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.
La medicina
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Che la vita è qui
Guarisci che l'amore
Si aspetta un altro sì profumo di viole
Sulla tua pelle che
Di verdi primavere
Avida è
Guarisci con il sole
Perché abbia un senso vincere
Elevarsi di più continuami a promettere
Che almeno tenterai
Che a dispetto del silenzio
Tu vivrai...
Ahi! ahi! ahi! ahi!
Non è mai semplice
Meno che mai per noi
Destinati in eterno a scommettere!
Di quale male non lo so
La nostalgia la solitudine
I sintomi si avvertono
Quando gli amici si dileguano
Fammi restare accanto a te
Dammi un motivo per combattere
Che pago anch'io
Il disagio mio
Anch'io deluso del mio Angelo...
Ancora un viaggio insieme a te
La medicina ecco qual'è!
Desideri altre lune
Mi organizzerò
Farò placare il mare
Lo convincerò
Un volo di colombe
Che non immaginerai
Il mondo farà festa quando tornerai
La rabbia e l'impotenza
Ci accompagnano oramai
C'è troppa indifferenza
Contro il nulla che fai
T'inventi un'emozione
Una carezza che non c'è
E se ritrovi il cuore... beato te
Ahi! ahi! ahi! ahi!
Il tempo è complice
Dagli fiducia e poi
Sarà dolce vedrai persino piangere
Di quale male non lo so sentimentale oppure fisico
Da quelli che t'illudono
Da quelli che non ti perdonano
Immaginaria malattia
Punirsi ingiustamente è facile
Io correrò ti troverò
Perché il mio amore non ha limite
Se salvo te salvo anche me
La medicina ecco qual'è
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song La medicina convey a message of hope and encouragement to someone who is going through a difficult time in their life. The artist urges the listener to heal and to believe in life and love, which are waiting for them. The scent of violets on their skin represents the beauty and promise of spring, which is eagerly awaited. The sun is seen as a symbol of a challenge to face and overcome, in order to make winning worthwhile.
Despite the challenges and pain that the person may be facing, the artist promises to continue to support them and to encourage them to fight on. He acknowledges that life is not easy, especially for people like them who are always taking risks and making bets, but he insists that there is a reason to keep going. The loneliness and nostalgia that they feel are symptoms of some kind of unspoken illness, but the artist is determined to help them find a cure.
The lyrics of La medicina are full of metaphors and symbols that represent the struggles and hopes of the human condition. The song is a powerful and emotional message of support and understanding, which has resonated with audiences all over the world. Renato Zero is known for his poetic and insightful lyrics, which address universal themes such as love, loss, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Guarisci per favore
Please heal
Che la vita è qui
Because life is here
Guarisci che l'amore
Heal so that love
Si aspetta un altro sì profumo di viole
Can await another 'yes,' a scent of violets
Sulla tua pelle che
On your skin, which
Di verdi primavere
Is eager for green springs
Avida è
To come alive
Guarisci con il sole
Heal with the sun
Sfida quel cielo anche tu
Challenge that sky yourself
Perché abbia un senso vincere
So that winning makes sense
Elevarsi di più continuami a promettere
Promise to lift yourself higher and higher
Che almeno tenterai
That you will at least try
Che a dispetto del silenzio
That despite the silence
Tu vivrai...
You will live...
Ahi! ahi! ahi! ahi!
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
Non è mai semplice
It's never simple
Meno che mai per noi
Especially not for us
Destinati in eterno a scommettere!
Destined to bet forever!
Di quale male non lo so
Of which sickness, I don't know
La nostalgia la solitudine
The nostalgia, the loneliness
I sintomi si avvertono
The symptoms are felt
Quando gli amici si dileguano
When friends disappear
Fammi restare accanto a te
Let me stay by your side
Dammi un motivo per combattere
Give me a reason to fight
Che pago anch'io
So that I also pay
Il disagio mio
My discomfort
Anch'io deluso del mio Angelo...
Me too, disappointed in my angel...
Ancora un viaggio insieme a te
Another journey together with you
La medicina ecco qual'è!
The medicine, here it is!
Desideri altre lune
You desire other moons
Mi organizzerò
I'll get organized
Farò placare il mare
I'll calm the sea
Lo convincerò
I'll convince it
Un volo di colombe
A flight of doves
Che non immaginerai
That you can't imagine
Il mondo farà festa quando tornerai
The world will celebrate when you return
La rabbia e l'impotenza
The anger and powerlessness
Ci accompagnano oramai
Now accompany us
C'è troppa indifferenza
There is too much indifference
Contro il nulla che fai
Against what you are doing, which is nothing
T'inventi un'emozione
You invent an emotion
Una carezza che non c'è
A caress that isn't there
E se ritrovi il cuore... beato te
And if you find your heart... blessed are you
Il tempo è complice
Time is an accomplice
Dagli fiducia e poi
Trust it and then
Sarà dolce vedrai persino piangere
It will be sweet, you'll even see tears
Di quale male non lo so sentimentale oppure fisico
Of which sickness, I don't know if it's emotional or physical
Da quelli che t'illudono
From those who deceive you
Da quelli che non ti perdonano
From those who don't forgive you
Immaginaria malattia
Imagined sickness
Punirsi ingiustamente è facile
It's easy to punish oneself unjustly
Io correrò ti troverò
I'll run and find you
Perché il mio amore non ha limite
Because my love has no limit
Se salvo te salvo anche me
If I save you, I also save myself
La medicina ecco qual'è
The medicine, here it is
Contributed by Keira R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.