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Volver

Volver is a Tango written by Carlos Gardel and recorded by Aníbal Troilo in 1970. Aníbal Troilo has recorded Volver as an instrumental Tango.
“Volver,” which translates to “To Return” in English, is a melody entwined with nostalgia and yearning. This piece evokes the deep desire to revisit memories, places, or emotions that once defined us. It’s a lyrical journey back to the heart’s familiar paths, where echoes of the past whisper softly, inviting us to embrace what was left behind.

Tango

Style

Aníbal Troilo

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Author

Carlos Gardel

Composer

1970/8/13

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Aníbal Troilo
Aníbal Troilo

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Volver recorded by other Orchestras

Volver recorded by other Orchestras

Letra del Tango Volver

Yo adivino el parpadeo
de las luces que a lo lejos,
van marcando mi retorno.
Son las mismas que alumbraron,
con sus pálidos reflejos,
hondas horas de dolor.
Y aunque no quise el regreso,
siempre se vuelve al primer amor.
La quieta calle donde el eco dijo:
‘Tuya es su vida, tuyo es su querer’,
bajo el burlón mirar de las estrellas
que con indiferencia hoy me ven volver.

Volver,
con la frente marchita,
las nieves del tiempo
platearon mi sien.
Sentir, que es un soplo la vida,
que veinte años no es nada,
que febril la mirada
errante en las sombras
te busca y te nombra.
Vivir,
con el alma aferrada
a un dulce recuerdo,
que lloro otra vez.

Tengo miedo del encuentro
con el pasado que vuelve
a enfrentarse con mi vida.
Tengo miedo de las noches
que, pobladas de recuerdos,
encadenen mi soñar.
Pero el viajero que huye,
tarde o temprano detiene su andar.
Y aunque el olvido que todo destruye,
haya matado mi vieja ilusión,
guarda escondida una esperanza humilde,
que es toda la fortuna de mi corazón.

English lyrics of the Tango "Volver"

I foresee the flickering
of the lights that in the distance,
mark my return.
They are the same ones that lit,
with their pale reflections,
deep hours of pain.
And although I didn’t want to come back,
one always returns to their first love.
The quiet street where the echo said:
‘His life is yours, his love is yours’,
under the mocking gaze of the stars
that with indifference see me return today.

To return,
with a withered brow,
the snows of time
have silvered my temples.
To feel, that life is but a breath,
that twenty years is nothing,
that feverish, the gaze
wanders in the shadows
searching for you, calling your name.
To live,
with the soul clung
to a sweet memory,
which I cry for once again.

I’m scared of the meeting
with the past that returns
to confront my life.
I’m scared of the nights
that, filled with memories,
chain my dreams.
But the traveler who flees,
sooner or later stops their walk.
And although oblivion, which destroys everything,
has killed my old illusion,
it hides a humble hope,
which is all the fortune of my heart.

Volver by Carlos Gardel

Volver is a Tango written by Alfredo Le Pera and composed by Carlos Gardel.

Story behind the Tango Volver

“Volver” translates to “Return” in English and is a poignant, emotional reflection on the passage of time and the inexorable pull of one’s roots and formative memories. The lyrics speak of a person foreseeing the lights that mark his way back home and evoke deep, past hours of pain illuminated by the same lights. The involuntary return, likened to returning to a first love, indicates an unavoidable reconciliation with the past. The song continues through an emotional landscape, mentioning youth’s fleeting nature, and the nostalgic attachment to sweet memories that brings tears anew.

Symbolism of Volver

The recurring symbolism in “Volver” revolves profoundly around time and memory. Phrases like “con la frente marchita” and “las nieves del tiempo platearon mi sien” metaphorically discuss aging (“with a withered brow” and “the snows of time have silvered my temples”). These lines poetically articulate the physical and emotional marks left by time. The repeated invocation of the theme of life as a breath (“que es un soplo la vida”) highlights life’s ephemeral quality, underscoring a poignant awareness of human mortality and the brief nature of existence.

Volver in historic Context

“Volver” was released in 1970 and recorded in Argentina, maintaining a deep connection with the country’s cultural identity rooted in Tango. This period in Argentina was one of political and social upheaval, and in such times, nostalgic songs resonating with themes of return and reminiscence of simpler times often hold particular poignancy. For many Argentines and others, the tango reflects the soul of the streets, the history of the people, and an aural tradition of storytelling that is vivid and melancholic.

About Carlos Gardel

Carlos Gardel is an iconic figure in the history of tango, known for his deep voice and dramatic performances that resonated with the working-class population, making tango a global phenomenon.