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.
Ti stupirai
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fallo sentire di più
È tutto inutile
Se non collabori tu
Le cose frivole
Non hanno un alibi mai
Ti stupirai
Sveglierò i sensi tuoi
Almeno un brivido
Con tutto il niente che c'è
Talmente facile
Mettere il sole fra noi
Ti stupirai
Basta un po', di follia
Assecondare un'idea
Seria
La cosa si fa seria
C'è un amore
Che non respira più
Abbracciami un momento
Ogni tormento passerà!
Tu non temere
Questo amore ce la fa
Forse
Si stanca e poi ritorna
Ferma
Non muoverti di lì
Che se si accorgerà,
Che siamo stanchi,
Se ne andrà
Se ti tradisci
Addio!
Le prime lacrime
Sanno di felicità
Quelli che piangono
Fanno più strada si sa
I dubbi restano
Ma forse è meglio così
Ti stupirai
Che volare si può
Senza una spinta non so
Seria
La cosa si fa seria
Una storia decollerà così
Restiamo più vicini
E il tempo ci risparmierà
Tu non temere
Questo amore vincerà
Forse
C'è ancora quella luna
Fiera
Di noi che siamo qua
Ma se si accorgerà
Che siamo stanchi
Se ne andrà
Luna stupisci
Anche tu!
(Grazie a etciuuu per questo testo)
The lyrics to Renato Zero's song "Ti stupirai" express the idea that love can be weak at times, but if both parties collaborate and break the rules, the relationship can become strong and surprising. The singer encourages their partner to embrace their senses and indulge in a moment of madness with them, in order to spark emotion and potentially save their dying love. The lyrics suggest that tears of happiness and doubts will still linger, but these things are necessary for growth and to build a love story that can take flight.
The song seems to be a call to action, a plea to not give up on love entirely and to take action in order to reignite passion. The repeated phrase "Ti stupirai" serves as a kind of rallying cry, urging both the listeners and the partner in the song to open themselves up to surprise and to embrace the unexpected. The lyrics also highlight the importance of physical touch and embraces, suggesting that a simple moment of closeness can alleviate pain and help love to prevail.
Overall, the lyrics to "Ti stupirai" express a mix of hope and desperation in the face of a flickering love. They suggest that, with effort and a willingness to take risks, it is possible to reignite passion and surprise in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
L'amore è debole
Love is weak
Fallo sentire di più
Make it feel more
È tutto inutile
It's all useless
Se non collabori tu
If you don't collaborate
Le cose frivole
Frivolous things
Non hanno un alibi mai
Never have an excuse
Ti stupirai
You'll be surprised
Sveglierò i sensi tuoi
I'll awaken your senses
Rompi le regole, fai un eccezione con me
Break the rules, make an exception with me
Almeno un brivido
At least a thrill
Con tutto il niente che c'è
With all the nothing there is
Talmente facile
So easy
Mettere il sole fra noi
To put the sun between us
Ti stupirai
You'll be surprised
Basta un po', di follia
Just a little madness
Assecondare un'idea Seria
To follow a serious idea
La cosa si fa seria
Things get serious
C'è un amore
There's a love
Che non respira più
That doesn't breathe anymore
Abbracciami un momento
Hug me for a moment
Ogni tormento passerà!
Every torment will pass!
Tu non temere
Don't be afraid
Questo amore ce la fa
This love will make it
Forse Si stanca e poi ritorna
Maybe it gets tired and then comes back
Ferma Non muoverti di lì
Stop, don't move from there
Che se si accorgerà
Because if it realizes
Che siamo stanchi
That we're tired
Se ne andrà Se ti tradisci Addio!
It'll leave, goodbye if you betray it!
Le prime lacrime
The first tears
Sanno di felicità
Are filled with happiness
Quelli che piangono
Those who cry
Fanno più strada si sa
They say they go further
I dubbi restano
The doubts remain
Ma forse è meglio così
But maybe it's better this way
Ti stupirai
You'll be surprised
Che volare si può
That you can fly
Senza una spinta non so
Without a push, I don't know
Seria La cosa si fa seria
Things get serious
Una storia decollerà così
A story will take off like this
Restiamo più vicini
Let's stay closer
E il tempo ci risparmierà
And time will spare us
Tu non temere
Don't be afraid
Questo amore vincerà
This love will win
Forse C'è ancora quella luna
Maybe that moon is still there
Fiera Di noi che siamo qua
Proud of us being here
Ma se si accorgerà
But if it realizes
Che siamo stanchi Se ne andrà
That we're tired, it'll leave
Luna stupisci Anche tu!
Moon, surprise us too!
Contributed by Leo K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.