Il Canto degli Italiani

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Il Canto degli Italiani (The Song of the Italians) is the Italian national anthem. The anthem is also popularly known, from its first line, as Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) and, after its author, as the Inno di Mameli (Mameli's Hymn).

The words were written in 1847 by the poet Goffredo Mameli as an expression of the popular struggle for the unification and independence of Italy. His poem, set to music by Michele Novaro, enjoyed widespread popularity throughout the period of the Risorgimento (Resurgence) – the 19th-century Italian movement towards unification. Following unification in (1861), the anthem of the royal house of Savoy was adopted as a national anthem. When, in 1946, Italy became a republic, Il Canto degli Italiani was provisionally chosen as the country's new national anthem. This choice has never been officially re-examined, with the result that it has remained Italy's "temporary" anthem for more than 50 years.

1 Lyrics in Italian
2 English translation
3 Controversy
4 Audio
5 External links

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Lyrics in Italian

Note: this is the complete text of the original poem written by Goffredo Mameli, however the Italian anthem, as performed in every official occasion, is composed by the first part and the chorus, repeated twice, then ends with a loud "Sì!" ("Yes!"). The rest of the poem refers to episodes which were relevant when it was written.

Fratelli d'Italia,

l'Italia s'è desta,

dell'elmo di Scipio

s'è cinta la testa.

Dov'è la vittoria?

Le porga la chioma,

che schiava di Roma

Iddio la creò.

CHORUS:

Stringiamoci a coorte,

siam pronti alla morte.

Siam pronti alla morte,

l'Italia chiamò.

Stringiamoci a coorte,

siam pronti alla morte.

Siam pronti alla morte,

l'Italia chiamò!

Noi fummo da secoli

calpesti, derisi,

perché non siam popolo,

perché siam divisi.

Raccolgaci un'unica

bandiera, una speme:

di fonderci insieme

già l'ora suonò.

CHORUS

Uniamoci, uniamoci,

l'unione e l'amore

rivelano ai popoli

le vie del Signore.

Giuriamo far libero

il suolo natio:

uniti, per Dio,

chi vincer ci può?

CHORUS

Dall'Alpi a Sicilia

Dovunque è Legnano,

Ogn'uom di Ferruccio

Ha il core, ha la mano,

I bimbi d'Italia

Si chiaman Balilla,

Il suon d'ogni squilla

I Vespri suonò.

CHORUS

Son giunchi che piegano

Le spade vendute:

Già l'Aquila d'Austria

Le penne ha perdute.

Il sangue d'Italia,

Il sangue Polacco,

Bevé, col cosacco,

Ma il cor le bruciò.

CHORUS

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English translation

Brothers of Italy,

Italy has arisen,

with Scipio's helmet

She binds her head.

Where is Victory?

Let her bow down,

For slave of Rome

God has made her.

CHORUS

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

We have been for centuries

Downtrodden and derided,

Because we are not a people,

Because we are divided.

Let bring us together

One flag, one hope

For us to join forces

The hour has just struck.

CHORUS

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Let us unite and love one another;

Union and love

Reveal to peoples

The ways of the Lord

Let us swear to free

Our native soil;

United under God,

Who can conquer us?

CHORUS

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

From the Alps to Sicily,

Everywhere it is Legnano;

Every man, of Ferruccio

Has the heart, has the hand .

The children of Italy

Are called Balilla;

Every bell blast

Sounds the (Sicilian) Vespers.

CHORUS

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Reeds bend

Mercenary swords

The Austrian eagle

Has already lost his plumes.

The blood of Italy

And the Polish blood

She drank with the Cossack,

But burned his gut.

CHORUS

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

Let us form a cohort,

We are ready to die!

Italy has called!

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Controversy

The desirability or otherwise of replacing Fratelli d'Italia with a different anthem has recently been discussed in Italy. The music of Fratelli d'Italia is viewed by some (both laymen and experts) as poor, especially when compared with the renonwed Italian classical music tradition (for example, Giuseppe Verdi or Giacomo Puccini). And the lyrics, far from being universal, refer to some very specific episodes in Italian history which, while they were well known to all in the 19th century, are almost meaningless now. Nevertheless, Fratelli d'Italia is well known worldwide and immediately recognizable to everyone in Italy, and it is difficult to believe that Italians will allow it to be replaced without a fierce debate.

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