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 magia
Renato Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Una valida ragione ad una porta che sbatte.
Un paio d'ali nuove ad una farfalla sbiadita.
Una seconda volta ad una storia finita.
L'applauso più scrosciante ad un tenore stonato.
Un treno, più veloce a chi non è mai partito.
Una coscienza a chi si sente un padreterno
Un boomerang a chi rende la vita un inferno.
Rimescolare i ruoli e le vite
Una magia e via
Ritornino le streghe e le fate
Felici solo in apparenza
In realtà noi non crediamo più
Che questa tua malinconia
Si risolva con una magia.
E fosse pure un'idiozia
Ho un gran rispetto io della magia. Una magia!
Una sirena appesa all'amo di un pescatore.
Ad un cane randagio una medaglia al valore.
Una lampadina ad ogni idea che si smorza.
A chi ha sempre subito un'inspiegabile forza.
Una magia
Sugli uomini e su tutte le cose.
Dentro di te, nei vicoli ed in tutte le case.
Una magia che ci ha cresciuti
Che ci ha stupiti e ancora lo farà.
Una magia che spero tanto non ci lascerà…
Quanta magia nella tua testa.
Tienila in tasca che non si sa mai.
A quegli amori sfortunati, più magia che puoi
Una magia che spero torni ancora dentro noi.
Che dia più grinta e più calore alla magia che sei
Una magia? E sia
The lyrics of Renato Zero's song Una Magia speaks on the idea that magic can solve problems that seem unsolvable. The song begins with various items that could use a bit of magic to improve their current situations such as providing a shadow to someone walking around at night, fixing a rattling door, or giving a faded butterfly a new pair of wings. It then moves on to bigger concepts such as providing a second chance to someone who felt their story was over or giving a standing ovation to a singer who may not have had the best performance, alluding to the idea that some things deserve a bit of magic in order to achieve their full potential.
The chorus repeatedly mentions a "magic" that can rearrange roles and lives, bringing back the witches and fairies that were supposed to make everything happier--but it is also pointed out that happiness is only an illusion, that people no longer believe that magic can solve their issues. The song concludes with the idea that while magic may seem like an idiocy, it's worth respecting because of how much power it has.
Overall, the song speaks to the idea that people are always searching for solutions to their problems, and they wish for a little bit of magic to help make things right.
Line by Line Meaning
Un'ombra a chi l'ha persa andando in giro di notte.
A shadow for those who lost it while wandering at night.
Una valida ragione ad una porta che sbatte.
A valid reason for a slamming door.
Un paio d'ali nuove ad una farfalla sbiadita.
A pair of new wings for a faded butterfly.
Una seconda volta ad una storia finita.
A second chance for a story that has ended.
L'applauso più scrosciante ad un tenore stonato.
The loudest applause for an out-of-tune tenor.
Un treno, più veloce a chi non è mai partito.
A faster train for those who have never departed.
Una coscienza a chi si sente un padreterno
A conscience for those who feel like a paternal figure.
Un boomerang a chi rende la vita un inferno.
A boomerang for those who make life a living hell.
Una magia
A magic spell.
Rimescolare i ruoli e le vite
Mixing up roles and lives.
Una magia e via
A magic spell and go.
Ritornino le streghe e le fate
The witches and fairies return.
Felici solo in apparenza
Happy only in appearance.
In realtà noi non crediamo più
In reality, we no longer believe.
Che questa tua malinconia
That your melancholy.
Si risolva con una magia.
Will be solved with a magic spell.
E fosse pure un'idiozia
And even if it's foolishness.
Ho un gran rispetto io della magia. Una magia!
I have great respect for magic. A magic spell!
Una sirena appesa all'amo di un pescatore.
A mermaid hanging on a fisherman's hook.
Ad un cane randagio una medaglia al valore.
A stray dog deserves a medal of valor.
Una lampadina ad ogni idea che si smorza.
A light bulb for every idea that fades away.
A chi ha sempre subito un'inspiegabile forza.
To those who have always faced an unexplainable force.
Una magia
A magic spell.
Sugli uomini e su tutte le cose.
On men and all things.
Dentro di te, nei vicoli ed in tutte le case.
Within you, in the alleys and in all homes.
Una magia che ci ha cresciuti
A magic spell that has raised us.
Che ci ha stupiti e ancora lo farà.
That has amazed us and will continue doing so.
Una magia che spero tanto non ci lascerà...
A magic spell that I hope will never leave us...
Quanta magia nella tua testa.
How much magic in your head.
Tienila in tasca che non si sa mai.
Keep it in your pocket, you never know.
A quegli amori sfortunati, più magia che puoi
To those unlucky loves, more magic you can give.
Una magia che spero torni ancora dentro noi.
A magic spell that I hope will come back inside us.
Che dia più grinta e più calore alla magia che sei
That gives more grit and warmth to the magic that you are.
Una magia? E sia
A magic spell? So be it.
Contributed by Kaylee K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.