Thomas Fersen is a French singer-composer born in 1963 in Paris.

In… Read Full Bio ↴Thomas Fersen is a French singer-composer born in 1963 in Paris.

In his youth, he joined a punk band, before playing the piano in cafés-théatre. His first album in 1993 brought him an immediate success.

Fersen is a poet, who enjoys playing with language -he writes his lyrics exclusively in french-, using words, rhymes, symbols and images of vegetal or animal world. He tells strange and funny stories, impressions and dreams of casual life. His smoker's deep voice gives a particular tone to his songs. His musical style varies from one album to another (rock, folk, jazz and blues..).

He is one of the first who joined the Tot Ou tard/WM France label.

Bella Ciao
Thomas Fersen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Una mattina
Mi son'svegliato
O bella ciao, bella ciao
Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
Una mattina
Mi son'svegliato
E ho trovato l'invasore.
O partigiano

Porta mi via
O bella ciao, bella ciao
Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
O partigiano
Porta mi via
Che mi sento di morire.
E se io muoio
Da partigiano
O bella ciao, bella ciao
Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
E se io muoio
Da partigiano
Tu mi devi seppellire.
Mi seppellirai
Lass in montagna
O bella ciao, bella ciao
Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
Mi seppellirai
Lass in montagna
Sotto l'ombra d'un bel fiore
E la gente
Che passer
O bella ciao, bella ciao
Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
E la gente
Che passer
E dir : "O che bel fiore".
E questo il fiore
Del partigiano
O bella ciao, bella ciao
Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
E questo il fiore

Del partigiano
Morto per la libert.

Overall Meaning

The song Bella ciao is a passionate and emotional tribute to the Italian resistance during the World War II era. The lyrics describe a morning awakening and the discovery of an invader, which evokes a sense of fear and urgency. The singer then calls on a partisan to take him away, as he feels like he is going to die. He vows to be buried in the mountains, under the shade of a beautiful flower. The song ends with the idea of the flower becoming a symbol of resistance, representing the fallen partisans who gave their lives for freedom.

The song Bella ciao has its roots in the rice fields of Northern Italy, where women who worked there used to sing it as a protest song against the harsh working conditions. It later became a hymn for the Italian partisans who fought against the fascist regime during World War II. Today, it is considered an anthem of resistance all over the world.

As a symbol of resistance, the song has been adapted and translated into a number of different languages, and has been sung in many different contexts. It has been used in labor and civil rights movements, as well as in protests against war and oppression. It has even been used in popular culture, appearing in movies, TV shows, and video games.

Line by Line Meaning

Una mattina
One morning

Mi son'svegliato
I woke up

O bella ciao, bella ciao Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye Beautiful goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Una mattina
One morning

Mi son'svegliato
I woke up

E ho trovato l'invasore.
And I found the invader.

O partigiano
Oh partisan

Porta mi via
Take me away

O bella ciao, bella ciao Bella ciao, ciao, ciao
Oh beautiful goodbye, beautiful goodbye Beautiful goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

O partigiano
Oh partisan

Porta mi via
Take me away