Bella Ciao

Album: various (1890)
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  • Original Version, Italian:

    Alla mattina appena alzata
    O bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao, ciao,ciao
    Alla mattina appena alzata
    In risaia mi tocca andar

    O partigiano portami via
    O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
    O partigiano portami via
    Ché mi sento di morir

    Il capo in piedi col suo bastone
    O bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao
    Il capo in piedi col suo bastone
    E noi curve a lavorar

    E 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

    Tutte le genti che passeranno
    O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
    E le genti che passeranno
    Mi 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"


    Original Version, English translation:

    Upon just arising in the morning
    O beautiful, hello beautiful
    Hello beautiful hello, hello, hello
    Upon just arising in the morning
    I have to go to the paddy field

    Oh, partisan, take me along
    Oh hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi, hi, hi
    Oh, partisan, take me along
    Because I feel ready to die

    The boss standing with his stick
    O beautiful, hello beautiful
    Hello hello hello hello beautiful
    The boss standing with his stick
    And we curved over working

    Bury me up there on the mountain
    Oh bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye, bye, bye
    Bury me up there on the mountain
    Under the shadow of a beautiful flower

    And the people who will pass by
    Oh hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi, hi, hi
    And the people who will pass by
    Will tell me "Oh, what a beautiful flower!"

    "This is the flower of the partisan
    Oh bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye, bye, bye
    This is the flower of the partisan
    Who died for liberty"


    1940s Version, Italian:

    Una mattina mi sono alzato
    O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
    Una mattina mi sono alzato
    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

    E 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

    Tutte le genti che passeranno
    O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
    E le genti che passeranno
    Mi 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"


    1940s Version, English translation:

    One morning I got up
    Oh hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi, hi, hi
    One morning I got up
    And I found the invader

    Oh, partisan, take me along
    Oh hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi, hi, hi
    Oh, partisan, take me along
    Because I feel ready to die

    And if I die as a partisan
    Oh bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye, bye, bye
    And if I die as a partisan
    You have to bury me

    Bury me up there on the mountain
    Oh bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye, bye, bye
    Bury me up there on the mountain
    Under the shadow of a beautiful flower

    And the people who will pass by
    Oh hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi beautiful, hi, hi, hi
    And the people who will pass by
    Will tell me "Oh, what a beautiful flower!"

    "This is the flower of the partisan
    Oh bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye beautiful, bye, bye, bye
    This is the flower of the partisan
    Who died for liberty"


    Tom Waits, Marc Ribot version:

    One fine morning I woke up early
    Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao
    One fine morning I woke up early
    Find the fascist at my door
    Oh, partigiano, please take me with you
    Bella ciao, bella ciao, goodbye beautiful
    Oh, partigiano, please take me with you
    I'm not afraid anymore

    And if I die, oh, partigiano
    Bella ciao, bella ciao, goodbye beautiful
    Bury me upon that mountain
    Beneath the shadow of the flower
    Show all the people, the people passing
    Bella ciao, bella ciao, goodbye beautiful
    Show all the people, the people passing
    And say, "oh, what a beautiful flower"

    This is the flower of the partisan
    Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao
    This is the flower of the partisan
    Who died for freedom
    This is the flower of the partisan
    Who died for freedom
    Lyrics from a song in Public Domain

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