JoesPi - First Try

Seven Deadly Sins

Closer to Home

all of the election related stories/signs in a critical historical month that were part of my News of the Day (NOTD) playlist

NOTD Election stories

A float around the universe created with the help of Udio

Relax

Song inspired by the biggest news story of the day on 7/10/24 - Heat Wave
Part of a larger playlist of news of the day (NOTD) between 7/5 and 8/8

produced with the help of Udio

News: Heat Wave

Songs inspired by the biggest news story of the day between 7/5 - 8/8/2024

NOTD 7_16_24 Republican convention

NOTD 7_5_24 Joe v Don

NOTD 7_15_24 assassination attempt aftermath

NOTD 7_14_24 Trump assassination attempt

NOTD 7_17_24 more RNC

This song is based on a true story of a friend's sister who was born with a congenital disease that made her sickly and mentally challenged her whole life.  She once said "I just want to be Herman Bean".  Her mother tried for a while to figure out who Herman Bean was, but eventually figured out she meant "a human being".

produced with the help of Udio

Herman Bean

inspired by lust as part of the seven deadly sins concept album
https://soundcloud.com/joe-schwartz-13/sets/seven-deadly-sins

produced with the help of Udio

Lust

inspired by sloth from the concept album about the seven deadly sins
https://soundcloud.com/joe-schwartz-13/sets/seven-deadly-sins

[Verse]
Another day, I'm on the couch, just staring at the walls
I know I've got so much to do, but I'm ignoring all the calls
My kitchen's like a minefield, can't remember how to clean
[Chorus]
Lazy days, they slip away, I'm caught in a haze
Wish I could change, rearrange, and find my way
Lazy days, they slip away, another sun fades
Wish I could change, rearrange, and make a play
[Verse 2]
The TV's on, it's playing shows I've seen a hundred times
Dust collects on my regrets, I'm lost within my mind
Every night, I tell myself tomorrow will be new
But here I lay, in disarray, with nothin' left to do

[Chorus]
Lazy days, they slip away, I'm caught in a haze
Wish I could change, rearrange, and find my way
Lazy days, they slip away, another sun fades
Wish I could change, rearrange, and make a play
[Bridge]
Maybe one day I'll find the strength to rise above this mess
But today just feels like yesterday, I'm paralyzed, I must confess
My motivation's hiding, somewhere far out of my reach
These lazy days keep playing on, a lesson they won't teach
[Chorus]

Lazy days, they slip away, another sun fades
Wish I could change, rearrange, and make a play

produced with the help of Udio

Sloth

inspired by pride from the concept album about the seven deadly sins
https://m.soundcloud.com/joe-schwartz-13/sets/seven-deadly-sins

[Pre-Chorus]
I wear my mask so well, you can't see my fears
It's a fortress built on years of silent sorrow
No bridge to cross, no tears shed on your side
Just reflections in the cracks of my own shadows

[Verse]
I built my walls so high to keep the world outside
But these cracks are showing pride that's left me hollow
Every word, every fight, throws another spear inside
Guess my heart won't let me care or just let go

[Chorus]
You've been calling me out on my lies
But I'm anchored to hurt and disguise
I'm defending my pride with my life
While I'm watching us tumble and die
[Post-Chorus]
In the rubble of my fortress, I'm still standing
Every stone a testament to wounds demanding
An ego bruised but never bending
Only shadows of the love I keep pretending
[Bridge]
I'm lost in the maze of my own creation
Walls so thick, they mute my own salvation
You try to reach me, but my pride's too strong
In this silent war, it feels so wrong
[Chorus]
You've been calling me out on my lies
But I'm anchored to hurt and disguise
I'm defending my pride with my life
While I'm watching us tumble and die

[Interlude]
In this fortress, echoes of regrets resound
Memories of love lost and not found

[Chorus]
You've been calling me out on my lies
But I'm anchored to hurt and disguise

[Outro]
As we crash and burn, no bridge to rebuild
All that's left is pride and a heart unfulfilled

created with the help of Udio

Pride

inspired by greed from the concept album about the seven deadly sins
https://soundcloud.com/joe-schwartz-13/sets/seven-deadly-sins

[Instrumental Intro]
[Verse 1]
I want the whole world
Everything in gold
I crave the treasures
More than stories told
I take what I want, no regret
Power and riches
Never more upset
[Miscellaneous]
It's all just a game
And I feel no shame
In this burning flame
[Chorus]
I'm climbing higher
Built my empire
From stone and desire
Greed's my only fire
[Verse 2]
No love is needed
In this lonely tower
Wealth is all I know
It's my finest hour
Friends turn to shadows
But I push ahead
In my gilded cage
I reign supreme, no flaw
But the silence grows
And the nights are raw
[Chorus]
I'm climbing higher
Built my empire
From stone and desire
Greed's my only fire
[Bridge]
Mirrors reflect a hollow king
Surrounded by all my shiny things

But what is this feeling
That tickles deep within?
As I count my fortune
I lose my next of kin
[Chorus]
I'm climbing higher
Built my empire
From stone and desire
Greed's my only fire

produced with the help of Udio

Greed

inspired by vanity from the concept album about the seven deadly sins
https://soundcloud.com/joe-schwartz-13/sets/seven-deadly-sins

[Verse]
Scrolling through my photos past
Moments captured, moments cast, can't you see?
Filters on, I edit life
Hiding all my inner strife, can't you see?

[Pre-Chorus]
Validation on my screen
Heart emojis paint the scene
In this world of endless dreams
[Verse]
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Who's the fairest of them all? Can't you see?
Every night I'm dressed to shine
Gotta show the world I'm fine, can't you see?

[Chorus]
Lights flashing, I'm the star
Chasing dreams but falling far
Hear the cheers, here we are
In this game, it's who we are
[Verse]
Social feeds and magazine spreads
Another like, another thread, can't you see?
Selfies in the perfect light
Capturing the best of life, can't you see?

[Chorus]
Likes rising, I'm adored
Chasing trends, but feeling bored
Hear the buzz, here we are
In this race, it's who we are
[Bridge]
But in the dark when I'm alone
I'm glued to my glowing phone, can't you see?
Searching for that next big hit
Needing more than just a bit, can't you see?
[Chorus]
Lights flashing, I'm the star
Chasing dreams but falling far
Hear the cheers, here we are
In this game, it's who we are
[Outro]
Maybe one day I'll look back
See the cracks in this facade, can't you see?

created with the help of Udio

Vanity

news of the day - Global IT outage

produced with the help of Udio

Global IT Outage

[Verse]
Yeah, you marched on with your belief, so bold
Sang the tales that you were told
Clutched the dreams you thought you'd hold
But then the truth, it hit like cold
[Pre-Chorus]
Your eyes, they opened wide, you see
The lies that kept you from being free
[Chorus]
In the mirror, the reflection of a fool 
Who built a castle on a broken rule
And I watched it crumble, watched it fall
I based it all on a lie, that's the hardest truth of all
[Verse]
Every choice, like a house of cards
Fell apart when life hit hard
[Pre-Chorus]
And now, with every step, you tread
Unraveling threads of false hope you were fed
[Chorus]
In the ashes, the shadow of a dream
Where the colours faded from what they seemed
And I saw the walls, how they cracked and how they called
Built on whispers of a lie, that unveiled the deepest fall
[Bridge]
Yeah, we fall but we learn, start to yearn
For the truth 'neath the burn
As we rise from the tales, old fairytales
Shake off the dust, set the sails
[Verse]
So I rebuilt from the heart, piece by piece
Tore the illusions and found my release
[Pre-Chorus]
Clear vision now with naivety shed
The tangled webs we weave, once full of dread
[Chorus]
I faced the mirror, shattered illusions I'd own
Forged a strength from the fallacies I've outgrown
Now the castle's foundations are truly stone
I found my kingdom in truth, and it's mine alone

produced with the help of Udio

The Hardest Truth of All

A song about watching someone you love exhibit self destructive behavior (999 cuts) over and over until they are too weak to meet their end on their own and need you at the last moment to give them peace.   

produced with the help of Udio

999 cuts

lyrics by Herman Bean

produced with the help of Udio

My angel (pop version)

the title says it all

[Verse]
I’ve been on this road, stuck chasing the signs
I’ve been searching for you, lost in these pines
Every memory plays like a heartbroken tune
But you keep slipping away, like a ghost in the moon

[chorus] I went to the bank and I went to the store. I went to the bar and I went to the whore
But there's something I'm missing, a piece out of line
In every shadow I see you, but you're hard to define

[Bridge]
I keep holding on tight, but the answers evade
Like whispers in the night, they're bound to fade
Keep promising myself this time I will find
The reason I wander through the midnight wind's cry
In these deep, tangled woods, I look for a spark
But every echo I find just leaves me in the dark

[chorus] I went to the bank and I went to the store. I went to the bar and I went to the whore
But there's something I'm missing, a piece out of line
In every shadow I see you, but you're hard to define

I keep holding on tight, but the answers evade
Like whispers in the night, they're bound to fade

produced with the help of Udio

Searching for purpose

this song is about it being ok, at some point, to give up the flight and take your rest

produced with the help of Udio

Rest Here Tonight

same theme as 999 cuts

produced with the help of Udio

The final cut

an Irish drinking song about smoking weed in a pub

produced with the help of Udio

The Green Pub Anthem

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion
produced with the help of Udio

Wings of faith

a float around the universe

produced with the help of Udio

Relax #1

a statement of hope and anger

produced with the help of Udio

The Aftermath

a song about the stress and wonder of the future

produced with the help of Udio

The future

a song with lyrics by Herman Bean. this is the country version. see also the pop version
produced with the help of Udio

My Angel (country version)

lyrics by Herman Bean
produced with the help of Udio

Through his eyes

Child Grows

produced with the help of Udio
Lyrics

[Verse]
Caught in a web, can't find the out door
Say something right, they want a bit more
All their questions, loaded guns (loaded guns)
Can’t win this war, it's all wrong
[Chorus]
No-win situations, no salvation
Every answer is a trap of their creation
No-win situations, no salvation
Lost in the labyrinth of their damnation
[Verse 2]
Trap doors beneath my feet, nowhere to stand
Spinning tales, caught in quicksand
Fake smiles, manipulative praise
Can't see the end in this twisted maze

[Chorus]
No-win situations, no salvation
Every answer is a trap of their creation
No-win situations, no salvation
Lost in the labyrinth of their damnation
[Bridge]
Shadows lurking, in every corner
They pull me in, I’m losing order
Voices echo, doubts seep through
In this cruel game, there’s no breakthrough

[Chorus]
No-win situations, no salvation
Every answer is a trap of their creation
No-win situations, no salvation
Lost in the labyrinth of their damnation

No win

The time is coming

Movin' on

Movin' on (country version)

a relaxing float around the universe with piano

created with the help of Udio 

Relax #2 (piano)

a vampire's lament after trick-or-treating that all he has is candy, and no blood

created worth the help of Udio

Vampire trick-or-treating

A drinking song for Halloween

created with the help of Udio

Halloween drinking song

similar feel with a guitar

created with the help of Udio

Relax #3 (guitar)

a float around the universe with a guitar

created with the help of Udio

Relax #3.5 (guitar)

a float around the universe

created with the help of Udio 

Relax #4

part of the growing playlist of Virtues to contrast my Seven Deadly Sins album 

[Verse]
When I open my heart, I see much clearer
In the smallest things, treasure shines deeper
Every step forward feels like a winner
When empathy is my guide, my world gets bigger

[Chorus]
We rise higher with open hands
We find strength in where we stand
Life gets brighter when we understand
Together we shine, like grains of sand
[Verse 2]
In every stride, every word shared
I find a world where everyone cares
With each lesson learned, a guiding light appears
The sky is clearer when the heart rinses fears

[Bridge]
In the simple grace of giving space
Finding joy in others' embrace
Together we build what time can't erase
Shining in a gentle, endless race

[Chorus]
We rise higher with open hands
We find strength in where we stand
Life gets brighter when we understand

[Verse 2]
In understanding, I find strength anew
Listening opens doors, letting light come through
Through open doors, I see countless hues
In every turn, life's full of clues
Walking the path with a heart unclaimed
In every moment, there's so much gained
Shedding the weight of worldly pride
Find the peace on this gentle ride
In every failure, a lesson in disguise
Building a future with a clear horizon sky

[Outro]
We've got a mountain of dreams to climb
With every honest step, we redefine

created with the help of Udio

Humility

part of a greater series on Virtues 

[Verse 1]
They call it luck, but start to see,
The battles I fought to be free,
The struggles I turned into my creed,
Every challenge planted a seed.

[Pre-Chorus]
Rejection was my steady friend,
Every night spent on the mend,
These trials led me to ascend,
A story they couldn't comprehend.
[Verse]
Overnight they say I'm shining bright,
But it took years to get this right.
Every setback made me fight,
With my principles my guiding light.

[Chorus]
Conviction hardens the links,
Trust builds the chain.
We can do anything,
If we can beat the pain.
[Bridge]
Lessons learned in every tear,
Strength in each moment of despair,
Now, with faith, I'm standing here,
Embracing all the courage I declare.
[Verse 3]
From whispers to the loudest cheer,
The journey paved in blood and sweat,
A humble heart I've kept near,
And I ain't finished yet.

[Chorus]
Conviction hardens the links,
Trust builds the chain.
We can do anything,
If we can beat the pain.

[Outro]
Conviction hardens the links,
Trust builds the chain.


created with the help of Udio

Patience and Righteousness

this is a piece for my series on Virtues, but tempered by the theme of my song "Wings of Faith" which is about how Righteousness is the thing that drives good men to do evil.  it starts with the first half of "Wings of Faith", then explores the question of why it goes wrong. 


[Intro]
In shadows cast by sacred walls
Where light and dark both stand tall

[Verse]
Preachers call the faithful near
Words of love mix with fear
[Verse]
Guided by a faith -- searching for the higher ground
Good intent on the way -- shifting like a passing cloud
[Chorus]
With belief, we lose and find
Right or wrong, in hearts confined
[Verse]
The weight of words and holy vows
Sometimes they blur the lines somehow

[Bridge]
Good intentions pave the way
Yet shadows lurk where light should stay

[Chorus]
With belief, we lose and find
Right or wrong, in hearts confined
For good to do evil things
It's the faith that gives them wings

[Verse]
We measure right in shifting shades
Each path we choose, a game we’ve played
Mistakes are made in earnest peace
Bound by belief, without release
[Pre-Chorus]
Maps of virtue, lines of fate
Yet our visions drift and skate
[Chorus]
With belief, we rise and fall
Build our temples, then watch them fall

[Verse]
Lost in faith, a double-edged sword
Hopes and doubts, spinning chords
In the name of love, battles are waged
Lines that shift, in the sands they're staged

[Bridge]
In pursuit of what we deem is right
We draw lines that spark a futile fight
Bound by visions that sometimes blind
In seeking truth, we leave scars behind
[Verse]
Every heart holds a compass grand
Though they lead to different lands
For every light, there's a shadow cast
Intentions pure, yet they may not last
[Outro]
In this dance of righteous flight
We lose sight of wrong and right

created with the help of Udio

Wings of faith + Righteousness

Relax #5 (brass)

A friendship lost to the social media spin silos

What happened to us?

a plea to stop escalating the rage and to help people understand and change rather than demonize them 

Rise above the Rage

Keep on walking

Searching for a star (disco version)

Ezekiel 23:20

Win or lose

Things sometimes have to get worse to get better.   Enjoy now!

It's OK, things will get worse

Consmic window shopping #1

Cosmic Window Shopping #3

Cosmic Window Shopping #2

Cosmic Window Shopping #4

It's Jewish Christmas!

I am experimenting with many styles of music and getting help from AI to create my songs.   Lots are alternative, rock, pop, but I have ventured out to country, christian metal and folk and even ambient, just for fun.   Some songs are personal, some are political, some are based on the news.

Joseph Schwartz (Pi)

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks