Bella ciao
Interpreti dello spettacolo "Bella ciao" Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Sa mattina mi sono alzato
O ho trovato l′invasor
O partigiano portami via
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
O partigiano portami via
E se muoio da partigiano
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
E se 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
E 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
È questo il fiore del partigiano
Morto per la libertà
The song "Bella Ciao" dates back to the early 20th century and was originally sung by female rice weeders in northern Italy. The song speaks to the struggles of the working class and the fight for freedom and justice. The lyrics begin with the singer waking up to find the invader, likely referring to the Nazi forces occupying Italy during World War II, and calling out for help from the partisans, or underground fighters.
The chorus of the song calls for the partisan to save the singer, as they feel they are about to die. The second verse speaks to the possibility of the singer dying as a partisan and the request to be buried on the mountain under the shade of a beautiful flower. In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that the flower they will be buried under is the flower of the partisan fighting for freedom.
The song has been used as an anthem for many social and political movements, including anti-fascist and anti-capitalist movements. It has been sung in many languages and has been adapted and covered by numerous artists throughout the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Sa mattina mi sono alzato
This morning I woke up
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, bye bye
Sa mattina mi sono alzato
This morning I woke up
O ho trovato l′invasor
Oh I found the invader
O partigiano portami via
Oh partisan take me away
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, bye bye
O partigiano portami via
Oh partisan take me away
Chè mi sento di morir
Because I feel like dying
E se muoio da partigiano
And if I die as a partisan
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, bye bye
E se muoio da partigiano
And if I die as a partisan
Tu mi devi seppellir
You must bury me
E seppellire lassù in montagna
And bury me up in the mountain
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, bye bye
E seppellire lassù in montagna
And bury me up in the mountain
Sotto l'ombra di un bel fior
Under the shade of a beautiful flower
E le genti che passeranno
And the people who will pass by
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, bye bye
E le genti che passeranno
And the people who will pass by
Mi diranno: "Che bel fior"
Will say to me: "What a beautiful flower"
È questo il fiore del partigiano
This is the flower of the partisan
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, bye bye
È questo il fiore del partigiano
This is the flower of the partisan
Morto per la libertà
Dead for freedom
Writer(s): Tomas Marks, Amodei Fausto
Contributed by Julian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.