Bella, ciao!

Since this song is stuck in my head, I will post this again, hoping that along the scheme of Mark Twain it will leave me and move to someone else.

It’s interesting to me how different Italian and Russian sound. I think most people can recognize when he switches to Russian (except the “bella, ciao” refrain) — to me, it almost sounds softer and more melodic than Italian.

One morning when I awakened
Oh beauty bye, beauty bye, beauty bye-bye-bye!
One morning when I awakened
I found invaders all around

Oh partisan, come take me with you
Oh beauty bye, beauty bye, beauty bye-bye-bye!
Oh partisan, come take me with you
Because I feel ready to die

If I die fighting as a partisan
Oh beauty bye, beauty bye, beauty bye-bye-bye!
If I die fighting as a partisan
You must come and bury me

Bury me there, up in the mountains
Oh beauty bye, beauty bye, beauty bye-bye-bye!
Bury me there, up in the mountains
Shade my grave with a lovely flower

So all the people who pass that way
Oh beauty bye, beauty bye, beauty bye-bye-bye!
So all the people who pass that way
Will say "Oh see that lovely flower! - "

"Ah that's the flower of the partisan fighter - "
Oh beauty bye, beauty bye, beauty bye-bye-bye!
"Ah that's the flower of the partisan fighter
who died for freedom's sake!"

Another version (women singing can be heard; I almost like this version of lyrics more):



In the mountains and foothills bloom edelweisses.
In the valley corncrake’s voice was heard.
We will soon see each other, we will be together
The road to you carries my song
We will soon see each other, we will be together
The road to you carries my song

Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Ciao, Ciao.

Where brothers fell asleep forever under the earth,
Already the first shoots appear,
Sensing the sky and the smell of freedom.
There, the sun to you carries my song.
Sensing the sky and the smell of freedom.
There, the sun to you carries my song.

Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Ciao, Ciao.

In the provinces that are small, in the homes of straw,
Where mills wave their wings
And women wave with their hands after us.
Their tenderness to you carries my song.
And women wave with their hands after us.
Their tenderness to you carries my song.

Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Ciao, Ciao.

Smelling as fire thunderous storms
Already rage, rage away,
But their lights are not terrible, they shine on the road
The road that to you carries my song.
But their lights are not terrible, they shine on the road
The road that to you carries my song.

Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Ciao, Ciao.

So sleep, the brothers, under the black earth,
In the mountains bloom again, edelweisses!
And thunderstorms, burn! Knives, cut bread!
And women weep! And the sprouts shoot up!
Where tenderness and the sun, and the path and hope
All to you alone carry my song.

Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao,
Oh, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Bella, Ciao, Ciao, Ciao.