Bella Ciao

Summary

A song of the Partisans who fought fascism in Italy. As they recruited people to fight against the despotism of Mussolini, they would sing this hymn to rally the people. This song emphasises the universal human longing for freedom and equality. Today, the torch is carried by those who wish to overthrow the oligarchy and its evils. Dedicated to the brave warriors of the YPG and YPJ in Rojava, who are fighting fascism in the form of DAESH, to all anti-fascists wherever they fight, and to Stjepan Filipović, martyred by the Croatian Ustaše, whose immortal last words ring out through history: 'Death to fascism! Freedom to the people!' • Lyrics: Una mattina mi son svegliato— o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! Una mattina mi son svegliato e ho trovato l'invasor. O partigiano, portami via— o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! O partigiano, portami via, ché mi sento di morir. E se io muoio da partigiano— o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! E se io muoio da partigiano, tu mi devi seppellir. Seppellire lassù in montagna— o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! E seppellire lassù in montagna sotto l'ombra di un bel fior. E le genti che passeranno— o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! E le genti che passeranno ti diranno «Che bel fior!» «È questo il fiore del partigiano— o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! È questo il fiore del partigiano morto per la libertà!» «È questo il fiore del partigiano morto per la libertà!» • English lyrics: It is one morning that I awakened— oh bella ciao! bella ciao! bella ciao! ciao! ciao! It is one morning that I awakened and I found the invader. Oh my dear partisan, take me far— oh bella ciao! bella ciao! bella ciao! ciao! ciao! Oh my dear partisan, take me far, for I know that death has me. And if I die as a partisan— oh bella ciao! bella ciao! bella ciao! ciao! ciao! And if I die as a partisan, I want you to bury me. So bury me upon the mountain— oh bella ciao! bella ciao! bella ciao! ciao! ciao! So bury me upon the mountain under the flower of beauty. And all the people who pass my grave— oh bella ciao! bella ciao! bella ciao! ciao! ciao! And all the people who pass my grave will tell me, 'What a lovely sight!' 'This is the flower that guards the fighter— (oh bella ciao! bella ciao! bella ciao! ciao! ciao!) This is the flower that guards the fighter who died for all our liberty!' 'Oh yes, the flower that guards the fighter— who died for all our liberty!' • Credits: • Evangeline Sutherland ——vocals, production, guitar, translation • Anonymous ——lyrics, composition