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[marina_bonomi]

'Amara Terra Mia' ('Oh Bitter Land of Mine') is an Italian song written by Enrica Bonaccorti and Domenico Modugno, a poignant lament of a Southern Italian emigrant forced to leave his land and his love to find the means to survive.

Here is the text, with English translation.



Sole alla valle e sole alla collina                                       
Nelle campagne non c’è più nessuno                                
Addio, addio amore, Io vado via                                         
 Amara terra mia, amara e bella

Cieli infiniti e volti come pietra
Mani incallite ormai senza speranza
Addio, addio amore, Io vado via
Amara terra mia, amara e bella

Tra gli uliveti, nata già la luna
Un bimbo piange, allatta un seno magro
Addio addio amore, Io vado via
Amara terra mia, amara e bella.

Sun over the valley, sun over the hill,
In the fields there’s no one anymore.
Farewell, farewell my love, I go away,
Oh bitter land of mine, bitter and fair.

Endless skies and stone-like faces,
Callused hands, by now without a hope.
Farewell, farewell my love, I go away,
Oh bitter land of mine, bitter and fair.

Among the olive groves the moon has risen already,
A babe cries, fed by a lean breast.
Farewell, farewell my love, I go away,
Oh bitter land of mine, bitter and fair.

Italian group Radiodervish sings a bilingual version of the song in Italian and Arabic in this video

Click to view