During the Second World War, as the Allies were making their way northwards up the Italian peninsula, the Italian partisan resistance began carrying out guerilla-style attacks against both Benito Mussolini’s fascist militias and the occupying Nazi forces. One of the most popular ballads to emerge out of this Italian civil war between communist and fascist forces was “Bella Ciao” (“Beautiful Goodbye”) whose lyrics were reworked in order to celebrate and commemorate the sacrifices being made by Italy’s anti-fascist partisan fighters.
The following is one of the most popular recordings of “Bella Ciao,” along with the English lyrics.
Lyrics
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