Isabel Vargas Lizano was born in San Joaquín de Flores, Costa Rica. She goes by Chavela, which is a nickname for Isabel. At only 14, she fled her native country due to lack of musical career opportunities, seeking refuge in Mexico, where an entertainment industry was burgeoning. For many years she sang on the streets but in her thirties she became a professional singer. In her youth, she dressed as a man, smoked cigars, drank heavily, carried a gun and was known for her characteristic red jorongo, which she still dons in performances.
Her first album, Noche de Bohemia (Bohemian Night), was released in 1961 with the professional support of José Alfredo Jiménez, one of the foremost singer/songwriters of the Mexican cancion ranchera. Vargas has recorded over eighty albums thereafter. She was hugely successful during the 1950s, 1960s and the first half of the 70s, touring in Mexico, the United States, France and Spain and was close to many prominent artists and intellectuals of the time, including Juan Rulfo, Agustín Lara, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Dolores Olmedo and José Alfredo Jiménez. She partly retired in the late 1970s due to a 15 year-long battle with alcoholism, which she has described in her autobiography (Y si quieres saber de mi pasado [And if you want to know about my past], published in 2002) as "my 15 years in hell" At 81 years old, she publicly declared that she was a lesbian.
Vargas returned to the stage in 1991, performing at the venue "El Habito" in Coyoacan, Mexico City.She debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2003 at the age of 83 at the behest and promotion of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, a long-time admirer and personal friend of Vargas.
In April 2012 she released her latest album "Luna Grande" a tribute to Spanish poet Federico García Lorca.
No Volveré
Chavela Vargas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
cuando lejos te encuentres de mi
cuando quieras que este yo contigo
no tendras un recuerdo de mi
ni tendras mas amores con migo
te lo juro que no volvere
si una ves con locura te ame
ya de mi alma estaras despedida
no volvere
te lo juro por dios que me mira
te lo digo
llorando de rabia
yo no volvere
no parare hasta ver que mi llanto a formado
un arroyo de olvido abnegado
donde yo tu recuerdo ahogare
[...]
fuimos nubes que el viento aparto
fuimos piedras que siempre chocamos
gotas de agua que el sol reseco
borrachera que no terminamos
en el tren de la ausencia me voy
mi boleto no tiene regreso
lo que quieras de mi te lo doy
pero no te devuelvo tus besos
no volvere
te lo juro por dios que me mira
te lo digo
llorando de rabia
yo no volvere
no parare hasta ver que mi llanto a formado
un arroyo de olvido abnegado
donde yo tu recuerdo ahogare
The lyrics of Chavela Vargas's song "No Volveré" describe a painful goodbye from a lover who has decided to leave for good. The singer declares that even if she is far away from her lover, and even if they want her to return, she will not come back, as she does not want to hold on to the memories of their past love. She promises not to return even if it means her life will be shattered. The singer adds that once she loved her lover passionately, but she has now decided to let go and say goodbye to that love, as it has caused her too much pain.
The second verse provides further details of the relationship that has come to an end. The singer compares her love affair with her lover to different things such as clouds that the wind separates, rocks that always collide, water droplets that the sun dries up, and a never-ending drunkenness. She then says that she's leaving on the train of absence, and she doesn't have a return ticket. The singer declares that she would give her lover whatever they want from her, but she won't return the kisses they shared. The song ends with the singer saying that she won't stop until her tears form a river of stoic forgetfulness where she can drown the memories of her lover.
Overall, the lyrics of "No Volveré" are about letting go of a love affair that has caused too much pain. Although the singer once loved her lover passionately, she has decided to move on and promises never to return.
Line by Line Meaning
cuando lejos te encuentres de mi
When you're far away from me
cuando quieras que este yo contigo
When you want me to be with you
no tendras un recuerdo de mi
You won't have a memory of me
ni tendras mas amores con migo
Nor will you have any more loves with me
te lo juro que no volvere
I swear I won't come back
aunque me haga pedasos la vida
Even if it breaks my life into pieces
si una ves con locura te ame
If I once loved you with madness
ya de mi alma estaras despedida
You'll be dismissed from my soul
no volvere
I won't come back
te lo juro por dios que me mira
I swear it to God who watches over me
te lo digo
I tell you
llorando de rabia
Crying with anger
yo no volvere
I won't come back
no parare hasta ver que mi llanto a formado
I won't stop until my tears have formed
un arroyo de olvido abnegado
A stream of selfless forgetfulness
donde yo tu recuerdo ahogare
Where I'll drown your memory
fuimos nubes que el viento aparto
We were clouds that the wind separated
fuimos piedras que siempre chocamos
We were stones that always collided
gotas de agua que el sol reseco
Drops of water that the sun dried up
borrachera que no terminamos
A drunkenness that we never finished
en el tren de la ausencia me voy
I'm leaving on the train of absence
mi boleto no tiene regreso
My ticket has no return
lo que quieras de mi te lo doy
I'll give you whatever you want from me
pero no te devuelvo tus besos
But I won't give back your kisses
Writer(s): Manuel Esperon, Ernesto Cortazar
Contributed by Allison I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@AndreaArriagaMX
Cuando lejos me encuentre de ti
Cuando quieras que yo este contigo
No hallarás un recuerdo de mí
Ni tendrás más amores conmigo
Y te juro, que no volveré
Aunque me haga pedazos la vida
Si una vez con locura te amé
Ya de mi alma estarás despedida
No volveré
Te lo juro por Dios que me mira
Te lo digo llorando de rabia
No volveré
No pararé
Hasta ver que mi llanto ha formado
Un arroyo de olvido anegado
Donde yo tu recuerdo ahogaré
Fuimos nubes que el viento apartó
Fuimos piedras que siempre chocamos
Gotas de agua que el sol resecó
Borrachera que no terminamos
En el tren de la ausencia me voy
Mi boleto no tiene regreso
Lo que tengas de mí te lo doy
Pero yo, te devuelvo tus besos
No volveré
Te lo juro por Dios que me mira
Te lo digo llorando de rabia
No volveré
No pararé
Hasta ver que mi llanto ha formado
Un arroyo de olvido anegado
Donde yo tu recuerdo ahogaré
@abhijitroy231
Soy de India. Estoy viviendo lo que dice las letras ... el dolor se siente como el canto de Chavela y de nadie otra.
@rovekoller7588
Esta mujer es brutal, el sentimiento que pone en cada canción, grande muy grande chavela vargas
@reginolopez6224
Abhijit Roy todos pasamos por algo así, pero que crees que es para aprender, ya verás que vienes cosas extraordinarias para ti. Saludos
@JesusGonzalez-gy5tu
Chavela,la reina del sentimiento.Tu imperfección vista por los demás te hizo eterna pero eras feliz siendo rebelde y en verdad es así como se cambia el mundo.Tu alma habla desnuda y con la máxima pureza.Que vivas siempre en este mundo y en el resto de los mundos.
@juanhenriquez4874
Pedro infante was the original singer of this beautiful song. I am glad you enjoy it.
@reginolopez6224
Abhijit Roy pero cuando pase, vendrán mujeres hermosas
@fernandogasparnava6250
Para los males del cuerpo, los doctores
Para los males del alma, la confesión
Pero para los males del corazón, Doña Chavela Vargas ❤️✨🍃
@juanesteban3921
Tengo 24 años y no se por què este tipo de musica despierta mi pasion. Mis amigos me llaman anticuado por escuchar este tipo de musica. Pero si ser anticuado es vibrar por esta fineza de letras lo soy con orgullo
@danielar4880
X2
@bleaudi3484
Tengo 31 y es lo mismo jajaja