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.
Il canto di Esmeralda
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dolore negli occhi tuoi,
Non parli, sei lontana più che mai,
Ma sento che la stessa più non sei,
E scorre il fiume e vai.
Sola e bellissima tu,
Ma loro molti di più,
Strapparti le vesti e andare via,
Lividi i tuoi fianchi, violati già.
Avide mani, qualcuno ancora alzerà.
Folte chiome al vento, non offri più,
Mostri al mondo ogni ferita tu.
Umiliata e stanca della bianca civiltà,
Vergine venduta ai mercanti di città.
Salva il tuo canto,
Copri il suo grembo,
Se tu sei un uomo,
Lava via tutto il fango.
Salva il suo volto. Salva lei.
Aggrappato al suo corpo più che mai.
Le tue radici sono là. Verità.
Fiera bellissima sei,
Ma dove sono finiti i tuoi dei,
Smeraldi lì nel cuore più non hai,
Ne fonti in cui specchiarti troverai.
Lo sai. Lo sai. Lo sai.
Una parabola blu,
(coro) non so se ti vedrò mai più
Un altro giorno va giù ,
(coro) terra bruciata adesso tu.
Spietato quel deserto avanzerà,
E intanto il tuo pianto chi lo asciugherà.
Umiliata e stanca della bianca civiltà,
Come una lama quella strada ti dissanguerà.
Salva l'incanto,
Che sta' finendo sotto,
Il tuo sguardo,
La violentano in cento,
Volano bassi gli avvoltoi,
Lupi affamati su di lei.
Disperdi il branco.
Grida no! Non si può. Non si può.
Tu griderai no! No
The song "Il canto di Esmeralda" by Renato Zero tells the story of a beautiful and proud woman named Esmeralda who is being hunted down by a group of vile men. The first stanza describes her feeling of distance from the person she used to be, hinting at the pain she has suffered. The second verse describes the physical and emotional trauma that the men have inflicted upon her. Despite this, she remains strong and defiant, refusing to be broken by their actions.
The chorus is a plea for someone to save her and her beauty, to wash away the filth and protect her from the hands of those who would seek to harm her. The bridge is a lament for the loss of her former life, depicting her as a ferocious and proud creature who has been stripped of everything she once held dear. The final stanza is a call to action, urging the listener to stand up against the cruelty and violence that have been inflicted upon her.
The lyrics of "Il canto di Esmeralda" are haunting and powerful, telling a story of strength and resilience in the face of brutality. Through the character of Esmeralda, Renato Zero highlights the horrors of violence against women and the need for society to speak out against it.
Line by Line Meaning
Nuvole basse su di noi,
The atmosphere is sad and oppressive.
Dolore negli occhi tuoi,
You look like you're in pain.
Non parli, sei lontana più che mai,
You don't speak and you seem distant.
Ma sento che la stessa più non sei,
I sense that you're not the same as before.
E scorre il fiume e vai.
Time passes and life goes on.
Sola e bellissima tu,
You are alone and beautiful.
Ma loro molti di più,
But there are many who want to exploit you.
Strapparti le vesti e andare via,
They want to violate you and leave you.
Immondi cacciatori di follia.
They are wicked hunters of madness.
Lividi i tuoi fianchi, violati già.
Your hips are bruised and violated.
Avide mani, qualcuno ancora alzerà.
Someone will still raise greedy hands towards you.
Folte chiome al vento, non offri più,
Your long hair can no longer hide the scars and wounds.
Mostri al mondo ogni ferita tu.
You show the world all your wounds.
Umiliata e stanca della bianca civiltà,
You are humiliated and tired of this civilized society.
Vergine venduta ai mercanti di città.
You were a virgin sold to the city merchants.
Salva il tuo canto,
Save your voice and your song.
Copri il suo grembo,
Protect your womb and your femininity.
Se tu sei un uomo,
If you're a man,
Lava via tutto il fango.
Wash away all the dirt.
Salva il suo volto. Salva lei.
Save her face and save her.
Aggrappato al suo corpo più che mai.
Hold onto her body more than ever.
Le tue radici sono là. Verità.
Your roots are there. Truth.
Fiera bellissima sei,
You are a proud and beautiful woman.
Ma dove sono finiti i tuoi dei,
But where are your gods?
Smeraldi lì nel cuore più non hai,
You don't have emeralds in your heart anymore.
Ne fonti in cui specchiarti troverai. Lo sai. Lo sai. Lo sai.
You won't find any source to reflect on. You already know it.
Una parabola blu,
A blue story,
(coro) non so se ti vedrò mai più
I don't know if I'll ever see you again.
Un altro giorno va giù,
Another day goes down,
(coro) terra bruciata adesso tu.
Now you're scorched earth.
Spietato quel deserto avanzerà,
That ruthless desert will advance.
E intanto il tuo pianto chi lo asciugherà.
And who will wipe away your tears in the meantime?
Umiliata e stanca della bianca civiltà,
You are humiliated and tired of this civilized society.
Come una lama quella strada ti dissanguerà.
That road will bleed you like a knife.
Salva l'incanto,
Save the spell,
Che sta' finendo sotto,
That is fading away,
Il tuo sguardo,
Your gaze,
La violentano in cento,
Being violated by a hundred eyes.
Volano bassi gli avvoltoi,
Vultures fly low,
Lupi affamati su di lei.
Hungry wolves on her.
Disperdi il branco.
Scatter the pack.
Grida no! Non si può. Non si può.
Shout no! This cannot be done. This cannot be done.
Tu griderai no! No
You will shout no! No.
Contributed by Daniel F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MARIA MURA
Grande Renato, ieri, oggi e sempre, grazie per tutti i meravigliosi brani che ci hai regalato ❤️❤️
Luca Serafini
Renato zero mi è sempre piaciuto molto come cantante, fin da quando ero bambino, ma in questa canzone la musica, soprattutto all'inizio mette i brividi!
koalexfunclub
capolavoro assoluto, ancora oggi il brano più moderno musicalmente (e non solo) che Renato abbia mai scritto e cantato...;-)
Gatano Cortese
bravissimo.........
maura micozzi
...Solo RENATO riesce a dare quella forza e profondità ai testi!!! Ogni sua interpretazione trasporta....ogni parola rispecchia l'attualità....È più che grandioso!!!!...♥
Filomena FILO
Capolavoro assoluto sempre attuale grande Renato
Gino P.
Oggi più che mai è azzeccatissima.. folte chiome al vento nn offri più. Mostra al mondo ogni ferita tua..grazie Renato x la tua grande sensibilità.
Francesco Fecondo
Magnifico arrangiamento electro-pop di Geoff Westley!
momentoperme
da brividi
Antonio Liberto
solo per chi non lo sapesse, questo brano è dedicato all'Amazzonia...