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.
Un nemico sincero
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un vero nemico intrigante abbastanza purché non sia
Testimone muto
Che abbia il giusto rigore, la dignità
Di un soldato
E che regga il confronto e non fugga via
Disorientato
Ne ho già visti soggetti aggirarsi qui
Dilettanti se vuoi
Niente affatto eroi
Né testa né palle
Sarei proprio felice incontrarli sì
Spazzatura del mondo
Che i nemici se mai me li scelgo io
Li salvo oppure li affondo
Voglio un nemico sincero
Voglio il più infame che c'è
Scoprire che siamo entrambi
Difficili, drastici, inflessibili
Tanto ormai gli amici non si fanno vivi più
Cocaina un bel lavoro tu
Fanno finta di star bene
Chiamano se gli conviene
Un pronto soccorso casa mia
Quattro pugni e una carezza
Bei tempi quelli là
Per la sincerità!
Sono io il più fidato nemico mio
Il più intollerante
E lo specchio oramai non lo temo più
Anche quando è tagliente...
Se presenti un difetto con onestà
Li fai arrossire
Certo che quando esponi la qualità
Li farai morire
Voglio un nemico sincero
Voglio il più infame che c'è
Vedi che sia prepotente...
Tanto ormai gli amici non si fanno vivi più
Incollati avanti alla tivvù
Solo voli a pagamento
Sprazzi di lucidità ogni tanto
Che impietosa fine amici miei
Quanti treni abbiamo perso, solo Dio lo sa...
Quante opportunità...
Un nemico sincero
Vero!vero! vero!
Un nemico che stimo
Voglio! voglio! voglio!
Meglio se resto sveglio...
Meglio! meglio! meglio!
In the song "Un nemico sincero", Renato Zero talks about his desire for a "sincere enemy". He misses having an enemy that is intriguing enough to keep him engaged, but not one who is a silent witness to his life. The ideal enemy must be someone who has the right amount of rigor and dignity, like a soldier, and someone who can hold their own in a confrontation. Renato Zero has encountered many people who talk behind his back but are not real heroes, lacking both courage and intelligence. He would like to meet people who are like him, difficult, drastic, and inflexible. He feels that now, more than ever, people do not make friends easily, and so he refers to himself as his own most trusted enemy, the most intolerant.
In the second part of the song, Renato Zero talks about the difficulties of finding people who are honest and loyal in this day and age. He feels that most of his friends have become selfish and are only looking out for themselves. They may call him when they need a favor, but otherwise, they are all glued in front of their TVs or busy making money. Gone are the days when having a sincere enemy was a good thing. In the last few lines, Renato Zero reiterates that he wants a sincere and true enemy, someone he can respect, and who respects him in return.
Line by Line Meaning
Quello che più mi manca tu sai cos'è
You know what I miss the most
Un vero nemico intrigante abbastanza purché non sia
A true, intriguing enemy, as long as he is not
Testimone muto
A silent witness
Che abbia il giusto rigore, la dignità
With the right integrity and dignity
Di un soldato
Like a soldier
E che regga il confronto e non fugga via
And can take on the challenge and not run away
Disorientato
I have already seen individuals wandering here
Ne ho già visti soggetti aggirarsi qui
Talking behind my back
Parlarmi alle spalle
Amateur if you will
Dilettanti se vuoi
Not heroes at all
Niente affatto eroi
Neither head nor balls
Sarei proprio felice incontrarli sì
I would really be happy to meet them
Spazzatura del mondo
Trash of the world
Che i nemici se mai me li scelgo io
I choose my enemies, not them choosing me
Li salvo oppure li affondo
I save them or I sink them
Voglio un nemico sincero
I want a sincere enemy
Voglio il più infame che c'è
I want the most infamous one
Scoprire che siamo entrambi
To discover that we both are
Difficili, drastici, inflessibili
Difficult, drastic, and inflexible
Tanto ormai gli amici non si fanno vivi più
Friends don't stay in touch anymore
Cocaina un bel lavoro tu
Cocaine is a good job for you
Fanno finta di star bene
Pretending to be fine
Chiamano se gli conviene
Calling only when it's convenient
Un pronto soccorso casa mia
My house is like an emergency room
Quattro pugni e una carezza
Four punches and a caress
Bei tempi quelli là
Those were the good times
Per la sincerità!
For sincerity!
Sono io il più fidato nemico mio
I am my most loyal enemy
Il più intollerante
The most intolerant one
E lo specchio oramai non lo temo più
And I am not afraid of the mirror anymore
Anche quando è tagliente...
Even when it is sharp...
Se presenti un difetto con onestà
If you present a flaw with honesty
Li fai arrossire
You make them blush
Certo che quando esponi la qualità
Of course when you express your quality
Li farai morire
You will make them die
Vedi che sia prepotente...
See that it is dominant...
Incollati avanti alla tivvù
Stuck in front of the TV
Solo voli a pagamento
Only paid flights
Sprazzi di lucidità ogni tanto
Glimmers of clarity every now and then
Che impietosa fine amici miei
What a ruthless end my friends
Quanti treni abbiamo perso, solo Dio lo sa...
How many trains we've lost, only God knows...
Quante opportunità...
How many opportunities...
Un nemico sincero
A sincere enemy
Vero! vero! vero!
True! true! true!
Un nemico che stimo
An enemy who I esteem
Voglio! voglio! voglio!
I want! I want! I want!
Meglio se resto sveglio...
Better if I stay awake...
Meglio! meglio! meglio!
Better! Better! Better!
Contributed by Lucas J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.