Saturday, March 5, 2022

"Bella ciao"; Try to get this out of your mind

The first words say goodbye to a sweetheart. The rest tells why he has to leave.

Bella ciao " "Goodbye beautiful") is an Italian protest folk song from the late 19th century, originally sung by the mondina workers in protest against the harsh working conditions in the paddy fields of northern Italy.

"It is generally accepted that the song was modified and adopted as an anthem of the Italian resistance movement by the partisans who opposed nazi-fascism between 1943 and 1945 during their fight against the occupying forces of Nazi Germany allied to the fascist and collaborationist Italian Social Republic, although some historians argue that there is little to no evidence that this song was actually sung by Italian partisans.

"Versions of "Bella ciao" continue to be sung worldwide as an anti-fascist hymn of freedom and resistance.". . .

This song has become an anthem in Ukraine


Sing “We will lay down our souls and bodies for our freedom …”  (From the Ukrainian National Anthem).  The National Anthem of Ukraine translated to English | EUROMAIDAN PRESS | Euromaidan Press  

Bella ciao  The lyrics in English:  Partisan version

One morning I awakened,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao! (Goodbye beautiful)
One morning I awakened
And I found the invader.

Oh partisan carry me away,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
oh partisan carry me away
Because I feel death approaching.

And if I die as a partisan,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
and if I die as a partisan
then you must bury me.

Bury me up in the mountain,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
bury me up in the mountain
under the shade of a beautiful flower.

And all those who shall pass,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
and all those who shall pass
will tell me "what a beautiful flower."

This is the flower of the partisan,
oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao
this is the flower of the partisan
who died for freedom

No comments: