Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo

Subject: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: northfolk
Date: 03 Jun 98 - 11:21 PM

In the film Matewan the Italian miners are singing a song that I think is titled Bandera Rosa, a revolutionary Italian song, I remember hearing this song many years ago. Anyone know the lyrics, or anything about the song?

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Teru
Date: 04 Jun 98 - 05:17 AM

The title of this song is "Avanti Popolo". I must have the lyrics which are very simple. I'll look them up in my songbook.

With regards

Teru

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Ezio
Date: 04 Jun 98 - 11:25 AM

The correct spelling is BANDIERA ROSSA (RED FLAG). I can't remember if the exact title is AVANTI POPOLO (Go ahead, people!) or Bandiera Rossa, but Teru could be right. I can remember the tune and the first lines of the lyrics - Teru is right again, they are quite simple and repetitive.
I give a rough english translation (at my best...)

Avanti popolo (People, ahead!)
Alla riscossa (To the counter-attack)
Bandiera rossa (Red flag)
Bandiera rossa (Red flag)

Avanti popolo (People, ahead!)
Alla riscossa (To the counter-attack)
Bandiera rossa trionfera' (The red flag will triumph)

Ciao
Ezio

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Teru
Date: 04 Jun 98 - 07:52 PM

The last lime (Bandiera rossa trionfera) shoud be repeated four times followed by "E viva la pace e liberta" (And long live the peace and liberty)

This song against fascism used to be sung after World War II, celebreting New Italian Republic mainly by communists. (I don't know exactly. It was before my birth, anyway.)

My spelling may be wrong, could any Italian check up?

Regards

Teru

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Barry Finn
Date: 04 Jun 98 - 08:58 PM

While in this area of Italian WWII soldiers songs, are there any Alpinie (sp? could be why off). Thanks, Barry

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Martin Ryan.
Date: 04 Jun 98 - 09:22 PM

"Songs of Struggle and Protest" (Ed. John Mc Donnell), gives a version in English and says:

"3,350 Italian volunteers fought for the Spanish Government (in the Civil War) and 600 were killed in action. The song, Bandiera Rossa, was in fact an Italian anti-fascist song written before the Spanish CIvil War but many volunteers from other countries brought it home with them from this war and it is sung today in many languages and many parts of the world."

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Ezio
Date: 05 Jun 98 - 01:42 AM

Teru - Spelling check:

Bandiera rossa trionfera'

Evviva la pace e la liberta'
Please note the accent on the last letter!

------ Barry - I have several Italian Alipini songs (choruses). I will send lyrics and - maybe - music on line but... give me time!!

Ciao

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 04:06 AM

go here for more complete lyrics.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: GUEST,seanmhor
Date: 14 Mar 00 - 04:48 AM

the song avanti populo is commonly thought to have been the marching song of the garibaldi ( garibaldi's red shirts) and was adopted by the italian garibaldi brigade in the spanish civil war,so it would be correct to say that it is an anti fascist song,

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From:
Date: 14 Mar 00 - 04:33 PM

Hello--Anyone have lyrics for a gorgeous Italian song called: Marichuziella?

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Mar 00 - 10:00 PM

Great song, Bandierra Rossa. Glorious tune.

Wolfgang's link didn't getbthere for me. Hrre's one that did though - it's got the words of the first verse in Italian, and the rest in German, since it's a German site. Plus the muyisc in standard notation, and a MIDI and MP3 version of the tune. The MIDI is much better.

The last line varies according to who's singing it. The version on the lionk has "socialismoW When it got sung on marches in the Sixties, come the last line the chorus would divide between some people singing "Evviva la socialismo" some people singing "Evviva Communismo" and some singing "Evviva l'anarchismo". Didn't normally cause any problem, just made people sing louder. I never heard anyone singing "pace" even though these were peace marches. Not a bad idea though.

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 04:56 AM

Kevin, you wouldn't have expected a link from last century to work, would you? Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 08:40 AM

Leave it to mudcat,
You all come up with songs on my wish list, before I even remember that I have been looking for them. I have always loved that song, and will use it well and often.
With thanks to all our fellow workers here and a special thanks to the Italian sisters and brothers, today,
In One Big Union (InOBU)
Speed the day!
Larry

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 12:40 PM

McGrath-

The last line I heard most frequently was less polite-

(PLease excuse spelling, but I don't speak Italian and I heard it largely from Sicilian-Americans, whose pronunciation is apt to be creative) Va f'en cul Mussolini e viva libertat

If someone would fix this for me, I'd be grateful.

Subject: RE: Lyrics to radical Italian anthem
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 01:38 PM

So that's what InOBU means.I should have known.

But those Sicilians must have had very agile voices to fit in all that in the last line! I don't speak Sicilian or Italian, but the sense comes across, I think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,mermaid
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 08:23 AM

Could you give me the lyrics of the song? I mean all of it?

I can not get the normal answer on the net - at least lyrics I found is completely different from lyrics on the youtube videos - just by the way, Pankrti is cool with this song, have you checked that?

Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Young Buchan
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 09:35 AM

Other verses include (and since I don't write Italian the spelling is little more than a transliteration!)

Garribaldi renascera

Mussolini e bastada

Il Papa e virgina

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Roberto
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 12:33 PM

Avanti o popolo alla riscossa bandiera rossa bandiera rossa
avanti o popolo alla riscossa bandiera rossa, trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà bandiera rossa la trionferà
bandiera rossa la trionferà evviva il socialismo e la libertà!

Avanti o popolo tuona il cannone rivoluzione, rivoluzione
avanti o popolo tuona il cannone rivoluzione vogliamo far
Rivoluzione noi vogliamo far rivoluzione noi vogliamo far
rivoluzione noi vogliamo far evviva il socialismo e la libertà!

Dai campi al mare, alle miniere, rosse bandiere, rosse bandiere dai campi al mare, alle miniere rosse bandiere sventoleran
Bandiera rossa la si innalzerà bandiera rossa la si innalzerà
bandiera rossa la si innalzerà evviva il socialismo e la libertà!

Non più nemici non più frontiere sono i confini rosse bandiere
o proletari alla riscossa bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà bandiera rossa la trionferà
bandiera rossa la trionferà evviva il socialismo e la libertà!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Roberto
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 12:42 PM

Text as sung by Pankrti:

Avanti popolo, Bandiera rossa
alla riscossa, alla riscossa
Avanti popolo, Bandiera rossa
alla riscossa, trionferà

Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!

Vogliamo fabbriche, vogliamo terra
Ma senza guerra, ma senza guerra
Vogliamo fabbriche, vogliamo terra
Ma senza guerra, trionferà

Bandiera rossa, la trionferà
Bandiera rossa, la trionferà
Bandiera rossa, la trionferà
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 02:09 PM

I read once that the song was originally "Cammisa Rossa" (i.e. the Garibaldisti, as mentioned by "seanmhor" above), and was adapated later when adopted by Socialists, Communists, Anarchists and no doubt Football Fans. Sometimes the last lines were given as

"Bandierra Rossa trionfera,
In tutti gli gabinetti della citta"

(in all the toilets of the city).


Further to Barry Finn's request for Alpini songs, here's the one sung by Tito Gobbi in "The Glass Mountain", as far as I recall---

Lassu sui monti, dai rivi d'argento,
Una capanna cosparsa dei fiori
Era la piccola, dolce dimora
Di Soleghina, la figlia del sol

Lassu per le montagne, tra bosci e valli d'or-
Tra l'aspri rupe echeggi, un cantico d'amore;
Lassu per le montagne, tra bosci e valli d'or,
Tra l'aspri echeggi, un cantico d'amor.

La Montanara, ohe! si senti cantarare,
La chiara Montanara, e chi non la so?
La Montanara, ohe! si senti cantarare,
La chiara Montanara, ohe! e chi non la so?

Which I think may be rendered as,


(Up there on the mountains, by the silver ?streams,
A ?cabin overspread with flowers
Is the little, sweet dwelling
Of Soleghina, the daughter of the sun

Up there on the mountain, between woods and golden valleys,
Amidst the ?rough crags, a song of love

La Montanara, ohe! singing is heard,
She is called La Montanara, and who does not know her?)


But I'd appreciate it if anyone would be more accurate.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,mermaid
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 01:24 AM

To Roberto:

Thank you very much.
But.
What about translation - would you be so kind?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Roberto
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 03:22 AM

Translation of Pankrti'e text. (Notice that they sing the main verses (the first stanza) with reverted lines as to the most common version, that would be translated as follows: Forward People, To revolt / The Red Flag, the Red Flag / Forward Peole, to revolt / The Red Flag shall triumph).

Forward, People - The Red Flag
To revolt, to revolt
Forward, People - The Red Flag
Shall Triumph!

The Red Flag shall triumph
The Red Flag shall triumph
The Red Flag shall triumph
Up with Comunism and Liberty!
Up with Comunism and Liberty!

We want factories, we want land
But no war, no war
We want factories, we want land
But no war, 't will triumph

The Red Flag shall triumph
The Red Flag shall triumph
The Red Flag shall triumph
Up with Comunism and Liberty!
Up with Comunism and Liberty!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Jim I
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 02:04 PM

Bandiera Rossa

Avanti populo,a la rescossa
Bandiera rossa, bandiera rossa
Avanti populo, a la rescossa
Bandiera rossa la trionfera

Chorus:        
This is how I usually sing it.

Chorus
Bandiera rossa la trionfera
Bandiera rossa la trionfera
Bandiera rossa la trionfera
Eviva la socialista e la belle liberta

The peoples' on the march, the road they're treading
It leads to freedom, it leads to freedom
The peoples' on the march, the road they're treading
It leads to freedom and liberty

From farm and factory, from school and college
With force of suffering and source of knowledge
Our leaders leading, our banners waving
Victory proceeding to liberty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 01:13 PM

I have it on a tape somewhere which I recorded from a Radio Scotland programe way back in the 80s. I think it was sung by a group called "The Laggan".
Thanks for the words, Roberto.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 01:22 PM

Just googled it: it was on their album "I am the Common Man", released in 1978. Arthur Johnstone on lead vocals.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: BanjoRay
Date: 21 Jul 07 - 08:28 PM

We used to sing this in the sixties - I remember 2 other verses that went
Avanti populo e la patroni revoluzioni, revoluzioni
Avanti populo e la patroni revoluzioni, trionfera

Avanti populo e mussolini, e mussolini, e mussolini
Avanti populo e mussolini, e mussolini, sa pigera

God knows how they're really spelt.
Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,AKEL Cyprus
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 03:35 PM

The song is now very popular in Cyprus since the communist leader has decided to run for president. Most of us doesnt know the meaning of the lyric (since we dont speak italian) but it is amazing to hear hundreds of youth to sing it in the marches.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 11:18 PM

This song was sung by Italian immigrant miners in the John Sayles movie "Matewan," a fact-based film about the West Virginia mine wars of the early 1920s. If this song was in fact sung by the Italian miners at that time, it must have been written quite awhile before the Spanish Civil War.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Roberto
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 02:01 AM

The song was written around 1908. It was a Socialist anthem, before becoming a Communist one. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Rowan
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 04:20 AM

A lovely pizzeria in North Brunswick was run, in the late 70s, by an Italian family who let FILEF use the place as their Melbourne hangout. I ate there often and, when they found out I played concer, they taught me the tune. Not long after I learned it I was visiting Sydney and freinds took me to No Names, a very low-cost eatery run by Italians and serving nothing but various forms of spaghetti. When they discovered I played concertina they insisted I play an Italian tune for them, so I played Bandiera Rossa.

They were very polite, listened to me finish and then informed me that "that sort of music was not welcome!" Clearly, I inferred, they were no fans of FILEF. Sometimes I just had to learn the hard way.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Jim McLean
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 01:34 PM

Here's a bit of name dropping and it's not a joke.
I was in a restaurant in Glasgow, after a bout of heavy drinking, with Alan Price, Georgie Fame and Hamish Henderson and a few others.
Hamish had just written his song 'Free Mandela' to the tune Avanti Popolo and wouldn't stop singing. Eventually after repeated warnings from the management, the police were called and I made a hasty exit wiht Hal Duncan who was the producer of the TV show which featured Price and Fame. We had only met Hamish in a pub earlier on, in Byers Road and he came with us to the restaurant. I won't repeat what Georgie Fame told me the next day regarding Hamish with whom he shared a taxi in their escape although it was on the lines of 'get your hands off my knee'!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 03:49 PM

can anyone translate avanti populo?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 04:48 PM

Read the thread, GUEST. It's got a translation already.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 06:15 PM

Jim-
Hamish wrote "Free Mandela" to the tune of "Quince (sp?) Brigada", not "Bandiera Rossa"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 07:40 PM

You can here it there http://www.chambre-claire.com/PAROLES/Bandira-Rossa.htm There're the lyrics too, but no translation (it's a French site)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 07:42 PM

and here too (it wouldn't let me post more than one link)
http://communisme.wordpress.com/chanson-du-proletariat-mondial/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 07:43 PM

You have many international revolutionary songs here too

http://www.deljehier.levillage.org/chan_rev.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 25 Feb 08 - 07:47 PM

And -last but not least- here
http://drapeaurouge.free.fr/index.html

Joe, would you please delete my last post, I hit the key before I could write anything. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: moongoddess
Date: 26 Feb 08 - 08:32 AM

My grandfather, who was an Italian immigrant and worked in the silk mills of Connecticut, taught me this song when I was just a toddler in the mid-forties.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 08:02 AM

The original, full-text in Italian is as follows. There's a lot of repetition, but I've translated the main phrases below.

Lovely song! Maria

Compagni avanti alla riscossa (Forward comrades, to the revolt)
Bandiera rossa, bandiera rossa (Red flag, red flag)
Avanti o popolo alla riscossa (Forward people, to the revolt)
Bandiera rossa trionferà (The red flag will triumph)

Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà! (Hurrah for communism and for freedom!)

Degli sfruttati, l'immensa schiera (Of the exploited, the immense ranks)
La pura innalzi rossa bandiera, (People raise the red flag,)
O proletari, alla riscossa (Oh proletariat, to the revolt)
Bandiera rossa trionferà

Avanti o popolo alla riscossa
Bandiera rossa, bandiera rossa
Avanti o popolo alla riscossa
Bandiera rossa trionferà

Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!

Dai campi al mare, alla miniera, (From the fields to the sea, to the mines)
Dei proletari, l'immensa schiera (Of the proletariat, the huge ranks)
Avanti é l'ora della riscossa. (Forward it is time for revolt.)
Bandiera rossa trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!

Non più nemici, non più frontiere, (No more enemies, no more frontiers)
Lungo i confini rosse bandiere. (Along the borders only red flags)
O proletari, alla riscossa
Bandiera rossa trionferà

Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Il frutto del lavoro a chi lavora andrà (The fruit of work to who works will go)
Bandiera rossa la trionferà
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!

Avanti o popolo, tuona il cannone (Forward people, the cannon blasts)
Rivoluzione, rivoluzione, (Revolution, revolution)
Avanti o popolo, tuona il cannone
Rivoluzione noi vogliamo far. (Revolution is what we want to do.)

Rivoluzione noi vogliamo far
Rivoluzione noi vogliamo far
Rivoluzione noi vogliamo far
Evviva il comunismo e la libertà!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Jim McLean
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:17 AM

Thanks, Dick, for the correction. I know the melody Hamish used but obviously didn't know the correct title.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,albert
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 09:52 AM

About 20 years ago I was having a cup of teano in my village cafe, long run by a family of Italian descent.I told the owner that I had recentlyheard the Cardiff Red Choir sing an Italian anti fascist song at our local fete and to my complete amazement he burst into full voice singing Bandiera Rossa.I was very impressed and have always looked out for it ever since!
albert

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Gnomesane
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 04:51 PM

Aha! Cardiff Red choir, eh? I have always wondered how this song got to be on the college pub song roster in Caerleon in the 1960s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,Ste McNally
Date: 14 Aug 15 - 09:57 AM

Help! I've been trawling the net for lyrics to the 1960s version of Bandiera Rossa, the one that mentions Mussolini (Neil Kinnock sings it at the end of the Lab Party conference one year.

I'm guessing my looking at previous messages at Cardiff's Red Choir did a version?
My email is [e-mail] if anyone has the lyrics or anymore info.

Many many thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: GUEST,GUEST.SkewenLad
Date: 27 Oct 20 - 11:16 AM

Just remember bits and pieces of the Mussolini version which was always sung at Cardiff University Rugby Club dinners. Early Sixties so Kinnock would have been there. Best singer was second row, Maurice Braithwaite, who played for Pontypridd and Cardiff andcame very close to an international cap.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bandiera Rossa / Avanti Popolo
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Oct 20 - 12:42 PM

It looks like Mudcat has linked this thread with every discussion of an Italian song, regardless of theme!

Bandiera Rossa was one of the songs my father liked to sing while driving. He couldn't carry a tune; so I was amazed when, as an adult, I heard two Derrymen sing the song - also while on a car journey - in Ireland. I recognised the words and exclaimed, "At last I know the tune."