No Puedes Volver Atrás / Deja La Vida Volar

This 1975 single was released by RCA Victor following the death of Chilean singer-songwriter and activist Víctor Jara, who was killed in the immediate aftermath of the 1973 military coup in Chile. The record serves as a posthumous tribute, compiling two of his most poignant songs, 'No Puedes Volver Atrás' and 'Deja La Vida Volar,' which highlight his commitment to Nueva Canción Chilena, a movement that sought to reclaim Latin American folk traditions to express social and political ideals.

The tracks demonstrate Jara's signature intimate style, blending traditional Andean acoustic instrumentation with evocative, poetic lyrics. While the song 'Deja La Vida Volar' had appeared on earlier albums, this specific pressing was curated during a period when Jara's work became a powerful symbol of resistance against the Pinochet regime. It was received by his supporters not merely as a commercial recording, but as a preservation of a cultural voice that the authorities had attempted to silence.