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.
Sono Innocente
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
come per il viaggio pi? inatteso,
per mille anni sono stato in guerra
ma se Dio vuole ora mi sono arreso.
Indifeso come un bimbo che? appena nato
ignaro delle spine che ha una rosa
o come un angelo offeso ed umiliato
L'amore, amore mio,? questo non sapere
? non volere niente di pi? al mondo,
tu mi hai ascoltato un secondo
e mi hai compreso per sempre, per sempre.
Sono innocente, innocente
il mio cuore si arrende, sono innocente.
Tutto? sorprendente e sconosciuto
e sembra che sia l? solo per me.
Oggi? il primo giorno che ho vissuto
? il primo giorno insieme a te.
? con altri occhi che vedo il mare
per me stesso sono uno straniero,
niente mi pu? fare pi? del male
pure in catene sarei libero e leggero.
L'amore, amore mio,? questo non avere
? non cercare altro rifugio al mondo,
tu mi hai sfiorato un secondo
e conquistato per sempre, per sempre.
Sono innocente, innocente
il mio cuore si arrende, sono innocente...
E non ho rimpianti n? pensieri
solo la beata ingenuit?
di chi? nato solamente ieri
e che domani poi rinascer?.
Innocente, sono innocente...
Innocente...
Davvero!
Innocente...
[outro - parlato]
Signor Zero...
Io sarei il suo passato
Non abbia paura, facciamo due passi indietro
Vuole?
Tanto per rinfrescarci la memoria...
Mi creda ogni tanto tornare l?... serve!
Coraggio... mi segua...
Dolcemente...
Intensamente...
Cos?!
In Renato Zero's song "Sono Innocente," the singer describes feeling like a newborn baby who has just touched the earth for the first time. He talks about being at war for a thousand years, but now surrendering to God. He feels vulnerable and defenseless, comparing himself to a rose with thorns or an offended and humiliated angel, but he triumphs over the cynicism of the world. The singer shares that love is not knowing or wanting anything else in the world besides the person he loves. He notes that everything is surprising and unknown to him and that being with the person he loves is like living for the first time. He sees the sea with new eyes, and although he feels like a stranger to himself, he is free and light even if he were in chains. The singer expresses that he has no regrets or thoughts, only the blissful innocence of someone who has just been born and will be reborn the following day. The outro is a spoken word dialogue that seems to address Renato Zero himself, encouraging him to take a walk down memory lane and "refresh his memory."
Line by Line Meaning
?? la prima volta che tocco terra
It's like landing for the first time, just like the unexpected journey. I've been at war for a thousand years, but if God wills it, I surrender now.
Indifeso come un bimbo che? appena nato
I'm as vulnerable as a newborn baby, unaware of the thorns that roses bear or like an angel humbled and offended, yet triumphant over the cynicism of the world.
L'amore, amore mio,? questo non sapere
My love, this is not knowing, not wanting anything else in the world. You listened to me for a second and understood me forever, forever.
Sono innocente, innocente
I'm innocent, innocent - my heart surrenders, I'm innocent.
Tutto? sorprendente e sconosciuto
Everything is surprising and unknown, and it seems that it's only for me. Today is the first day I've lived - the first day together with you.
? con altri occhi che vedo il mare
I see the sea with different eyes; I'm a stranger to myself. Nothing can harm me anymore. Even in chains, I'd be free and light.
L'amore, amore mio,? questo non avere
My love, this is not having, not seeking any other refuge in the world. You touched me for a second, and you've conquered me forever, forever.
E non ho rimpianti n? pensieri
I don't have any regrets or thoughts, just the blessed innocence of someone born yesterday, who will be reborn tomorrow.
Innocente, sono innocente...
Innocent, I'm innocent.
[outro - parlato]
Mr. Zero... I'm your past. Don't be afraid. Let's take a few steps back. Would you like that? Just to refresh our memories... Believe me, sometimes coming back here helps. Have courage... Follow me... Gently... Intensely... Like that!
Writer(s): Maurizio Fabrizio, Guido Morra
Contributed by Sophie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.