Inni Partigiani I (Partisan Hymns 1)

Bella, Ciao! (Goodbye, Beautiful)

This song was supposedly sung by Partigiani between 1943 and 1945, however it is unknown when the song first appeared. The author of the lyrics is unknown; the music derives from a folk song sung by rice field workers in the River Po basin in the early part of the 20th century.

Because of this regional connection and the clandestine nature of the Italian Resistance around Rome, it's likely that Bella, Ciao! did not come into widespread use until the formation of the militarized partisan organizations in northern Italy. Note too, that there are many slight variations in the rendition of the lyrics.

Questa mattina, mi son svegliato,
O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!
Stammattina, mi son svegliato,
E ho trovato l'invasor.

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

E se io muoio, da partigiano,
O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!
Se io muoio, da partigiano,
Tu mi devi seppellir.

E seppellire, lassù in montagna,
O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!
Seppellire, lassù in montagna,
Sotto l'ombra d’un bel fior.

Tutte le genti, che passeranno,
O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!
Tutt’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 quest’il fiore, del partigiano,
Morto per la libertà!»

The gist of the lyrics, by verse, is:

1. This morning I awoke and found the invader.
2. Partisan, take me with you, for I feel like I'm about to die.
3. And if I die as a Partisan, you must bury me.
4. Bury me up in the mountains, in the shadow of a beautiful flower.
5. And the people passing by will say to me, "What a beautiful flower!
6. This is the flower of the Partisan, who died for liberty.