After starting his musical career in Dunedin (an essential element to any N… Read Full Bio ↴After starting his musical career in Dunedin (an essential element to any New Zealand guitar fiend worth their salt) Paul McLaney released Pedestrian in 1997 and The Prayer Engine (with The Avalanche Trio) in 1998. Now operating under new moniker Gramsci (the name is taken from an Italian political philosopher) McLaney has hooked up with local producer David Holmes to create an album that stems from folk rock roots. His sound is reminiscent of early 70's renegade Nick Drake, recent D.I.Y guy David Gray, even a little Brian Ferry, but he also lets technology eat away at the edges, with beeps and loops invading his sound to create a greater sense of space.

Mclaney confesses his task is simple: the nature of his songs are still life, straight to the core of our emotional entanglements. "Songs will always be songs" he says after his recent release party for Permanence. "No analysis of guitar vs electronic music will ever eliminate the human element of the song: music speaks to people in a way no other art form can. Take Coldplay, it's fresh because it's honest and emotional, it's not dressed up. I'm trying to do a similar thing; honest, unashamedly beautiful music that people can come and wash away their week with."

Code
Gramsci Lyrics

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I'm listening to the sound of your heart beating
Yes I'm listening to the sound of the
Same phrase, repeating
Pulsing out a code of love and life in your veins
Oh, hello
Tick, tick, tock ticking away
Tick, tick, tock ticking away

She's listening to the sound of my heart beating
Yes she's listening to the sound of the
Same phrase, repeating
Pulsing out a code of love and life in your veins
Oh, hello
Tick, tick, tock ticking away
Tick, tick, tock ticking away

We're listening to the sound of our hearts beating
Yes we're listening to the sound of the
Same phrase, repeating
Pulsing out a code of love and life in your veins
Oh, hello
Tick, tick, tock ticking away
Tick, tick, tock ticking away

Tick, tick, tock ticking away
Tick, tick, tock ticking away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gramsci’s song “Code” capture the beauty and significance of the human heart and its enduring power to connect people. The song’s opening lines reveal the singer’s deep sensitivity as he listens intently to the sound of his loved one’s heart beating. The phrase “same phrase, repeating” suggests that the heart’s steady rhythm, with its “tick, tick, tock ticking away,” represents something profound – a mysterious code of love and life that is pulsing through her veins.

As the song unfolds, the singer reveals that his beloved is also listening to his heart, which is beating in synchronicity with hers. The repetition of the phrase “tick, tick, tock ticking away” creates a sense of unity and continuity, emphasizing the idea that the two individuals are connected in a profound way, sharing a secret language that only they can understand. Ultimately, the chorus reveals that they are both listening to the sound of their own hearts, and that the pulsing code of love and life that animates them is something that they share in common.

Overall, the lyrics of “Code” speak to the enduring power of the human heart to connect people and express the deep emotions that underpin human relationships. The song celebrates the beauty and mystery of the heart’s steady beat, which represents a code that lovers share, a language that only they can understand.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm listening to the sound of your heart beating
I am closely paying attention to the energy and essence of your being.

Yes I'm listening to the sound of the
Affirmative, I'm wholeheartedly tuning in to the rhythm of your heart.

Same phrase, repeating
The pattern of beats keep echoing without deviation or alteration.

Pulsing out a code of love and life in your veins
The consistent thumping transmits a message of passion and vitality through your bloodstream.

Oh, hello
An exclamation of greeting and wonder towards the beauty of one's inner world.

Tick, tick, tock ticking away
The constant and unceasing flow of time and its impact on the heart and soul.

She's listening to the sound of my heart beating
Another person is attentively discerning the unique cadence of my being.

We're listening to the sound of our hearts beating
Multiple individuals are harmoniously syncing to the collective pulse of their shared humanity.

Tick, tick, tock ticking away
A reminder that, regardless of differences or similarities, time and its ceaseless ticking unifies all human experience.

Tick, tick, tock ticking away
The sound of the heart and the sound of time march on inextricably linked to each other.

Tick, tick, tock ticking away
A final echoing reminder of the dual nature of heartbeats and clocks, alluding to the existential fragility and beauty of human lives.

Contributed by Gianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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