In her youth she took part in the vocal groups Contracanto and Canto Libre. She was arrested by the military government for her involvement in Peronist movements.
In Rosario she met the local singer and composer Fito Páez, who convinced her of abandoning her teaching career and become a professional singer. Páez was the producer of Herrero's first record, in 1987. This album was also the first that Páez produced. Its music was what they called "supermodern folklore". In 1989 Páez also produced Herrero's second album.
Herrero said once that her music not a fusion between Argentine folklore and rock, as some had defined it, but a culture clash — two different traditions facing each other.
In 1993 Herrero released her third album, Isla del Tesoro ("Treasure Island"), with several guests, including Fito Páez, Ricardo Mollo (Divididos), Claudia Puyó and Beto Satragni.
In 1995 she received the Konex Award as one of the best five interpreters of the decade. She was the Argentine representative in the Non-Governmental Organizations Forum of the International Women's Conference in Beijing, China. Her performance was broadcast by national radio.
Volver A Los 17
Liliana Herrero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Huésped eterna del Abril florido
Grande enemiga de la zarzamora, Violeta Parra
Cillaneja, locera y costurera
Bailarina del agua transparente
Árbol lleno de pájaros cantores
Violeta Parra
De Chile
Volver a los diecisiete
Después de vivir un siglo
Es como descifrar signos
Sin ser sabio competente
Volver a ser de repente
Tan frágil como un segundo
Volver a sentir profundo
Como un niño frente a Dios
Eso es lo que siento yo
En este instante fecundo
Se va enredando, enredando
Como en el muro la hiedra
Y va brotando, brotando
Como el musguito en la piedra
Como el musguito en la piedra, ay, sí, sí, sí
Mi paso retrocedido
Cuando el de ustedes avanza
El arco de las alianzas
Ha penetrado en mi nido
Con todo su colorido
Se ha paseado por mis venas
Y hasta las duras cadenas
Con que nos ata el destino
Es como un diamante fino
Que alumbra mi alma serena
Se va enredando, enredando (se va enredando)
Como en el muro la hiedra
Y va brotando, brotando (y va brotando)
Como el musguito en la piedra
Como el musguito en la piedra, ay, sí, sí, sí
Lo que puede el sentimiento
No lo ha podido el saber
Ni el más claro proceder
Ni el más ancho pensamiento
Todo lo cambia el momento
Cual mago condescendiente
Nos aleja dulcemente
De rencores y violencias
Sólo el amor con su ciencia
Nos vuelve tan inocentes
Se va enredando, enredando
Como en el muro la hiedra
Y va brotando, brotando
Como el musguito en la piedra
Como el musguito en la piedra, ay, sí, sí, sí
El amor es torbellino
De pureza original
Hasta el feroz animal
Susurra su dulce trino
Detiene a los peregrinos
Libera a los prisioneros
El amor con sus esmeros
Al viejo lo vuelve niño
Y al malo sólo el cariño
Lo vuelve puro y sincero
Se va enredando, enredando
Como en el muro la hiedra
Y va brotando, brotando
Como el musguito en la piedra
Se va enredando
Como en el muro
Y va brotando
Como el musguito
Como el musguito en la piedra, ay, sí, sí, sí
Ay, sí, sí, sí
The lyrics of Liliana Herrero's song "Volver A Los 17" pay homage to Violeta Parra, an influential Chilean folk singer. The opening lines describe Parra as a sweet neighbor of the green jungle, an eternal guest of the blooming April, a great enemy of the blackberry bushes. Parra is portrayed as a weaver, potter, and seamstress, a dancer in the transparent water, a tree filled with singing birds. Through these descriptions, the song lauds Parra's multifaceted talents and her connection to the natural world.
The chorus, "Volver a los diecisiete" (To be seventeen again), suggests a desire to regain the innocence and openness of youth. The singer reflects on the feeling of deciphering signs without being a knowledgeable expert. They long to be as fragile as a second, to experience deep emotions like a child in the presence of God. The moment is described as fertile and overwhelming.
The song continues with the metaphor of intertwining ivy climbing a wall, symbolizing the way love and emotions tightly grip and take root. The lyrics express a sense of being transported by intense feelings, as if colorfully painted alliances have entered the singer's nest and flowed through their veins. Even the firm chains of destiny are transformed into a fine diamond that illuminates the singer's serene soul.
The song highlights the power of love and sentiment over knowledge, rationality, and even the widest thoughts. It suggests that love has the ability to change everything in a moment, relieving us of resentments and violence. Love's science makes us pure and innocent again.
"Volver A Los 17" celebrates the transformative power of love and emotion, drawing inspiration from the legacy of Violeta Parra. The song encourages a return to the innocence and openness of youth, while also emphasizing the ability of love to heal and change individuals. It is a heartfelt tribute to the profound influence of emotions and the enduring legacy of Parra's artistry.
Line by Line Meaning
Dulce vecina de la verde selva
Sweet neighbor of the green jungle
Huésped eterna del Abril florido
Eternal guest of the blooming April
Grande enemiga de la zarzamora, Violeta Parra
Great enemy of the blackberry bush, Violeta Parra
Cillaneja, locera y costurera
Cillaneja, potter, and seamstress
Bailarina del agua transparente
Dancer of the transparent water
Árbol lleno de pájaros cantores
Tree full of singing birds
Violeta Parra
Violeta Parra
De Chile
From Chile
Volver a los diecisiete
To go back to being seventeen
Después de vivir un siglo
After living for a century
Es como descifrar signos
It's like deciphering signs
Sin ser sabio competente
Without being a knowledgeable expert
Volver a ser de repente
To suddenly become again
Tan frágil como un segundo
As fragile as a second
Volver a sentir profundo
To feel deeply again
Como un niño frente a Dios
Like a child in front of God
Eso es lo que siento yo
That is what I feel
En este instante fecundo
In this fruitful moment
Se va enredando, enredando
It keeps entangling, entangling
Como en el muro la hiedra
Like ivy on the wall
Y va brotando, brotando
And it keeps sprouting, sprouting
Como el musguito en la piedra
Like moss on the stone
Mi paso retrocedido
My step backward
Cuando el de ustedes avanza
While yours advances
El arco de las alianzas
The arc of alliances
Ha penetrado en mi nido
Has penetrated into my nest
Con todo su colorido
With all its colorfulness
Se ha paseado por mis venas
It has walked through my veins
Y hasta las duras cadenas
And even the harsh chains
Con que nos ata el destino
With which destiny ties us
Es como un diamante fino
Is like a fine diamond
Que alumbra mi alma serena
That illuminates my serene soul
Lo que puede el sentimiento
What feeling can do
No lo ha podido el saber
Knowledge has not been able to do
Ni el más claro proceder
Nor the clearest action
Ni el más ancho pensamiento
Nor the widest thought
Todo lo cambia el momento
The moment changes everything
Cual mago condescendiente
Like a benevolent magician
Nos aleja dulcemente
It sweetly distances us
De rencores y violencias
From resentments and violence
Sólo el amor con su ciencia
Only love with its knowledge
Nos vuelve tan inocentes
Makes us so innocent
El amor es torbellino
Love is a whirlwind
De pureza original
Of original purity
Hasta el feroz animal
Even the fierce animal
Susurra su dulce trino
Whispers its sweet melody
Detiene a los peregrinos
It stops the pilgrims
Libera a los prisioneros
It frees the prisoners
El amor con sus esmeros
Love with its efforts
Al viejo lo vuelve niño
Turns the old into a child
Y al malo sólo el cariño
And to the wicked, only affection
Lo vuelve puro y sincero
Makes them pure and sincere
El amor es torbellino
Love is a whirlwind
Se va enredando, enredando
It keeps entangling, entangling
Como en el muro la hiedra
Like ivy on the wall
Y va brotando, brotando
And it keeps sprouting, sprouting
Como el musguito en la piedra
Like moss on the stone
Se va enredando
It keeps entangling
Como en el muro
Like on the wall
Y va brotando
And it keeps sprouting
Como el musguito
Like the moss
Como el musguito en la piedra, ay, sí, sí, sí
Like moss on the stone, oh, yes, yes, yes
Ay, sí, sí, sí
Oh, yes, yes, yes
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Violeta Parra Sandoval
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind