This Song Is OPEN SOURCE and Free To Cover*
Some folks like to reminisce
Like it’s all just faded bliss
But I remember clear as sin
The night I let the wrong one in
I had a wife, I had a name
I made a vow, I wore the flame
Built a life on Sunday grace
Then tore it down with one embrace
You treated love like it was bait
A game to play, a twist of fate
And I bit down, I took the dare
Now I’m the man who wasn’t there
Reminiscent, that’s what they say
But I don’t smile when I look that way
I’m a cheat, and folks know that
But still they nod, still tip their hat
‘Cause the values country folks once had
Are dead on the mortician’s slab
I sang about truth, I sang about pride
Then lied with rhythm, smiled with stride
The stage don’t ask what’s underneath
Just how you sell the pain and grief
I wore the boots, I played the part
But never gave her back her heart
And now I stand in neon light
A man who lost the will to do what's right
Reminiscent, that’s what they say
But I don’t smile when I look that way
I’m a cheat, and folks know that
But still they nod, still tip their hat
‘Cause the values country folks once had
Are dead on the mortician’s slab
You can dress it up in rhinestone lines
But truth don’t shine, it just declines
And every song I used to sing
Feels like a lie.. a broken wedding ring
Reminiscent, that’s what they say
But I don’t smile when I look that way
I’m a cheat, and folks know that
But still they nod, still tip their hat
‘Cause the values country folks once had
Are dead on the mortician’s slab
I had a vow
I let it slip
Now I just sing
With a whiskey grip
yet I pretend on stage each night
that I am a man who knows wrong from right
so.. pretend on stage each night
that I am a man ...who knows... wrong from right
Reminisce and pretend Reminisce and pretend...
pretend on stage each night
that I am a man ...who knows... wrong.... from.... right....

Songwiter Edwin H. Balder with rights owed by him release this song to the world as: OPEN SOURCE!...Do well with what you will and know I love ya!


Reminiscent

I'm a songwriter and lyricist who loves music in all its forms. Growing up surrounded by a wide variety of sounds, from classic rock to R&B, pop, old school soul, hip-hop, foreign music, and beyond—I developed a passion for storytelling through lyrics and poems. I believe every genre has its own magic, and I let that diversity shape my type of sound Whether it's raw emotion, catchy hooks, or sometimes thought-provoking lyrics, my goal is to connect with listeners on all levels.😅

So hit play and join me on a journey through words, rhythm, and heart.🥰🎧🎶

"Song writing is directing people to a doorway of their own emotions"❤️



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

Reminiscent

Edwin Balder