Faccetta Nera was a popular marching song of Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

's Fascist regime.

History

The hymn is said to have been inspired by a beautiful young Abyssinian slave girl, who was found by the Italian troops at the beginning of the Fascist invasion of Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...

.

Faccetta Nera talks about how the brunette will be taken back to Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 and offered a new life, free from the bonds of slavery. There, the song's narrator promises that her already dark-complected skin will be further "kissed" by the Italian sun, and that she will be introduced to new laws, rulers and customs.

Composed during the Fascists' military campaign in Ethiopia, the song soon became a symbol of the regime.

Lyrics

Italian lyrics Se tu dall'altipiano guardi il mare Moretta che sei schiava fra gli schiavi Vedrai come in un sogno tante navi E un tricolore sventolar per te Faccetta nera, bell'abissina Aspetta e spera che già l'ora si avvicina! quando saremo insieme a te noi ti daremo un'altra legge e un altro Re La legge nostra è schiavitù d'amore il nostro motto è LIBERTÀ e DOVERE vendicheremo noi Camicie Nere Gli eroi caduti liberando te! Faccetta nera, bell'abissina Aspetta e spera che già l'ora si avvicina! quando saremo insieme a te noi ti daremo un'altra legge e un altro Re Faccetta nera, piccola abissina ti porteremo a Roma, liberata Dal sole nostro tu sarai baciata Sarai in Camicia Nera pure tu Faccetta nera, sarai Romana La tua bandiera sarà sol quella italiana! Noi marceremo insieme a te E sfileremo avanti al Duce e avanti al Re!

English translation If you look at the sea from the hills Young brunette slave amongst slaves Like in a dream you will see many ships And a tricolour Flag of Italy The flag of Italy is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical pales of green, white, and red, with the green at the hoist side...  waving for you Little black face, beautiful Abyssinian Wait and see the hour coming! When we will be with you We will give you another law and another king King of Italy King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire... Our law is slavery of love Our motto is FREEDOM and DUTY We will avenge the blackshirts Blackshirts The Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II... the heroes that died to free you! Little black face, beautiful Abyssinian Wait and see the hour coming! When we are with you We will give you another law and another king Little black face, little Abyssinian We will take you to Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , as a free person You will be kissed by our sun and a black shirt you will be too Little black face, you will be Roman Your only flag will be Italian! We will march together with you and parade in front of the Duce Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism.... and the king!

See also

• Second Italo-Abyssinian War
  Second Italo-Abyssinian War
  The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
  
  
• Giovinezza
  Giovinezza
  "Giovinezza" is the official hymn of the Italian National Fascist Party, regime, and army, and was the unofficial national anthem of Italy between 1924 and 1943...
  
  

External links

• "Faccetta nera" in mp3 Rare original recording of "Faccetta nera" with tenor F. Orlandis