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.
Le mie donne
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Non cambiano
Hanno un'anima sola
Mille bocche si schiudono
Soffiando sulla mia vela
Nell'insieme
Sono il centro perfetto
Fra la terra e la luna
Perché non hanno paura
La mia bussola
Il mio orientamento
Sono sempre felici con poco
Sono autentiche attrici per gioco
Molto meglio se gli resti amico
Loro ridono
Pensano e inventano
Con disarmante candore
Finché di quell'intrigante invadenza
Non sarà sazio il tuo cuore
Ci vuole altro per essere maschio
Ci vuole altro che i muscoli qui
Per confondere queste mie donne
E sentirsi al sicuro così
Qualche volta le temo
E ho paura
Mi domando, sopravviverò
All'inverno dei miei sentimenti
Senza di loro che alibi avrò
Le mie donne
Hanno un fiuto speciale
Sotto un cielo che cambia colore
E non sprecano il tempo in inganni
Per trascinarti diritto all'altare
Quelle donne mie sanno aspettare
Quelle donne mi crederai o no
Quando passano lasciano il segno
Sono le uniche donne che ho
Amici miei
Voi che pace non trovate mai
Tante manovre ma poi, fallite.
Possibile che
Fra tante donne la vostra non c'è
Un problema d'età,
Timidezza o apatia
Sfiducia insincerità allergia
Odio le mamme carnivore
E le sorelle asfissianti
Ma quelle che ti maltrattano
Alla fine sono quelle importanti.
Le mie donne mi adorano
Me le sposerei tutte
Hanno tutte quel che di speciale
Non riescono ad essere brutte
In this song, Renato Zero talks about his women and how they are all unique in their own way. He says that they don't change and all have one soul. When they come together, they make the perfect center between the earth and the moon. He admires his women for being special because they don't have fear. They are his compass, the direction of his life. He praises them for being happy with little things in life and being authentic actresses just for fun. Even if the relationship doesn't work out, they remain friends.
He says that it takes more than just muscles to confuse his women or to feel safe around them, and sometimes he is afraid of them. He wonders if he will survive the winter of his emotions without them. His women have a special instinct and don't waste time on lies. They know exactly what they want and will take you straight to the altar. They are patient and leave a mark when they pass you by.
The last stanza indicates that Renato loves and adores his women so much that he would marry them all. According to him, they are all beautiful in their unique way.
Line by Line Meaning
Le mie donne
The women in my life
Non cambiano
They never change
Hanno un'anima sola
They share the same soul
Mille bocche si schiudono
A thousand mouths open
Soffiando sulla mia vela
Blowing wind in my sails
Nell'insieme
Together
Sono il centro perfetto
They are the perfect center
Fra la terra e la luna
Between earth and the moon
Sono donne speciali le mie
My women are special
Perché non hanno paura
Because they are fearless
La mia bussola
My compass
Il mio orientamento
My guide
Sono sempre felici con poco
They are always happy with little
Sono autentiche attrici per gioco
They are authentic actresses for fun
Molto meglio se gli resti amico
It's much better if you stay friends with them
Loro ridono
They laugh
Pensano e inventano
They think and invent
Con disarmante candore
With disarming candor
Finché di quell'intrigante invadenza
Until your heart is sated with that intriguing assertiveness
Non sarà sazio il tuo cuore
Your heart will never be satisfied
Ci vuole altro per essere maschio
More is needed to be a man
Ci vuole altro che i muscoli qui
More than just muscles are needed
Per confondere queste mie donne
To confuse these women of mine
E sentirsi al sicuro così
And feel safe like that
Qualche volta le temo
Sometimes I fear them
E ho paura
And I am scared
Mi domando, sopravviverò
I wonder, will I survive
All'inverno dei miei sentimenti
The winter of my feelings
Senza di loro che alibi avrò
Without them, what excuse will I have
Le mie donne
My women
Hanno un fiuto speciale
They have a special sense
Sotto un cielo che cambia colore
Under a sky that changes color
E non sprecano il tempo in inganni
And they don't waste time on deceit
Per trascinarti diritto all'altare
To lead you straight to the altar
Quelle donne mie sanno aspettare
My women know how to wait
Quelle donne mi crederai o no
Believe it or not, those women
Quando passano lasciano il segno
Leave a mark when they pass by
Sono le uniche donne che ho
They are the only women I have
Amici miei
My friends
Voi che pace non trovate mai
You who can never find peace
Tante manovre ma poi, fallite.
Many moves but then, failed.
Possibile che
Is it possible that
Fra tante donne la vostra non c'è
Out of all the women, yours is not among them
Un problema d'età,
An age problem,
Timidezza o apatia
Shyness or apathy
Sfiducia insincerità allergia
Mistrust, insincerity, allergy
Odio le mamme carnivore
I hate man-eating mothers
E le sorelle asfissianti
And suffocating sisters
Ma quelle che ti maltrattano
But those who mistreat you
Alla fine sono quelle importanti.
In the end, they are the important ones.
Le mie donne mi adorano
My women adore me
Me le sposerei tutte
I would marry them all
Hanno tutte quel che di speciale
They all have something special
Non riescono ad essere brutte
They can't manage to be ugly
Contributed by Natalie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Emanuela Lattuada
Grazie 50 anni insieme, mi hai aiutato a vivere.
Fani Sanchez
ÚNICO Y IRONICO .
Letizia Cantoni
Fra tanti uomini ci sei tu♡ Renato♡ che fai la differenza come artista come uomo sempre attento alle tematiche della vita che da il meglio di se sul palcoscenico ,sei più che immenso sei ultra ultra immenso !!!
mariagraziab zerina
Grazie di Esistere Renato ❤
malgorzata osuch
Ma ci fa la noia ad ascoltarlo..? Non credo proprio, sarebbe un pecato grave..Io lo faccio ogni giorno..È UNA MERAVIGLIA, UNICO..NOSTRO RENATINO..❤❤❤
Letizia Cantoni
Non annoia mai ascoltare Renato ...... mi annoio quando non lo ascolto !!!
SuperPaola1963
Ma scherzi? Quale noia? Riesce a sollevare il morale anche se sei quasi morto!
Massimo Brazil
RENATO E IL SOLITO RENATO CON IL PENSIERO E I VALORI DI SEMPRE 50 ANNI DI PALCOSCENICO UNICO ARTISTA ITALIANO AD AVERE TUTTO DELLA CASA DISCOGRAFICA DAlla sala incisione alle tipografie passando per la distribuzione, questa e liberta artistica di fare quello che gli dice il cuore e non qualche direttore di casa discografica!
lucia frunzio
Felice di essere una delle tue tante donne❤️❤️
Grazia Garibbo
ogni tanto c'è bisogno di unpo' di allegria,specie ora che Renato si occupa solo di argomenti così seri!