Domenico Modugno (1928-94) wanted to be an actor more than anything else. Even at acting school he found roles in several films, but his major break came in managing a comedy duo and then singing. In 1958 he co-wrote and sang this number which became an international hit, making him enormously wealthy. His film career blossomed, and he turned to opera in his later years.
A stroke in 1984 turned him into a champion for the disabled, and he was elected to Parliament as a member of the Radical Party. He returned to recording in 1990 but was finished off by a heart attack in 1994.
”Volare” means “to fly”, and “cantare” means “to sing.”