Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
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These Tangos, Valses, and Milongas were recorded around the same time. Take a look to discover what else this orchestra—or others—may have recorded during the same week or even on the exact same day.
Volver is a Tango written by Alfredo Le Pera and composed by Carlos Gardel.
“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.
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” 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.
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.