Which song won Song of the Year at the first Grammy Awards ceremony to present that category?

“Nel blu dipinto di blu” won Song of the Year at the first Grammy Awards ceremony to present that category.

The song was written by Domenico Modugno, Franco Migliacci, and performed by Modugno. It is widely known by its popular title, “Volare,” although “Volare” is not the song’s formal Italian title. Its imaginative lyrics and soaring melody helped make it an international hit after its 1958 release.

At the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959, the song won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. These honors are distinct: Record of the Year recognizes the overall recorded performance and production, while Song of the Year recognizes the songwriters’ composition.

The song also won the 1958 Sanremo Music Festival and represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest that year. Its dual Grammy victory made it one of the defining international successes in the awards’ early history.