It shouldn't have worked. Really, if you look at the script on paper, the climax of Adam McKay’s 2008 cult classic Step Brothers sounds like a recipe for a disaster. You have two grown men, Brennan Huff and Dale Doback, performing a Spanish-Italian opera fusion at a high-stakes corporate event called the Catalina Wine Mixer. But then, the beat drops. Will Ferrell starts belting out Step Brothers Por Ti Volare, and suddenly, a movie about arrested development becomes something weirdly... beautiful?
People still talk about this scene almost two decades later. Why? Because it’s one of those rare moments where the absurdity of the comedy meets a genuine, unironic talent that catches the audience off guard. It wasn't just a funny bit. It was the emotional payoff for two of the most obnoxious characters in cinema history.
The Story Behind the Catalina Wine Mixer
The setup is legendary. Brennan and Dale have been forced to grow up, get "real" jobs, and stop their nonsense. They’re miserable. The Catalina Wine Mixer is the backdrop for their supposed redemption, a prestigious event where Brennan’s "perfect" brother Derek (played with terrifying intensity by Adam Scott) is trying to close a massive deal.
When the professional entertainment—an 80s Billy Joel cover band that only plays songs from The Stranger—gets kicked off stage, Brennan has to step up. He chooses to sing "Con te partirò," popularized by Andrea Bocelli. But he doesn't just sing it. He sings the Step Brothers Por Ti Volare version, which blends the operatic grace of the original with a frantic, hilarious drum solo by Dale.
Is That Actually Will Ferrell Singing?
The biggest question people ask after seeing the film is whether Will Ferrell actually did the vocals. The answer is yes. Mostly.
Ferrell is a trained singer, or at least a very gifted natural one. He’s shown off his pipes on Saturday Night Live and in Anchorman, but this was different. To get that specific operatic "ping," Ferrell worked with vocal coaches to ensure the performance felt authentic enough to be impressive while staying grounded in his character's desperate need for approval.
"I remember we were all standing there during the takes, and even the crew was quiet," says one of the production assistants from the set. "We knew it was funny because of the lyrics he was improvising under his breath, but the actual sound of his voice was startlingly good."
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Interestingly, some of the higher, more sustained notes in the final mix were sweetened in post-production. While Ferrell did the heavy lifting, the sound engineers layered in bits of professional tenor tracks to give it that "stadium" feel. It’s a common trick in musical comedies—keep the actor's character-rich voice but give it the polish of a recording artist.
Why "Con te partirò" Was the Perfect Choice
The song itself, "Con te partirò" (which translates to "With you I will leave"), was originally performed by Andrea Bocelli at the 1995 Sanremo Music Festival. It’s a song about transition, departure, and new beginnings.
In the context of the movie, it’s a brilliant irony. Brennan is singing about "leaving" his old self behind, yet he’s doing it through the most immature medium possible—a performance with his best friend/step-brother. The choice of a high-brow opera song for a low-brow comedy is the exact type of juxtaposition that Adam McKay excels at. It elevates the stupidity.
The Drum Solo: More Than Just Noise
We can’t talk about Step Brothers Por Ti Volare without talking about the drums. John C. Reilly is a legitimate musician. He plays guitar, he sings, and yes, he can hold his own on a drum kit.
The "Velociraptor" drum set used in the scene became an instant icon. When Dale starts playing, he isn't just hitting things; he’s playing with a rhythmic complexity that matches Ferrell’s vocal phrasing. It’s a literal "Prestige Worldwide" moment. This wasn't just a gimmick. It was the character Dale Doback finally finding a way to communicate with his father, Robert (Richard Jenkins), who had spent the whole movie trying to stifle their creativity.
The Cultural Legacy of the Song
Google "Catalina Wine Mixer" today. You’ll find that it is now a real event. Because of the movie, the actual Santa Catalina Island company started hosting an annual Wine Mixer. It’s a testament to how deeply this specific scene penetrated the culture.
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The song has become a staple at weddings, graduations, and—funnily enough—actual corporate events where people want to break the ice. It represents the "inner child" that refuses to die. When people hear those opening chords, they don't think of Andrea Bocelli anymore. They think of a sweaty Will Ferrell in a tuxedo, singing his heart out to a crowd of confused socialites.
Breaking Down the Lyrics and Translation
The version in the movie is a bit of a linguistic soup. Ferrell sings the Italian lyrics, but he peppers in English phrases and some phonetic gibberish that sounds like Italian but isn't.
- The Classic Opening: "Quando sono solo / sogno all'orizzonte / e mancan le parole." (When I'm alone, I dream on the horizon and words fail me.)
- The Pivot: As the song progresses, Ferrell’s Brennan adds a level of desperation. He starts singing about "vessels" and "sailing," which fits the nautical theme of the Wine Mixer.
- The Climax: The "Por Ti Volare" (I will fly for you) refrain is actually the Spanish title of the song. Bocelli recorded a Spanish version that became a massive hit in Latin America, and the movie uses that title because it sounds more "dramatic" to an American audience.
Why This Scene Still Ranks as a Top Comedy Moment
Honestly, comedy is hard to get right when it tries to be "big." Usually, when a movie ends with a big musical number, it feels forced. Think of all those dance-party endings in animated movies. They’re cringe.
But Step Brothers Por Ti Volare works because the stakes are real for the characters. If Brennan fails here, he goes back to a life of misery. If he succeeds, he earns the respect of his father and the envy of his brother. It’s a "triumph of the losers" trope executed with perfection.
Also, let’s be real. It’s just funny to see a man sing opera while another man aggressively plays the drums behind him. It's the pinnacle of the Ferrell-Reilly chemistry. They commit 100%. They don't wink at the camera. They play it like they're at Carnegie Hall.
How to Experience the Song Today
If you’re looking to relive the magic, you don't have to just watch the YouTube clips. The song is available on most streaming platforms as part of the official soundtrack.
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However, if you want the "true" experience, you have to watch the unrated version of the film. The comedic timing in the theatrical cut is great, but the extended version allows the song to breathe a bit more, showing the reactions of the various background characters—including a stunned Ken Jeong and a weeping Richard Jenkins.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're planning on using this song for an event or just want to appreciate it more, keep these things in mind.
- Learn the rhythm, not just the words: If you’re karaoking this, the "beat drop" is everything. You have to wait for the Dale Doback drum entrance to really bring the house down.
- Context matters: The humor comes from the tuxedoes and the formal setting. If you’re going to parody it, go all out on the costume.
- Appreciate the vocal tech: Listen to the way Ferrell breathes between phrases. It’s a masterclass in "character singing"—staying in tune while staying in character.
- The "Huff and Doback" Dynamic: Remember that the song is a duet of spirits. It’s not a solo. It requires the energy of two people who finally "get" each other.
The legacy of the Step Brothers Por Ti Volare performance isn't just about the laughs. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most ridiculous things we do are the things that actually define us. It turned a movie that could have been a forgotten raunchy comedy into a piece of cinematic history that people are still dissecting decades later.
Next time you hear that swell of strings and the first few Italian syllables, just remember: it's all about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. And maybe, just maybe, it's about finding someone who will play the drums while you sing your truth to a crowd of people who don't deserve you.
To get the most out of the scene, watch the "making of" featurettes on the Blu-ray. They show the rehearsal process for the drum solo, which took John C. Reilly weeks to perfect. You can also find fan-made orchestral arrangements online that strip away the comedy if you want to hear just how solid the musical foundation of the song really is.