Hana’s music is lyrically driven and showcases an expressive vocal delivery that fluctuates between soft soulful intensity and bold clarity. You may find yourself connecting to that voice, through words you’ve left unspoken – as a lover, a traveler, an ex, a daughter, an outcast, or a witness. Her songs explore the personal with fearless vulnerability in a style that is Sarah-McLachlan-meets-Bon-Iver. On stage, she is a storyteller with an emotionally engaging live repertoire that is infused with sincerity and humor, whether solo with her piano and guitar, or as a trio accompanied by cello and bass.
“A folk-rock songstress with a 10,000-watt voice… it’s as if the music is taking over her body, channeling through her lungs in a sort of velvet explosion…she has an infectious smile, and a playful way of grooving onstage, performing with either piano or guitar.” – JO Magazine
Crafted in four recording locations, with 17 American and Jordanian artists over two time zones and 6000 miles, Hana Malhas’ debut album Shapeshift was released in March, 2010. For this album, she worked with Jim roll at Backseat Productions (Chris Bathgate, Frontier Ruckus) and invited a diverse range of musicians to layer this introspective collection of songs with strong organic arrangements of instrumentation and harmony. The original works are supplemented by an intimate remake of an Arabic song by popular Jordanian artist Yazan Al-Rousan. Lyrically, some of the themes she touches on are relationships and redemption, moments of liberating epiphany, love and lessons learned, death and loss, war, and solitude.
Code
Hana Malhas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What to expect, with no regrets
It's just the way things are left unsaid
I keep finding clues, all lead me to you
You only know how to talk in code
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me guessing what you came here for
I keep trying to decipher your encrypted heart
And the way you love
You play it safe when you're scared to trust
I keep finding clues, all lead me to you
You only know how to talk in code
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me guessing what you came here for
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me guessing what you came here for
No matter what I do, leads me back to you
I am trying my best to get over this mess
But we can't resist a feeling like this
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me guessing what you came here for
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me guessing what you came here for
(Instrumental)
The song "Code" by Hana Malhas explores the complexity of human relationships and the difficulty in understanding another person's emotions. From the beginning, the singer admits that she doesn't know what to expect but is willing to go along with it anyway, suggesting a level of openness and vulnerability. However, there is a sense of frustration in the lines "It's just the way things are left unsaid" and "You only know how to talk in code," indicating that the other person is not being clear or open with their feelings.
The singer is constantly searching for clues and trying to decipher the other person's "encrypted heart" but is met with only ambiguity and hesitation. Despite this, she finds herself drawn back to the other person despite her efforts to move on. The instrumental break towards the end of the song suggests a period of reflection and contemplation before the final repetition of the chorus.
Overall, "Code" highlights the struggles and complications that can arise in romantic relationships when one person is not fully open or honest with the other, and the difficulty in overcoming those challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd be lying if I said I knew
I don't know what to expect and I have no regrets for it
What to expect, with no regrets
I don't know what to expect and I have no regrets for it
It's just the way things are left unsaid
Things are often left unsaid and we have to deal with it
I keep finding clues, all lead me to you
I keep finding signs that bring me back to you
You only know how to talk in code
You don't communicate clearly and you're confusing
I never thought you'd keep me coming back for more
I never thought you'd keep me interested and wanting more
I never thought you'd keep me guessing what you came here for
I never thought you'd keep me unsure of your intentions
I keep trying to decipher your encrypted heart
I keep trying to understand your feelings but you are secretive
And the way you love
The way you express your love is mysterious
You play it safe when you're scared to trust
You protect yourself when you're afraid to trust
No matter what I do, leads me back to you
I am always drawn back to you no matter what I do
I am trying my best to get over this mess
I am making an effort to move on from this confusing situation
But we can't resist a feeling like this
We can't help but be drawn to this intense feeling
Contributed by Isaac N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.