Bella Ciao means “goodbye, beautiful” in Italian. The song originated in the risaie (rice fields) of northern Italy. It was first sung by the women whose job was to weed the paddies – the mondine. The work was hard, and the bosses were harsh. The original lyrics referenced the terrible conditions in the fields. Eventually the song was re-purposed as an anti-fascist protest song.
The song has now been updated with climate-related lyrics and a new title: Do It Now!
Lyrics: Do It Now We need to wake up We need to wise up We need to open our eyes And do it now now now We need to build a better future And we need to start right now We're on a planet That has a problem We've got to solve it, get involved And do it now now now We need to build a better future And we need to start right now Make it greener Make it cleaner Make it last, make it fast And do it now now now We need to build a better future And we need to start right now No point in waiting Or hesitating We must get wise, take no more lies And do it now now now We need to build a better future And we need to start right now Writer(s): Jepther Washington Mcclymont, Kareem M Burrell Lyrics