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.
Astronatività
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anni luce o forse più
Solo fra le stelle
Nessuno fra le palle
Niente traffico né smog né sirene
Fossi mai rimasto su
Sballottato in mezzo al blu
A tornare qui, davvero, ho sbagliato
L'insoddisfazione cresce quaggiù
La fumi come fosse marijuana
Cosa vuoi dal tempo, dimmelo tu
Ti dai come una puttana
Che pena
Io, torno lassù
Su e giù, con queste macchine, non vi sopporto più
Fratelli miei, che cercate mai
Computer, TV color, sono i vostri amici ormai
Via, io scappo via
La vostra solitudine non sarà mai la mia
Contenti voi, auguri
Su quell′astronave come Noè
Prima che venga il diluvio
Un diluvio che dipende da te
Per quanto ancora sarai savio?
Sei a un bivio
Vuoi venire via
Mi spiace, è così piccola questa astronave mia
Però se vuoi, c'è la fantasia
Tornare su quell'albero potrebbe essere un′idea
Addio, addio
Ti scriverò, ti scriverò una cartolina io
Mi troverai se mi cercherai
Sospeso, fra le incognite
Aspettando il mondo mio
Addio, addio
The song "Astronatività" by Renato Zero is a captivating piece that talks about a desire to escape from the unsatisfactory and mundane life on earth by moving to the stars. In the beginning, the lyrics describe the vastness of the sky and space, emphasizing the tranquillity and freedom that exist beyond it. The singer then admits to having made a mistake by returning to Earth and experiencing the fast-paced, competitive, and dissatisfying lifestyle that exists on the planet. He compares the atmosphere on earth to marijuana, which people smoke to escape from their realities. However, the singer admits his inability to understand what people desire from life, what they expect from time, as they continue to live in loneliness.
Throughout the song, the artist invites others to join him on his spaceship, which he refers to as his 'small spaceship.' He intends to leave the Earth and find solace and happiness among the stars. The song ends on a note of goodbyes as the artist promises to write letters but remains suspended between his fantasies and the realities he has experienced.
The song is a beautiful representation of the human desire to escape reality and find happiness in a different world. Renato Zero talks about the importance of imagination and the need to escape mundane realities, even if it means leaving everything behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Quanto cielo c′è lassù
There's so much sky up there
Anni luce o forse più
It's light years away or maybe more
Solo fra le stelle
Lonely among the stars
Nessuno fra le palle
No one among the planets
Niente traffico né smog né sirene
No traffic, smog, or sirens
Fossi mai rimasto su
If I had stayed up there
Sballottato in mezzo al blu
Tossed in the middle of the blue
Mi sarei sentito meno disperato
I would have felt less desperate
A tornare qui, davvero, ho sbagliato
I made a mistake coming back here, really
L'insoddisfazione cresce quaggiù
The dissatisfaction grows down here
La fumi come fosse marijuana
You smoke it like it's marijuana
Cosa vuoi dal tempo, dimmelo tu
What do you want from time, tell me
Ti dai come una puttana
You give yourself like a prostitute
Che pena
What a shame
Io, torno lassù
Me, I'm going back up there
Su e giù, con queste macchine, non vi sopporto più
Up and down, with these machines, I can't stand you anymore
Fratelli miei, che cercate mai
My brothers, what are you searching for
Computer, TV color, sono i vostri amici ormai
Computers, color TVs, are your friends now
Via, io scappo via
I'm running away
La vostra solitudine non sarà mai la mia
Your solitude will never be mine
Contenti voi, auguri
You're happy, congratulations
Su quell′astronave come Noè
On that spaceship like Noah
Prima che venga il diluvio
Before the flood comes
Un diluvio che dipende da te
A flood that depends on you
Per quanto ancora sarai savio?
How long will you be wise?
Sei a un bivio
You're at a crossroads
Vuoi venire via
Do you want to come away
Mi spiace, è così piccola questa astronave mia
I'm sorry, my spaceship is so small
Però se vuoi, c'è la fantasia
But if you want, there's imagination
Tornare su quell'albero potrebbe essere un′idea
Returning to that tree could be an idea
Addio, addio
Goodbye, goodbye
Ti scriverò, ti scriverò una cartolina io
I'll write to you, I'll write you a postcard
Mi troverai se mi cercherai
You'll find me if you look for me
Sospeso, fra le incognite
Suspended, among the unknowns
Aspettando il mondo mio
Waiting for my world
Addio, addio
Goodbye, goodbye
Writer(s): Renato Zero, Roberto Conrado
Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.