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.
Artisti
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Non siamo soli, mai.
Vedi…
Ne abbiamo di amici noi.
I sogni.
Anche i più logori e andati,
Non si son dileguati,
Si raccontano qua.
Costi quel che costi.
Siamo nati Artisti.
Ci perdonerai…
I voli. Incerti e disperati.
Spesso, dirottati. Dalla fantasia.
Soli. In cerca di poesia!
Amo
Le mie prime note.
Trucchi, ed altre magie.
Quelle notti spese, nelle trattorie.
Amo i giorni duri.
E quei volti scuri.
Aspettando un si!
Amo,
Chi mi ha sorriso, ed ora è li,
E capì. Che per quell'applauso ero vivo così.
Amo,
Il tempo che verrà,
Se anche lui, un artista sarà!
Soli.
Non siamo soli mai.
Se vuoi,
In questo spettacolo, un ruolo tu avrai.
Prova!
E se un Artista sei… Stai con noi!
Amo,
Quelle mie paure.
Il primo ostacolo mio.
La voglia di stupire.
E di stupirmi anch'io.
Provavo e riprovavo.
Intanto io crescevo.
Insieme a quell'idea.
Amo,
Chi non mi fermerà.
E chissà,
Una canzone quanta strada farà…
Soli,
Non si è più soli se…
Vivrà, l'Artista ch'è in te
The song "Artisti" by Renato Zero celebrates the life and spirit of artists. The song starts by saying that even though they may feel alone, they are not alone because they have friends and dreams. Their dreams, even though they may be old and worn out, are still there waiting to be told. The chorus says that they are artists, no matter what the cost, that they were born to be artists, and that they will forgive themselves for their uncertain and desperate flights of imagination. They are alone, but they are searching for poetry.
The second verse talks about the things that artists love. They love their first notes, tricks, and other magical things. They love the nights spent in trattorias (Italian taverns), the tough days, and the faces with frowns as they wait for someone to say yes. They also love the people who smiled at them and understood that applause was what made them feel alive. The bridge talks about overcoming fears and obstacles, wanting to surprise and be surprised, and growing with the idea of being an artist. The final chorus says that they are never alone if they have an artist in them who is ready to live.
Overall, the song is about celebrating the creative spirit and the pain and wonder that comes with being an artist. It encourages anyone with an artist inside of them to embrace it and find a community of fellow artists to support them.
Line by Line Meaning
Soli,
Alone,
Non siamo soli, mai.
We are never alone.
Vedi... Ne abbiamo di amici noi.
Look... we have friends.
I sogni.
Dreams.
Anche i più logori e andati,
Even those who are worn out and gone,
Non si son dileguati,
Haven't disappeared,
Si raccontano qua.
They are told here.
Artisti.
Artists.
Costi quel che costi.
No matter what it costs.
Siamo nati Artisti.
We were born artists.
Ci perdonerai...
Will you forgive us...
I voli. Incerti e disperati.
Uncertain and desperate flights.
Spesso, dirottati. Dalla fantasia.
Often diverted by fantasy.
Soli. In cerca di poesia!
Alone. In search of poetry!
Amo
I love
Le mie prime note.
My first notes.
Trucchi, ed altre magie.
Tricks, and other magic.
Quelle notti spese, nelle trattorie.
Those nights spent in taverns.
Amo i giorni duri.
I love hard days.
E quei volti scuri.
And those dark faces.
Aspettando un si!
Waiting for a yes!
Amo,
I love
Chi mi ha sorriso, ed ora è li,
Those who smiled at me, and are still here,
E capì. Che per quell'applauso ero vivo così.
And understood that for that applause I was alive like this.
Amo,
I love
Il tempo che verrà,
The time to come,
Se anche lui, un artista sarà!
If he too, will be an artist!
Soli.
Alone.
Non siamo soli mai.
We are never alone.
Se vuoi,
If you want,
In questo spettacolo, un ruolo tu avrai.
You will have a role in this show.
Prova!
Try it!
E se un Artista sei... Stai con noi!
And if you are an artist... Stay with us!
Amo,
I love
Quelle mie paure.
My fears.
Il primo ostacolo mio.
My first obstacle.
La voglia di stupire.
The desire to amaze.
E di stupirmi anch'io.
And amaze myself too.
Provavo e riprovavo.
I tried and tried again.
Intanto io crescevo.
Meanwhile I was growing up.
Insieme a quell'idea.
Together with that idea.
Amo,
I love
Chi non mi fermerà.
Those who won't stop me.
E chissà,
And who knows,
Una canzone quanta strada farà...
How far a song will go...
Soli,
Alone,
Non si è più soli se...
You are no longer alone if...
Vivrà, l'Artista ch'è in te
The artist that is inside you lives.
Contributed by Nora L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mynostalgia80
Una canzone poco conosciuta ma meravigliosa, una grande poesia!!! Grazie Renato
Gerardo Ges
Ecco un vero artista ! !
DMAX Clan
non capisco come una canzone così bella, enormemente bella, abbia così poche visualizzazioni... solo noi zerofolli abbiamo il privilegio di queste note fuori da quasto mondo...RENATO ZERO, IO TI AMO E NON SMETTERò MAI DI FARLO, PERCHè QUESTO AMORE L'HAI NUTRITO TE!!! unico al mondo!!ù
francesco gravina
Solo io l'ho vista 20 volte da stamattina 😁😁😁😁😁
Giuseppe Chiarello
Non tutti la conoscono
Nika Miele
Bellissima poesia ❤️
Eugenio GALICE
Quante lacrime di commozione versate sulle note di questa canzone...
cosimo de bari
Sensazionale fino all'ultima goccia di emozione
luis
il piu' bel disco di renato!!
Nicola Cicoria
Ciao. Ma che concerto è? Zero40?