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.
Una Guerra Senza Eroi
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Figli inquinati
Figli alienati, figli tuoi
Di quell'amore
Fatto di fretta
Di quel rimorso, che ti aspetta
Aquile fiere
Senza più ali
Nelle tue mani
Nere di fumo
Figli di niente e di nessuno
Quanto costa stare qua
Vivere ancora, solo a metà
Le tue assurde tentazioni
Un altro giorno senza emozioni
Davvero credevi, che per noi fosse importante
Una macchina, due case, un conto aperto ed un'amante
Padri perduti
Distratte madri
Per un destino da castrati
Una guerra senza eroi
Comunque vada noi, siamo figli tuoi
Malgrado tutto
Ti somigliamo
Anche se come te, sbagliamo
Una guerra senza eroi
Combatteremo il buio, anche per voi
Dateci un volto
Dateci un nome
Non lasciateci morire
Una guerra senza eroi
Per questa assurda guerra
In prima linea noi
Dateci forza
Dateci amore
Non lasciateci morire
Un avvenire
Un avvenire
Quell'universo ci appartiene
Dateci forza
Dateci amore
Non lasciateci morire
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song "Una Guerra Senza Eroi" deal with the struggles and challenges faced by the younger generation. The opening lines of the song, "Figli sbagliati, Figli inquinati, Figli alienati, figli tuoi" ("Wrong children, polluted children, alienated children, your children") suggest that the song is about children who have been failed by their parents and society. The subsequent lines talk about how their love was hurriedly put together and now they wait in remorse for what the future holds. The mention of "Aquile fiere senza più ali" ("proud eagles without wings anymore"), suggests that these children have lost their hope and aspirations.
The lyrics continue to talk about how the children are lost and without meaning, living in a world without emotions. The line "Davvero credevi, che per noi fosse importante / Una macchina, due case, un conto aperto ed un'amante" ("Did you really believe that a car, two houses, an open account, and a lover were important to us?") implies that the older generation has failed in understanding what truly matters to the younger generation. The second verse talks about how mothers and fathers are also lost and fail to understand their children. It talks about the war being fought without heroes, and how despite the challenges, these children are still the parents' responsibility.
Overall, the song is a poignant commentary on the struggles faced by the younger generation and how they feel disconnected and alienated from the society around them. It calls for giving them hope, love, and guidance to move forward and fight the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Figli sbagliati
Children born into the wrong circumstances or with flaws
Figli inquinati
Children polluted with bad influences and environmental toxins
Figli alienati, figli tuoi
Children who feel alienated and disconnected, yet still yours
Di quell'amore fatto di fretta
Born out of a love that was rushed and not well thought-out
Di quel rimorso che ti aspetta
Feeling of regret that awaits you
Aquile fiere senza più ali
Proud and fierce eagles that have lost their wings
Senza più spazio ne ideali
Without room to move, and without any ideals or aspirations
Nelle tue mani nere di fumo
In your hands that are blackened with smoke
Figli di niente e di nessuno
Children with no value or importance, disregarded by society
Quanto costa stare qui
How much does it cost to live here, struggling to survive?
Vivere ancora solo a metà
Living half a life, with no hope for a better future
Le tue assurde tentazioni
The absurd temptations that lure you into false hope and despair
Un altro giorno senza emozioni
Another day devoid of any meaningful emotions
Davvero credevi che per noi fosse importante
Did you honestly believe that material wealth was important to us?
Una macchina, due case, un conto aperto ed un'amante
A car, two houses, an open account, and a lover
Padri perduti
Lost fathers, absent from their children's lives
Distratte madri
Distracted mothers who struggle to provide for their children
Per un destino da castrati
For a destiny that leaves them feeling powerless and impotent
Una guerra senza eroi
A war without heroes, where everyone is a victim
Comunque vada noi, siamo figli tuoi
No matter what happens, we are still your children
Malgrado tutto, ti somigliamo
Despite everything, we resemble you
Anche se come te sbagliamo
Even though we make mistakes, just like you did
Una guerra senza eroi
A war without heroes, where everyone is left to fend for themselves
Combatteremo il buio anche per voi
We will fight against the darkness, even for those who have given up hope
Dateci un volto
Give us a face, show us that we matter
Dateci un nome
Give us a name, so that we are not forgotten
Non lasciateci morire
Don't let us die, save us from this despair
Dateci forza
Give us strength, so that we can endure
Dateci amore
Give us love, so that we can feel hope
Un avvenire, un avvenire
A future, a future where we can thrive
Quell'universo ci appartiene
That universe belongs to us, we deserve a place in it
Non lasciateci morire
Don't let us die, save us from this despair
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ruggero Cini, Renato Fiacchini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind