Art, literature & culture

Bella ciao

1944

Bella ciao is an Italian folk song that became the best-known anthem of the antifascist resistance in Italy during the Second World War, though its origins are debated. Its lyrics tell of a partisan who asks to be buried on a mountain under the shade of a beautiful flower, and who bids farewell to a loved one. Historians point out that the song was probably sung by only some partisan groups in 1944 and 1945 and that it became widely known only after the war, in songs of the political left and in folk revivals. The melody has been linked to older folk tunes, including a children's song and a Yiddish melody. In recent decades it has been adopted by protest movements around the world, translated into many languages, and used in the Spanish television series Money Heist.

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This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.