Fischia il vento (The Wind Whistles) – Scene From Buongiorno, Notte

Fischia il vento is a popular Italian song written in September 1943, at the beginning of the Italian Resistance, the forces formed by pro-Allied Italians during World War II.It was written to spur on the partisan movement. Here it is in a scene from Buongiorno, Notte (Good Morning, Night) and it has special significance to Chiara, who is a Red Brigade terrorist. The lyrics are below, first in Italian and then in English. The Italian are, of course, more beautiful, but the English are stirring too. I think I’m going to make it my theme song.

Italian:
Fischia il vento e infuria la bufera,
scarpe rotte e pur bisogna andar
a conquistare la rossa primavera
dove sorge il sol dell’avvenir.
A conquistare la rossa primavera
dove sorge il sol dell’avvenir.

Ogni contrada è patria del ribelle,
ogni donna a lui dona un sospir,
nella notte lo guidano le stelle
forte il cuore e il braccio nel colpir.

Se ci coglie la crudele morte,
dura vendetta verrà dal partigian;
ormai sicura è già la dura sorte
del fascista vile traditor.

Cessa il vento, calma è la bufera,
torna a casa il fiero partigian,
sventolando la rossa sua bandiera;
vittoriosi e alfin liberi siam.

English:
The wind whistles, the storm rages,
our shoes are broken but we must go,
to conquer the red spring,
where the sun of future rises.
to conquer the red spring,
where the sun of future rises.

Every country is home to the rebel,
every woman gives him a breath,
the stars guide him in the night,
strong is the heart and the arm to strike.

If the cruel death catches us
harsh revenge will come from the partisan
already certain is the harsh fate
of the low treasonous fascist.

The wind stops and the storm calms,
the proud partisan returns home,
blowing in the wind his red flag,
victorious, at last free we are.