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.
Sgualdrina
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Siete pregati di allacciare le cinture di castità e di non fumarla, grazie!
Sgualdrina!
È arrivata, la sgualdrina!
Viene dal cielo
Va! La sua, meschinità!
Sgualdrina!
Prima dolce,
La sua tattica,
E i suoi artigli, conosco, già!
Ma, perché
La sgualdrina, doveva, toccare a me ?
Come, può
La sgualdrina assediarmi,
Anche se non vorrò
Chiudo porte e finestre,
Giuro! Non le aprirò!
Sgualdrina!
Sarai la mia rovina
Abituarmi a te, questo proprio no!
Uh!!!
..
Che farò, la sgualdrina mi rapina tutto il meglio che ho.
Che dirò
Sarò forte, abbastanza,
Da gridarle, va' via!
Dovrò scegliere in fretta,
Fra sgualdrina, o follia!
Ma perché
La sgualdrina, doveva,
Toccare a me!
Come può
La sgualdrina assediarmi,
Anche se non vorrò!
Chiudo porte e finestre,
Giuro! Non le aprirò!
Guardami!
Sei ancora in tempo e allora Salvati!
Non ho più braccia per Difendermi!
Vorrei tornare, alla mia Anima!
Sempre Sempre Sempre Sempre, più!
Non puoi nascondermi la luna
Dietro i tuoi occhi da sgualdrina!
Morirò morirò!
Se lo vuoi, sparirò!
Sgualdrina!
È nata una sgualdrina,
Fra le pareti azzurre di casa mia,
È la tua fine!
Sgualdrina!
Rapina e repentina,
.sgualdrina e non ridi più.
E' il tuo girotondo
Ultimo!
Giro, giro, tondo, la sgualdrina è il meno del mondo!
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song Sgualdrina is a metaphorical representation of a woman who is described as a whore - "sgualdrina" in Italian. The song is a warning to the passengers about having a whore onboard and is asking them to buckle themselves in with chastity belts and not indulge in this woman's wiles. The song explains how the whore is ruthless and cunning, and how her claws are already known. It questions why the whore had to come to the singer, and how she can lay siege to him even if he doesn't want it.
In the latter half of the song, the singer is struggling with a choice between "sgualdrina" and madness. He realizes that the whore is stealing all the good things in him and is his utter downfall. He is questioning why he is stuck with her when he wants to go back to his soul, which represents his true self. In the end, he symbolically kills the "sgualdrina" - this can signify that he has broken free from its hold on him, and he is moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Ladies attenzione, avvertiamo i passeggeri di avere una sgualdrina a bordo,
Attention ladies and gentlemen, we inform passengers that there is a whore on board. Please fasten your chastity belts and do not smoke it, thank you!
Siete pregati di allacciare le cinture di castità e di non fumarla, grazie!
Please fasten your chastity belts and do not smoke it, thank you!
Sgualdrina!
Whore!
È arrivata, la sgualdrina!
The whore has arrived!
Viene dal cielo...
She comes from heaven...
Va! La sua, meschinità!
Go! Her slyness!
Sgualdrina!
Whore!
Prima dolce,
First sweet,
E poi, assassina!
And then, assassin!
La sua tattica,
Her tactics,
E i suoi artigli, conosco, già!
And her claws, I already know them!
Ma, perché... La sgualdrina, doveva, toccare a me?
But why... Did the whore have to come to me?
Come, può... La sgualdrina assediarmi, Anche se non vorrò...
How can the whore besiege me, even if I don't want it...
Chiudo porte e finestre, Giuro! Non le aprirò!
I close doors and windows, I swear! I won't open them!
Sgualdrina! Sarai la mia rovina...
Whore! You will be my ruin...
Abituarmi a te, questo proprio no!
Getting used to you, absolutely not!
Che farò, la sgualdrina mi rapina tutto il meglio che ho.
What will I do, the whore steals everything good that I have.
Che dirò... Sarò forte, abbastanza, Da gridarle, va' via!
What will I say... I will be strong enough to shout at her to go away!
Dovrò scegliere in fretta, Fra sgualdrina, o follia!
I will have to choose quickly, between the whore or madness!
Guardami! Sei ancora in tempo e allora... Salvati!
Look at me! You're still in time and then... Save yourself!
Non ho più braccia per... Difendermi!
I don't have arms anymore to... Defend myself!
Vorrei tornare, alla mia... Anima!
I would like to go back to my... Soul!
Sempre... Sempre... Sempre... Sempre, più!
Always... Always... Always... Always, more!
Non puoi nascondermi la luna... Dietro i tuoi occhi da sgualdrina!
You cannot hide the moon from me... Behind your whore eyes!
Morirò... Morirò! Se lo vuoi, sparirò!
I will die... I will die! If you want, I will disappear!
Sgualdrina!
Whore!
È nata una sgualdrina, Fra le pareti azzurre di casa mia, È la tua fine!
A whore was born, within the blue walls of my house, It's your end!
Rapina e repentina, .sgualdrina e non ridi più.
Rapid and sudden, whore and you won't laugh anymore.
E' il tuo girotondo... Ultimo!
It's your round dance... Last!
Giro, giro, tondo, la sgualdrina è il meno del mondo!
Round and round, the whore is the least of the world!
Contributed by Riley E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sabrina Cristofanilli
Magico Renato tu sei magico ❤️ sono anni che ci regali pura poesia e musica... sei Meravigliosamente Grande ❤️💜
bianco71
Talento DA VENDERE A palateee🤩
Salvatore Ignini
Un fenomeno ,questa canzone l avro' ascoltata e vista un milone di volte..ma Renato È STREPITOSO.
emilio galelli
Fantastico!
massimo de angelis
Grande.....
Domenico Perrino
grande
chinaglia 75
Questa e l assassino me fanno impazzi
Marco Giungarelli
Squaldrina sulle note dei Supertramp..........dreamer !!!!!!
jacopito2007
unico...
jacopito2007
unico...