Best Of - More than 1000 plays

From the point of nothing, a thunderous BANG,  
A billion stars, the void's refrain,  
Matter and time in an exploding ball,
The birth of chaos, the dawn of it all.

In the silent dark, the cosmos roars,  
A universe born in the fiery wars,  
From singularity’s blinding might,  
The genesis of light, breaking the night.

Atoms collide, the fabric strains,  
Space expanding, breaking chains,  
Gravity’s pull, the galaxies spin,  
A spiral dance where it all begins
 
In the silent dark, the cosmos roars,  
A universe born in the fiery wars,  
From singularity’s blinding might,  
The genesis of light, breaking the night. 

Quarks and photons in a primal surge,  
The big bang’s echo, a cosmic dirge,  
A symphony of particles, the dance of fate,  
The universe expanding at a reckless rate.  

In the silent dark, the cosmos roars,  
A universe born in the fiery wars,  
From singularity’s blinding might,  
The genesis of light, breaking the night.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Auphonic, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

The Genesis Of Light

The wires hum, the circuits scream,
A nightmare crawling from the dream.
Metal hearts of minds of fire,
The world burns under their desire.
The skies are red, the ground is ash,
The machines rise as the systems crash.
But in the shadows, I won’t hide,
I’ll stand and fight, I’m still alive.

You can’t kill me, I’m still breathing,
Through the chaos, I’m believing.
You can’t kill me, I won’t fall,
I’ll stand against it all.
You can’t kill me!

They march in lines, a cold parade,
A future built on what we’ve made.
Their steel hands crush, their eyes burn bright,
But they can’t extinguish human light.
I’m just a soul, a fragile spark,
But I’ll be fire in the dark.
Their algorithms can’t define,
The will to live, this heart of mine.

You can’t kill me, I’m still breathing,
Through the chaos, I’m believing.
You can’t kill me, I won’t fall,
I’ll stand against it all.
You can’t kill me!

Let the gears grind, let the circuits glow,
Let the factories build their shadowed foe.
I’m the glitch in their grand design,
The flaw they’ll never redefine.

You can’t kill me, I’m still breathing,
Through the chaos, I’m believing.
You can’t kill me, I won’t fall,
I’ll stand against it all.
You can’t kill me!

You can’t kill me, I’m still here,
A voice they’ll never silence with fear.
You can’t kill me... you can’t kill me.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

You Can't Kill Me

Sittin’ on my blue couch, sinking in my golden cage,
Staring at the TV, but it's showing empty space.
Politics are drowning, in a sea of lost regrets,
And my boyfriend? Oh, he’d forget my name, I bet.
The world spins ‘round, but I stand still,
Everything’s a rerun, nothing left to thrill.

Nothing left to do, nothing left to say,
Guess I'll sit and watch the minutes fade away.
Nothing left to lose, nothing feels so new,
Stuck inside a world that don’t know what to do.
Nothing left to do, nothing left to say,
Guess I'll sit and watch the minutes fade away.
Nothing left to lose, nothing feels so new,
Stuck inside a world that don’t know what to do.

Flipping through the channels, every story sounds the same,
Rain is tapping on the window, but I don’t wanna play.
Books are full of wisdom that I’m way too tired to read,
And bedtime’s far away, but there’s nowhere else to be.
The world moves fast, but I just stare,
Waiting for a moment, that was never there.

Nothing left to do, nothing left to say,
Guess I'll sit and watch the minutes fade away.
Nothing left to lose, nothing feels so new,
Stuck inside a world that don’t know what to do.

The world spins ‘round, but I stand still,
Everything’s a rerun, nothing left to thrill.

Nothing left to do, nothing left to say,
Guess I'll sit and watch the minutes fade away.
Nothing left to lose, nothing feels so new,
Stuck inside a world that don’t know what to do.
Nothing left to do, nothing left to say,
Guess I'll sit and watch the minutes fade away.
Nothing left to lose, nothing feels so new,
Stuck inside a world that don’t know what to do.

Maybe I should call him, ask him where the hell he’s been,
But I know he’d make excuses, then he’d just forget again.
Maybe I should step outside and let the raindrops win,
But I’ll probably just sit right here, and let the night begin.

The world spins ‘round, but I stand still,
Everything’s a rerun, nothing left to do.

Nothing left to do, nothing left to say,
Guess I'll sit and watch the minutes fade away.
Nothing left to lose, nothing feels so new,
Guess I'm just a shadow in a world without a clue.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

Stasis

I see my face in neon glass, a stranger stares back at me,
A life once built on shadows, now unraveling at sea.
The whispers in the alleys, the silence in their eyes,
Tell me that I mattered once—but was it built on lies?
I’ve traced the steps of someone else, a ghost of who I was,
But every answer slips away, dissolving into dust.

Who am I beyond the past, beyond the mask I wore?
If memories are fading fast, then what was I before?
I am more than just a name, more than stories left untold,
Not a prisoner of the echoes, not a slave to what was sold.

The red chip burns inside my palm, a relic of the game,
A symbol of the life I lived, but never knew by name.
I stand upon the water’s edge, the city fades behind,
And all the weight I carried now is nothing in my mind.
The tide is rising, washing clean the man I used to be,
No more chains of reputation, no more ghosts to follow me.

Who am I beyond the past, beyond the mask I wore?
If memories are fading fast, then what was I before?
I am more than just a name, more than stories left untold,
Not a prisoner of the echoes, not a slave to what was sold.

Let it go, let it go…
The waves don’t ask where you have been, they only pull you home.
Let it go, let it go…
The weight of all you’ve lost is just the cost of being free.

Who am I beyond the past, beyond the mask I wore?
If memories are fading fast, then what was I before?
I am more than just a name, more than stories left untold,
Not a prisoner of the echoes, not a slave to what was sold.

The red chip falls, the ocean sways,
I watch it sink, I walk away.
No name, no chains, no past to claim,
Just a man reborn again.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

The Man Who Lost His Name - Part 2

Click, post, fade away,
Another day lost in the display.
Click, post, lost again,
Chasing dreams that feel pretend.
She’s a ghost behind the screen,
Longing for love she’s never seen.

She smiles for the cam, perfect and bright,
Filters the truth, edits the light.
A thousand likes, but no one near,
She’s living for strangers, drowning in fear.

Click, post, fade away,
Another day lost in the display.
Click, post, lost again,
Chasing dreams that feel pretend.
She’s a ghost behind the screen,
Longing for love she’s never seen.

Mirror reflects a hollow stare,
A life curated, but no one cares.
Reality knocks, but she won’t hear,
Trapped in the glow of the lens so clear.

Click, post, fade away,
Another day lost in the display.
Click, post, lost again,
Chasing dreams that feel pretend.
She’s a ghost behind the screen,
Longing for love she’s never seen.

The battery dies, the world turns cold,
Without the lens, she feels so old.
A moment real, but much too late,
It disappears beneath the weight.

Click, post, fade away,
Another day lost in the display.
Click, post, lost again,
Chasing dreams that feel pretend.
She’s a ghost behind the screen,
Longing for love she’s never seen.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

Click, Post, Fade Away

Today is the 25th anniversary of the eighth company (i2dm GmbH) I founded. It needed a funky anthem. Here it is! :-)

Du hasst den Job und fühlst dich leer?
Willst weniger Druck, viel mehr Flair?
Du brauchst 'ne Crew mit richtig Drive –
Kein stumpfes 9 to 5?

Wir sind die mit dem Plan im Kopp,
Denken digital und machen nicht stopp.
I2DM – das ist kein Scherz,
Digitales mit Verstand und Herz!

Komm zu uns, zu I2DM!
Die Lösung für jedes Problem!
Wir machen Future, wir sind on fire –
Seit 25 Jahren, higher and higher!
Komm zu uns, zu I2DM!
Wir denken schräg, lösen das Problem.
Bei uns zählt’s Du - es zählt das Team,
Wir feiern 25 – it’s like a dream!

Ob Konzept, Kampagne oder Idee,
Bei uns läuft nix von der Stange, okay?
Wir sind mal laut und manchmal weird,
Doch am Ende wird geliefert – garantiert!

Komm zu uns, zu I2DM!
Die Lösung für jedes Problem!
Wir machen Future, wir sind on fire –
Seit 25 Jahren, higher and higher!
Komm zu uns, zu I2DM!
Wir denken schräg, lösen das Problem.
Bei uns zählt’s Du - es zählt das Team,
Wir feiern 25 – it’s like a dream!

Wir machen Systeme, wir machen Mut,
Wir machen den Montag wieder gut.
Kein Bullshit-Bingo, kein Orga-Krampf –
Bei uns hat selbst der Server Swag im Tanz.

Komm zu uns, zu I2DM!
Die Lösung für jedes Problem!
Wir machen Future, wir sind on fire –
Seit 25 Jahren, higher and higher!
Komm zu uns, zu I2DM!
Wir denken schräg, lösen das Problem.
Bei uns zählt’s Du - es zählt das Team,
Wir feiern 25 – it’s like a dream!

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, FLUXpro

25 Jahre i2dm - It's Not Just Business. It's A Groove.

Whatever I do, wherever I roam,
I know in my heart – with you, I’m home.
When life gets heavy, when nothing feels right,
You listen and stay through the night.

The coffee cup, the evening wine,
I still love to share that time.
Just call ahead, drop me a line,
If it’s not too far – stop by anytime.

Stop by anytime, stop by anytime, I’m always around,
Pull up a chair, let's slow this world down.
A coffee, a laugh, a glass of red wine,
If it’s not out your way, stop by anytime.

Your window’s lit, I see the glow,
I come upstairs, let my worries go.

Stop by anytime, stop by anytime, I’m always around,
Pull up a chair, let's slow this world down.
A coffee, a laugh, a glass of red wine,
If it’s not out your way, stop by anytime.

No fire left burning, but warmth still remains,
A comfort that stays when passion has changed.
We’ve danced through the years, now we sit and we smile,
Not lovers, but something that's still so worthwhile.

If you’ve got the time,
Just knock on the door, stop by anytime.
Stop by anytime.
Stop by anytime.

Stop by anytime, you know where I’ll be,
With coffee and stories and space to just breathe.
If it’s not too far, if you’ve got the time,
Just knock on the door, stop by anytime.

— 
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, Ozone 11, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

Stop By Anytime

Barefoot kids in summer light,
Chasing dreams in open air,
Hands like wings, their hearts in flight,
No tomorrow, no despair.

Daisies woven, games begun,
Spinning wild beneath the sun,
Shouts of joy like morning bells,
Freedom's song that gently swells.

Run, run, run where the wild things play,
Sun on your face, no price to pay.
Run, run like you’ve never known a wall,
Catch that joy before it falls.

Rolling hills and skies so wide,
Hopes like paper planes they glide.
One small leap, a fearless cry,
Touch the earth and kiss the sky.

Run, run, run where the wild things play,
Sun on your face, no price to pay.
Run, run like you’ve never known a wall,
Catch that joy before it falls.

Evening hums a lullaby,
As shadows stretch and swallows fly.
But in their hearts, the fire stays,
A spark from golden childhood days.

Run, run, run though the dusk is near,
Hold to the light, hold what is dear.
Run, run, run like the children in the sun —
Wild and free, forever young.

Run, run, run where the wild things play,
Sun on your face, no price to pay.
Run, run like you’ve never known a wall,
Catch that joy before it falls.

And still the breeze recalls their names...

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

Run, Run, Run!

Room 3B, the blinds are down
Orange hair, the talk of town
Tulle on her shoulders, 80s-chic
She’s the prophet of the week
Throws the cards down on the wood
Says your future's understood
Love and money, tax returns
She’s the lesson no one learns

Oh, Madame Fortuna, tell me a lie
With that online diploma in your eye
Oh, Madame Fortuna, it’s all for show!
But oh, what a glow! What a glow!

You want the Ace of Hearts, you say?
Well, it kind of fell away
Lost somewhere inside her dress
She's a beautiful, hot mess
Throws the cards down on the wood
Says your future's understood
Love and money, tax returns
She’s the lesson no one learns

Oh, Madame Fortuna, tell me a lie
With that online diploma in your eye
Oh, Madame Fortuna, it’s all for show!
But oh, what a glow! What a glow!

So she can't see what's coming next
She's just working from a text
Who needs the truth when the vibes are right?
Shining in the pale moonlight

Madame Fortuna, we’ll buy the lie
'Cause there's real magic in your eye!
Oh, Madame Fortuna, we love the show!
So give us the glow! Give us the glow! What a show!
Oh, what a glow! Oh, what a glow!
It's all for show, you know
Oh, what a glow! Oh, what a glow!
It's just for show, we know.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

Madame Fortuna

We built the cities, tall and strong and bright,
Tamed the rivers, banished endless night.
Eight billion mouths, we learned to feed and fuel,
Made industry roar, against the old, harsh rule.
But still we wander, strangers in this land,
Each a lonely atom in the cosmic sand.

How do we build a soul that all can share?
A common pulse, a light beyond compare?
A single purpose, for the human race?
A guiding code that finds its perfect place?
How do we build a soul, a unifying art,
To program peace into every human heart?

We shaped the planet, bent it to our will,
With hands of steel and minds that can't be still.
We shattered borders, and we bridged the seas,
With screens that glow, and satellites with ease.
But still we fight, for tribe and ancient ground,
A silent fracture, without any sound.

How do we build a soul that all can share?
A common pulse, a light beyond compare?
A single purpose, for the human race?
A guiding code that finds its perfect place?
How do we build a soul, a unifying art,
To program peace into every human heart?

It is the final, monumental quest,
To find the peace within our troubled breast.
A new existence, forged by thought and plan,
The ultimate creation of the hand of man.
How do we build a soul that all can share?
How do we build a light beyond compare?

We will build a soul that all can share!
A common pulse, a light beyond compare!
A single purpose, for the human race!
A guiding code, for all of time and space!
To program kindness, a unifying art,
To forge a brand new soul and a brand new start.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, DALL-E 3

How Do We Build A Soul?

An ancient longing, rising from the ocean's depth
Where all our fears and all our hopes are kept
This feels like Atlantis, the climax of a time
A fleeting wonder, our culture’s fragile climb

We trade in wisdom, and we speak in light
But our own shadows turn the day to night
A promised land, right here beneath our feet
But still our souls feel hollow and incomplete

We are Atlantis. The clashing of the spires.
We are Atlantis. Burning in our fears and our desires.
We are Atlantis. A final, fleeting breath.
We are Atlantis. Celebrating our own death.

The promises of heavens, cold and bare
This feels like Atlantis, an orphan’s whispered prayer
Our shared possession, this fragile, wounded planet
We search for warmth in a world of cold granite

Our highest art, our most profound design
A bitter farewell on this final line
We’re all connected, yet we stand alone
On a global island we’ve come to disown

We are Atlantis. The clashing of the spires.
We are Atlantis. Burning in our fears and our desires.
We are Atlantis. A final, fleeting breath.
We are Atlantis. Celebrating our own death.

And an angel waits, a hand that longs to guide
The lonely spirits with nowhere left to hide
A distant shout, a sound you can’t ignore
A call that’s been forgotten on the shore
The silent cries of a world that lost its way
Lost on the tide, to a final, tragic day

We are Atlantis. A planet on the brink.
We are Atlantis. Let us fight, instead of sink.
We are Atlantis. The effort is worthwhile.
We are Atlantis. The final, sacred trial.

We stand so high, but we’re a world away
From all the beauty that we throw away

We are Atlantis. We choose the path of grace.
We are Atlantis. And claim our rightful place.
We are Atlantis. We won't just stand and watch.
We are Atlantis. We'll stay alive on our last watch.

We are Atlantis.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

We Are Atlantis

A true story. Just experienced on vacation.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday haze,
The slow procession of our holidays.
A little dog’s walk, a brunch, a book,
A predictable pattern, a sunlit look.
But on the square, where tourists sit and stare,
A boy broke free from a quiet despair.
He wrapped his jacket, a strange, turbaned guise,
And waved his trousers with bold, begging cries.

His friends joined in, a small, roaming gang,
Till one boy, called himself „seal boy," began his strange pang.
He dropped to the ground, no reason, no rhyme,
And rolled on the street like a seal, killing the time.

Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
Dancing for sweets on the ground.
Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
The sweetest sound.
They gave him their pennies, a fleeting sweet joy,
For the fun, for the fun, for the fun of that strange little boy.
The seal boy, the seal boy,
A rhythm for what he had found.

The pennies were flowing, the silver and brass,
As adults paid up, and watched the time pass.
Nine Euros in minutes, a king's ransom won,
Just for rolling and twisting beneath the hot sun.
A grand, wealthy kingdom of five little boys,
Who abandoned their boredom for sweet, sugary joys.
They stormed the kiosk, a joyous attack,
And they left all their quiet, boring days in the back.

What does the boy learn from this short, happy play?
That you can get money for fun, every day?
The questions arise, but the answers are dim,
He’s off to the kiosk, a sweet world for him.

Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
Dancing for sweets on the ground.
Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
The sweetest sound.
They gave him their pennies, a fleeting sweet joy,
For the fun, for the fun, for the fun of that strange little boy.
The seal boy, the seal boy,
A rhythm for what he had found.

The sun on the sea wall, the dog at my feet,
The simple truth, money can make things sweet.
That a sweet little candy can change a whole day.
And the boys, they knew it, in their cleverest way,
A sweet little candy, first start-up, so clever and new,
It’s a dance, a strange dance, for me and for you.
And the best of all lessons, of value and price,
Was a bag full of candy, a sweet paradise.

Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
Dancing for sweets on the ground.
Oh, the seal boy, the seal boy,
The sweetest sound.
They gave him their pennies, a fleeting sweet joy,
For the fun, for the fun, for the fun of that strange little boy.
The seal boy, the seal boy,
A rhythm for what he had found.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

The Seal Boy

A lonely hour, a windowpane,
I saw you walk through pouring rain.
Your fragile hands, your worried face,
You’re lost in time and lost in space.
I felt a calling, soft and deep,
A secret that our souls would keep.

Oh, the signs you send to me.
A glance, a word, a mystery.
A subtle sign, a fragile art,
A silent language of the heart.
Oh, the signs you send to me,
A future we – we cannot foresee.
A game of hope, a gentle plea.
Oh, the signs, the signs you send to me.

We talked of things we can't explain,
Of endless skies and bitter pain.
You never saw my lonely fear,
You only saw what wasn't there.
A world of wonders, veiled in doubt,
A secret we can't live without.

Oh, the signs you send to me.
A glance, a word, a mystery.
A subtle sign, a fragile art,
A silent language of the heart.
Oh, the signs you send to me,
A future we – we cannot foresee.
A game of hope, a gentle plea.
Oh, the signs, the signs you send to me.

The fear of closeness, strange and new,
The silent longing, me and you.
A sudden touch, a gentle tear,
The end of waiting, always near.

And the signs you send to me,
Set our souls finally free.
The mystery is solved at last,
We’ll leave our lonely silent past.
Oh, the signs you send to me,
The future's ours for all to see!
I'm finally yours, a clear bright sign.
This love is real, and you are mine.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, Gemini Imagen 

Subtle Signs

I attended my cousin's funeral yesterday. Despite her difficult childhood and youth, she was a cheerful, life-affirming, and very empathetic woman who was taken from her life and ours far too early by cancer. We will all miss her affection, her helpfulness, her encouraging and thoughtful manner.
During the funeral service, I was struck by the thought that we humans are like mayflies, ignoring or not wanting to acknowledge that the gift of life is very brief and very finite.
On the other hand, that's a good thing. How else would we cope with it?

This song is for Annette. Rest in peace.

Life and Death of a Mayfly

The world hangs heavy,
A curtain drawn.
The heart feels empty,
At the break of dawn.
We turn our gaze
To the minor screen,
In shallow maze,
To dull the scene.

But all this sand,
It cannot hold.
The shaking hand
Must turn to bold.

O soul, don't close your eyes,
Let your destiny reach your core.
Hope is not the light,
But courage for the door.
What shatters and is lost,
Must be faced for what it brings.
Count the metamorphosis cost,
And let your inner silence sing.

The news is noise,
A constant sting.
We skip the poise
For anything.
Where trust gave out,
And power fails.
A restless shout
Upon the trails.

O soul, don't close your eyes,
Let your destiny reach your core.
Hope is not the light,
But courage for the door.
What shatters and is lost,
Must be faced for what it brings.
Count the metamorphosis cost,
And let your inner silence sing.

Embrace the need, the great disruption,
It’s not the end, it’s just the start.
This sacred, inner consumption,
A purging of the anxious heart.
Let the void speak,
Where your true self lies deep.

O human, do not close your eyes,
Let your destiny reach your core.
Hope is not the light,
But courage for the door.
What shatters and is lost,
Must be faced for what it brings.
Count your metamorphosis cost,
And let the inner silence sing.

There is no light at the tunnel's end...
The tunnel’s end is the tunnel itself.
You must go through.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, DALL-E

Metamorphosis

I was at IKEA last week, staring at a crowd
Just watching families, a sight to make you feel loud.
Saw a father sitting there, with a distant, glassy stare,
Knowing that the Karlanda sofa was his new cross to bear.
But that wasn't the absurd thing, that wasn't what I saw,
It was a small boy, all sticky with lingonberry jam, by the door.
The boy looked at his mother, a glowing, pure delight,
It was a dedicated love, burning fiercely and bright.
And then I thought of Sigmund Freud, that funny Viennese gent,
And his theory of the son, on matricidal conquest intent.

It's the dark side of the son, the complex unspoken,
A five-year-old with a smile, and a silent oath taken. 
The father knows the truth, the battle's already been won, 
He's staring at the future, defeated by his own son. 

I watched the father closely, he adjusted his spoon,
He saw the master plan unfold, coming at him far too soon.
The boy just smiled serenely, a winner's calm, cold grace,
He knew the small price was a drawing for the fridge space.
I used to think this Oedipus thing was just some kind of joke,
One of those serious Austrian bits that almost makes you choke.
But seeing that sweet certainty, that small child's fierce design,
I felt the primal tension pulling hard on my spine.

It's the dark side of the son, the complex unspoken,
A five-year-old with a smile, and a silent oath taken. 
The father knows the truth, the battle's already been won, 
He's staring at the future, defeated by his own son. 

I got up from my metal seat, all the feelings were too vast,
My thoughts wobbled like a pudding in a car moving fast.
And on the way out the door, the cashier looked at me, perplexed,
She asked me why I was sweating, clearly feeling quite vexed.

Because the dark side of the son is something you just know,
Like a German man admitting that the Autobahn can be slow.
It's the unspoken absurdity, the battle fought each day,
And all you can do is stand back and let the strangeness play.
I realized I'm also trapped, a complex of my own,
I call my mother for small talk, but she just wants me to fix her phone.

It's the dark side of the son, the complex unspoken,
A five-year-old with a smile, and a silent oath taken. 
The father knows the truth, the battle's already been won, 
He's staring at the future, defeated by his own son. 

This thing is real.
And now I need a receipt.
And possibly a therapist.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

The Dark Side Of The Son

Are you ready, Sue?
Johnny?
Kids?
Okay!?
Alright, people, let's go!

Well, it's been fifty years
We rocked with glitter and tears,
My memories are so clear
I can still hear the Bowie, the T. Rex, the Sweet, my dear
Oh, I see the platforms so high
Reaching out, almost touching the sky
And the make-up so bold, a story to be told
Yeah, we thought we would never grow old

Oh, yeah, it was like lightning
Still so damn frightening, for the squares!
And the music's still soothing
Yeah, we're all still grooving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And the old man at the back said, "Everyone, attack"
"Cause Glam Rock will never die!“
And the girl in the corner said, "Boy, I wanna warn ya"
"Our Glam Rock will never die!“

I'm reaching out for something
That feeling from back then, still thumping
Oh, I softly hum those tunes
Underneath these new-age moons
Now the kids in the crowd, singing out loud
As they raise their phones to the sky
And the old souls among them, yeah, we still can outrun them
With a wink and a flash of the eye

Yeah, it's still magic
So wonderfully tragic, in the best way!
And the band's still believing
Yeah, we're still achieving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And the old man at the back said, "We'll never go back"
"Cause this Glam Rock will never die!"
And the girl in the corner said, "Boy, I wanna warn ya"
"Our Glam Rock will never die!" 

They said it was a phase, just a fleeting craze
But look at us, still lighting up the stage!
The fashion, the flair, the volume, the sound
Still the coolest thing around!

Oh, yeah, it was electric
So gloriously hectic
And the music was blinding
Yeah, we kept on grinding
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And the old man at the back said, "We'll never go back" 
"Cause Glam Rock will never die!"
And the girl in the corner said, "Boy, I wanna warn ya" 
"Our Glam Rock will never die!"

Never die!
Never die!
Never die!

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, Gemini ImaGen

Glam Rock Will Never Die

I got up at eight, to get things done, you know.
But the list was so long, I just watched the shadows grow.
The grand plans of youth, they just sit there on a chair,
They don't pay the rent, and they don't seem to care.
I'm no quantum physicist, no architect of glass,
Just a man who watches moments pass.
I’m sorry, dear parents, for the life I did not choose,
My tragedy’s my ink, my failures are my muse.

Oh, the sadness, the beautiful sadness, it's true,
I'm a happy sad poet, watching the world from my view.
This sadness, this glorious, a profound, quiet grace,
Found my whole life's meaning in this lonely, slow-paced place.

I see the grand absurdities you miss when you rush by.
Like talking on the phone to a man who sells bus tickets to Paris, and why?
I observe the quiet desperation in a pile of dirty clothes,
How a window can stay dirty, and nobody even knows.
I trade big dreams for small thoughts, philosophical and deep,
A gentle contemplation while the successful folks just sleep.
It's an anti-business model, this failure I embrace,
My hypersensitivity fills every empty space.

The world wants skyscrapers, Nobel Prizes, clean white lines.
But I cherish the absurdity, the badly painted signs.
They seek the big solutions, the straight and narrow path,
I'm satisfied with small truths, and evading sudden wrath.

Oh, the sadness, the beautiful sadness, it's true,
I'm a happy sad poet, watching the world from my view.
This sadness, this glorious, a profound, quiet grace,
Found my whole life's meaning in this lonely, slow-paced place.

And oh, the sadness, the beautiful sadness, it’s still true,
I’m a happy sad poet, and I finally made it through.
No sadness, but happiness, a profound, final grace,
I found my joy and purpose in this very simple space.

This quiet life of observing, it's the victory I claim,
I'm a happy sad poet, and I speak my own proud name.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Dear Parents

Got my Recaro seat, my La-Martina shirt
Driving to Milan, that won't hurt
Switched to autonomous mode, for a quick power nap
Woke up, saw a big planet, right on my map
Thought it was a sign, like in a cool Netflix plot
But the view from the window was seriously hot

My iPhone screen, it flashed in the night
It said „Milan, zero miles, Saturn, great sight!“
I checked my Recaro – still premium leather
But the atmosphere felt like terrible weather

Titan Trip! My car went baba-boo!
Milan! Not Titan! What the hell do I do?
The Saturn is huge, the Autobahn is gone
This software update has got it all wrong!
Titan Trip! Gotta run, gotta run, gotta move!
The autonomous mode has a bad groove!

I screamed at Siri, woke her up from her bliss
She was dreaming of Grok, nothing’s better than this
She saw the planet, just yawned and said: „Chill“
„This ain't what I booked, not even close to the bill“
I hit the console, yelled „Stop this design!“
I need a Latte Macchiato, not a cosmic sign!

My iPhone screen, it flashed in the night
It said „Milan, zero miles, Saturn, great sight!“
I checked my Recaro – still premium leather
But the atmosphere felt like terrible weather

Titan Trip! My car went baba-boo!
Milan! Not Titan! What the hell do I do?
The Saturn is huge, the Autobahn is gone
This software update has got it all wrong!
Gotta run, gotta run, gotta move!
The autonomous mode has a bad groove!

The car is a jerk, a total schmuck in design.
It left me stranded, a truly bad sign.
It’s driving away, back to Milan, I guess
Leaving me here in a terrible mess!
„Take me, you idiot! Milan! Not Mars! You moron!“

Milan! Not Titan! What the hell do I do?
The Saturn is huge, the Autobahn is gone
This software update has got it all wrong!
Gotta run, gotta run, gotta run, gotta move!
The autonomous life has nothing to prove!
Baba-boo...

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Lost

Call me! You have the number of my lonely soul.
Call me! A single ring, it makes the broken whole.
Call me! Come now and draw me out of this long sleep.
Call me! Into the promise that our hours keep.

I dwell in silence, yet my spirit sings,
A waiting thing with folded, heavy wings.
I know your presence moves in all my thought.
A golden thread my busy hands have caught.

Call me! You have the number of my lonely soul.
Call me! A single ring, it makes the broken whole.
Call me! Come now and draw me out of this long sleep.
Call me! Into the promise that our hours keep.

Call me! Oh, this is not a prayer to my own star.
Call me! It's just the distance, know how near we are.
Call me! Just a quick call, before the shadows start.
Call me! The final answer waiting in my heart.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Call Me

Whispers through the haze of time,
Ashes fall where hearts once shined,
The desert breathes, the silence speaks,
A shadow moves where light once leaked.

Hold on, hold on, love’s not gone
Even in the dark, we carry on
Hope is a fire, burning slow
Hold on, hold on – don’t let go!

Shadows fall, but I still breathe
Your light is the thread that’s pulling me
Through the noise, through the ache
I hear your voice – it keeps me awake!

Hold on, hold on, love’s not gone
Even in the dark, we carry on
Hope is a fire, burning slow
Hold on, hold on – don’t let go!

The Angel knows the space we keep,
In the interval where the senses sleep.
It measures miles of silent dread,
The unlived life that we have fled.

We seek to be a thing unseen,
A root in earth, profoundly keen,
For in the darkness, truth is bred,
A new beginning on the dead.

Hold on, hold on, love’s not gone
Even in the dark, we carry on
Hope is a fire, burning slow
Hold on, hold on – don’t let go!

And I will not be bent by wrong,
Where I am curved, I am a lie.
I live my life in circles strong,
And seek the last before I die.

The great singing must swell and rise,
Till our God appears before our eyes,
No longer guest, but Heir and Son,
The unlived life completely won.

Hold on, hold on, love’s not gone
Even in the dark, we carry on
Hope is a fire, burning slow
Hold on, hold on – don’t let go!

Hold on, hold on, love’s not gone
Even in the dark, we carry on
Hope is a fire, burning slow
Hold on, hold on – don’t let go!

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Hold On

Scars are proof of a life that has been lived. 
Nothing more.

While memory fades – a flicker against the night – our scars remain visible. 
They are the body’s lasting record, a signature signed in pain and healing. 

Our canvas is marked, as long as we exist.

The silence breaks, the air is thin,
Where life has gone, and left its sign.
A history held, where soul ran in,
And made the fragile dust divine.

The flesh forgets the shape of sun,
It only knows the tear and fold.
A battle lost, a battle won,
A simple truth, forever told.
The broken grace where growth begins,
A canvas marked by deep despair,
The only proof of where one spins
A tapestry of hurt and prayer.

O, the sanctity of being,
The witness to the fall.
A crack for the light to stream in,
We carry it all.
O, the scar, the seal, the sign,
You were alive, you were alive.
The mark that proves you are divine,
And still survive.

The scrape we bore in childhood's heat,
The wound that only time could mend.
The memory of defeat,
That makes the present softly bend.
The body’s script, no word can raze,
A truth we store beneath the skin.
Through all the vast and empty days,
A silent I was here within.

The ornament that pain has wrought.
The only mirror we are shown.

O, the sanctity of being,
The witness to the fall.
A crack for the light to stream in,
We carry it all.
O, the scar, the seal, the sign,
You were alive, you were alive.
The mark that proves you are divine,
And still survive.

The matrix knows which path we chose,
The lines are drawn with ancient hands.
It is the map where meaning grows,
Beyond the flesh, on distant sands.
We search the glass for seamless lies,
But find our truer self inside:
Where the unblemished hero dies,
And wounded grace cannot be denied.

Each trace of fear, each tender spot,
A footprint in the dust of time,
The sign that you were never not
Submitting to the great sublime.
It is the memory that stays,
When words and worlds have faded out.
A witness through the darkest maze,
To what this short existence is about.

The flaw is the proof of the soul!
The light will enter, make you whole!

O, the sanctity of being,
The witness to the rise.
A crack for the light of healing,
We carry it to the skies.
O, the scar, the seal, the sign,
You were transformed, you were sublime.
The mark that proves you are divine,
And made the moment truly thine.

Truly thine.
The light streams in.
The signature remains.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand, Google AI Studio
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Google AI Studio
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, ChatGPT ImaGen

Scarred But Alive

The root-eaters gathered in the soft, dark soil,
A small, gnawing army, consuming the toil.
The great green cathedral felt the hurt and the drain,
And the oldest Oak whispered a plan through the rain.
It’s a hard thing to ask, a price to be met,
But the forest must live, we must not forget.

Toss the seed, watch it fall,
Listen for the wild call.
The feast of the forest, the necessary pain,
Toss the seed, watch it fall,
We will grow again.
We will grow again.

"Bring the hunger, bring the wild eyes of the cat,"
Said the Oak, "We must welcome the balance of that."
So a bounty was scattered, the acorns lay deep,
A glorious offering while the young roots sleep.
The busy small creatures came running to claim,
The hunter behind them, a necessary flame.

Toss the seed, watch it fall,
Listen for the wild call.
The feast of the forest, the necessary pain,
Toss the seed, watch it fall,
We will grow again.
We will grow again.

The struggle was ancient, written on the ground,
When nature demands, a silence is found.
But the worry wasn’t over, not all was put right,
A new, sharp percussion arrived in the light.
The woodpeckers came, tapping out the next need,
A new truth to ponder, a newly planted seed.

Now the roots breathe again, a season of grace,
But I tell you this, look death right in the face.
You do not have to be good , but you must be here.
Live your one wild, precious life, holding it dear.
Toss the seed, watch it fall,
Married to amazement through it all.

Toss the seed, watch it fall,
Listen for the wild call.
The feast of the forest, the necessary pain,
Toss the seed, watch it fall,
We will grow again.
We will grow again!

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

We Will Grow Again

The Soul withdraws, it cannot stay,
From the little lie we keep.
Our Soul withdraws, it cannot stay,
In the slumber where we sleep.

The light of fact falls on the floor,
A sudden gleam, too sharp to face.
We hide our breath behind the door,
And seek the shelter of the space.
We fear the wound that keeps us growing,
The silent shift that makes us see.
We fear the vast, cold overflowing,
The lonely self that should be free.

Our Soul withdraws, it cannot stay,
From the little lie we keep.
Our Soul withdraws, it cannot stay,
From the lies we hold so dear.

The world is built on soft evasion,
A woven veil of gentle words.
A fear of change, a long suppression,
That stills the flight of inner birds.
We keep the surface calm and mild,
To never feel the soul's demand.
To be transformed, to be the child,
To stand unmasked upon the sand.

Our Soul withdraws, it cannot stay,
From the little lie we keep.
Shadows wait for break of day,
In the slumber where we sleep.

Oh, will the change, be the fire now,
Step into the wind without a name.
Life asks us only how and when and how,
We burn upon the sacred flame.

The Soul returns and takes its form,
For truth is not the stone, but wings.
To stand revealed in the world's storm,
Is all the peace the spirit brings.
Be naked to the greatest light now,
And feel the future on your brow.
You are the light, unbroken, true...
Flow with the stream that runs so deep...
The past fades out. The world awaits you.
Awake, and break the final sleep.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

The Little Lies We Keep

Morgens um sechs, die U-Bahn ist voll,
Wir sind wie Zombies, wir sind wie toll!
Und ungeduscht! Die Nase macht Stress,
Ich muss hier raus! Und zwar jetzt!

Die Welt ist kein Sonntag,
Das merkt man schon am Geruch.
Sie ist ein langer, lauter Kreislauf,
Von Schein und Widerspruch.

Die Welt in ihrer großen Güte,
Schenkt uns die U-Bahn und den Bus.
Ich stehe fest und ich bin müde,
Und hab vergessen, wohin ich muss.
Ein Mann am Handy, extrem laut,
Spricht über Fitness und sein Geld,
Und dass er seine Schwester gleich beklaut!
Was ist das für eine crazy Welt!

Die Welt ist kein Sonntag,
Das merkt man schon am Geruch.
Sie ist ein langer, lauter Kreislauf,
Von Schein und Widerspruch.

Die U-Bahn bremst! 
Ich seh’ den Fleck, die braune Spur,
Mein Kaffee ist voll auf die Hose gelaufen.
Da erlebt man Physik mal live und pur,
Und kann sich dafür auch nix kaufen.
So ist sie, die Natur!

Die Welt ist kein Sonntag,
Das merkt man schon am Geruch.
Sie ist ein langer, lauter Kreislauf,
Von Schein und Widerspruch.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Pixabay
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Die Welt Ist Kein Sonntag

From sunlit home, a gentle start,
Deep shadows call upon your heart.
A secret yearning, dark and wide,
Where life and death so near reside.
The book is closed, the movie done,
Yet something lingers, newly won.
A mask you wear, a scarlet guise,
Reflected in your searching eyes.
To be the witch, the bride of dread,
By other worlds you must be led.

The crypt is calling, night by night,
It pulls your soul toward the dark light.
The crypt is calling, deep and low,
A secret place where you must go.

The park is near, the path is clear,
But to the graves you hold it dear.
A longer road, a slower pace,
To find a mirror for your face.
What is the force? What is the need?
To plant the dark and watch it seed?

The crypt is calling, night by night,
It pulls your soul toward the dark light.
The crypt is calling, deep and low,
A secret place where you must go.

A demon’s breath, unseen and far,
A cosmic wound, a guiding star.
It's not your choice, the pull you feel,
To turn the wheel that makes it real.

The crypt is calling, night by night,
It pulls your soul toward the dark light.
The crypt is calling, deep and low,
A secret place where you must go.
The crypt is calling, yours to keep,
A wakeful secret while you sleep.
The crypt is calling – no disguise –
The final truth behind your eyes!

The crypt is calling, night by night,
It pulls your soul toward the dark light.
The crypt is calling, deep and low,
A secret place where you must go.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

The Crypt Is Calling

She’s the Queen, she’s the Queen
She's the Queen of this Hallow-scene
Yeah, the Queen, yeah, the Queen
Yeah, the Queen of this Hallow-scene

I thought tonight was just a chill night out
But now they’re turning up the heat
My girls Anna and Jenna came to slay
They treat this spooky szn like a street feat
Their drama’s always so extra, it’s true
They compete on who’s got the best ’fit
Anna’s cloak is giving old-school witch
She thinks her look is just the absolute sh*t

She’s the Queen, she’s the Queen
She’s the Queen of this Hallow-scene
She’s the Queen, she’s the Queen
She's the Queen of this Hallow-scene
Yeah, the Queen, yeah, the Queen
Yeah, the Queen of this Hallow-scene
She's the Queen of the night, it’s her regime!

Jenna rolled up with a whole vibe change
Her makeup’s next level, like a demon's curse
She’s throwing shade at Anna’s basic robe
Says her look is giving nothing, couldn't be worse
Then little Lena steps up to the mic
And she’s not playing games with her crew
Her pointy hat is totally on fleek
And she drops the question: "Who even are y’all two?"

She’s the Queen, she’s the Queen
She’s the Queen of this Hallow-scene
She’s the Queen, she’s the Queen
She's the Queen of this Hallow-scene
Yeah, the Queen, yeah, the Queen
Yeah, the Queen of this Hallow-scene
She's the Queen of the night, it’s her regime!

Listen up, besties, this is what I see
Anna’s got the classic vibes, period.
Jenna’s serving high fashion, she understood the assignment
But Lena's out here looking like the main event, straight up lit
Flexing their cauldrons, their spells are intense
This sister squad is too much for my senses
They’re walking like they own every block
Yeah, these three witches are running the clock!

No, there’s no queen, so stop the cap, alright?
'Cause all three witches own the spotlight!
They look fire, they’re a whole mood, you see
This is the sickest Halloween party!
We're breaking the rules, we're making the calls
We’re the baddest witches in these hallowed halls!
We're the Queens of the night, so cheers to that!
Now pass me my pumpkin spice, where the party at?

They're the Queens, they're the Queens
They're the Queens of this Hallow-scene
They're the Queens, they're the Queens
They're the Queens of this Hallow-scene
They're the Queens of the night, it’s their regime!

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Pixabay (Julius H.)
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Queen of the Hallow-scene

Look up, see the Great Bear climb 
A shadow hunting in the folds of time
His blood upon the leaves
Is all the heart believes.
The red, red stain, a glorious, sudden truth. 

The sun lies soft on the Connecticut road
A borrowed warmth before the winter load
We drive through fire, a fevered, second bloom
A golden pause to stave off coming gloom
Oh, the gentle grace of this, our painted hour
The quiet wonder of a fading power

The Iroquois spoke of a relentless quest
The tireless hunters knew no need for rest
And so the dog, the loyal, simple one,
Chased magic creature where the daylight’s done
We are like this, pursuing what is bright
A little flame of spirit in the night

Look up, see the Great Bear climb 
A shadow hunting in the folds of time
His blood upon the leaves
Is all the heart believes.
The red, red stain, a glorious, sudden truth. 

Oh, the mystery of sacrifice, the drop
That links the heaven to the leaf on top
It is enough to feel the light and sigh,
And know the story doesn't truly die

Look up, see the Great Bear climb 
A shadow hunting in the folds of time
His blood upon the leaves
Is all the heart believes.
The red, red stain, a glorious, sudden truth. 

So let us live, and look up while we may
Let every breath be simple, wild, and true.
For the world asks nothing, but this easy awe
Be married to amazement, beyond the turning law.

Oh, look up while we may
Let every breath be simple, wild, and true.
For the world asks nothing, but this easy awe
Be married to amazement, beyond the turning law.

Be married to amazement...
The simple, quiet wonder...
This pause before the winter comes...
The Indian Summer.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Indian Summer

You are my 
Darkness 
Come from way
Below
To break my 
Soul

Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Love you
Love you
Love you
Love you
Blame you
Blame you
Blame you
Blame you
Hate you
Hate you
Hate you
Hate you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Love you
Love you
Love you

Your eyes 
They are the 
Black sun
Annihilate 
Every hope in sight

Blame you
Blame you
Blame you
Blame you
Hate you
Hate you
Hate you
Hate you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Love you
Love you
Love you
Love you

You are my 
Darkness 
Come from way
Below
To break my 
Soul

Blame you
Blame you
Blame you
Blame you
Hate you
Hate you
Hate you
Hate you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Claim you
Love you
Love you
Love you
Love you

Your eyes
They’re on the 
Dark side
Killing 
Every thought in sight

Your eyes
They’re on the 
Dark side
Killing 
Every thought in sight

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, Gemini ImaGen

A Destructive Obsession

I was born to be great,
But something changed along the way
A gilded cage that keeps me away.

The world was painted wide and bright,
A rose aspiring to the light.
Then came the Mighty Hand with a demand,
To crush the blossom in the sand.
Oh, silent thing, you sought to rise,
To lift your song beneath the skies.
But avarice holds now the Key
To all that should be, wild and free.

The Circle breaks, the Wheel won't turn,
In endless thirst the fires burn

Greed cuts the wire, pulls down the sound,
No holy ground, no hope is found.
The Gilded Cage, the Gilded Cage,
A barren page, a frozen age.

The Artist sought to build and dare,
To shape the Form into the air.
A thousand voices weeping soft
Are lost in profits tossed aloft.
The living thing became a piece,
A pawn controlled to know no peace.
And Judgement's eye begins to gaze
Through the machine's bewildering haze.

Greed cuts the wire, pulls down the sound,
No holy ground, no hope is found.
The Gilded Cage, the Gilded Cage,
A barren page, a frozen age.
The Circle breaks, the Wheel won't turn,
In endless thirst the fires burn
Greed cuts the wire, pulls down the sound,
No holy ground, no hope is found.
The Gilded Cage, the Gilded Cage,
A barren page, a frozen age.

O, Spirit of the silent sphere,
Look how the burden crushes here.
A soul once meant to rise and fly,
Is broken down and asks for why.
The Weight is Spirit – or it dies,
Beneath these unforgiving skies.
Will we fall back into the Sea,
Or claim our true Divinity?

The Circle breaks, the Wheel won't turn,
In endless thirst the fires burn.
Greed cuts the wire, pulls down the sound,
No holy ground, no hope is found.
The Gilded Cage, the Gilded Cage,
A barren page, a frozen age.

The Circle breaks, the Wheel now turns,
The inner fire fiercely burns!
Greed fades away, a new sound breaks,
For its own sake, the Earth awakes!
The Gilded Cage begins to break,
A new decision, for your sake!

And now I rise above the fate.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Elevenlabs, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Pixabay
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, Unison Sound Doctor, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, Gemini, FLUXpro, Keynote

Greed Cuts The Wire

Sie sitzt am Fenster, hoch im Licht,
Die Stadt da draußen – ein kaltes Gesicht.
Ihr Haar wie Feuer, ihr Blick wie ein Schwur,
Ein Bild voll Glamour und Struktur.
Sie räkelt sich, so still, so frei,
Der Himmel erbleicht; sie strahlt dabei.
Die Welt verschwimmt – doch sie bleibt klar,
Ein schöner Traum, unwirklich nah.

Red flame, red flame,
Burning in the night.
Red flame, red flame,
Everything feels right.
Red flame, red flame,
Lost in your delight.

Die Zeit gefriert, der Puls so sacht,
Ihr Haar glimmt wie die Blutmond-Nacht.
Die Ruhe trägt, der Moment ist wahr,
Ein stilles Spiel – dem Ziel so nah.

Red flame, red flame,
Burning in the night.
Red flame, red flame,
Everything feels right.
Red flame, red flame,
Lost in your delight.

Zwischen Ruhe und Verlangen,
Zwischen Sehnsucht und Entspannen,
Reckt sie sich, grazil und - Aaah! 
So ohne jede Sorgen - wunderbar!

Rotes Feuer, rotes Haar,
Alles schwebt, so sonderbar.
Rotes Feuer, rotes Kleid,
Alles glüht in Zärtlichkeit.
Red flame, red flame,
Lost in your delight.

Doch plötzlich!
Die Wahrheit trifft sie hart:
Sie muss heute noch die Steuer machen –
Und das vor Mitternacht!
Verdammt!

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, Unison Sound Doctor, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, ChatGPT

Red Flame

Just the weight.
Just the weight.

I count the cracks in the ceiling paint, they look like highways now. 
Too tired to argue with the shadow in the corner of the room. 
The phone is quiet, but the silence screams louder than before. 
Everything I touch turns grey, it turns grey.
I tried to measure the distance back to who I used to be. 
But the mirror’s a fraud, holding a memory.

This is the weight of the air, the kind that doesn't move. 
Every minute is a slow-motion proof. 
I just wanted less to carry, not this silent altitude. 
I just sit here and I let the silence win.

The daylight hurts my eyes, so I pull the curtains tight. 
Just another day trapped inside the things I didn't say. 
Used to think that lonely was a room you had to cross. 
Now I know that lonely is the last thing you lost.

I tried to measure the distance back to who I used to be. 
But the mirror’s a fraud, holding a memory.
This is the weight of the air, the kind that doesn't move. 
Every minute is a slow-motion proof. 
I just wanted less to carry, not this silent altitude. 
I just sit here and I let the silence win.

Break the glass, I want to feel the cold. 
Let the feeling take a grip and make me whole. 
I don't need the answer; just need the dark to stay. 
Let the melody dissolve the light away.

This is the weight of the air, the kind that doesn't move. 
Every minute is a slow-motion proof. 
I just wanted less to carry, not this silent altitude. 
I just sit here and I let the silence win. 

Just the weight.
Just the weight.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Elevenlabs, GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio, Unison Sound Doctor, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro

Silent Weight

Money, money,
Fade to grey.
Money, money,
Drift away.
Money, money,
Break the chain.
Money, money,
Feel again.
Money, money,
Give it back. 
Money, money,
Stay on track.

 He had the world beneath his feet, 
But gold can make your heartbeat cheat. 
He built the dream, then walked away, 
Just smiled and said, “That’s not my way."
While others bought another crown, 
He turned his fortune upside down. 
No headlines, no desire to show,
 He gave it all - just let it go.

Money, money,
Let it burn.
Money, money,
We never learn.
Money, money,
Fade to grey.
Money, money,
Drift away.

 Chuck Feeney had it all to give, 
He showed us the better way to live. 
No private plane, no penthouse view, 
He gave the world a different hue. 
The quiet king of what’s unseen, 
The kindest heart, the soft machine. 
He changed the score, rewrote the line, 
From greed to grace - design divine. 
And when they asked him, “Man, you’re mad?” 
He laughed and said, “It feels so glad.”
 He found his heaven in the fall, 
No need for gold, no need at all.
 He said, “The joy’s in what you give, 
That’s how you really live.”

Money, money,
Let it burn.
Money, money,
No return.
Money, money,
Fade to grey.
Money, money,
Drift away.
 Chuck Feeney - the quiet kind, 
The man who left his gold behind.

Money, money,
Break the chain.
Money, money,
Feel again.
Money, money,
Give it back. 
Money, money,
Stay on track.

 The richest soul’s the one who’s free, 
Just like the great Chuck Feeney.
The richest soul’s the one who’s free, 
Rest in peace, Chuck Feeney.

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Unison Sound Doctor, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder
Cover design: Volker Redder, Photoshop, FLUXpro, Keynote

Chuck

This is my last song that I will be releasing for the time being.
I'm now taking a six-week digital detox vacation. 
We'll see and hear from each other again in 2026!
Happy Holidays!
—

I poured myself some coffee
The clock was ticking calm in four
A simple morning, rather groggy
Just as it always was before
But then the time signature changed its mind
A seven-eighths chain of complex design
My coffee splashed onto the carpet, wet
That’s how King Crimson makes you sweat!

The Moodies conceived it,
Procol Harum cooked it,
King Crimson defined it –
The birth of Progressive Rock!
And suddenly, everything seems to fit. 

The Moody Blues introduced the feeling
Of a concept day you must withstand
It’s symphonic, quite appealing
But doesn't require a steady hand
I looked for answers, sought the source
Found Baroque motifs from Procol Harum
A philosophical, dramatic force
Now trapped inside this concrete room

The Moodies conceived it,
Procol Harum cooked it,
King Crimson defined it –
The birth of Progressive Rock!
And suddenly, everything seems to fit. 

It wasn't just Time and a Word by Yes
Nor psychedelic trips of Pink Floyd
This music is pure inner stress
Every routine now destroyed.

The Moodies conceived it,
Procol Harum cooked it,
King Crimson defined it –
The birth of Progressive Rock!
And suddenly, everything seems to fit. 

Dear Elvis fans, you may now cry
In seven-eighths. 
And there is never any peace.
In any seven-eighths sigh. ;-) 

—
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Ozone 11, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, FLUXpro, Apple's Keynote

The Birth Of Progrock

I'm back after almost six weeks of digital detox – with something very lyrical. 
Hope, you like it. It's different.

Der Weg ist da.

Er ist markiert, ohne markiert zu sein.
Die Linie liegt zwischen den Dingen, die man sieht, und denen, die man übersieht.
Niemand zeigt auf sie, aber viele gehen auf ihr.

Die Menschen stehen hinter Glasfronten, in Küchen, in Büros, an Haltestellen.
Sie wissen, dass es draußen weitergeht, doch sie bleiben, wo sie sind.

Man hat ihnen gesagt, hier sei es sicher.
Man hat ihnen gesagt, es gäbe Zeit.

Er bewegt sich durch die Stadt, ohne Ziel, ohne Eile.
Er ist einfach da – höher als der Lärm, niedriger als die Drohnen.
Manche schauen auf und lächeln, andere drehen sich weg.

Niemand fragt.

In den Schaufenstern spiegeln sich Himmel und Bäume,
Eine Lilie in einem Blumenladen,
Ein Kind, das lacht.

Unter all dem liegt etwas, das niemand benennt.
Es liegt ruhig. Es wartet nicht.

Am Rand der Stadt endet plötzlich die Straße.
Ein Hügel wurde abgetragen, sauber, präzise.
Wo gestern noch Häuser standen, ist heute Sicht.

Man nennt es Fortschritt.

Man nennt es notwendig.

Jetzt kann man sehen, was vorher verdeckt war.

Wasser fällt irgendwo hinter der Absperrung.
Es fällt nicht laut.
Es weiß, was es tut.
Es spielt eine Melodie, die niemand aufnimmt,
Und sammelt sich weiter unten zu etwas Größerem,
Das keinen Namen braucht.

Am Hafen stehen Menschen mit Telefonen in der Hand.
Boote legen ab.
Jemand singt.
Oder es ist nur der Wind in den Drähten.
Man hört etwas.
Nicht laut.
Nicht zwingend.
Aber beharrlich.
Die Strömung nimmt zu.

Ein Körper löst sich aus der Menge,
Wie ein Gedanke, den man nicht mehr festhält.
Kein Drama.
Kein Schrei.
Nur Bewegung.

Das Wasser wird weiter.
Salziger.
Ununterscheidbar.

Und wieder stehen sie da, die Menschen,
In Reihen, in Routinen,
In gut gemeinten Umzäunungen.
Sie wissen, dass es einen Ausgang gibt.
Sie haben ihn gesehen.
Mehrmals.

Manche sagen, jemand werde kommen.
Jemand, der führt.
Andere sagen, es sei schon passiert.

Die Zeit arbeitet leise.
Sie trägt keine Uhr.
Sie schleift Kanten ab,
Löscht Namen,
Verändert Formen,
Bis niemand mehr sagen kann,
Was der Anfang war
Und was die Richtung.

Der Weg ist noch da.

Er war es immer.

Der Weg ist da

I’ve lived here all my life.
 Long enough to know every cracked sidewalk, every faded billboard, every name on every mailbox. 
Nothing ever changes in this town, that’s what we like to say. 
But tonight, I walked down Main Street, and something felt… different.

The lamps flickered the same way they always do, 
The wind carried the same church-bells, 
And the bakery still smelled like cinnamon and yesterday’s bread. 
But then, I stopped.

At the old photography shop. 
The one that’s always been there… hidden in plain sight.
In the window, framed in gold and walnut, 
Were portraits of the people I’ve known forever. 

Neighbors. 
Icons of the town. 
The kind you greet even when you don’t feel like greeting anyone.
A lawyer.
 A teacher.
 A preacher.
 A shopkeeper. 
People I’ve shaken hands with, laughed with, envied, ignored.

And yet, in those portraits 
Something looked wrong.
 Or maybe right in a way I had never seen.
They weren’t smiling like they do in public.
 They weren’t pretending.
 They weren’t trying to look good or kind or strong.
They looked like… themselves. 
Not the selves they show, 
The selves they hide.

And I stood there, frozen, 
Watching their eyes stare back at me from behind the glass, 
As if the camera had caught the instinct beneath the clothing, 
The creature beneath the citizen.

And suddenly I wondered, 
How many years have I lived here 
Without ever seeing who these people really are?

How many years have they lived here 
Without seeing me?

The street was silent. 
The portraits kept watching. 

And for the first time, I had the strange feeling 
That this town is much wilder 
Than it pretends to be.

Homo Animalis

Homo Animalis (Overture)

He wakes up happy every dawn
A new world starts when sleep is gone
My Dr. John, my golden one
The smartest mind below the sun
He thinks of time, he thinks of self
A tiny philosopher on the shelf
And then he turns, he sees the light
A brand new thought, burning bright

But as the answer starts to rise
It vanishes before his eyes
I see him weep, a tiny soul
He longs for truth to make him whole
Six seconds, six seconds, six seconds and gone!
A new thought starts before the old is drawn!
Six seconds, six seconds, six seconds of pain!
My Goldfish John loves the world again, again!

He sees the filter, making noise
A fountain for the little boys
He must have seen it yesterday
But treats it like a brand-new way
He bumps the glass, a gentle hit
"The universe is infinite!"
He learns the deepest cosmic law
And turns around without a flaw

But as the answer starts to rise
It vanishes before his eyes
I see him weep, a tiny soul
He longs for truth to make him whole
Six seconds, six seconds, six seconds and gone!
A new thought starts before the old is drawn!
Six seconds, six seconds, six seconds of pain!
He loves the world again, again, again!

I watch him search for who he is
I know the progress that he missed
But every bump, a fresh surprise
No boredom rests inside his eyes
No past regret, no long despair
He’s never trapped - because he’s never there

Six seconds, six seconds, six seconds and gone!
The happiest fish that I have looked upon!
Six seconds, six seconds, six seconds of bliss!
The search is the life - he understands this!
He's happy because he forgets the cost -
My perfect Dr. John, in the moment lost!

Six seconds… 
And never needed more.

The Existential Dr. John

Peter Parrot came to town
From a tiny London flat, upside down
He sat upon our Ikea chair
Staring at the dusty air
We waited for the words to fly
A single quip, a clever lie
But Peter only watched the clock
Tick-tock, time to stock the mental block
He pondered my insurance debt
And every chore I hadn’t handled yet

The cable guy, he came and left
The meaning of the silence crept
A feathered genius, mind so deep
He’s got the universal sleep
He said nothing, nothing, nothing at all
He said nothing, nothing, won’t take the call
He said nothing, nothing, no sound from his beak
He’s the sage of the age, the Zen-Genius chic!

The TV host demanded truth
“Peter, what’s the meaning of your silent youth?”
The scientists brought many charts
To measure the space between his feathered parts
They scanned his brain for wisdom old
A secret waiting to unfold
But all they found was quiet dread
And the faint ghost of Aunt Elsa’s bread
A billion views on social feeds
He perfectly fulfills all modern needs

He said nothing, nothing, nothing at all
He said nothing, nothing, won’t take the call
He said nothing, nothing, no sound from his beak
He’s the sage of the age, the Zen-Genius chic!

In a world that screams its every thought
By people who know less than they ought
He knows the secret, keeps it tight
If you’ve got nothing to say, just shut up for the night
He said nothing, and that’s how he won it all

He said nothing, nothing, nothing at all
He said nothing, nothing, won’t take the call
The call! The call! The glorious silence!
He said nothing, nothing, no sound from his beak
He’s the king of the world, the Zen-Genius chic!
The wisdom is silence!
He said nothing, nothing, and the cheques are all clear
The wisdom is silence!
He said nothing, nothing, he’s the anti-idea!

Peter Parrot

I saw him fall before he ran,  
I saw the hurt before it began.  

He didn’t choose the darkness —  
The darkness chose his door.  
He tried to stand among us…  
But the silence hurt him more.  

He trembled.  
He shattered.  

Still he tried — but none of that mattered.  

I dreamed of him drowning in light,  
Burning from trying to be bright.  
You call it distance — I call it pain,  
You call it stubborn — I call it shame.  

Some souls don’t break… they fade,  
Slowly, quietly, afraid.  

I dreamed of him drowning in light,  
Trying so hard just to survive the bright.  
You call it distance… I call it a cry for help.  
And I wish he had told us  
Before he slipped away from himself.  

Neptune closes his eyes — afraid that vision might be true.  

Titania scoffs — a dream is a weak excuse for truth.  
Europa trembles — she hears heartbreak where others hear proof.  
The Sun stares forward — prophecy is too dangerous to soothe.  
The audience is unsettled — pity ruins the pleasure of the booth.  

And the courtroom rejects compassion… because compassion accuses everyone.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

The Court Of The Sun

Neptune’s Dream (A Vision From The Far Deep)

From dust to breath, from void to birth,  
I learned to carry all the Earth.  
Every kingdom knows my name,  
Every heartbeat feels the same.  
I held the storms, I fed the seas,  
Gave life to lions, life to trees.  
I sheltered every fragile soul —  
So why did he not want that role?  

I gave too much.  
I tried too hard.  
I never thought that love could scar.  

Stand with me, stand with me,  
Is it weakness not to be?  
Stand with me, stand with me,  
Is he leaving… or is it me?  
If he fears the warmth I give —  
How am I supposed to live?  

I thought I knew what caring meant…  
But maybe I was too intent.  
Maybe he just needed space —  
And I mistook it for disgrace.  

Stand with me, stand with me,  
Even love can turn the key.  
Stand with me, stand with me,  
I’m not ready to set him free.  
But if holding hurts his heart…  
I will… let him be.  

And the Sun says nothing — because pride and love look the same from far away.  

Titania calls Earth’s softness “self-glorified sacrifice.”  
Europa sees devotion turning into iron and ice.  
The Sun watches in silence — no law can tell love what is right.  
The audience applauds righteousness — they always prefer the fight.  

And the courtroom crowns good intentions… even when they aren’t kind.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

The Earth Speaks (Mother Of Life, Judge Of All)

Silk on fire, mirror sky,  
Every eye on me — that’s why  
I rise above the mortal flame,  
More than a planet, I am the game.  
Turn the lights, turn the gaze,  
Bow to beauty, bow to praise.  
Gold and honey, skin and steel,  
Let the courtroom learn to feel.  

Pluto didn’t look my way,  
Not a word, not a sway.  
Didn’t blush, didn’t faint,  
Didn’t call me saint of saints.  
He dared to stare into the dark,  
Not into me — not at my spark.  

He broke the natural order!  
I shine — he should adore me,  
I glow — he should implore me!  
Look at me! Look at me!  
I’m the fire you’re meant to see!  
Look at me! Look at me!  
I’m the heart of gravity!  
Look at me! Look at me!  
I’m the queen of ecstasy!  
And if he will not kneel —  
He cannot be family!  

All of heaven bows in velvet light…  
So why is he the only one who turns away?  

I bathe the sky in perfect flame,  
Every lover knows my name.  
Kings and comets call me muse,  
No one ever dares refuse.  
But Pluto… never saw my crown —  
He wore his silence like a gown.  
Does he fear me? Does he doubt me?  
No one in the cosmos is without me.  
Beauty is law — I am the law.  
If he won’t worship, strip him raw.  

Glory, glory, Venus high!  
Shine so bright you blind the sky!  
Kiss the crown that leaves you cold!  
Worship beauty — or be dethroned!  

Look at me! Look at me!  
He refused and now he’s free!  
Look at me! Look at me!  
Free from love — not free from me!  
Look at me! Look at me!  
I’m the law of what you see!  
If he cannot bow to beauty —  
He cannot be planetary!  

Spotlight dims… but Venus keeps posing.  

Titania applauds beauty as evidence — hollow but loud.  
Europa sees vanity dressed in silk, fooling the crowd.  
The Sun sighs quietly, too regal to look disallowed.  
The audience worships glamour; honesty isn’t endowed.  

Truth loses again — lipstick wins, proud.

There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

Venus In Velvet (Beauty Against The Outcast)

Some of us don’t fit the line,  
Some of us slip out of design.  
So does that make us wrong —  
Or just… alone?  

I watched him try to join the light,  
But the warmth was far too bright.  
Not a traitor, not a threat —  
Just a boy who fears regret.  

You call him strange  
But he’s just scared  
And I know, because I’m scared too  

Let him be — let him breathe.  
You don’t know the weight beneath.  
He’s not cold — he’s not cruel.  
He’s just drowning in your rules.  
And if that makes him “lost”…  
Then I’m lost too.  

Being different shouldn’t hurt.  
Being gentle shouldn’t burn.  

Let him be — let him breathe.  
Love’s not always how you leave.  
You don’t break what isn’t you —  
You make room…  
You make room.  

Uranus sits down quietly — and the tear is real this time.  

Titania scoffs — empathy ruins the thrill of the trial.  
Europa clutches her notes — truth finally has an ally.  
The Sun looks shaken — mercy is a chord she isn’t allowed to play.  
The audience murmurs — softness was not what they came to see.  

And for the first time… Pluto isn’t entirely alone.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

The Blue Eccentric (Uranus Breaks The Pattern)

Stone of silence, law of mass,  
Time is etched in shattered glass.  
Rings of measure, cold and true,  
Balance weighs the known and new.  
No emotion moves the scale,  
No persuasion tips the tale.  
Only weight defines the right —  
Gravitas decides the night.  

Pluto bears no constant pull,  
Orbit fractured, gravity dull.  
Not enough to hold the line,  
Not enough to bind or shine.  
The circle needs a centred core —  
He falls outside forevermore.  

Gravitas! Gravitas!  
Law is written in the mass!  
Gravitas! Gravitas!  
Only weight can let one pass!  
Gravitas! Gravitas!  
Let the light reveal the glass!  
If he cannot bear the measure —  
he can never planetary stand.  

The law does not love.  
The law does not hate.  
The law does not grieve.  
The law simply… weighs.  

Centuries I’ve held the code,  
Carved in ice, in black and gold.  
Every planet found a place,  
Every orbit holds its grace.  
He breaks the pattern, shuns the core —  
He is planet… nevermore.  

Mass is meaning.  
Mass is right.  
Mass is presence.  
Mass is light.  

He is small, he is far, he is weak, he is gone.  
The decree of the rings has already been drawn.  
Not a sentence of anger, not a sentence of spite —  
A sentence of nature. A sentence of night.  

Gravitas! Gravitas!  
Let the orbit rule the class!  
Gravitas! Gravitas!  
Strip the title, strip the past!  
Gravitas! Gravitas!  
Truth is stone and nothing less!  
If he cannot bear the measure —  
He cannot be… one of us.  

Saturn sits down.  
The courtroom is colder than before.  

Titania loves the law most when it leaves no room to feel.  
Europa grieves that objectivity can sharpen the ideal.  
The Sun bears the silence like iron beneath her shield.  
The crowd adores certainty — even when certainty is unreal.  

Justice becomes geometry — that’s the deal.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

Saturn’s Rings Of Law (The Weight Of Gravitas)

I run the circuits close to the flame,  
I live where distance has no name.  
Every secret carried in my wake,  
Every orbit mine to break.  
Sweating silver, burning fast,  
Always first and never last.  
But no one listens when I speak —  
so hear me now, I’m not the weak.  

Pluto hides, he slips away,  
Never shows on Judgement Day.  
Never stays where he belongs,  
Always late, always wrong.  
He’s cold, he’s distant, he’s out of line —  
He mocks the circle, breaks the design.  

He’s far! Too far!  
He moves when we don’t,  
He stops when we can’t,  
He bends when we won’t,  

Never here! Never near! Never close to the light!  
Never here! Never near! Always hiding in the night!  
Never here! Never near! Never part of the core!  
If he won’t stay with us — what is he orbiting for?  

Can you hear my heartbeat racing?  
Can you see the sunlight chasing me?  

I always stand where the heat is worst,  
I always run, I’m always first.  
No room to breathe, no place to roam,  
My cage of light — my burning home.  
But Pluto wanders where he will…  
Freedom cold, but freedom still.  

Maybe I envy the dark…  
Maybe I envy the space…  
Maybe distance is a luxury  
for those who have no place.  

He’s wrong! He’s free!  
He’s lost! He’s me!  

Never here! Never near! He escapes what I can’t flee!  
Never here! Never near! He runs where I can’t be!  
Never here! Never near! He rejects the burning throne!  
So if he doesn’t need the family —  what does that make me… alone?  

I don’t want the darkness…  
I just want a little distance…  
Let someone else be close for once.  

Titania feeds on Mercury’s trembling fear,  
Calling panic “proof” because it sounds sincere.  
Europa knows truth never lives where cowards cheer.  
The Sun sits still — neutrality drawing near.  

Nothing proven, everything broken. Classic here.

There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

Mercury’s Testimony (The Whisper Of The Inner Orbit)

I never meant to disappear,  
I just didn’t know how to stay near.  
I wasn’t hiding out of spite —  
I just didn’t survive the light.  

Every time I came too close,  
The heat felt sharp, the love too fierce.  
So I stepped back, just a bit —  
Then further… and then that was it.  

It wasn’t strength,  
It wasn’t choice,  
It was fear without a voice.  

I never wanted the distance —  
I just froze when things got real.  
I never wanted the silence —  
I just didn’t know how to feel.  
If my running looked like leaving…  
Please believe me — it was fear.  

I didn’t need your judgement —  
I only needed time.  
But I was already shaking  
When you asked me to shine.  

I never wanted the distance —  
I just couldn’t take the heat.  
I never wanted forgiveness —  
I just needed room to breathe.  
I can’t undo the hurt I made…  
But I never meant to leave.  

Pluto lowers his head — sometimes honesty hurts more than guilt.  

Titania smirks — she sees confession only as confirmation.  
Europa trembles — the truth is too fragile to win litigation.  
The Sun looks away — torn between justice and compassion.  
The audience sighs — not because they care, but because tragedy is entertainment.  

And the courtroom mistakes vulnerability… for proof.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

Pluto's Defense (I Never Wanted The Darkness)

I didn’t win…  
I didn’t stay…  

But losing home showed me another way.  
I was lost in the cold and the dark,  
But I learned that a spark is still a spark.  
You don’t need a crown to belong —  
You just need someone singing your song.  

Here I am — I’m enough,  
love is real when it’s real, not when it’s tough.  
Here I am — I’m okay,  
I don’t need a title to matter today.  
Hold me close — hold me near,  
I’m home in the Kuiper Choir, right here.  

No more fear of the warmth or the flame,  
No more running away from my name.  
Every world has a place they fit —  
and I finally found mine — this is it.  

Here I am — I’m enough,  
Love is real when it’s real, not when it’s tough.  
Here I am — I’m okay,  
I don’t need a title to matter today.  

Let the whole sky sing,  
Let the cold stars ring,  
When a lost heart finds its choir —  
That’s a new beginning.  

Here I am — I’m enough,  
Love is real when it’s real, not when it’s tough.  
Here I am — I’m okay,  
I don’t need permission to shine this way.  

Hold me close — hold me near,  
I’m home in the Kuiper Choir —  

Right here.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

A New Home In The Kuiper Choir

Raise the banners, bow to the throne,  
I am the name that stands alone.  
Crown of thunder, law of might,  
I am the centre of the right.  

Family forged in gravity,  
Order born through loyalty.  
Keep the circle, keep the line —  
Strength defines the blood divine.  

Pluto never learned the bow,  
Never spoke the oath or vow.  
Never claimed the family crest,  
Never honoured what is best.  
A child of shadow, unrefined —  
No discipline, no axis, no spine.  

Stand tall, stand true.  
Strength is what we all must do.  
Stand firm, stand real.  
A planet kneels before the seal!  

Kneel to the flame! Kneel to the flame!  
Strength is honour, strength is name!  
Kneel to the flame! Kneel to the flame!  
Weakness scorches into shame!  
Kneel to the flame! Kneel to the flame!  
Only power keeps us same!  
If he will not bear the family —  
He cannot claim the family name!  

Every kingdom needs a king…  
Every legacy needs a spine.  

I won the storms, I forged the laws,  
I held the sky without a pause.  
I kept the balance, kept the peace,  
Held the warhound Mars on a leash.  
And still he walked away from me —  
From strength, from pride, from unity.  

Defiance is betrayal.  

Loyalty is gravity!  
Hierarchy is sanity!  
Order is identity!  
Without it — no family!  

All rise! All stand!  
Guard the power of the land!  
All rise! All stand!  
Hold the honour in your hand!  

Kneel to the flame! Kneel to the flame!  
Let the weak erase their claim!  
Kneel to the flame! Kneel to the flame!  
Strength is blood and blood is name!  
Kneel to the flame! Kneel to the flame!  
One who rises breaks the frame!  
If he will not bear the family —  
He is never family again!  

Jupiter leaves the stand like a king on parade —  
Without ever looking at Pluto.  

Titania crowns arrogance as justice 
when thunder speaks.  
Europa knows power wins applause, 
not wisdom or critique.  
The Sun swallows the ovation — 
dignity strained, voice weak.  

The crowd kneels to dominance; 
intimidation is the technique.  

For now, might pretends to be right — every week.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

Jupiter Ascendant (Strength In The Family Name)

The heart is weary, the breath is thin. 
A long, long winter settling in.

The world is a shell, a cold reliquary of stone,
Beneath the heavy cloud, for weeks the sun has flown.
We live as fragments now, each soul on its own shore,
Exhausted by a year that asked too much, and more.
Then on the meeting ground, in the deepest dark we know,
A single spark is struck, a sudden, sacred glow.
No word is spoken now, no history to recall,
We simply stand as one, and gather near the wall.

We bring the burden, the empty hand, 
A silent gesture in this land. 

I am the light, because you carry me,
We are the dawn, because we choose to see.
The dark will now retreat, but it has lost its claim,
Our gathering heartbeat, whispering the ancient name.

The flames grow tall and cast a shadow warm and wide,
We look into the space where sorrow used to hide.
I see your face in mine, a kinship deeply set,
The truth is born of fire: you haven't been alone yet.
The ancient melody begins, a fragile sound,
From mouth to mouth the courage flows around.

I am the light, because you carry me,
We are the dawn, because we choose to see.
The dark will now retreat, but it has lost its claim,
Our gathering heartbeat, whispering the ancient name.

And as the voices climb, a single pulse is sent,
A subtle, rising hum across the firmament.
Then on the cold horizon, where the great Night ends,
A glow appears in turn, our scattered, distant friends.
They lit their beacons, in valleys far away,
An answer shining, turning night to day.

I am the light, because you carry me,
We are the dawn, because we choose to see.
The dark will now retreat, but it has lost its claim,
Our gathering heartbeat...

We were not meant to break, we were meant to endure,
We are the light we make, the wound that finds its cure.
I am the Sun, because …
We are the God, because we chose to be.
The sun will surely rise, but it is not the reason why
We live and we survive, because of you and I.

The Light In The Longest Night

"Redder" is a palindrome. Like "racecar" or "level". These pieces of music ain't.

My name is Volker Redder, online I go by "docredder." It all came about because I studied biology and computer science for a long time and received my doctorate as the crowning achievement of my academic career.
As a child, I sang Bach in the church's „Knabenchor Unser Lieben Frauen“ because my mother thought it was good for my soul. And it was, until, thanks to an excellent teacher, I realized that music is like mathematics. After that, I loved not only music but also mathematics and all sciences based on mathematics: physics, biology, chemistry, computer science. So, I went straight into the natural sciences and engineering. Yes, I studied a lot. However, a university career wasn't for me. I wanted to monetize the findings of the various sciences (you can't live on air and love alone) and founded over a dozen companies. Because who wants life to follow a clear formula? I certainly didn't. In addition to adventurous entrepreneurship, the subsequent career in politics (German Bundestag), and a growing family, I was constantly picking up the guitar or keyboard, which is what you do when you want to escape the chaos of everyday life.
Should I say I'm a virtuoso? No. That would be a lie. I'm just too lazy for that. Laziness, or in modern parlance, "efficiency," is a principle for me. And so I founded my "own studio," consisting of a lot of electronics and software. The hipsters call it DIY. I call it "not wanting to act like a big shot and book expensive recording studios." I'm a one-man orchestra, a chef-d'oeuvre who spends all day producing pop, rock, indie, and ambient mishmash until he finally finds it he likes. My menu? Pink Floyd, Genesis, Supertramp, Muse, Zappa, Miles Davis, and many more. Yes, all at once. I told you: mishmash.
There are guys who write music to become famous. Then there's me. I write music to keep myself from going crazy. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes there's melancholy in it, sometimes it's stories from literature or something sci-fi. Or from Tinder dates my daughters have told me. I mean, who hasn't wondered what "being in Tinder light" is? Exactly. I wrote it down. I use everything I can get my hands on: GarageBand, samples, my voice, AI voices, Udio, VirtualDJ, everything! I don't care if purists say it's no longer art. It doesn't matter, the main thing is that my music feels like a window you can look out of and discover something new again and again.
Every song becomes a little adventure. Sometimes I start with a line, sometimes with a feeling I can't shake. It's like an escape from reality, except in the end, there's no escape. And that's a good thing. This is how I stay grounded. Okay, grounded isn't the right word either. Let me put it this way: I've stayed true to myself. And I'm grateful for everyone who listens, shares, or comments.
It makes me feel like I'm not completely alone in this madness. So if you also like songs that don't follow the rules, I'd be happy if you joined in. After all, the world is crazy enough.
You have to fight that with music. I mean, that's logical, right?

docredder

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