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.
Storie da dimenticare
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pur di non sopportarli più
Datti da fare
Puoi sistemarli tu
Lanci di oggetti insulti e poi
Quel centotredici che non arriva mai
Tra incomprensioni e ostilità
Mai una carezza
Il mondo è una stanza
Almeno lì al sicuro sei
Son tutti giorni persi
Vita che va via
Qui la speranza è già utopia
Pochi straziati anni
Senza contare i danni
Cicatrici vive dentro te... per sempre...
Figli di un'isterica passione
La rassegnazione è ciò che resterà
Bell'esempio siete
Verità taciute
Si può crescere più soli di così... dimmi...
Tu la parte buona dell'amore
Sei il suo brivido migliore sei qua
E ti meriti anche tu
Una pagina di blu
Oltre il nero di una squallida realtà... credimi!
Tutto normale non direi
Un condominio assente complice se mai
È contagiosa ipocrisia
Ognuno smaltisce il proprio dramma a casa sua...
Assurde vendette
Egoismi e gelosia.
T'invito a crescere
A correre di più
Di una patetica bugia...
Non puoi nasconderti
Non devi escluderti
Che l'amore a volte è molto più... solare...
Figli della solita imprudenza
Che se fu uno sbaglio non accada più
Compleanni amari
Il vuoto nei pensieri
Dentro quei silenzi amore non c'è... allora!
Sono storie da dimenticare
Come sanguina il tuo cuore però
Vincerà l'amore sulle tue paure
Sarà meglio prepararti se avrai... un figlio
The song Storie da dimenticare by Renato Zero talks about a dysfunctional family and the pain and scars that result from it. The first verse talks about how the father and the mother have different expectations for the partner they want for their child. The chorus then talks about how the world is just a confined space where the singer of the song feels safe. But inside, there is turmoil, with days passing by without hope and happiness. The world outside is brutal, and the scars of the past never heal, causing pain in the present.
The second verse talks about how the family drama continues with unresolved conflicts, frustrations, and bitterness. The singer tells the children, who are products of a manic and impulsive relationship, that resignation is what will remain. In the bridge, the singer expresses the desire to find love- the good part of love- and to have a page of blue, unlike the black reality the singer endures. The next verse describes the community as absent and complicit in the family's dysfunction, with everyone disposing of their own problems in their homes.
The song ends with the singer telling their children that they've been through stories that we must forget, although it still hurts. But perhaps, their love will conquer their fears, and they might have children one day, and the singer advises them to prepare themselves for that.
Overall, the song speaks about how family dysfunction and unresolved conflicts can cause deep emotional and psychological scars. Still, at the same time, it offers hope that love could conquer fears and lead to a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
La donna giusta per papà un uomo affascinante e colto per mammà
My father needs the perfect woman, intellectual and beautiful. My mother wants a charming, cultured man.
Pur di non sopportarli più
To avoid their unbearable demands and expectations,
Datti da fare
I must work my hardest,
Puoi sistemarli tu
To make everything better, by catering to their impossible wishes.
Lanci di oggetti insulti e poi
Even though I’ve thrown objects and insults numerous times,
Quel centotredici che non arriva mai
They ignore me, and my requests and desires are never fulfilled.
Tra incomprensioni e ostilità
Amidst misunderstandings and hostility,
Mai una carezza
I never receive a single caress,
La tenerezza mai
and am starved of any form of tenderness.
Il mondo è una stanza
It seems like my world is limited to this room,
Almeno lì al sicuro sei
where at least I feel safe.
Son tutti giorni persi
I feel like all my days are wasted,
Vita che va via
and my life is passing by,
Qui la speranza è già utopia
Hope seems like a distant dream here.
Pochi straziati anni
Only a few tumultuous years,
Senza contare i danni
without even acknowledging the damage done,
Cicatrici vive dentro te... per sempre...
The scars remain with me forever, alive within me.
Figli di un'isterica passione
We are the children of a frenzied passion,
La rassegnazione è ciò che resterà
Resignation is all that remains.
Bell'esempio siete
We are such wonderful examples to follow,
Verità taciute
keeping secrets of hidden truths,
Si può crescere più soli di così... dimmi...
Can anyone grow up more lonely than this? Tell me.
Tu la parte buona dell'amore
You are the good part of love,
Sei il suo brivido migliore sei qua
you give him the best excitement he ever had,
E ti meriti anche tu
and you too deserve,
Una pagina di blu
a bright and happy future.
Oltre il nero di una squallida realtà... credimi!
Beyond the darkness of this squalid reality… Trust me!
Tutto normale non direi
I wouldn't say that everything is normal,
Un condominio assente complice se mai
An absent community, who are more swift to blame,
È contagiosa ipocrisia
The hypocrisy is contagious,
Ognuno smaltisce il proprio dramma a casa sua...
Everyone stashes away their own tragedy at home.
Assurde vendette
The absurd vendettas continues,
Egoismi e gelosia.
along with selfishness and jealousy.
T'invito a crescere
I invite you to grow,
A correre di più
to run faster,
Di una patetica bugia...
to escape from a pathetic lie.
Non puoi nasconderti
You can't hide,
Non devi escluderti
you must not exclude yourself,
Che l'amore a volte è molto più... solare...
Because sometimes love can be much more... radiant...
Figli della solita imprudenza
We are the children of traditional recklessness,
Che se fu uno sbaglio non accada più
Let's not repeat the error of the past,
Compleanni amari
Bitter birthdays,
Il vuoto nei pensieri
The emptiness in one's mind,
Dentro quei silenzi amore non c'è... allora!
Within that silence, there is no love... so?
Sono storie da dimenticare
These are all stories we should forget,
Come sanguina il tuo cuore però
even though your heart aches,
Vincerà l'amore sulle tue paure
Love will defeat your fears,
Sarà meglio prepararti se avrai... un figlio
It is better to prepare yourself if you ever have... a child.
Contributed by Abigail H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.