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!