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.
Soldi
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Senza problemi vivrei….
Soddisfare qualunque voglia
Questo è ciò che vorrei!
Futuro nero, è nero il futuro
Alternativa non c'è…
Che è
Che è disgraziato come me
Chi…
Più miserabile di così!
Furbi…
Ne accumulate di soldi…
All'inflazione voi…sordi!
Faremo i conti più tardi!
Oro
Non ti ho mai visto dal vero
Oro, che fine fai…
In quali tasche vai
Quanta gente, per te impazzisce lo sai
Soldi
Mani protese sguardi ingordi…
Io venderei mamma mia.
Io venderei casa mia!
Io offro le mie virtù,
A chi mi dà di più…allora? Allora! Allora!
Soldi sentite il suono dei miliardi…
Non ti tradiscono mai…
Ti danno quello che vuoi
Se non conoscerai i soldi
Tu, non sai che ti perdi!
Allora Allora Allora
Soldi Soldi
Avere tanti soldi che noia
Più ne hai più ne vuoi,
Ma poi
Con troppi soldi cosa ci fai
Se con chi spenderli non sai
Poveri in canna ma felici noi.
Soldi
Mani protese sguardi ingordi…
Io venderei mamma mia.
Io venderei casa mia!
Io offro le mie virtù,
A chi mi dà di più…allora? Allora! Allora!
Soldi
Come profumano sti soldi
La vita è una lotteria fortuna non andar via!
Vieni a sederti un po' qua
Amica mia felicità
The song "Soldi" by Renato Zero is about the desire to have money and how it could possibly solve all problems. The opening lines of the song, "Avere tanti soldi che gioia, senza problemi vivrei" (Having so much money, what joy, I would live without problems), convey the idea that plenty of money would make life easier and that one could fulfill any desire. The second verse highlights the desperation of the situation, "Futuro nero, è nero il futuro, alternativa non c'è, che è disgraziato come me" (The future is bleak, and there is no alternative, who is as unlucky as I am?), which is a stark contrast to the initial desire of having so much money. The chorus, "Soldi sentite il suono dei miliardi, non ti tradiscono mai" (Money, hear the sound of the billions, they never betray you), emphasizes that having money is better than anything else, and once someone has it, they will never be let down.
The bridge of the song, "Vieni a sederti un po' qua, amica mia felicità" (Come sit here a while, my friend happiness), suggests that the desire for money is ultimately meaningless, as happiness can never truly be found through it. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus and a final plea for money, "Soldi, come profumano sti soldi, la vita è una lotteria fortuna non andar via" (Money, how these coins smell, life is a lottery, fortune does not go away).
Overall, "Soldi" is a commentary on the obsession with money and how it can both provide for and corrupt one's life. It highlights the emptiness of desiring money and its inability to bring true happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Avere tanti soldi che gioia...
Having a lot of money brings joy.
Senza problemi vivrei...
With money, life becomes problem-free.
Soddisfare qualunque voglia...
Money can fulfill every desire.
Questo è ciò che vorrei!
Money is what I want!
Futuro nero, è nero il futuro...
The future looks bleak.
Alternativa non c'è...
There is no alternative.
Che è che è disgraziato come me...
My situation is unfortunate.
Chi è più sfortunato...
Who is more unlucky?
Chi più miserabile di così!
Who is more miserable than me?
Furbi...
The rich are clever.
Ne accumulate di soldi...
They accumulate money.
All'inflazione voi sordi!
Their money is immune to inflation.
Faremo i conti più tardi!
We'll do the math later!
Oro / Non ti ho mai visto dal vero / Oro, che fine fai...
Gold, I've never seen you for real. Where do you go?
In quali tasche vai...
In whose pockets do you end up?
Quanta gente, per te impazzisce lo sai...
You know how many people go crazy for you.
Soldi / Mani protese sguardi ingordi...
Money brings out greed in people.
Io venderei mamma mia / Io venderei casa mia!
I would sell my mother and my house for money!
Io offro le mie virtù / A chi mi dà di più... allora? Allora! Allora!
I offer my virtues to whoever pays the most, then what? Then! Then!
Soldi sentite il suono dei miliardi...
Money, hear the sound of billions!
Non ti tradiscono mai...
Money never lets you down.
Ti danno quello che vuoi...
Money gives you everything you want.
Se non conoscerai i soldi / Tu non sai che ti perdi!
If you don't know money, you don't know what you're missing!
Avere tanti soldi che noia / Più ne hai più ne vuoi...
Having too much money can become boring, but the desire for more never fades.
Ma poi / Con troppi soldi cosa ci fai...
But then, what can you do with too much money?
Se con chi spenderli non sai...
If you don't know who to spend your money with...
Poveri in canna ma felici noi...
We may be penniless, but we're happy.
Come profumano sti soldi...
How money smells...
La vita è una lotteria fortuna non andar via!
Life is a lottery, don't let fortune slip away!
Vieni a sederti un po' qua / Amica mia felicità
Come sit with me, my friend happiness.
Contributed by Lucas H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marco Boara
Straordinario monumento della musica italiana 😉😉 che grinta ...che allegria e testo con frasi attuali , grande Renato , 👏👏👏👏👏
Doriana Capezzuoli
POVERI IN CANNA ma FELICI NOI...💰💰💰🌞🌞🌞⭐⭐⭐📅❤💋📅❤💋
ardesia84
Anche io mi ricordo il Fantastico di quell'anno. Quante volte ho cantanto questa canzone, quando andavo a scuola: era una canzone tanto divertente!!! Ad ascoltarla oggi fa venire i brivivi per quanta verità e attualità ha dentro!
Luca Santoro
Soldi
Come profumano sti soldi
La vita è una lotteria fortuna non andar via!
Vieni a sederti un po' qua
Amica mia felicità
bianco71
Artista STRAORDINARIO🤩
Doriana Capezzuoli
AMORE MIO ♥️I SOLDI 💰SONO NIENTE SE NON CE. ♥️🤵♥️AMORE 💘AMORE MIO ♥️GRANDISSIMO ♥️BELLISSIMO ♥️DOLCISSIMO ♥️AMORE 💘MIO PREZIOSO IO TI AMOOOOO TANTISSIMO ♥️♥️♥️💋💋
Doriana Capezzuoli
AMORE ♥️ALTERNATIVA NON c'è PERCHÉ..AMORE MIO GRANDE BELLISSIMO E PREZIOSSIMO IO AMO SOLO TE AMORE MIO GRANDE FOREVER ♥️♥️♥️🤵👱♀️💰💰💰💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💯💯💯
Doriana Capezzuoli
♥️💋🤵AMORE ♥️MIO ♥️ GRANDE SE AVESSI TANTI SOLDI 💰💰💰AMORE ♥️MIO ♥️GRANDE IO CHE FAREI...FAREI LA ...SIG ..RA.
DEI ..🦄🦄🦄EI SOLDI 💰 CHE ♥️ VINCEREI ...FAREI BENEFICENZA 💋♥️💋♥️💋♥️💋♥️💋♥️💋♥️💋♥️💯
Federico Baritello
Canzone del 1982 , ma m'immagino le polemiche se fosse uscita vent'anni dopo con l'euro appena in vigore.
Doriana Capezzuoli
AMORE ♥️MIO GRANDISSIMO TU PER ME SEI UN TESORO DI ENESTIMABILE VALORE CHE COSTUDIRO NEL MIO CUORE ♥️AMORE ♥️ MIO ♥️ PREZIOSO 💘👦💘👦💘👦💘♥️♥️♥️🤵👱♀️💋💋🤵🏻💋🤵🏻💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💯💯💯