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.
Tu si 'na cosa grande
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na cosa ca' mma fa' nammura'
Na cosa ca' si tu guard' a' mme
Me ne moro accussi'
Guardann' a te
Vurria sap'e' na cosa da te
Pecch'e' quann'o me guardi accussi'
Si pure tu te sient'muri'
Ma pecche'
E dillo' na vota sola
Si pure tu stai tremann'
Dillo c'a me voi bene
Comm' io, comm' io, comm' io,
Vojo bene a te
Tu si na cosa grande pe' me
Na cosa ca tu stess nun saje
Na cosa ca' nun agg' ia avuto maje
Nu bene accussi'
Accussi' grande
E dillo' na vota sola
Si pure tu stai tremann'
Dillo c'a me voi bene
Comm' io, comm' io, comm' io,
Voglio bene a te
Tu si na cosa grande pe' me
Na cosa ca tu stess nun saje
Na cosa ca' nun agg' ia avuto maje
Nu bene accussi'
Accussi' grande
Accussi' grande
Accussi' grande
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song "Tu si 'na cosa grande" express a deep admiration and love for someone special. The Italian singer praises his loved one, calling them "a great thing" for him and admitting that he is in love with them, to the point that it makes him suffer. He says that when he looks at his loved one, he wishes to know what they think and feel about him, but they remain silent, making him feel helpless. Despite this, he still wants his loved one to reveal their true feelings for him, even if it means they too might be afraid of the overwhelming emotions they have for one another. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "Tu si na cosa grande pe' me", which means "You are a great thing for me", emphasizing the magnitude of the singer's feelings for his beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Tu si na cosa grande pe' me
You are something great for me
Na cosa ca' mma fa' nammura'
Something that makes me fall in love
Na cosa ca' si tu guard' a' mme
Something that you see in me
Me ne moro accussi'
That drives me crazy
Guardann' a te
Looking at you
Vurria sap'e' na cosa da te
I want to know something from you
Pecch'e' quann'o me guardi accussi'
Why when you look at me like that
Si pure tu te sient'muri'
If you feel the same way
Nun'm dice e nun m'o fai capi'
You don't say and I don't understand
Ma pecche'
But why
E dillo' na vota sola
And say it just once
Si pure tu stai tremann'
If you're also shaking
Dillo c'a me voi bene
Say that you love me
Comm' io, comm' io, comm' io, Vojo bene a te
Like I do, I love you
Na cosa ca tu stess nun saje
Something that you don't know
Na cosa ca' nun agg' ia avuto maje
Something that I've never had before
Nu bene accussi', Accussi' grande
A love like this, so great
Accussi' grande
So great
Accussi' grande
So great
Writer(s): Domenico Modugno, Gigli Roberto
Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LiLoveLi
Tu si 'na cosa grande (Renato Zero)
Tu si ‘na cosa grande pe’ me
‘na cosa ca mme fà nammurà
‘na cosa ca si tu guard’ a’ mme
me ne moro accussi’
guardann’ a te
Vurria sapè ‘na cosa da te
pecchè quanno me guarde accussì
si pure tu te siente murì
nun m''o dice e nun m’'o fai capì
ma pecchè?
E dillo ‘na vota sola
si pure tu stai tremanno
dimme ca me vuò bene
comm’ io, comm’ io, comm’ io
voglio bene a te
Tu si ‘na cosa grande pe’ me
‘na cosa ca tu stessa nun saje
‘na cosa ca nun aggia avuto maje
nu bene accussì
accussì grande
E dillo ‘na vota sola
si pure tu, tu stai tremann’
dime ca me vuò bene
comm’ io, comm’ io, comm’ io
voglio bene a te
Tu si ‘na cosa grande pe’ me
‘na cosa ca tu tu stessa nun saje
‘na cosa ca nun aggia avuto maje
nu bene accussì
accussì grande
accussì grande
accussì grande
LiLoveLi
Ты — что-то такое великое для меня.
Что-то такое, чего ты сама не знаешь.
Что-то, чего у меня никогда не было.
Такое сокровище,
Такое великое.
И скажи мне только лишь один раз,
Дрожишь ли ты тоже?
Скажи мне, что ты любишь меня,
Как я, как я, как я
Люблю тебя.
LiLoveLi
Ты — нечто такое великое для меня
Что-то, что заставляет меня влюбляться.
Нечто, что если ты смотришь на меня,
Я просто умираю от этого вот так,
глядя на тебя.
Я хотел бы узнать у тебя кое-что.
почему, когда ты смотришь на меня так
Если ты тоже чувствуешь, что умираешь,
Не говоришь мне и не даешь мне это понять,
Но почему?
И скажи мне только лишь один раз,
Дрожишь ли ты тоже?
Скажи мне, что ты любишь меня,
Как я, как я, как я
Люблю тебя.
Sonja Ohler
🌹... lui è romano ma lui ha l'amore dentro lui perciò quando canta questo brano bellissimo l'emozione si sente con Renato ❤️ 💖
Nadia G.
Las dos versiones hasta hoy escuchadas, son maravillosas, esta por Renato Zero, y la otra por el inolvidable Domenico Modugno, me enamoraron los dos!!!
Giovanni Alfano
Love this song ❤❤❤
LiLoveLi
Tu si 'na cosa grande (Renato Zero)
Tu si ‘na cosa grande pe’ me
‘na cosa ca mme fà nammurà
‘na cosa ca si tu guard’ a’ mme
me ne moro accussi’
guardann’ a te
Vurria sapè ‘na cosa da te
pecchè quanno me guarde accussì
si pure tu te siente murì
nun m''o dice e nun m’'o fai capì
ma pecchè?
E dillo ‘na vota sola
si pure tu stai tremanno
dimme ca me vuò bene
comm’ io, comm’ io, comm’ io
voglio bene a te
Tu si ‘na cosa grande pe’ me
‘na cosa ca tu stessa nun saje
‘na cosa ca nun aggia avuto maje
nu bene accussì
accussì grande
E dillo ‘na vota sola
si pure tu, tu stai tremann’
dime ca me vuò bene
comm’ io, comm’ io, comm’ io
voglio bene a te
Tu si ‘na cosa grande pe’ me
‘na cosa ca tu tu stessa nun saje
‘na cosa ca nun aggia avuto maje
nu bene accussì
accussì grande
accussì grande
accussì grande
LiLoveLi
Ты — что-то такое великое для меня.
Что-то такое, чего ты сама не знаешь.
Что-то, чего у меня никогда не было.
Такое сокровище,
Такое великое.
И скажи мне только лишь один раз,
Дрожишь ли ты тоже?
Скажи мне, что ты любишь меня,
Как я, как я, как я
Люблю тебя.
LiLoveLi
Ты — нечто такое великое для меня
Что-то, что заставляет меня влюбляться.
Нечто, что если ты смотришь на меня,
Я просто умираю от этого вот так,
глядя на тебя.
Я хотел бы узнать у тебя кое-что.
почему, когда ты смотришь на меня так
Если ты тоже чувствуешь, что умираешь,
Не говоришь мне и не даешь мне это понять,
Но почему?
И скажи мне только лишь один раз,
Дрожишь ли ты тоже?
Скажи мне, что ты любишь меня,
Как я, как я, как я
Люблю тебя.
alice cabrini
Ancora una volta mi inchino al Signore della musica italiana e mito di tutte le interpretazioni!! sei unico!!!
Dolcereginella Dolcereginella
Ogni volta che ascolto la sua voce,ho i brividi!Grazie Renato 🥰
Lucia Andretta
mamma mia... ma ke voce.. io sono napoletana e posso dire che l'ha cantata benissimo!! GRANDE RENATO!!
SalottinoRosa di Anna Colella
Oddio…proprio perfetta non è, ma è la versione più bella in assoluto❤ la sua voce la rende sublime❤