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.
Fuori gioco
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un'andatura ignorante
Uno sguardo diabolico
Che paralizza chiunque
Inefficaci gli amuleti
Meglio lo scudo stellare
Se vuoi davvero disperderli
Devi imparare a driblare...
Di cent'anni fa... e già!
Ma sono fatti di oggi...
Le violenze e i pestaggi...
Un cuore colmo d'amarezza
Tanto rumore per nulla
In quella rabbia l'incertezza
Qui l'amicizia non brilla
Peccato che ti arrendi
E non sorridi più... di più...
Competere si può
Pretendere non so
Prevaricare mai
Lo stadio esulta
Voglia di crescere
Ma è sempre la ragione a perdere
Perché i coltelli
Addio magia
Chi vi ha sfruttati e offesi
Ha una tribuna sua...
Quell'ostentata fierezza
È un arbitraggio parziale
Vivi soltanto la domenica
Tu non mi sembri normale
Si può spendere altrove tutta l'energia, se mai
Una squadra affiatata
È la mia squadra preferita
Lo stadio
Esulta ci puoi scommettere
Stavolta sarà l'odio a perdere
Solo fratelli
Insieme qui
Chi vi ha feriti e offesi è in fuori gioco sì...
Non vi spegnete ragazzi
Questa è la vostra partita
Dimostrategli ancora
Che su quel campo c'è vita...
Di che bandiera sei
Se non ci stai
Più serenità
O una sconfitta sarà... sicuro...
Eccitante non so
Davvero triste però... l'esempio...
Ti nascondi perché
Hai paura di te... allora...
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song Fuori gioco deal with the issue of violence and bullying, particularly in sports and among young people. The song describes the enigmatic appearance and diabolical attitude of those who engage in violence and how they can paralyze others with their gaze. The singer suggests that amulets are not effective protection against violence and the only way to disperse it is to learn to dodge it. The lyrics speak of the sadness in the heart of those who are affected by violence and how much noise is made for nothing. The singer also comments on the lack of friendship and the uncertainty that comes with anger.
The lyrics suggest that violence and bullying are not new issues, but they are still very much alive today. The references to magic shields and amulets lend a mythical quality to the issue, suggesting that it is something that has been around for a long time. The singer also touches on the role of competition in sports, suggesting that there is a difference between competing and trying to overpower others. The lyrics suggest that violence is a way of compensating for a lack of growth and development in other areas of life. The imagery of a united team and a vibrant stadium serves as a contrast to the violence and bullying described earlier in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hanno un aspetto enigmatico
Their appearance is mysterious
Un'andatura ignorante
Their walk is ignorant
Uno sguardo diabolico
Their gaze is devilish
Che paralizza chiunque
It paralyzes anyone
Inefficaci gli amuleti
The amulets are ineffective
Meglio lo scudo stellare
It's better to use the star shield
Se vuoi davvero disperderli
If you really want to disperse them
Devi imparare a driblare...
You have to learn to dribble
Sembra una storia vecchia
It seems like an old story
Di cent'anni fa... e già!
From a hundred years ago... already!
Ma sono fatti di oggi...
But they are present-day facts
Le violenze e i pestaggi...
The violence and beatings
Un cuore colmo d'amarezza
A heart full of bitterness
Tanto rumore per nulla
Much ado about nothing
In quella rabbia l'incertezza
In that anger, there's uncertainty
Qui l'amicizia non brilla
Here friendship doesn't shine
Peccato che ti arrendi
It's a pity that you give up
E non sorridi più... di più...
And you don't smile anymore... anymore...
Competere si può
You can compete
Pretendere non so
But I don't know about demanding
Prevaricare mai
But never to overpower
Lo stadio esulta
The stadium rejoices
Voglia di crescere
Desire to grow
Ma è sempre la ragione a perdere
But reason always loses
Perché i coltelli
Because the knives
Addio magia
Goodbye magic
Chi vi ha sfruttati e offesi
Those who exploited and offended you
Ha una tribuna sua...
Have a seat of their own...
Quell'ostentata fierezza
That ostentatious pride
È un arbitraggio parziale
It's a partial judgment
Vivi soltanto la domenica
You only live on Sundays
Tu non mi sembri normale
You don't seem normal to me
Si può spendere altrove tutta l'energia, se mai
Energy can be spent elsewhere, if ever
Una squadra affiatata
A cohesive team
È la mia squadra preferita
Is my favorite team
Lo stadio
The stadium
Esulta ci puoi scommettere
Rejoices, you can bet on it
Stavolta sarà l'odio a perdere
This time, hate will lose
Solo fratelli
Only brethren
Insieme qui
Together here
Chi vi ha feriti e offesi è in fuori gioco sì...
Those who hurt and offended you are out of the game, yes...
Non vi spegnete ragazzi
Don't give up, guys
Questa è la vostra partita
This is your game
Dimostrategli ancora
Show them once again
Che su quel campo c'è vita...
That there's life on that field...
Di che bandiera sei
What flag do you belong to
Se non ci stai
If you're not with us
Più serenità
More serenity
O una sconfitta sarà... sicuro...
Or a defeat will come for sure...
Eccitante non so
I don't know if it's exciting
Davvero triste però... l'esempio...
But really sad... the example...
Ti nascondi perché
You hide because
Hai paura di te... allora...
You're scared of yourself... so...
Contributed by Isaiah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gio D' Alessio
"Fuori gioco" sono fuori dai confini