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.
I commedianti
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Non certo la retorica
La presunzione in certi primi attori
È tipica.
Nel cartellone dei replicanti
Il nome tuo ancora non c'è...
Se metti in scena i tuoi sentimenti...vali!
Testi noiosi dialoghi penosi
Mentre la strada chiama alla ribalta
L'anima...
È la paura che ci tradisce
Quando il coraggio non si esibisce, in pubblico.
Così finiscono quei talenti
Fra gli sbadigli e gli abbonamenti...
Apri il cuore e vai
Interpreta chi sei...
Sentirai tutti gli occhi addosso a te
Sensazione più magica non c'è
Questo è il teatro
Ricerca di un'identità
Strano equilibrio
Fra dubbio e razionalità
Un espediente una medicina
Un'illusione credibile
Convincersi per poi convincere...
Un'audizione, chiedi un'audizione
Con grande slancio ed ironia
Sarà fatale qualche delusione, vita mia...
E ci sarà chi saprà capirti
Certo che c'è un'applauso per te
Ma non restartene li
Eterno assente.
Ancora troppe timide comparse
Dal gruppo non emergono
Se i figli d'arte, i furbi, i mestieranti, ostentano...
Senza quei trucchi, senza costumi
La verità riempie i botteghini, credimi...
E l'ambizione fa la sua parte
Di questo vivere fanne un'arte.
Lezione utile
Recita per te...
Sentirai tutti gli occhi addosso a te
Sensazione più magica non c'è
Questo è il teatro
Un gran mercato di bugie
Dove la gente
Confronta le sue fantasie...
Non deve entrarci quell'arroganza
Nessuno spazio all'ipocrisia
Irriducibili guitti via!
..................
I commedianti
Strani fenomeni si sa
I commedianti
Beato chi li capirà
Sfidano il giorno senza copione
La notte poi si trasformano
I commedianti, che fascino!
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song, I commedianti, are reflective of the theater and acting as an art form. The song speaks about the importance of sincerity and authenticity in acting versus relying on cheap tricks and gimmicks to please the audience. The opening lines talk about how beginners are best helped by happiness and not rhetoric which could be seen as criticism towards acting schools and programs that rely on hollow theories rather than practical experience.
Zero then goes on to criticize actors who are too preoccupied with their own self-importance and how these egos are typical of certain "first actors". He encourages young actors to be bold and to express their true selves on stage as it is more effective than boring and cringe-worthy dialogues. Zero acknowledges the fear and vulnerability that come with performing in public, yet he insists that acting is about creating a believable illusion and convincing others about it as much as it is about being true to oneself.
As the song continues, Zero encourages actors to be true to themselves and find their own identity rather than to copy and follow others. He warns against arrogance and hypocrisy, and suggests that sincere acting is the way to success and recognition. In the end, he admires the charm and beauty of actors who can face each day without a script and transform themselves at night.
Overall, the song celebrates the art of acting as an expression of one's identity and encourages young actors to take risk and be authentic on stage.
Line by Line Meaning
È l'allegria che aiuta i principianti
Beginners are helped by happiness, not by rhetoric.
Non certo la retorica
Definitely not rhetoric.
La presunzione in certi primi attori
The presumption in some first-time actors.
È tipica.
Is typical.
Nel cartellone dei replicanti
On the billboard of repeaters.
Il nome tuo ancora non c'è...
Your name is not there yet.
Se metti in scena i tuoi sentimenti...vali!
If you put your feelings on stage...value them!
Testi noiosi dialoghi penosi
Boring texts and painful dialogues.
Imbarazzante recita
Embarrassing acting.
Mentre la strada chiama alla ribalta
While the street calls to the spotlight.
L'anima...
The soul...
È la paura che ci tradisce
It's fear that betrays us.
Quando il coraggio non si esibisce, in pubblico.
When courage doesn't show up, in public.
Così finiscono quei talenti
That's how those talents end up.
Fra gli sbadigli e gli abbonamenti...
Between yawns and subscriptions...
Apri il cuore e vai
Open your heart and go.
Interpreta chi sei...
Interpret who you are...
Sentirai tutti gli occhi addosso a te
You'll feel all eyes on you.
Sensazione più magica non c'è
There's no more magical feeling.
Questo è il teatro
This is theater.
Ricerca di un'identità
Search for an identity.
Strano equilibrio
Strange balance.
Fra dubbio e razionalità
Between doubt and rationality.
Un espediente una medicina
A trick and a medicine.
Un'illusione credibile
A credible illusion.
Convincersi per poi convincere...
Convince yourself to convince others...
Un'audizione, chiedi un'audizione
An audition, ask for an audition.
Con grande slancio ed ironia
With great enthusiasm and irony.
Sarà fatale qualche delusione, vita mia...
There will be some disappointment, my life...
E ci sarà chi saprà capirti
And there will be those who will understand you.
Certo che c'è un'applauso per te
Surely there's applause for you.
Ma non restartene li
But don't stay there.
Eterno assente.
Eternal absent.
Ancora troppe timide comparse
Too many shy bit parts.
Dal gruppo non emergono
They don't emerge from the group.
Se i figli d'arte, i furbi, i mestieranti, ostentano...
If the children of artists, the smart ones, the professionals, show off...
Senza quei trucchi, senza costumi
Without those tricks, without costumes.
La verità riempie i botteghini, credimi...
The truth fills the theaters, believe me...
E l'ambizione fa la sua parte
And ambition plays its part.
Di questo vivere fanne un'arte.
Make an art of this way of living.
Lezione utile
Useful lesson.
Recita per te...
Act for yourself...
Un gran mercato di bugie
A big market of lies.
Dove la gente
Where people.
Confronta le sue fantasie...
Compare their fantasies...
Non deve entrarci quell'arroganza
That arrogance shouldn't come in.
Nessuno spazio all'ipocrisia
No space for hypocrisy.
Irriducibili guitti via!
Irreducible clowns, go away!
I commedianti
The comedians.
Strani fenomeni si sa
Strange phenomena, as you know.
Beato chi li capirà
Blessed are those who will understand them.
Sfidano il giorno senza copione
They challenge the day without a script.
La notte poi si trasformano
Then they transform at night.
I commedianti, che fascino!
The comedians, what charm!
Contributed by Carter O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Federica Pescatore
Questa canzone è poesia pura... almeno per chi è di questo mestiere... nella nostra compagnia non si va in scena se prima non si ascolta questa canzone... ♥
Incompresi - La Serie
Da attore, regista e sceneggiatore, confermo❤️
Tamara Baccetti
La dedico ai miei piccoli attori. Lavoro nel mondo del teatro con bimbi che vanno da due anni e mezzo a sei e sono meravigliosi sul palco danno cuore e anima quando recitano. E sottolineo che non faccio stupide recitine ma teatro vero e tosto. Porto sempre in scena spettacoli di denuncia.
marcuccie1
la nostra compagnia teatrale si chiama proprio "I Commedianti", e ovviamente prima che si apra il sipario parte il ritornello!! Siamo nati nel 1999 come gruppo e questo rito è sempre una emozione incredibile, dopodichè si aprono "le tende" e..........tutto è magia...!!! BUONA INTERPRETAZIONE A TUTTI VOI. A CHI LO FA PER DILETTO, CHI PER MESTIERE ED ANCHE A CHI CON PASSIONE, INTERPRETA OGNI GIORNO IL PROPRIO RUOLO SUL PALCOSCENICO DELLA VITA!!! UN ABBRACCIO A TUTTI
Maria Espisito
🙋🕊️❤️😘 grazie per le tue poesie 🤚🌈🎩🎩🎩🎩 sei stato sempre un vero 🎩
Vincenzo Euroclass Natale
Renato un mito un maestro un poeta che mi emoziona sempre di più
Valentina Locchi
fANTASTICA, MI EMOZIONA DA QUANDO è USCITA!
Astrit Sukni
bellissima canzone! Grande Renato!
CAPPELLARO-Francesco Bernardi-MONOPOLI
non c'e' ne per nessuno........il piu' grande artista di tutti i tempi......
Tamara Baccetti
Questa descrive propio il mestiere dell attore e regista Renato sei un mito