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.
Contagio
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Che nessuno esca dalla città,
Guai a chi s'azzarda
A guardare laggiù
Oltre quel muro,
Oltre il futuro…
L'epidemia che si spande,
L'isolamento è un dovere oramai…
Soltanto un dito e l'errore
Punito sarà…
L'amore, inutile farlo,
Consuma energia…
Chi s'è accoppiato
Sopra quel prato ?!
Noi qui…Voi là..
Divisi per colore e età,
E poi…Chissà.
In qualche gabbia,
Per questa rabbia pagheremo!
E chi…vorrà,
Comunicare non potrà…
Se vuoi
Vai via
Usa però
Quella tua testa e non la mia…
Clinicamente perfetti,
La civiltà ci ha modellati così…
Salvaguardare la specie dovrai
Se ogni contatto, ogni letto
È infestato oramai…
Questo rapporto con te,
È minacciato perché,
Un telegramma,
Ha i raggi gamma!
Noi qui…Voi là…
Votati ormai alla castità.
Mai più…più in là.
Sarà un delitto,
Col cuore asettico vivremo!
Noi qui… Voi là…
Il sano istinto morirà
Noi qui… Voi là…
Neanche un vizio
Ma uno squallido silenzio qui
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song "Contagio" convey the dangers and consequences of a spreading epidemic that has led to isolation and fear. The opening lines caution against the danger of contagion and urge people to stay within the city limits. The song speaks of a wall beyond which lies an uncertain future, and the spread of the virus has led to mandatory isolation. Human contact is prohibited, and even the slightest physical gesture is punished. Love, which is a source of energy, has become obsolete, and sexual intimacy is frowned upon.
The song touches upon the theme of societal divide, where people are categorized according to their color and age, and even communication is restricted. The need to protect the species overrides any sense of human emotion, and people are expected to live with an aseptic heart. The lyrics speak of a relationship under threat due to a telegram which carries gamma rays, hinting at the spread of the virus. The song highlights that people have become slaves to enforced chastity, and even basic instincts will dwindle. The song ends on a note of hopelessness and despair as people are left with nothing but a shoddy silence.
Overall, Renato Zero's "Contagio" is a haunting depiction of the consequences of an epidemic, where the human spirit has been reduced to nothing, and societal barriers are no longer about class but survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Pericolo di contagio,
The danger of contagion is present
Che nessuno esca dalla città,
No one should leave the city
Guai a chi s'azzarda
Trouble to those who dare
A guardare laggiù
To look beyond
Oltre quel muro,
Beyond that wall,
Oltre il futuro...
Beyond the future...
L'epidemia che si spande,
The spreading epidemic
L'isolamento è un dovere oramai...
Isolation is now a duty...
Dare la mano è vietato, se mai
Shaking hands is forbidden, if ever
Soltanto un dito e l'errore
Only one finger and the mistake
Punito sarà...
Will be punished...
L'amore, inutile farlo,
Love, useless to do it,
Consuma energia...
Consumes energy...
Chi s'è accoppiato
Who has mated
Sopra quel prato?!
On that grass?
Noi qui...Voi là..
Us here... You there...
Divisi per colore e età,
Divided by color and age,
E poi...Chissà.
And then... Who knows.
In qualche gabbia,
In some cage,
Per questa rabbia pagheremo!
For this rage, we will pay!
E chi...vorrà,
And who... will want,
Comunicare non potrà...
Will not be able to communicate...
Se vuoi
If you want
Vai via
Go away
Usa però
Use, however,
Quella tua testa e non la mia...
Your own head and not mine...
Clinicamente perfetti,
Clinically perfect,
La civiltà ci ha modellati così...
Civilization has shaped us like this...
Salvaguardare la specie dovrai...
You must safeguard the species...
Se ogni contatto, ogni letto
If every contact, every bed
È infestato oramai...
Is now infected...
Questo rapporto con te,
This relationship with you,
È minacciato perché,
Is threatened because,
Un telegramma,
A telegram,
Ha i raggi gamma!
It has gamma rays!
Noi qui...Voi là...
Us here... You there...
Votati ormai alla castità.
Now condemned to chastity.
Mai più...più in là.
Never again... Any further.
Sarà un delitto,
It will be a crime,
Col cuore asettico vivremo!
We will live with an aseptic heart!
Noi qui... Voi là...
Us here... You there...
Il sano istinto morirà
The healthy instinct will die,
Neanche un vizio
Not even a sin
Ma uno squallido silenzio qui
But a squalid silence here
Contributed by Bella R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheCipolletta
Contagion hazard
Nobody leaves the city
Woe to those who venture
To look over there
Beyond that wall
Beyond the future
The spreading epidemic
Isolation is now a duty
Shaking hands is forbidden, if ever
Just one finger and the mistake
He will be punished
Love, useless to do it
Consume energy
Who has paired
On that lawn?
We here, you there
Divided by color and age
And then who knows
In some cage
For this anger we will pay
And who will
Communicating will not be able
If you want
Go away
Use though
That your head and not mine
Clinically perfect
Civilization shaped us like this
To safeguard the species you will have to
If every contact, every bed
It is now haunted
This relationship with you
It is under threat because
A telegram
It has gamma rays
We here, you there
Voted now to chastity
Never again, beyond
It will be a crime
With an aseptic heart we will live
We here, you there
Healthy instinct will die
We here, you there
Not even a vice
But a bleak silence here. By Google Traslate
Annamaria Russo
Incredibile... immenso Renato ❤️
Lorella Vanzini
Un grande!!! Sfera di cristallo!!!!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Giovanna Campetellig
non esagerare! si riferiva all'hiv
Salvatore Ignini
Ancora oggi mi fa impazzire questo brano..sia il testo che la musica..
Valerio Arduini
Renato l'hai scritta pochi mesi fa? È attualissima! Unico da sempre!
Gennaro Conato
Semplicemente grande.
savio_show show
Renato prevede il futuro MITICOOOOOO
Paolo Bellini
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Alessandro Ceccotti
Un contagio che pur sempre esistito oggi fa notizia. Ti amo vecchio Renato. Per sempre tuo
Alessandro Ceccotti
Mai più questa canzone fu cosi indicata per i nostri ultimi tempi..