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 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!
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 pi?,
La notte mi stringevi a te!
Non ricordi pi?,
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!
? Solamente colpa tua
No, mamma no
? Solamente colpa tua...
No, mamma, no!
? Solamente colpa tua...
No, mamma, no!
? Solamente colpa tua...
No, mamma, no!
? Solamente colpa tua...
The song "No mamma no!" by Renato Zero deals with the complex and often difficult relationship between a mother and her son. The lyrics express feelings of vulnerability, fear, and frustration from the son's perspective, as he believes his mother is not able to protect him from the world and is responsible for some of his problems.
The song suggests that the mother is overprotective and controlling, which makes the son feel weak and incapable of facing life on his own. He resents the way his mother raised him, blaming her for not providing him with the tools to grow and become independent. He also states that he is afraid of certain things, like the dark and cold currents, which his mother failed to help him overcome.
Despite these feelings of anger and disappointment, the son still craves his mother's love and approval. He is afraid of disappointing her and not being accepted for who he is, but he also feels the need to break free from her grasp and find his own way in life. The song ends on an unresolved note, with the son still struggling to come to terms with his relationship with his mother.
Overall, "No mamma no!" is a poignant and emotional song that captures the complexities of a mother-son bond and how it can both nurture and suffocate.
Line by Line Meaning
No, mamma, no!
I cannot handle it, mother, do not disappoint me.
Non mi puoi deludere, mamma!
I am too fragile, mother. You can't let me down.
Solo non ci sto,
I can't take it anymore.
Sono troppo fragile, mamma!
I am easily hurt and vulnerable, mother!
Odio le corsie.
I hate hospitals.
E le suore pallide, mamma!
And the pale nuns, mother!
Cliniche e conforts e le mani candide, mamma!
Hospitals with their comforts and sterile cleanliness, mother!
No, mamma, no!
I can't do it, mother!
Tutta colpa tua,
It's all your fault, mother!
Per te era tutto favole...
You promised me everything would be like a fairy tale...
Solo colpa tua,
You're the only one to blame.
Il latte tuo era sterile...
Your milk was sterile – you didn't provide me with enough nurturing.
Sempre colpa tua...
It's always your fault if I don't turn out the way you wanted me to!
Se io non sono come vuoi!!!
If I'm not what you wanted me to be.
Ho paura sai,
I'm scared, you know.
Delle crisi isteriche, mamma!
Of having a panic attack, mother!
Temo il buio e poi
I'm afraid of the dark and then.
Le correnti gelide, mamma!
Of the freezing cold currents, mother!
No, mamma, no!
I can't do it, mother!
Non ricordi pi?,
Don't you remember anymore?
La notte mi stringevi a te!
You used to hold me close at night!
La notte mi svegliavi, tu...
You used to wake me up at night...
Sempre colpa tua,
It's always your fault!
Se io non sono come vuoi!
If I'm not how you wanted me to be!
No, mamma, no!
I can't take it, mother!
Non mi puoi deludere mamma!
You can't disappoint me, mother!
Tremo quando tu,
I'm shaking when you...
Non mi puoi proteggere, mamma!
Can't protect me, mother!
No, mamma, no!
I can't do it, mother!
Solo non ci sto...
I can't take it anymore.
No, mamma, no!
I can't take it, mother!
Solamente colpa tua
It's all your fault!
No, mamma no
I can't take it, mother!
Solamente colpa tua...
It's all your fault!
No, mamma, no!
I can't do it, mother!
Solamente colpa tua...
It's all your fault!
No, mamma, no!
I can't take it, mother!
Solamente colpa tua...
It's all your fault!
No, mamma, no!
I can't take it, mother!
Solamente colpa tua...
It's all your fault!
Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.