Born blue in the early light
June thirtieth, fifty-two fight
Umbilical cord like a noose of fate
But I kicked through the odds and showed up late
Radio played the greatest game
While my mama breathed through the pain
They gave me my father’s name in case
I never got to see her face

[Verse 2]
Long Island house with garage dreams
Dad chased power, split the seams
Mom was a nurse with steady grace
Held the line when we lost our place
Puerto Rico, factory start
Fell apart like a hopeful heart
We came back broke but still intact
Till love turned cold and the past looked back

[Chorus – Hook]
I’ve been lost, I’ve been found
I’ve been spun all around
From Saranac snow to desert sun
From broken vows to the only one
I’ve been a name, I’ve been a flame
I’ve been the quiet in the loudest game
And if this is the end of the mile
I pass with a smile

[Verse 3]
School in the snow, boots too thin
Then west I went, let the heat begin
L.A. lights and Phoenix dust
New Mexico dreams that turned to rust
Married wrong, but love came right
Julie and the kids lit up my night
Built a life no one could steal
Invented truth, wrote what I feel

[Bridge – Spoken-sung]
I’ve been the song no one heard
I’ve been the man behind the word
I’ve been the fire, I’ve been the grace
I’ve been the soul time can’t erase

[Final Chorus – Hook]
I’ve been lost, I’ve been found
I’ve been spun all around
From Saranac snow to desert sun
From broken vows to the only one
I’ve been a name, I’ve been a flame
I’ve been the quiet in the loudest game
And if this is the end of the mile
I pass with a smile

[Outro – Fade with soft sax and acoustic fingerpicking]
I pass with a smile…
I pass with a smile…    Love you all...e

I Pass with a Smile by songwiter Edwin H. Balder

In the shadows of Apache Junction, at the foot of the majestic Superstition Mountains, sits a weathered hacienda. This desert oasis is home to an enigmatic figure, a songwriter whose journey reads like a long, dusty road of honky-tonk bars and college cafeterias. He wasn't chasing fame or glitter; instead, he chose the soul-crushing beauty of music for music's sake.

Years spent hunched over sticky barroom tables and scribbling lyrics on napkins earned him a reputation—not in the spotlight but in the back rooms where deals are made. He wrote melodies that found their way into the hearts of stars who had lost their own muse. He sold his creations for cash, with no recognition, but the whisper of his songs carried the weight of his soul.

Finally, he bought this piece of desert paradise—a stable income from his timeless songs allowed him to live comfortably, if anonymously. Here in this hacienda, with his family beside him and the mountains as his backdrop, he found the peace to write hits under his own name. He chuckled at the irony that now, without chasing fame, he could create music that brought him joy.

In the end, it was never about the spotlight. It was about the journey, the stories, and the songs that wrote themselves through his life. As the sun set behind the Superstitions, casting long shadows over the hacienda, he strummed his guitar and sang—content, unknown, and unburdened by the world's gaze.


Copyright 2019 Edwin H. Balder

I may be dead when fame comes but my real glory was always JULIE & The Kids. Thank you for such love

I Pass with a Smile by songwiter Edwin H. Balder

Edwin Balder