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.
Figli della guerra
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Di canzoni a fare notte in compagnia,
Un mondo come l'ho voluto io
Stare insieme a raccontarci un sentimento, un'idea.
E' così che è andata per un po'
A giocare e tu a giurare, lo farò
Il domani era alle porte e andavo via
Ti lasciavo ai sedici anni, ormai la vita è tua.
Sei cambiato come il mondo pure tu,
Più violento ed arreso,
Scontento e umiliato
Tradito anche dai sogni tuoi…
Siamo figli della guerra
La battaglia
Ci aspetta ogni giorno, soldati
Con la vita in pugno.
Siamo figli della guerra
Gente in armi
Mai del tutto tranquilli
Conquistarsi anche il respiro…
Siamo in guerra!
O mi sono illuso su di te
Che crescevi e dividevi insieme a me
Questo dialogare e intendersi tra noi
Al di là delle parole il senso degli anni tuoi.
Ma vuoi tutto e subito e non sai
Il valore delle cose che già hai
Il sapore di vittoria che cos'è
Se non vuoi più lottare, che conquista è…
E per questo che ti vedo andare via
Senza gioia, accelerando purché sia
Brucerai quel motore
Se non c'è più amore
Nei gesti e nei pensieri tuoi.
Siamo figli della guerra
La battaglia
Ci aspetta ogni giorno, soldati
Con la vita in pugno.
Siamo figli della guerra
Gente in armi
Sentinelle di storie
Da difendere, da non dormire…
Siamo in guerra!
Perché tanta paura
Di guardarti nel cuore
Stanotte un po' di tregua c'è
Per te
The lyrics of Renato Zero's "Figli della guerra" speak to the struggles and challenges facing a generation of young people growing up in a world of conflict and upheaval. The song opens with a reflection on the singer's own experience of growing up and wanting to create a world of meaningful connections and shared emotions through music. However, as the lyrics progress, the mood becomes darker and more uncertain, as the singer expresses concern for the future of a younger generation that seems increasingly violent, disillusioned, and estranged from their own dreams and aspirations.
The central metaphor of the song is that of war, which is used to describe the daily battles that the young people of this generation face as they try to find their place in the world. The lyrics suggest that these battles are not just external conflicts with society or with the pressures of the world, but also internal struggles with fear, doubt, and uncertainty. In this sense, the song can be read as a powerful commentary on the psychological toll of living in a world that is constantly at war, both literally and figuratively.
Overall, "Figli della guerra" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that uses powerful imagery and evocative language to explore the complex themes of war, struggle, and the search for meaning and identity in a rapidly changing world.
Line by Line Meaning
Cosa ne è di questo mondo mio,
What has become of this world of mine?
Di canzoni a fare notte in compagnia,
Of songs to spend the night in good company
Un mondo come l'ho voluto io
A world as I wanted it
Stare insieme a raccontarci un sentimento, un'idea.
To be together and share our feelings, our thoughts
E' così che è andata per un po'
This is how it went for a while
A giocare e tu a giurare, lo farò
Playing games and you swearing, I'll do it
Il domani era alle porte e andavo via
Tomorrow was around the corner and I was leaving
Ti lasciavo ai sedici anni, ormai la vita è tua.
I left you when you were sixteen, now life is yours
E mi guardo intorno e non ti trovo più,
I look around and can't find you anymore,
Sei cambiato come il mondo pure tu,
You've changed just like the world,
Più violento ed arreso,
More violent and resigned,
Scontento e umiliato
Dissatisfied and humiliated,
Tradito anche dai sogni tuoi...
Betrayed by your own dreams...
Siamo figli della guerra
We are children of war,
La battaglia
The battle,
Ci aspetta ogni giorno, soldati
Awaits us every day, soldiers
Con la vita in pugno.
Holding life in our hands.
Gente in armi
People with weapons,
Mai del tutto tranquilli
Never entirely calm,
Conquistarsi anche il respiro...
Even having to fight for every breath...
Siamo in guerra!
We are at war!
O mi sono illuso su di te
Or maybe I was mistaken about you,
Che crescevi e dividevi insieme a me
That you were growing and evolving with me,
Questo dialogare e intendersi tra noi
This talking and understanding between us
Al di là delle parole il senso degli anni tuoi.
Beyond words, the meaning of your years.
Ma vuoi tutto e subito e non sai
But you want everything right now and don't know
Il valore delle cose che già hai
The value of the things you already have,
Il sapore di vittoria che cos'è
What is the taste of victory,
Se non vuoi più lottare, che conquista è...
If you no longer want to fight, what kind of victory is that...
E per questo che ti vedo andare via
And that's why I see you leaving,
Senza gioia, accelerando purché sia
Without joy, hurrying to go,
Brucerai quel motore
You'll burn out that engine,
Se non c'è più amore
If there's no love anymore,
Nei gesti e nei pensieri tuoi.
In your actions and your thoughts.
Sentinelle di storie
Sentinels of stories,
Da difendere, da non dormire...
To be defended, not to be forgotten...
Perché tanta paura
Why so much fear,
Di guardarti nel cuore
Of looking into your heart,
Stanotte un po' di tregua c'è
Tonight there's a bit of truce,
Per te
For you.
Contributed by Sophie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.