Monday, January 26, 2015

Bella Ciao !

Yes!  Syriza sweeps into power in the Greek elections, a landslide win for Alexis Tsipras, heralding an end to austerity, a new era of "hope and the will to fight in the very birthplace of democracy."



 

Syriza obtained 149 of 300 seats in Parliament, only two seats short of a complete majority.

Greek voters jubilantly celebrated into the Athens night, the old anti-fascist song of partisan resistance, Bella Ciao, among other favorites, sung, danced to, and played about in halls, bars, and cafes - the mood described as "electric." 

Two tweets from just prior to this incredible win, the first time in modern Greek history a left government has taken power:



Victory tweets and some Bella Ciao song samples below (more posted on twitter @OldSaukRiver).   

Bella Ciao has been sung in many languages (an example of that, also below), originally an old folk tune, now triumphantly declared (see another tweet below) as the new international anthem of democracy and resistance, and against the economic ravages of a 1% precariously tipping the scales of global economic injustice to staggering heights of disparity never before seen in human history.  (At present, the world's 80 richest people possess the same wealth as the bottom 3.5 billion, Greeks suffering most keenly under the European union austerity package.)

























An English translation of the lyrics, below, from Antoinette Fawcett, performed in 2007 by 21 Love Hotel.  Here you can find the text in 30 languages, with commentary.   (English speakers see some translations reading "the invaders," which refers to the fascists during World War II.)

I woke this morning and all seemed peaceful
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
I woke this morning and all seemed peaceful
But oppression still exists.

Oh freedom fighter, I want to fight too
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Oh freedom fighter, I want to fight too
Against their living death.

And if I die, a freedom fighter,
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
And if I die, a freedom fighter,
Then you’ll have to bury me.

Let my body rest in the mountains
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
Let my body rest in the mountains
In the shadow of my flower.

And all the people who will pass by there
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
And all the people who will pass by there
Will show that lovely flower.

This is the blossom of those that died here
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
This is the blossom of those that died here
For land and liberty.

And, in another English language version with Chumbawamba:
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!"


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