Tic Tac by Enrique Cadícamo

Tic Tac is a Tango written and composed by Enrique Cadícamo.

Story behind the Tango Tic Tac

The lyrics of “Tic Tac” portray the profound emotion of love lost and the stark loneliness that follows. Enrique Cadícamo eloquently captures the essence of a silent, empty space once filled with the presence of a loved one. Here, the repetitive ‘Tic tac’ of the clock symbolizes the passing of time and the persistent reminder of what once was. It conveys the painful reminder that life continues despite one’s emotional state. This tango tells the story of a person looking back on lost love with a mix of nostalgia, loss, and an unyielding fixation on the past, all orchestrated against the backdrop of a ticking clock.

Symbolism of Tic Tac

The ‘tic tac’ sound of the clock in the song is heavily laden with symbolism. It embodies the relentless march of time and serves as a metaphor for heartbeats, suggesting life continuing despite emotional death. The clock’s tic tac is described hauntingly like a heartbeat in the shadows or a hammer striking continuously, signifying the relentless pain of memories that refuse to vanish. This constant reminder can also be seen as a symbol of torment and the inescapable reality of passing time, where each tic tac may be counting down to an end, or torturously, another day without love.

Tic Tac in Historic Context

Written in 1941, during a time of global turmoil and on the cusp of World War II affecting Argentina, “Tic Tac” mirrors the pervasive sense of uncertainty and sorrow. The personal loss depicted in the tango can also be an allegory for the greater losses society was facing. The haunting presence of the clock could be echoing the collective anxious anticipation and awareness of irreversible change that were poignant during that era.

Enrique Cadícamo

Enrique Cadícamo was an influential Argentine lyricist and composer, renowned particularly for his contributions to the genre of Tango.