Ta-pum was the noise the Italian soldiers heard while they were fighting in trenches and the Austrian Guns shooted with Mannlicher M95 rifles. There was a great distance between the two frontlines, so the noise arrived before the bullets, “TA”, and then the detonation sound “PUM”.
From here the wel-lknow song, which has several versions…
Twenty days on Ortigara whit no change to dismount ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! And tomorrow , Soldier don’t let them kill you ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! When we go along the valley Battalion, you've already got no more soldiers. ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! In the valley there’s a cemetery, Cemetery for us soldiers. ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! Cemetery for us, soldiers may be a day I will come to you. ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! I left my mother, I left her to become a soldier ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! When they bring bread the sniper start shooting ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! |
Twenty days on Ortigara whit no change to dismount Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! I left my mother, I left her to become a soldier Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, a pum! And Tomorrow Soldier don’t let them kill you . Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Behind the brigde there’s the cemetery, Cemetery for us, soldiers . Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Cemetery for us, soldiers soon I’ll come to you. Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! |
Twenty days on Ortigara whit no change to dismount ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! ta pum! Our heads are plenty of lice And we have no food to eat Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! When we go to Battalion, you've already got no more soldiers Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Battalion of deads How many cowards in Milan ! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Behind the bridge there’s a cemetery Cemetery for us soldiers Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! When you are behind that little wall Young, soldier you can't talk nomore Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Cemetery for us soldiers may be a day I will come to you Tapum, tapum, ta pum! Tapum, tapum, ta pum! |