Bella ciao
Leslie Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Una mattina mi son svegliato
Eo ho trovato l'invasor
O partigiano porta mi via
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
O partigiano porta mi via
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
Mi seppellire lassù in montagna
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Mi seppellire lassù in montagna
Sotto l'ombra di un bel fiore
The lyrics of Bella ciao tell the story of a partisan fighter who wakes up one morning to find that his country has been invaded. He is ready to fight against the enemy and asks a fellow partisan to take him away if he feels like dying. He makes it clear that if he dies fighting as a partisan, he wants to be buried on the mountain under the shade of a beautiful flower. The lyrics speak to the resilience of those who are willing to fight and die for their homeland, and the importance of maintaining hope even in the bleakest of situations.
The song Bella ciao has its roots in the struggle of Italian rice workers in the early 20th century, who would sing it on their way to work to protest against their harsh living and working conditions. However, during World War II, the song became an anthem of the Italian resistance fighter against the Nazi occupation. Today, it has become a symbol of resistance in many different contexts around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Una mattina mi son svegliato
One morning, I woke up
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye goodbye goodbye
Eo ho trovato l'invasor
And I found the invader
O partigiano porta mi via
Oh partisan, take me away
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye goodbye goodbye
Che mi sento di morir
For I feel like dying
E se io 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 goodbye goodbye
Tu mi devi seppellir
You must bury me
Mi seppellire lassù in montagna
Bury me up in the mountain
O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye goodbye goodbye
Sotto l'ombra di un bel fiore
Under the shade of a beautiful flower
Contributed by Ella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@talonsentinelrebelrider
A few bars of this tune is enough to put a spike of fear into the heart of even the most ardent jackboot. They know damn well what it means, but a reminder now and then doesn't hurt... much...
@julien7337
I had no idea Leslie Fish (I believe that's the voice) had her own rendition of Bella Ciao! Thus was a pleasant surprise
@Eric-uz9zd
First song of hers I heard was Chickasaw Mountain, "she did a tribute to Phil Ochs? Well now I have to listen to her." So glad I did.
@winkleried
I have this version on a very old MP3 player. I swung by my favorite place to buy "Freedom Seeds" earlier this week and as I pulled into the parking lot this song started playing :)
@annawing770
Ah, yes. Freedom Seeds. The most important crop of them all, but one only a madman wants to plant.
@gregdaweson4657
Yes, datura is a staple crop.
@winkleried
@Greg Daweson Wrong kinnda “Seeds”…
@gregdaweson4657
@winkleried I know, but datura is better :)
@sleepingbee8997
Leslie out here breaking the limits of how based you can be.
@allones3078
hell yeah!