Renato Fiacchini was born in Rome in the Via di Ripetta, next to the Via del Corso.
He quit his studies early to devote himself to his true passion, playing music and singing - though initially with little success. He replied to the criticisms (including the recurring insult Sei uno zero! - "You're a zero!") by assuming the alter-ego of Renato Zero. After several different jobs, including an appearance in an advertisement for ice-cream, he recorded his first singles in 1965: "Tu, sì", "Il deserto", "La solitudine", which were never issued. His first published single, "Non basta sai/In mezzo ai guai" (1967), sold a total of 20 copies.
In the late 1960s Zero's career was favoured by the glam-rock fashion, which he had somehow presaged with his sexual ambiguity and androgynous appearance. At the same time, this led him to be accused of cloning characters like David Bowie. In 1973 he issued his first LP, No! Mamma, no! (live), but with little success. The follow-up Invenzioni met the same fate.
Birth of the "Zerophilia"
It was not until 1976 that he scored his first hit with the single "Madame". "Madame" and the album including it, Trapezio, established a regular and loyal audience for Zero. This was to increase exponentially in the following years, until he could boast a huge following of die-hard fans that he dubbed "Sorcini" ("Little Mice").
The late 1970s were indeed years of great success for Zero's character, with the LPs Zerofobia ("Zerophobia", 1977), Zerolandia (1978) and Erozero (1979) topping the Italian charts. At this time Renato Zero was amongst the two or three most popular singers in Italy and his song "Il Carrozzone" was already regarded, also by critics, as one of the best Italian songs ever.
In 1979 Zero played himself in the movie "Ciao Nì" (his usual greeting to his fans, which can be roughly translated as "Hi pal!"). In Italy this film was to be more successful than the blockbuster "Superman".
The 1980s
In the 1980s he began to abandon make-up and greasepaint, but this did not rid Zero of his mania for grandeur: in the 1980 tour, for example, he entered the scene riding a white horse. In 1982 he began a collaboration with the opera director Renato Serio, who was to write the string arrangements for almost all of Zero's following LPs. In late 1983 he took part in RAI's Fantastico 3, then the most popular Italian TV show.
His career continued to be successful until 1984, with top-charts songs like "Amico" ("Friend") and "Spiagge" ("Beaches"). That year, however, his album Leoni si nasce and the tour of the same name, in which he appeared disguised as a lion and escorted by four aborigines, were commercial failures. The album Zero of 1987 marked the low point of his career: instead of playing in arenas and stadiums, Zero had to sing almost for free in the piazzas and discos of Italy's minor cities.
1990s and 2000s: the Comeback
In 1991 Renato Zero participated to the Sanremo Music Festival with "Spalle al muro", and from that moment on his career began to rise again. In 1993 he was nr.1 in the Italian charts with the LP Quando non sei più nessuno. The following year Imperfetto repeated this success. During his tour concerts would regularly sell out, and he returned to his famous dress changes during the spectacles, although in a less kitsch and more balanced style.
In 2004 his tour "Cattura il sogno/Il sogno continua" (Catch the dream/The dream continues) was awarded from Pollstar magazine as the most successful of the year in Italy and as well as one of the most successful worldwide (#30). The recording af the Roman concerts, held at Olimpico Stadium in June, was the best selled musical DVD of 2004. In 2005 he took part to the Italian stage of Live 8, in the Circo Massimo. In November his new album Il dono ("The Gift") topped the charts and maintained #1 until the end of the year. In December 2005 he performed in the Vatican with a song dedicated to Pope John Paul II. Renato Zero's most recent tour started in February 2006 and is entitled Zero movimento. During some concerts held at the time of the campaign for the April 2006 elections he declared himself against former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Al buio
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Di stelle che fa bene al cuore
Come l'effetto di un'illusione
Scomparire in me
Mi vedo incontrare il mare
Senza più fine
E continuare a camminare
Verso di te...
Il vuoto che mi afferra
Finire questa guerra, che c'è in me...
Ma... mi vedi amore adesso,
Solo stando al buio
Come sto pensando a te
E come ancora e per sempre ho bisogno
Che tu esista qui con me
Questa vita vola piano e in alto
Ed io piano volerò
Senza fare rumori
Tutto questo amore
Seguirò...
Ti vedo adesso proprio stando al buio
Vedo bene la felicità
È leggera e senza senso come un sogno
Lo stesso da un'eternità
E come un altro mondo lontanissimo da qui
Quel mondo che per un istante
Adesso è dentro di me, così...
Vedo come siamo sospesi
Fra due pianeti opposti
Come ce ne stiamo nascosti
Ognuno bene in sé
Come cerchiamo d'imparare dal tempo
Anche a morire
Come invidiamo ad un tramonto,
Tutto il suo stile
Come disperatamente lottiamo
Per essere come non siamo
Come tutte le infinite vie,
Portino a te
Ma... Mi vedi amore adesso,
Come sono al buio
Come sto pensando a te
E come ancora e per sempre ho bisogno
Che tu esista qui con me
Questa vita vola piano e in alto
Ed io piano volerò
Senza fare rumore
Tutto questo amore seguirò...
Ti vedo adesso proprio stando al buio
Vedo bene la felicità
È leggera e senza senso come un sogno
Lo stesso da un'eternità
E come un altro mondo lontanissimo da qui
Quel mondo che adesso per un istante
È dentro di me, così... Così...
Quel mondo che adesso per un istante
È dentro di me, così..
The lyrics to Renato Zero's song "Al buio" (which translates to "In the Dark") discuss feelings of loneliness and the desire to continue forward despite the internal battles we face. The singer describes seeing an imaginary space of stars that brings comfort to their heart, but disappears when they are alone. They envision themselves walking endlessly towards the sea, searching for something or someone to hold onto. The singer acknowledges the war that is inside of them and their need for it to end. However, their love for someone is what keeps them going, even when they are in darkness.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's struggles. They see themselves suspended between two opposing planets, hidden and isolated from the world. The singer wants to learn from time, even in death, but they also envy the beauty of a sunset. They fight to be something they are not, as they believe all paths lead to the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Vedo questo spazio immaginario
I see this imaginary space
Di stelle che fa bene al cuore
Filled with stars that soothe the heart
Come l'effetto di un'illusione
Like the effect of an illusion
Scomparire in me
Disappearing within me
Mi vedo incontrare il mare
I see myself meeting the sea
Senza più fine
Without an end
E continuare a camminare
And continuing to walk
Verso di te...
Towards you...
Come per afferrare...
As if to grasp...
Il vuoto che mi afferra
The emptiness that grips me
Finire questa guerra, che c'è in me...
To end this war within me...
Ma... mi vedi amore adesso,
But can you see me now, my love,
Solo stando al buio
Only in the darkness
Come sto pensando a te
As I am thinking of you
E come ancora e per sempre ho bisogno
And how I still and forever need
Che tu esista qui con me
For you to exist here with me
Questa vita vola piano e in alto
This life flies slowly and high
Ed io piano volerò
And I will fly slowly
Senza fare rumori
Without making any noise
Tutto questo amore Seguirò...
I will follow all this love...
Ti vedo adesso proprio stando al buio
Now I see you while standing in the dark
Vedo bene la felicità
I see happiness clearly
È leggera e senza senso come un sogno
It's light and senseless like a dream
Lo stesso da un'eternità
The same for eternity
E come un altro mondo lontanissimo da qui
And like another world far away from here
Quel mondo che per un istante
That world which for a moment
Adesso è dentro di me, così...
Is now within me, like this...
Vedo come siamo sospesi
I see how we are suspended
Fra due pianeti opposti
Between two opposite planets
Come ce ne stiamo nascosti
How we are hiding there
Ognuno bene in sé
Each one well within themselves
Come cerchiamo d'imparare dal tempo
How we try to learn from time
Anche a morire
Even how to die
Come invidiamo ad un tramonto, Tutto il suo stile
How we envy a sunset, all of its style
Come disperatamente lottiamo
How desperately we fight
Per essere come non siamo
To be something we are not
Come tutte le infinite vie, Portino a te
How all the infinite paths lead to you
Ma... Mi vedi amore adesso,
But can you see me now, my love,
Come sono al buio
How I am in the dark
Come sto pensando a te
How I am thinking of you
E come ancora e per sempre ho bisogno
And how I still and forever need
Che tu esista qui con me
For you to exist here with me
Questa vita vola piano e in alto
This life flies slowly and high
Ed io piano volerò
And I will fly slowly
Senza fare rumore
Without making any noise
Tutto questo amore seguirò...
I will follow all this love...
Ti vedo adesso proprio stando al buio
Now I see you while standing in the dark
Vedo bene la felicità
I see happiness clearly
È leggera e senza senso come un sogno
It's light and senseless like a dream
Lo stesso da un'eternità
The same for eternity
E come un altro mondo lontanissimo da qui
And like another world far away from here
Quel mondo che adesso per un istante
That world which for a moment
È dentro di me, così...
Is now within me, like this...
Quel mondo che adesso per un istante
That world which for a moment
È dentro di me, così...
Is now within me, like this...
Contributed by Elizabeth V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Luca Ghini
Meravigliosa.....una poesia, un sogno!!!
Cinthia Orlandi
meravigliosa!!
giorgio pata
Grazie angelo della musica❤
Elena Preatto
Ciao Renato se tu non ci fossi bisognerebbe inventarti... Sei un poeta nato ... Grazie mille per le tue bellissime canzoni... Buonanotte 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Luca Ghini
Che poesia....che interpretazione....chiudo gli occhi e dedico questa canzone a mia madre che purtroppo non è nella stessa mia dimensione ma che spero sia in un' altra ancora più bella.....leggera serena e piena di armonia. Mi manchi mamma! Non sai quanto.....
Silvia Orsini
♥️
Virgilio Albertini
Meravigliosa!!!
catia bianchi
fantastica
Zerolino64
Un capolavoro tra i tantissimi di Renato!!
Cristina Castellani
Unico Vero!💖😘💖