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.
Qualcuno mi ha ucciso
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qualcuno mi ha ucciso
Tentativo fallito altre volte e poi... riuscito
Un'assurda inspiegabile volontà
Di far fuoco
Ma chiunque dimostri genialità: è fottuto!
Ero lì a sventolare i pensieri miei
Sereno e disteso
Ho sbagliato a fidarmi, che ingenuità troppo buono
Avevo una parola per tutti
Non considerando che i matti, ci sono!
Livore misto a gelosia mamma mia non sei al sicuro mai...
E più ti spendi e più ti dai e più l'invidia tu scatenerai
Conviene starsene a guardare vegetare
E non rischiare più
Se non ti sveglierai, tu finirai lassù...
Avevo un mare di cose da fare
Tanto talento da offrire
Mille discorsi lasciati in sospeso
Finché qualcuno mi ha ucciso convinto che avrà il posto mio
Una faccia che piace
Ed una splendida voce
Qualità rare in un misero mondo
Dove si vince bleffando, altrimenti, no!
Non mi chiedere: sesso, statura, età
È irrilevante...
Chi mi ha reso ectoplasma la pagherà
Comunque
Se rinasco gabbiano gli cagherò
Proprio sul muso, all'invidioso
Sono un angelo e adesso non canto più...
Ora grido!
Ma per fortuna il cielo adesso mi ha concesso
Un'opportunità
Il Padreterno si è commosso io riprendo
Le mie attività
La stessa voglia d'incontrare, incoraggiare
Tutti quelli che...
Afflitti da quel dubbio di sempre
Amare o non amare la gente?
C'è sempre un mare di cose da fare
Pertanto è un lusso morire appuntamenti d'affari e di cuore
Che solo tu puoi gestire
Gli incidenti e le malattie
E se ciò non bastasse
Gli aguzzini e le tasse
Bersaglio facile stanne sicuro
Che se stai bene alla fine... la pagherai!
La vita in pericolo è
Io come te cerco un cielo pulito
Cuore assoluto fantastico amore
Che se resisti alla fine ci salverà
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song "Qualcuno mi ha ucciso" talk about the emotions and thoughts of someone who has been "killed" by someone else. The first verse says that despite the person's efforts to defend themselves, someone still managed to "kill" them. The second verse talks about how anyone who demonstrates genius is doomed to fail in this world. The person in the song was waving their ideas peacefully, but there's always someone frustrated or a zero who is willing to shoot them down. The chorus talks about the mixture of envy and jealousy that can cause harm to people, no matter how talented or gifted they are. It's better to stay back and watch rather than risk it all and suffer the consequences.
The bridge mentions that the person had a lot of potential and unfulfilled promises they made, but now someone else has taken their place, convinced that they deserve it. The third verse talks about how people in this world win by bluffing, and qualities like good looks and a beautiful voice are rare commodities. Irrelevant factors such as sex, height, and age, do not matter. The person who reduced the singer to an ectoplasm will pay, but the singer hopes to come back as a seagull and poop on their face. The final verse is more positive and encourages everyone to keep moving forward, to keep loving people despite the risks involved, and to keep on managing their appointments, their work, and their heart. The song ends on a hopeful note that even in danger, life is worth living if we can find a pure heart and a fantastic love that can ultimately save us.
Line by Line Meaning
Nonostante mi sono difeso sai
Despite my efforts to protect myself, you know
Qualcuno mi ha ucciso
Someone killed me
Tentativo fallito altre volte e poi... riuscito
Failed attempts and then... success
Un'assurda inspiegabile volontà
An absurd and inexplicable will
Di far fuoco
To shoot
Ma chiunque dimostri genialità: è fottuto!
But anyone who shows brilliance is screwed!
Ero lì a sventolare i pensieri miei
I was there waving my thoughts
Sereno e disteso
Calm and relaxed
Ma c'è sempre un frustrato una nullità l'evaso
But there's always a frustrated and worthless escapee
Ho sbagliato a fidarmi, che ingenuità troppo buono
I was wrong to trust, what naivety, too kind
Avevo una parola per tutti
I had a word for everyone
Non considerando che i matti, ci sono!
Not considering that there are crazy people!
Livore misto a gelosia mamma mia non sei al sicuro mai...
A mixture of resentment and jealousy, oh my, you're never safe...
E più ti spendi e più ti dai e più l'invidia tu scatenerai
And the more you give and the more you give of yourself, the more envy you will unleash
Conviene starsene a guardare vegetare
It's better to watch others vegetate
E non rischiare più
And not take any more risks
Se non ti sveglierai, tu finirai lassù...
If you don't wake up, you'll end up up there...
Avevo un mare di cose da fare
I had a sea of things to do
Tanto talento da offrire
So much talent to offer
Mille discorsi lasciati in sospeso
A thousand conversations left hanging
Finché qualcuno mi ha ucciso convinto che avrà il posto mio
Until someone killed me, convinced that they will take my place
Una faccia che piace
A likable face
Ed una splendida voce
And a splendid voice
Qualità rare in un misero mondo
Rare qualities in a miserable world
Dove si vince bleffando, altrimenti, no!
Where you win by bluffing, otherwise, no!
Non mi chiedere: sesso, statura, età
Don't ask me: sex, height, age
È irrilevante...
It's irrelevant...
Chi mi ha reso ectoplasma la pagherà
Those who turned me into an ectoplasm will pay
Comunque
Anyway
Se rinasco gabbiano gli cagherò
If I'm reborn as a seagull, I'll shit on those envious people's faces
Proprio sul muso, all'invidioso
Right on the face, of the envious one
Sono un angelo e adesso non canto più...
I'm an angel and I don't sing anymore...
Ora grido!
Now I scream!
Ma per fortuna il cielo adesso mi ha concesso
But fortunately, the sky has now granted me
Un'opportunità
An opportunity
Il Padreterno si è commosso io riprendo
God has been moved, I resume
Le mie attività
My activities
La stessa voglia d'incontrare, incoraggiare
The same desire to meet, encourage
Tutti quelli che...
All those who...
Afflitti da quel dubbio di sempre
Afflicted by that eternal doubt
Amare o non amare la gente?
To love or not to love people?
C'è sempre un mare di cose da fare
There's always a sea of things to do
Pertanto è un lusso morire appuntamenti d'affari e di cuore
Therefore, it's a luxury to die with unfinished business and affairs of the heart
Che solo tu puoi gestire
That only you can handle
Gli incidenti e le malattie
Accidents and illnesses
E se ciò non bastasse
And if that wasn't enough
Gli aguzzini e le tasse
The bullies and the taxes
Bersaglio facile stanne sicuro
A easy target, that's for sure
Che se stai bene alla fine... la pagherai!
Because if you're doing well in the end... you'll pay for it!
La vita in pericolo è
Life is in danger
Io come te cerco un cielo pulito
I like you, seek a clean sky
Cuore assoluto fantastico amore
Absolute heart, fantastic love
Che se resisti alla fine ci salverà
That if we resist, will save us in the end
Contributed by Avery S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.