about

Bella ciao is an Italian partisan song of the World War II. The origins of the song are uncertain. Some rhymes could not be rendered in English, and several short Italian words (bella, ciao) translate into long English words (beautiful, goodbye), so that the result is quite "heavier" than in the original version.

Traditional Version

Una mattina mi son' svegliato, / One morning when I awakened
o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! / Sweetheart goodbye, oh goodbye, oh goodbye-bye-bye!
Una mattina mi son' svegliato / One morning when I awakened
ed ho trovato l'invasor. / I found invaders all around

O partigiano, portami via, / Oh partisan, come take me with you
o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! / Sweetheart goodbye, oh goodbye, oh goodbye-bye-bye!
O partigiano, portami via, / Oh partisan, come take me with you
ché mi sento di morir. / Because I feel ready to die

E se io muoio da partigiano, / If I die fighting as a partisan
o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! / Sweetheart goodbye, oh goodbye, oh goodbye-bye-bye!
E se io muoio da partigiano, / If I die fighting as a partisan
tu mi devi seppellir'. / You must come and bury me

Mi seppellirai lassù in montagna, / Bury me there, up in the mountains
o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! / Sweetheart goodbye, oh goodbye, oh goodbye-bye-bye!
Mi seppellirai lassù in montagna / Bury me there, up in the mountains
sotto l'ombra di un bel fior'. / Shade my grave with a lovely flower

Tutte le genti che passeranno / So all the people who pass that way
o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! / Sweetheart goodbye, oh goodbye, oh goodbye-bye-bye!
Tutte le genti che passeranno / So all the people who pass that way
mi diranno «Che bel fior'!» / Will say “Oh see that lovely flower!” -

«E questo è il fiore del partigiano», / "Ah that's the flower of the partisan fighter -"
o bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! / Sweetheart goodbye, oh goodbye, oh goodbye-bye-bye!
«E questo è il fiore del partigiano / "Ah that's the flower of the partisan fighter
morto per la libertà!» / who died for freedom’s sake!"

Chumbawamba Version

In the wake of the 2001 G8 in Genoa, Italy, Chumbawamba released an updated English version of the song, based on the Dog Faced Hermans' 1986 anarcho-punk version.

The world is waking outside my window
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Drags my senses into the sunlight
For there are things that I must do

Wish me luck now, I have to leave you
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
With my friends now up to the city
We’re going to shake the gates of hell

And I will tell them - we will tell them
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
That our sunlight is not for franchise
And wish the bastards drop down dead

Next time you see me I may be smiling
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
I’ll be in prison or on the tv
I’ll say, "the sunlight dragged me here!"