Progressive Rock

Best Of - More than 1000 plays

Fire and water, Yin and Yang,  
The eternal cycle from which life sprang.  
A wild dance in time's embrace,  
Bringing death and new life, an endless grace.

If anyone is interested: This song is a translation and a progressive rock version of my German pop song: "Wasser und Feuer". 
I was too lazy to think of new lyrics. :-)

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
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, Apple's Keynote

Ashes And Rain

In shadows long, the past erased,
From ashes cold, a world misplaced,
Crimson skies light the barren land,
A dawn of hope where ruins stand.

Dawn of a civilization's cry, 
Underneath a fractured sky, 
With every tear, dreams reborn, 
In the light of a shattered dawn.

Whispers echo, ghosts of time,
Silent cities, fate's cruel rhyme,
Mountains mourn in crimson hue,
Chasing echoes of what we knew.

Feel the chill upon your skin,
A fragile hope, the fight within,
Dreams ignite in darkened gleam,
Life reborn from broken dreams.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
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, Apple's Keynote

Rise Of Dawn

Night falls, shadows creep,
A strange light, pulling me from sleep.
Cold hands, eyes so wide,
Taken by the unknown, no place to hide.

Alien lights, a frightful sight,
Lost in the void, taken in the night.
Heart races fast, fear in the air,
Abducted by beings from out there. 

Floating high, weightless fear,
Whispers in a tongue I can't hear.
Memories fade, what's real, what's fake?
A nightmare ride, will I awake? 

Alien lights, a frightful sight,
Lost in the void, taken in the night.
Heart races fast, fear in the air,
Abducted by beings from out there.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: 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, Apple's Keynote

From Out There

I was just a wanderer beneath the starry sky,  
When a light from the heavens took me up high.  
Through the cosmic silence, in a ship of silver hue,  
I found myself in places where dreams and fears come true.

They spoke without a language, their eyes a thousand years, 
In their gaze, I saw the wisdom, the hopes, the ancient tears. 

On an alien ship, I learned to see,  
The universe in ways that we could never be.  
They said don't fear, we're watching you, 
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

They scanned my thoughts and memories, my heart laid bare,  
In their gentle probing, there was no despair.  
Days in their care, a strange serenity,  
A journey through the cosmos, my new reality.

Back on earth, the skies seemed closer,  
With every star, a silent whisper.  
They left a message deep inside my soul, 
We are not alone, there's a greater goal. 

On an alien ship, I learned to see,  
The universe in ways that we could never be.  
They said don't fear, we're watching you,
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

So I'll keep looking to the stars,  
Knowing we're not so far apart.  
In the quiet of the night, I hear their call,  
We are not alone, not alone at all.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: 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, Apple's Keynote

The Next Breakthrough

The Next Breakthrough (Alpha Version)

I was just a wanderer beneath the starry sky,
When a light from the heavens took me up high.
Through the cosmic silence, in a ship of silver hue,
I found myself in places where dreams and fears come true.

They spoke without a language, their eyes a thousand years,
In their gaze, I saw the wisdom, the hopes, the ancient tears.

On an alien ship, I learned to see,
The universe in ways that we could never be.
They said don't fear, we're watching you,
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

They scanned my thoughts and memories, my heart laid bare,
In their gentle probing, there was no despair.
Days in their care, a strange serenity,
A journey through the cosmos, my new reality.

Back on earth, the skies seemed closer,
With every star, a silent whisper.
They left a message deep inside my soul,
We are not alone, there's a greater goal.

On an alien ship, I learned to see,
The universe in ways that we could never be.
They said don't fear, we're watching you,
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

So I'll keep looking to the stars,
Knowing we're not so far apart.
In the quiet of the night, I hear their call,
We are not alone, not alone at all.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: 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, Apple's Keynote

The Next Breakthrough (Beta Version)

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

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

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

"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?