blue, painted blue

Felice di stare lassù

Happy to be up there

Ma tutti i sogni nell'alba svaniscon perché

But all dreams fade at dawn because

Quando tramonta, la luna li porta con sé

When the moon sets, it takes them with it

Ma io continuo a sognare negli occhi tuoi belli

But I keep dreaming in your beautiful eyes

Che sono blu come un cielo trapunto di stelle

That are blue like a sky dotted with stars

Volare, oh, oh

To fly, oh, oh

Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh

To sing, oh, oh, oh, oh

Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu

In the blue of your blue eyes

Felice di stare quaggiù

Happy to be down here

E continuo a volare felice più in alto del sole ed ancora più su

And I continue to fly happy higher than the sun and even higher

Mentre il mondo pian piano scompare negli occhi tuoi blu

While the world slowly disappears in your blue eyes

La tua voce è una musica dolce che suona per me

Your voice is a sweet music that plays for me

Volare, oh, oh

To fly, oh, oh

Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh

To sing, oh, oh, oh, oh

Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu

In the blue of your blue eyes

Felice di stare quaggiù

Happy to be down here

Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu

In the blue of your blue eyes

Felice di stare quaggiù

Happy to be down here

Con te!

With you!

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Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sogno /ˈsɔɲɲo/ B1	noun - dream
volare /voˈlaːre/ B2	verb - to fly
dipinto /diˈpinto/ B2	noun - painting, painting work adjective - painted
cielo /ˈtʃɛːlo/ A2	noun - sky
felice /feˈliːtʃe/ A2	adjective - happy
stare /ˈstaːre/ A2	verb - to stay, to remain
musica /ˈmuːzika/ A2	noun - music
sogno /ˈsɔɲɲo/ B1	noun - dream
vento /ˈvɛnto/ A2	noun - wind
mai /mai/ A1	adverb - never
più /pju/ A1	adverb - more
alto /ˈalto/ A2	adjective - high
sole /soˈle/ A2	noun - sun

Key Grammar Structures

• Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (implied) and Negative Adverb

  ➔ The verb “Penso” (I think) often introduces a clause that would take the subjunctive mood, expressing doubt or uncertainty, though it isn't explicitly used here. “mai più” means "never again" and shows negation.

• Mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu

  ➔ Reflexive Verb in the Imperfect Tense

  ➔ “Mi dipingevo” (I was painting myself) is a reflexive verb in the imperfect tense, indicating a repeated or ongoing action in the past. It emphasizes the action being done to oneself.

• Poi d'improvviso venivo dal vento rapito

  ➔ Passive Voice (with implied agent)

  ➔ “venivo dal vento rapito” (I was being carried away by the wind) is a passive construction. The agent (the wind) is specified, but the sentence emphasizes the experience of being carried away.

• E incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito

  ➔ Imperfect Tense with 'a' + Infinitive (expressing ongoing action)

  ➔ “incominciavo a volare” (I was beginning to fly) uses the imperfect tense to describe an action in progress in the past. The structure “a + infinitive” after “incominciavo” emphasizes the beginning and continuation of the action.

• Felice di stare lassù

  ➔ Gerund with implied subject (Ellipsis)

  ➔ “Felice di stare” (Happy to be) uses a gerund (“stare”) to express being in a state of happiness. The subject, understood as “io” (I), is omitted for brevity.

• Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiù

  ➔ Imperfect Tense, Adverbial Phrases, Demonstrative Adverb

  ➔ “spariva” (was disappearing) is in the imperfect tense. “pian piano” (slowly) is an adverbial phrase. “laggiù” (down there) is a demonstrative adverb, indicating a distant location.

• Ma tutti i sogni nell'alba svaniscon perché

  ➔ Present Simple (general truth), Cause-Effect Connector

  ➔ “svaniscon” (disappear) is in the present simple tense, expressing a general truth or habit. “perché” (because) connects the cause (dawn) and the effect (dreams disappearing).