Thanks, Mark. I really felt like a song that is  complaining about AI deserved a completely human rendition. Really glad you like this one too.

A splendid live and raw version!  Love the natural sounding acoustic, and you carry the tune perfectly live!  Very fine work Joe, this is awesome!

yes! lovin the realness of this track! As an artist, Ai has rocked my world as well.  those fuckers typing 2 commands and an enter. think they're musicians. lol. Great job putting ai artists on blast!

your voice comes out best in this format Joe (IMO) !!  If I saw these lyrics independently I'd never believe someone could fit them into a tune -- but voila!!!  And no machine is gonna produce Joe Stroffoline tunes!!  : )

wonderful storytelling....!!! 🌍  ☮︎  👍

I criticized AI and agreed with the title of your song... so I am typing it again, Joe.

Great to read and hear the history of your musical journey.

Good stuff man! Way to give AI the big FU!

Joe Stroffolino Selection

A song about growing older and looking back and asking myself: Were the good old days really that great.

Rose Colored Glasses

There was a scientist, he invented a time machine
he was looking to go back to those days wen life was not nearly so complex
He got inside, he pushed the button but his calculations were wrong
He ended up in the Juriasic era and was eaten by a T-Rex

Sometimes things don't turn out quite the way you expected
Sometmes you just gotta jump before all the dots are connected

Sometimes the answer's right in front of your snout
Sometimes you just gotta let those bottled feelings come out
Sometimes the truth is there but you just don't want to see it
Sometimes you gotta open up your mind and make a decision to free it

There was a prince who had royal blood and he was destined to become king and he wasn't very interested in taking on that job
One day he just got on his horse and he rode away and he never came back
he assumed a new identity and became a working class slob

Sometimes things don't turn out quite the way you expected
Sometmes you just gotta jump before all the dots are connected

Sometimes the answer's right in front of your snout
Sometimes you just gotta let those bottled feelings come out
Sometimes the truth is there but you just don't want to see it
Sometimes you gotta open up your mind and make a decision to free it

Sometimes you gotta step out of the box and see which way the wind is blowing. Head in the opposite direction and convince yourself to get going
Sometimes you gotta march to a brand new beat. Sometimes you gotta make a U-turn and head down a different street

Sometimes the answer's right in front of your snout
Sometimes you just gotta let those bottled feelings come out
Sometimes the truth is there but you just don't want to see it
Sometimes you gotta open up your mind and make a decision to free it

Snout

Copyright 2025 Joe Stroffolino
Guitar strumming tracks and picking tracks Taylor 114ce: Joe Stroffolino
Vocals & Backup Vocals:  Joe Stroffolino
Drums:  EZ Drummer 3
Bass:  PG music Real track

Hey sugar, hope you’re doing alright. I’ve been thinking about you.
Hey sugar hope you’re doing okay. Wonder what you’ve been up to.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen your face, and you had me under your spell.
We’ve both taken a quite a few trips around the sun. Hope time has treated you well.
As for me, I’m a little worse for wear, I’ve gained some weight and lost some hair
But I try to watch my diet and exercise and take care of myself. 
You’re just a memory, it would probably ruin my fantasy, if we were to meet up one day and try to rekindle that old chemistry.
Cause chemicals have an expiration date and it’s probably too late to put ourselves in
 a test tube and get that reaction going again.
Hey, sugar I’ve been thinking about you.  Do you ever think about me too.
Time passes and my memory fades and you become more beautiful
I feel like a boxer who’s past his prime and I’m looking for one last fight
Sometimes I wake up and I think about you in the dark and lonely night
Time keeps on passing and there’s not much you can do
It’s easy to look back and regret those options you didn’t pursue
You can spend your days waxing nostalgic, you can cling to your fantasy
Or you can jump in that water under the bridge and take a chance on reality
You’re just a memory, it would probably ruin my fantasy, if we were to meet up one day and try to rekindle that old chemistry.  
Cause chemicals have an expiration date and it’s probably too late to put ourselves in
 a test tube and get that reaction going again.
You’re just a memory, it would probably ruin my fantasy, but it sure would be nice to rekindle that chemistry.

Just a Memory

https://youtu.be/dLLddlqKIHc?si=wT5hmEY_W3Fp5ZvI 

This is my attempt at performing this song in a single take with just me and my guitar (Taylor 114 ce)
Also to compare and contrast, here’s a  link to a more polished full band version of this song that I recorded with the help of the Eclectic Collective 
https://soundcloud.com/josh-clary-1/ai-sucks-the-eclectic?si=67d29d363d2a419dacbf860fa471165e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Many thanks to SoundCloud musician Michele Ansani  https://on.soundcloud.com/A24Cig19AVNqQmCk8 who's lyrics inspired me to write this song and collaborated with me to help bring this song to life.
***
Lyrics
When I was thirteen I picked up my first guitar
it was my mother's, it only had one nylon string 
I tried to play it like a rock star
I learned to play the Coca-Cola jingle
So I could teach the world to sing
When I was fourteen, I put on six new strings
I learned to play Beatles, I learned a Bob Dylan song
I sounded out of tune but I tried to carry on
At fifteen I wrote my first original tune 
So bad it sounded like it might have been written by a baboon
When I was sixteen, I got a new guitar for my birthday
The metal strings sawed through my fingers but I continued to play
And as the calluses formed and every day I learned a brand new chord
I was obsessed with that guitar and I never grew bored.
I wrote songs every day and most of them were a mess
But I believed that through hard work, I could achieve success
Malcom Gladwell wrote a book that said it takes ten thousand hours
To become and expert at your craft
And now all it takes is two commands and an enter
And in two minutes you have ten versions of the same damn new song,
You just have to choose the type
folk, rock, rap, pop, metal, jazz, trap or blues.
You don't even need to write the lyrics, 
your push a few buttons let the AI choose.
And people will think your songs are great 
even though you didn’t write or play a single note.
When I was 20, I did my first concert, it was time
it occurred in a village square
there were four cats all friends of mine
I was still using the plectrum and sometimes I got the chords wrong
at thirty I finally wrote what I thought was a decent song
It had a very well thought out structure and a catchy vibe and beat 
It was overly verbose but when I played it people tapped their feet
In my forties I stopped wasting my time
Work was more fun I was doing just fine
I had a steady paycheck that could feed me 
And the record companies didn’t need me
In my fifties once again my musical juices started flowing
I bought the necessary equipment I was eager to get going
I recorded all my strumming and saved it onto my PC
The internet and technology were advancing rapidly
I took those special songs I’d written of which I was most proud
Posted them Instagram, You Tube, Tik Tok and SoundCloud
I asked myself if a tree falls in the forest and no one’s around
Does it make a sound?
But now all it takes is two commands and an enter
And in two minutes you have ten versions of the same damn new song,
You just have to choose the type
folk, rock, rap, pop, metal, jazz, trap or blues.
You don't even need to write the lyrics, 
your push a few buttons let the AI choose.
And people will like your songs even though you didn’t write or play a single note.

AI Sucks Acoustic Live Version

There are people who believe you should love your neighbor as yourself
There are people who believe you should share some of your wealth
There are people who believe that only the fittest should survive
And if you’re poor and you’re weak it’s up to you to stay alive
There are people who believe you should teach a man to fish
Instead of giving him all his food in an already cooked dish
There are people who have an empathy deficit
They see people suffering and they don’t care one bit
They wear religion on their sleeves but if you’re in the wrong denomination.  They look at you like you’re an abomination.
People who treat politics the same as a religion and if presented with a new set of facts they don’t even budge a little smidgeon
Billionaires who have enough money where they could end world hunger in one day
Do they see people starving and think it is okay. We’re stronger together than if we are apart
If we could see ourselves as passengers on the same boat that would be a good start
We all share this this tiny rock as it floats through outer space
This planet is the lifeboat for the entire human race
Billionaires who what to create a colony on Mars. Let’s fix things here on earth before we travel to the stars
The world used to be full of undiscovered places but now humans have put footprints everywhere.
The continents touch the same oceans, and we all breathe the same air We live on one planet that we have to share
We’re stronger together than if we are apart
If we could see ourselves as passengers on the same boat that would be a good start
We all share this this tiny rock as it floats through outer space
This planet is the lifeboat for the entire human race. Billionaires who what to create a colony on Mars.   Let’s fix things here on earth before we travel to the stars

Empathy

Farewell my little red CS01 YAMAHA ... 4 more minutes of crazy fun before you go ...

Pandora's Box (Variations et Déviations incontrôlées. PROCOL HARUM Cover)

Collaboration
Check out James Kevin's music
https://soundcloud.com/james-kevin-749817093

Let It Burn -with James Kevin

Souls in Harmony

'be we shall let'
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNO5y_Hu_v3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Note: this began as a shitty live recording that I overdubbed some extra (louder) vocals and two separate djembe tracks. It's what it is. I assure you some sexier things are in the works. If you care.

I sit on my porch watching the cars roll by
thinkin' about you, and the last time that we said goodbye.
When will I see you again?
I want to discover if this is real or pretend.
Either way, my darling, I feel like I've been blessed
for our stars to align amidst all of the mess
that we've made of our lives. Perhaps, now, for the best.
Not only satisfied, you make me strive to be my best.
So, let's give this a try. 
And, let me be honest...
The first time we locked eyes, my darlin', my feet were swept.
Be we shall let.

be we shall let

keep the hope...

【Music Video】Please also check out my YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/WQ1a5hW3bZQ?si=50OKq5ss0NkEx8F9
===================
不条理 / distance
===================
窓に映る　止めどない
戯言時系列に　紛れて
「不条理」と　綴られた
呟きを見た

いつからか　僕らは
譲り合いに　疲れて
見放すもの　頼るもの
呟いた

逢えなければ　見失ったやさしさが
逢えなければ　ささやかな願いごとが
逢えなければ　ほんとうのつながりが
逢えなければ　逢えなければ

いつからか　僕らは
有象無象を　恐れて
棄てるもの　譲るもの
呟いた

逢えないから　見失ったやさしさが
逢えないから　ささやかな願いごとが
逢えないから　ほんとうのつながりが
逢えないから　逢えないから

窓に映る　止めどない
戯言時系列に　紛れて
「不条理」と　綴られた
呟きを見た

呟きを見た

不条理 / distance

Remix and re-invention of an earlier track from many years ago. Messier 83 (see the image), also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, contains structures within structures. The images are stunning. This track has interlocking aspects, hence the title.

The Ferns of M83

Sea of contemplation By Zitou Itou & Wonie Z.

A new song for immigrants in all countries......  "I was a stranger and you welcomed me," in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:35)

Lyrics:

Welcome the stranger
From immigrant lands
Seeking freedom from oppression 
In this land of dreams and opportunities 
Do you remember that time?

Welcome the stranger
Who does not look like you
But on the inside, we’re all just the same
Breathing and existing searching for a cause
That they can believe in

Welcome the stranger
Looking for a new home
To call their own
Complete with family and friends 
And of course, some children too

Welcome the stranger
With a language they call their own
Beautiful in every word 
They speak of their dreams 
In this strange but free land which once was

Welcome the stranger 
For they are in need
Of your compassion and understanding 
As they try to navigate 
In this land now filled with hate and anger

Mastered Track: Distrokid Mixea
Music and Lyrics by Len Bennati FM Folk 2025
Image: Непарадное в парадных Александр Стрелков

Welcome the Stranger

Rapture is a new collaboration between the Beating Edge and Joe Stroffolino, following the awesome Asteroids (The Original Was Better). Joe wrote both the lyrics and the original music, while the Beating Edge rearranged and recorded it in a punchy rock style, adding driving guitars, strong rhythm, and dynamic choruses. Vocals feature Tom on lead, with Joe and Mary contributing both backing vocals and lead parts on certain verses and the bridge, creating a layered and energetic vocal texture.
The song explores the absurdity and irony of doomsday prophecies, the obsession with the rapture, and the endless cycle of believers and false prophets. It blends satirical storytelling with a critical eye on human behavior, delivering a mix of humor, intensity, and thought-provoking commentary through energetic rock arrangements. 
Rapture is a track that engages both the mind and the ears, combining narrative, power, and fun in equal measure.
Copyright 2025  Joe Stroffolino & The Beating Edge

Lyrics:

These prophets who say the world's gonna end and they set a specific date
And then when it doesn't happen, their followers still think they're great
The sun rises the next morning and people stumble out of bed
Disappointed that the rapture didn't happen and they're still alive instead of dead

All these people going through the motions, trying to deal with the daily grind
Hoping the rapture comes soon and they're not the ones who are left behind

They claim they have a direct line to God but there was a glitch in the connection
But now they're certain of the expiration date so they issue a correction
The shepherd guides the flock and tries to keep them safe from harm
But how many times can you cry wolf before people ignore your alarm

All these people going through the motions, trying to deal with the daily grind
Hoping the rapture comes soon and they're not the ones who are left behind

Who cares about the environment if you think the world is gonna end
And you're convinced the second coming is right around the bend
So drill baby drill and chop down all the plants and trees
No need to spend money on curing terrible disease

In every generation throughout history, people were certain that the rapture would come
And they had followers willing to believe them as they fed them each a tiny crumb
In baseball you only get three strikes and then the umpire says you're out
But when it comes to doomsday prophecies, the true believers have no doubt

All these people going through the motions, trying to deal with the daily grind
Hoping the rapture comes soon and they're not the ones who are left behind

Rapture


this song  is partly a tribute to actor, singer, dancer, artist, and author Russ Tamblyn, who turns 91 in December.
I wrote the song around the time I retired from my  medical career. So  along with references to  Russ and childhood memory, there are veiled allusions to this strange  new exciting but a bit unsettling life circumstance in the lyric.
As per Russ 
He danced and acted in Westside story  and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers most famously but was in a bunch of movies in the 50s and 60s.. and ....my favourite as a kid was the War of the Gargantuas, which  for Russ was a creative low point ..but  it got him to Japan
opening clips from WotG...the middle and end clips from his movie Highschool Confidential

PS The line in the last verse Words stuck in my throat..lifted from the song The Words Get Stuck in My Throat From the movie War of the Gargantuas...sung by the wonderful Kipp Hamilton who has to contend with a Gargantua groupie..dont worry she survived....clip of the song in the movie is here
https://vimeo.com/358726099?fl=pl&fe=sh
Devo did a cover of it years later


Russ Tamblyn

I'll get a Tokyo life                             
Say some words off the script          
Monsters in play                                
Career gone adrift                               
I can make it in spite                          
Of the way they dub my lines              

I'll sail to the East
Maybe take me a bride
Dance out regret
Act up with pride
Let me do it 
Let me do it
Let me do it brother, what do you say?
My little boy brain wants to be Russ Tamblyn for a day

I wanna be cool
I’d like to be strong
A fighter who dances
A singer of songs
Add some rhythm 
Put some muscle on these rhymes 

The streets of the West
I'll be taking a side
Living forever 
This world’s opened wide
Let me do it
Let me do it
Let me do it, what do you say?
My little boy brain wants to be Russ Tamblyn for a day 

In 1970                                         
I saw him on the TV screen        
With those creatures, one             
brown, one green                         
My Gargantuan celluloid dream   

They said I could bail    
I’d much rather swim
Head above water
Life on a whim
I can make it in spite
Of their doubts and their goodbyes

Words stuck in my throat
What's left to say?
There's only myself
I can't stay away
Let me do it 
Let me do it
Permit me if I may
My little boy brain wants to be Russ Tamblyn for a day
My little boy brain wants to be Russ Tamblyn for a day





Russ Tamblyn

this is another track , written, played and recorded while Netta was visiting from Norway….cheers for having a listen and your support👍

Who Can Say

Remind me of that song again
The one that has the saddest end
you know it too, you sang it to me
Long ago

Got me thinking about that time.
When I was yours and I had mine
Now we just live somewhere in the past
mmmm

Whatever happened to those days?
Nothing ever stays the same
Could it be the one that got away?
Who can say?

I could plan for days and days
There must be a thousand ways
That I could try and make you see
That you belong here with me

I dont really worry now
tomorrow made up it’s mind
And today feels like an only friend
and yesterday left us behind
again

Who Can Say

Songs with a twinge of humor (and some a bit more serious).  
I do not use AI to create my songs. 
https://linktr.ee/joe.stroffolino
Recently I have had the urge to pick up my guitars (Taylor 114ce and Fender Squire) and I have been trying to use more guitar in my songs.  
My go to .vst plug ins are  EZkeys 2, EZ Bass and  EZ drummer 3) and my DAW is Logic Pro 11. 
I welcome your comments and enjoy listening to all the great music on SoundCloud. 
All songs are originals and copyrighted.

Howdy,

Welcome to TBD.


All these creations are made by hard work and years upon years upon years of practice and trying to explain this world and the human condition to myself in the process through poems & songs.

Thanks for all of your wonderful support.

Peace and Love to Everyone,

🫛



What playing music does to your brain🔽

https://youtu.be/R0JKCYZ8hng?si=KJt33NWjUo63ieAm



A nice David Bowie Interview🔽

https://youtu.be/JRtZc_Nmo5w?si=1g1Wag87NdEumAc4




My Favourite Book on mindfullness🔽

Waking Up Audiobook | Free with trial https://share.google/xsAhpRSbEubR5MO7g

by Sam Harris



My favourite book on physical reality🔽

A Short History of Nearly Everything Audiobook | Free with trial https://share.google/YXkAxGmKhrGLuXvhr

by Bill Bryson


AI Sucks Acoustic Live Version

Joe Stroffolino

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