Jimena recently asked me to put together something in a contemporary alternative rock vein, and I had to take the challenge just to see what happens.  Jimena is so damned versatile with any genre... it's hard to keep up with... it just inspires awe in all of her followers.  Oh, and definitely in me as well.  We sincerely hope you like this one :)

“More” is about never learning lessons in love, about our human nature, which always asks for more, even when we know we’ll end up getting hurt.

Video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp4skHiArdU

Instrumental Composition, Arrangement, Production, Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition, Lyrics, Arrangement: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Copyright © 2016 Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo. All rights reserved.

Lyrics:

MORE

I’ve heard
We shouldn’t play with fire
But sparks
Are ignited by fate

I’m burnt
And as my pain grew higher
I learnt
Love always finds a way

My scars are for life
But I wear them like a queen wears her crown
No bars tonight
I know I am not the only one
Who would do it all over again

Whoah- oh –oh-oh
We fall down to the floor
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
And we cry behind closed doors and roar
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
All we’ve ever cared for
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
Means nothing when we crave more
And we ask for more
Just a little bit more

Too late
Can’t mend a heart that’s broken
One day
It shall beat once again
That’s life, so tough
But I sense now that so am I
There is no high-enough threshold for pain

Whoah- oh –oh-oh
My back against the wall
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
Feeling like a torn rag doll, I crawl
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
All I’ve ever cared for
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
Means nothing when I crave more
And I ask for more
A bit more

We win, we lose, we act like fools
We risk, we starve, we promise the stars
We fall, we call out for support
Despite the results
We always seem to want more

Whoah- oh –oh-oh
We fall down to the floor
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
And we cry behind closed doors and roar
Whoah- oh –oh-oh
All we’ve ever cared for
Whoah- oh –oh-oh

It's never enough, never enough... Oh!
Never enough, never enough...
(And we ask for more)
It's never enough, never enough...
(Just a little bit more)
Never enough, never enough…
It's never enough, never enough…
Never enough, never enough…
It's never enough, never enough.

<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/8f5d09" rel="nofollow">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

More

Jimena's page

More ~ (Excorde) NEW MIX 11/28/2019

I am so honored by this latest chance to collaborate with Jimena because it adds to her growing list of piano-based pop ballads with other Soundcloud artists.  I've been inspired and motivated to do this for some time after hearing her fantastic work with Torbjørn https://soundcloud.com/tobbenv and Matthew Wilson https://soundcloud.com/matham-wilsoned.  I feel that Jimena has an unparalleled quality to writing and singing in this genre.  I know you will agree after listening to this new track and the following list of previous piano ballads done with the aforementioned artists.

https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo/without-you-18april2016
https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo/farewell-jimena-torbjorn
https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo/ashes-jimena-arroyo-matthew-wilson

Jimena and I very much hope you will enjoy this new track as much as you have the tracks from Torbjørn and Matthew Wilson.

Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Copyright © 2016 Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo. 
All rights reserved.

Lyrics:

If I Saw You

If I saw you
If I had you here with me
I’d touch your hand
To see if you were real

If I saw you
If I could hear you breathe
I’d know I am alive
I would finally feel

All the hell I’ve been through 
My entire life made sense now
Everything would fit together well
Everything was meant to be the hard way

Chorus
You are here
You are mine
You are real
We are one, we are aligned
As it should’ve been from the start
As it should be for the rest of our lives

If I saw you
If I had the merest chance
To watch your face
I’d love you at first glance

If I saw you
If you could make me heal
And make me forget
I would finally feel

All the bitter battles I have fought 
And lost were worthwhile
Everything would fit together well
Everything was meant to be the hard way

Chorus
You are here
You are mine
You are real
We are one, we are aligned
As it should’ve been from the start
As it should be for the rest of our lives

If I Saw You ~ (Excorde)

Jimena bestows yet another musical gift to me, with impeccable craftsmanship and skill set, in this collaborative effort.  With endless thanks to her for finding the time for this effort in her busy schedule, I'm proud to present Life Once More.  Jime, you are absolutely awesome here!

Please please please visit Jime's Soundcloud page at https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo ... she works great in a wide variety of genres, as you will see there.

Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Copyright © 2020 Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo. All rights reserved.
ISRC  QZMEN2025000

Lyrics:

Life Once More

For so many lifetimes I’d searched for your love in dismay
Fearing soulmates weren’t real
But I was ready to see straightaway
We had a bond made of steel

The moment I met you everything fit
And made perfect sense
Yet, gods toy with lovers, I have to admit,
They laugh at their expense

But a thousand stumbling stones on our way
Won’t be enough to lead us astray

Chorus:
Cause now that I’ve found you, you’re mine
I’ll do whatever it takes to have you back
And now all I ask for
Is to live life once more

I’ll cleanse all my karma and pay all my dues on the way (on the way)
I don’t want any heartache
Cause I am certain they’ll keep me away
If I don’t learn from mistakes

Learn from mistakes,
Live life again (x8)

I am prepared now to sail the universe
To be with you again
Conditions now may seem to be so adverse,
But this is not the end

All I ask it to be given
The chance to love you and be forgiven
Chorus:
Cause now that I’ve found you, you’re mine
I’ll do whatever it takes to have you back
And now all I ask for
Is to live life once more
And now all I ask for
Is to live life once more…

You are my everything (x4)

Oh yeah!

My lover, my master, my victim, my friend
We’ve been through everything
My father, my maker, my teacher, my mate
You’re my everything (my everything)

My guardian, my savior, my favorite man,
My soulmate, my ally, my best confident

Learn from mistakes,
Live life again
Learn from mistakes,
Live life again

My lover, my master, my victim, my friend

Learn from mistakes,
Live life again
Learn from mistakes,
Live life again

My father, my maker, my teacher, my mate
You’re my everything
You’re mine mine mine mine mine!
All I ask is to be given

The chance to love you and be forgiven
You are my everything (fade out)

Life Once More ~ (Excorde) REMIXED Oct 7, 2020

Jimena has again showcased her tremendous writing and singing skills in this Excorde collaboration.  It's always a joy to work with such a multi-dimensional artist as her... she is nothing less than an astonishing talent in both writing and performance.  If you haven't checked out her catalogue of collaborations with many many fine Soundcloud artist, please do so at https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo 

Jimena, your sound on this track gives me serious goosebumps.  Thank you so very much for working on this project, it sounds bigger than I could have ever hoped for!

Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Copyright © 2017 Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo. All rights reserved.

Lyrics:

Inferno

Fire
I feel it crawling up in me
Desire
Am I succumbing to the heat?
How come you inspire
Me to be who I am not?
Flames grow higher
Who says that I cannot?

Helplessly I fall for you
Hopelessly I give in to you

Inferno –
Can’t say no
I just can’t resist your attack
It’s a blaze I can’t control
Inferno –
I won’t say no
You’re a pyromaniac
You love to watch me burn

Watch me burn
Mmmm

Live wire
Electric delivery
Throughout my body
You’ll get a fatal injury
Cause I’m a pyre
Blazing for you relentlessly
Till I expire
There’s no way out of here

Breathlessly I fall for you
Selflessly I give in to you

Inferno –
Can’t say no
I just can’t resist your attack
It’s a blaze I can’t control
Inferno –
I won’t say no
You’re a pyromaniac
Who loves to watch me burn

You should get ready for collision
Heated air of passion bends the vision
In a mirage of love addiction
I will wrap you
You should get ready for collision
Heated air of passion bends the vision
And I will love you

(Guitar solo)

Inferno – No!
Can’t say no
Inferno – No!
I won’t say no

Helplessly
(You should get ready for collision)
Hopelessly
(Heated air of passion bends the vision)
Breathlessly
I will love you

<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/cea7c0" rel="nofollow">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

Inferno ~ (Excorde) NEW MIX 5/31/2020

Jimena opened up her catalog of originals to me and I pulled this one out for us to work with.  I could not be any happier because it was such an awesome song to really crank up to a hard rock/metal level.  And then we got the idea to really set this apart with a brilliant violinist to add a classical music dimension to it.  We turned to https://soundcloud.com/ice-requiem and are we ever so grateful that she accepted the task, her additions turned out even better than our thoughts could have imagined and hearts hoped for! 

We all hope that you really enjoy the listening time you are giving this song.  And thank you ever so much, Jimena and Rachel, for trusting me with this project :)  It means a great deal to me.

Vocal & Song Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)

Band Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Violin Composition and Performance: Ice Requiem (@ice-requiem)
Copyright © 2017 Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo. All rights reserved.

Lyrics:

Aha yay yeah
Maybe it’s too much pressure choking all the way
Breathless by nature, still waiting to exhale
I don’t find the difference, perhaps I’m blind again
When I’m with my new-found partner, I see you instead

But you’re just a soulless being, 
You never appear…

You’re the king of the stillness
You’re in the air I can feel it
All the way back home
Born in sin, the unforgiven,
You’re here just to see me 
Tumbling down (down down down)

I’m haunted by your presence which stalks me all about
I wonder if I like that… what a sick game I’m at!
I wish I could ignore you, it’s not funny anymore
It’s time for healthy feelings: to wake up and grow.

You’re what's left of my real love, you know, 
You come and you go…

You’re the king of the stillness
You’re in the air I can feel it
All the way back home
Born in sin, the unforgiven,
You’re here just to see me 
Tumbling down (down down down)

Tumbling down
Down down down
Tumbling down
Down down down

Your breathing - I can feel it
All the way back home
Born in sin, the unforgiven,
You’re here just to see me 
Tumbling down (down down down)

Tumbling down
(All the way back home)
Down down down
Tumbling down
Down down down

All the way back home
All the way back home... home home
All the way back home
All the way back home to escape you
All the way back home to be free
Home

All The Way Back Home ~ (NEW MIX 7/13/2020)

It was bound to happen eventually.  I accidentally deleted this track while cleaning out numerous old private work files.  And it is one of my favorites, to boot.  All those very kind and encouraging comments, likes, posts, all that effort from listeners... it evaporated with a keystroke.   I apologize profusely to those who took the time to show some love on the original post, and I hope it never happens to you.  

This became a great track when Jimena heard it and spontaneously wrote the vocal music in a matter of a couple hours.  And her spontaneity does really shine in this work.  If you're listening once again, thank you so much for that kind of support.  We are indebted to you!  I simply hope you'll like hearing it once again :)

Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Copyright © 2016 Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo. All rights reserved.
Lyrics:

True

What if - for the first time-
I decide it's worth it?
What if now I'm not afraid to try?
What if we just cause crime?
I can feel you crave it
Yearning for a chance to fire up.

Chorus:
Take me, break me,
Make me feel I'm wanted, too.
Lay me down, toy with me,
Fool around, play with me,
Show me all that you can do.
Chase me, taste me,
Make your fantasies come true.

Yes
Oh yeah
Please
I’m waiting

What if we discover
that we are innate lovers?
Would you miss the chance to find out why
we don’t care for others?
I don’t even bother
To meet someone else with you on my mind

Chorus

Come on, get closer
just one step closer to me
Closer… closer..
All over… all over…
Some things you can’t fight

Chorus

Tell me, did you like it?
Oh yes, you did

True ~ (Excorde)

A new Excorde song.   Please also visit https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo/it-never-goes-away-excorde-jimena-jonnie-new-single

A portion of a bridge idea for a very mellow idea acoustic guitar I was working reinvented itself into the trance-like verse for this very hard rock song.  You just never know what might happen when you allow music to go where it will.  I presented this idea to Jimena, multiple time signatures and all, for collaboration.  She never flinched, and ever so brilliantly constructed her vocal parts to anchor this with a cohesive 4/4 time throughout.  This resulted in a cascading effect throughout the song which presents delightful surprises and is so totally cool.  And her singing is amazingly powerful and tight, nothing less than perfect for this piece.
Thanks for working on yet another project with me, Jimena.  Your ideas are truly an unlimited resource.

Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Copyright © 2017. Excorde (Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo). All rights reserved.

On and on
It never goes away (x4)
I try to shake it off
I try to slip away
I’d gladly trade it off
For severe deprivation
I want it yet I don’t
I need to just cool off
To resist the temptation
Chorus:
Oh oh - Your face is everywhere
Oh no - Sometimes life’s so unfair
Oh oh - Now love is in the air
Oh no - I don’t want one more torrid affair
No… No…
On and on
It never goes away (x2)
I banish every thought
That lingers in my head
And yet I’m so distraught
At my lack of dedication
I want you but I know
It’s lethal to move on
With this toxic fixation
Oh oh - Your face is everywhere
Oh no - Sometimes life’s so unfair
Oh oh - Now love is in the air
Oh no - I don’t want one more torrid affair 
Oh no!
I’ll tell you what
If you insist
Let’s just go on
I can’t resist this
But you should know (but you should know)
With just one kiss (with just one kiss)
You’ll fall in love
You will have missed this
Nah nah nah nah nah
On and on
It never goes away (x4)
Oh no – it never goes away
No – It doesn’t seem to end
No, it never goes away
Oh oh - Your face is everywhere
Oh no - Sometimes life’s so unfair
Oh oh - Now love is in the air
Oh no - Here comes one more torrid affair
I’ll tell you what
If you insist
Let’s just go on
I can’t resist this
But you should know (but you should know)
With just one kiss (with just one kiss)
You’ll fall in love
You will have missed this
Nooooo…
Oh oh oh oh..

It never goes away

Jimena's Cloud

It Never Goes Away ~ (Excorde) NEW MIX 1/19/2020

Little Punkinhead

Here is a brand new song from Excorde.  We hope you like it!  Jimena does such great collaboration work, I want to thank her once again for a peerless job with this one. Please visit Jimena's page... for lyrics to this song... to hear her work with other collaborators... and just to say hi to her!

JIMENA'S PAGE

I'm The Storm (Excorde)

Jimena initiated this song idea with a melody/progression idea a couple of months back.  Like most other collabs we've done, we bounced ideas back and forth via SoundCloud prototype tracks and just let it grow organically.  At first, we had only a somewhat reggae/ska feel going with the verse, but then we  stumbled upon a useful chip-tune type of oscillation setting that was catchy, flexible and begged to be rocked.  Suddenly the complexion of the song took an unexpected turn into some real hard funk rock and we knew that we were back on track again with another morphing-character Excorde song.  We are quite please with the results, especially with the addition of fine lead guitar work from our friend https://soundcloud.com/dairv-dubbleyew for the finishing touch.  Please check out his page for some fine examples of creative playing and songwriting.

And be sure to visit https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo to read her highly imaginative lyrics for this song.  Don't forget to leave her a comment and a like on her track... it's like giving a tip but a hundred times better! :)

Thanks endlessly to both Jimena and Dairv for their awesome musical powers!  You two rock!

Instrumental Composition, Production & Final Mix: Jonnie Cook (@jonnie-cook)
Vocal Composition & Lyrics: Jimena Arroyo (@jimenaarroyo)
Guitar solos & Background Support: Dairv Dubbleyew (@dairv-dubbleyew)
Copyright © 2018. Excorde (Jonnie Cook and Jimena Arroyo). All rights reserved.

Jimena's Page

Excorde - Star-crossed

It's been awhile since Excorde released a new single.  Here it is, finally, a soft jazz chill feel, with lyrics about the pain it causes to not have anything to give to one, or One, whom you love.  Thanks so very much to my band mate https://soundcloud.com/jimenaarroyo for breathing life into this with brilliant toplines and lyrics!  Please visit her SoundCloud page to discover a plethora of other great collabs with many other indie artists she works with.

Nothing To Give You (excorde)  NEW RELEASE

Thanks for your time listening, commenting and supporting the projects I work on.  It's appreciated more than you can know :)

Peace,
jonnie

jonnie cook

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