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.
No! Mamma%2C No!
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Non mi puoi deludere, mamma
Solo non ci sto
Sono troppo fragile, mamma
No, mamma, no
Solo non ci sto
Odio le corsie
E le suore pallide, mamma
Cliniche e comforts e le mani candide, mamma
No, mamma, no
Solo non ci sto
Tutta colpa tua
Per te era tutto favole
Solo colpa tua
Il latte tuo era sterile
Sempre colpa tua
Se io non sono come vuoi
Ho paura sai,
Delle crisi isteriche, mamma
Temo il buio e poi
Le correnti gelide, mamma
No, mamma, no
Solo non ci sto
Non ricordi più
La notte mi stringevi a te
Non ricordi più
La notte mi svegliavi, tu
Sempre colpa tua
Se io non sono come vuoi
No, mamma, no
Non mi puoi deludere mamma
Tremo quando tu
Non mi puoi proteggere, mamma
No, mamma, no
Solo non ci sto
No, mamma, no
È solamente colpa tua
No, mamma no
È solamente colpa tua
No, mamma, no
È solamente colpa tua
No, mamma, no
È solamente colpa tua
No, mamma, no
È solamente colpa tua
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song "No! Mamma, No!" convey a deep sense of disappointment, vulnerability, and resentment towards a mother figure. The singer expresses a strong refusal to be let down by their mother. They feel too fragile and unable to withstand any further disappointment.
The lyrics highlight disdain towards certain elements associated with hospitals and clinics, such as sterile environments, pale-hearted nuns, clinical comforts, and immaculate hands. These details may symbolize a fear or aversion towards institutions and conformity, suggesting a desire for freedom and individuality.
The singer places blame on their mother, suggesting that it is all her fault. They feel their mother had unrealistic expectations and treated their childhood as if it were filled with fairy tales. They emphasize that the milk provided by their mother was sterile, possibly suggesting a lacking or sterile emotional connection.
The lyrics also convey fear and anxiety. The singer expresses fear of hysterical crises, darkness, and icy currents. These fears may indicate a sense of vulnerability and a need for protection. They long for their mother's comforting presence during the night, reminiscing about how she used to hold them close and wake them up. They emphasize that it is always her fault if they do not meet her expectations.
Overall, the lyrics of "No! Mamma, No!" depict a complex relationship between a child and their mother. The singer presents a mix of resentment, fear, and a longing for protection and understanding. They seem to feel misunderstood and burdened by their mother's unrealistic ideals, expressing a desire to break free from societal expectations and find their own identity.
Line by Line Meaning
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
Non mi puoi deludere, mamma
You cannot disappoint me, mother
Solo non ci sto
I just can't take it
Sono troppo fragile, mamma
I am too fragile, mother
Odio le corsie
I hate the lanes
E le suore pallide, mamma
And the pale nuns, mother
Cliniche e comforts e le mani candide, mamma
Clinics and comforts and the candid hands, mother
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
Tutta colpa tua
It's all your fault
Per te era tutto favole
For you, everything was just fairy tales
Solo colpa tua
Only your fault
Il latte tuo era sterile
Your milk was sterile
Sempre colpa tua
Always your fault
Se io non sono come vuoi
If I'm not how you want me to be
Ho paura sai
You know, I'm afraid
Delle crisi isteriche, mamma
Of the hysterical crises, mother
Temo il buio e poi
I fear the darkness and then
Le correnti gelide, mamma
The icy currents, mother
Non ricordi più
You don't remember anymore
La notte mi stringevi a te
How you held me tight at night
Non ricordi più
You don't remember anymore
La notte mi svegliavi, tu
How you used to wake me up at night
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
Non mi puoi deludere mamma
You cannot disappoint me, mother
Tremo quando tu
I tremble when you
Non mi puoi proteggere, mamma
Cannot protect me, mother
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
Solo non ci sto
I just can't take it
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
È solamente colpa tua
It is solely your fault
No, mamma no
No, mother, no
È solamente colpa tua
It is solely your fault
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
È solamente colpa tua
It is solely your fault
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
È solamente colpa tua
It is solely your fault
No, mamma, no
No, mother, no
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Renato Fiacchini, Angelo Filistrucchi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind