Ringhera
Ivan Della Mea| English Version by Riccardo Venturi | |
Ringhiera [1]Il diciotto del mese di luglio1. Lui aveva diciott'anni, Diciott'anni, ma di Ringhiera, Diciott'anni di speranza Tutta rossa di bandiera. La morosa lo sgridava, Gli diceva "Resta a casa", Lui la guarda: "Devo andare." "Devi andare, allora va'." L'ha baciata e ribaciata, Lei rideva: che magone, Lei gli dà una morsicata E chiude il portone. E la compagnia [5] di Ringhiera Tutta assieme arriva in Spagna, Arriva con la sua bandiera Bella rossa e tutta pulita. [6] Il diciotto del mese di luglio,2. Dopo la Spagna, la montagna Ohè, morosa! Su, pazienza La Ringhiera, la bandiera Si chiama Resistenza. Arriva il giorno della festa, Arriva il venticinque aprile, La Ringhiera torna a casa, La morosa è in cortile. L'ha baciata e ribaciata, Lei piangeva e lei taceva, E poi lui l'ha morsicata, È scappata tutta allegra. E poi dopo, ma per trent'anni Operaio alla catena, E poi dopo, ma per trent'anni Giù in sezione con la Ringhiera. L'han trovato che cantava Tra i mattoni, pieno di terra E la sezione era andata: Una bomba tutta nera Di fascisti, e lui cantava La canzone della Ringhiera, E in mano, dentro alle mani L’ultimo pezzo rosso della bandiera. E cantava, lui cantava, La canzone della ringhiera, e... Il diciotto del mese di luglio3. Quanta gente che c'è in piazza coi compagni della ringhiera, e c'è anche la morosa col pezzo rosso di bandiera E che acqua: "vieni qui sotto, vieni qui sotto, ma alla svelta", Urla Brescia, urla e scoppia, una fiammata e la morosa È morta, tutta morta tra il fumo, col sangue per terra e in mano, dentro alle mani l'ultimo pezzo rosso di bandiera L'ha baciata, ribaciata, Lei taceva, lei taceva e allora l'ha guardata era bianca, e rossa era di rosso sangue che si scioglie nella pioggia disperata, e la morte che morde tutto intorno un po' stranita E la rabbia disarmata, Brescia piange, la ringhiera torna a casa, senza donna, senza il pezzo rosso di bandiera, e... Il ventotto, ma di maggioE cantando la canzone La più bella, la più vera E cantando la canzone, La più bella, la più vera Torna in marcia un'altra volta Tutta insieme la Ringhiera, Torna in marca un'altra volta Tutta insieme la ringhiera E tira su la bandiera! | BALLAD OF THE RAILING HOUSINGS On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent, On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent the Communist Party founded the Fifth Regiment, the Communist Party founded the Fifth Regiment. On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent, On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent the comrades of the railing housings made up their regiment, the comrades of the railing housings made up their regiment. So lift up your flag! Our Spain is already red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! So lift up your flag! Our Spain is already red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! 1. He was but eighteen years old, eighteen years of railing housings, eighteen years of hope all red like his flag. His sweetheart scolded him and told him: "Stay home!" He looks at her: "I must go". "So if you must go, then, go!" He kissed her, again and again, she laughed but in sad grief, she gave him a big bite and shut up the front door. And the comrades of the railing housings landed in Spain all together, they landed with their flag all red and unsoiled. On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent, On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent the Communist Party founded the Fifth Regiment, the Communist Party founded the Fifth Regiment. On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent, On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent the comrades of the railing housings made up their regiment, the comrades of the railing housings made up their regiment. So lift up your flag! Our Spain is already red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! So lift up your flag! Our Spain is already red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! 2. And, then, partisans on the mountains "Cheer up, sweetheart, it’s all right! the railing housings and the flag have the same name: Resistance." And then the day of feast comes, it’s the twentyfive of April, the comrades of the railing housings come back home: she’s in the courtyard. He kissed her, again and again, she cried and didn’t spoke a word, and he gave her a big bite, she fled away happy and light-hearted. And then but for thirty years, working at the assembly line, and then but for thirty years to the local branch with his comrades. One day they found him singing in the rubble, dirty with earth, the local branch had been blown up by a black, by a black bomb by the fascists, and he was singing the song of the railing housings, and in his hand, right in his hands the last, torn strip of a red flag And he was singing, he was singing the song of the railing housings, and... On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent, On the eighteenth day of July in the cloister of a convent the Communist Party founded the Fifth Regiment, the Communist Party founded the Fifth Regiment. So lift up your flag! Our Spain is already red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! 3. How much crowded is the square with comrades of the railing housings, even his sweetheart is there with the last, torn strip of a red flag And it’s pouring: "C’mon down here, c’mon down here and make haste!" Brescia screams, screams and blows up in a blaze, and his sweetherat Lies dead, gone and dead in the smoke, lying in her blood, holding right in her hands the last torn strip of a red flag. He kissed her again and again she kept silent, she kept silent, and then he looked at her, she was deadly pale, yet ruby red with all the blood that is melting in the desperate rain, death is biting, biting so hard all around, yet confused With unarmed, helpless rage Brescia is crying, and the comrade comes back home without his sweetheart, without the torn strip of a red flag, and... On the twentyeight of May the comrades of the railing housings have shouted: "Let’s go then! Let’s take our flag again." And brick after brick they rebuilt the local branch, and each brick was a blow on the dirty face of patrons. They’ve put on again their clothes, their dear ones, those of Spain, they’ve taken their steps again, their hard pace of partisans. And singing again the song, the truest and fairest song, And singing again the song the truest and fairest song The comrades of the railing housings are marching again together, the comrades of the railing housings are marching again together. So lift up your flag! Italy’s gonna turn red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! So lift up your flag! Italy’s gonna turn red, the comrades of the railing housings have come to bury the fascists! So lift up your flag! So lift up your flag! So lift up your flag! So lift up your flag! |
