Joe Stroffolino Selection

April Friends

Shock the Algorithm

Stability

MC T-REX

Music For Older People (myself Included)

Songs with a twinge of humor (and some a bit more serious).

Joe Stroffolino - Joe on the Edge

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

Rose Colored Glasses

One minute things are going fine
But life can turn on a dime
Every day you roll the dice
And sometimes you find yourself on thin ice

You go for a routine medical check
And they find something you didn’t expect
You’ve been eating healthy food you take a daily jog
Now you’re wondering if you’ll outlive your dog

You’ve been working so hard for all these years
 but what do you have to show for it
All these things you bought but what do you have to show for it

Some people spend their lives accumulating wealth
But what’s the point of money if you don’t have your health

It’s nice to set some long term goals and think about your future days
But sometimes you need to take a step back and make sure you’re on the right highway

You’re hanging by a thread that you used to think was a thick rope
Your road was very flat but now you’re climbing a steep slope

You get up in the morning and you go to work 
You get up in the morning an you go to work
You get up in the morning and you go to work
Five days a week

You’ve been working so hard for all these years
but what do you have to show for it
All these things you bought but what do you have to show for it


You wake up every morning  go  about your day
Sometimes you wonder if it’s goanna be okay
You try to take it one day at a time
Some days are bad others are fine

Incidental finding, life threw you a curve
You're driving down the highway and you're trying not to swerve.
Incidental finding, life threw  you a curve
You're driving down the highway and you're trying not to swerve.

Incidental Finding

Copyright 2024 Joe Stroffolino

Lots of people moving to the state of AZ
The desert seems like a nice a nice place to be
The only problem is there’s not enough H20
One day you’ll turn the tap and it’s not gonna flow
The climate keeps getting drier every single year
I guess we’ll have to take fewer showers and drink more beer

If you can’t stand the heat maybe you should get out of the kitchen
Maybe this isn’t the right place for you.
The sun up in the sky is 93 million miles away
But it feels a lot closer on a hot Arizona day

There’s not enough snowpack on the mountains up high
They say the Colorado river’s running dry
They’re ripping up lawns, replacing them with rocks
Instead of going barefoot, you walk around in crocs
The polar glaciers are melting in to the sea
I wish that they could scoop up an iceberg and drop it down on me

If you can’t stand the heat maybe you should get out of the kitchen
Maybe this isn’t the right place for you

Most of the rain falls in the summer
Monsoon season can be a real bummer
You get a big dust storm, they call it a haboob
You can watch scary videos on You Tube
You’ll be driving and suddenly you can’t see
You gotta make sure you don’t crash into a cactus or a tree

If you can’t stand the heat maybe you should get out of the kitchen
Maybe this isn’t the right place for you

A long time a ago, it must have been tough without air conditioning
People just had to sit around all day moaning and bitching 
Now the biggest thing we complain about is our high electric bill
As we lie on the couch watching Netflix enjoying the comfortable chill

If you can’t stand the heat maybe you should get out of the kitchen
Maybe this isn’t the right place for you
The sun up in the sky is 93 million miles away
But it feels a lot closer on a hot Arizona day

Can't Stand the Heat

This is one of my favourite compositions. 
Knowing pretty well my vocal cannot match that of Jasmine's when the song was first posted here several years back, I still decided to do a version of my own with a slightly different arrangement.
Three songs in a row, the wonderful lyrics by Mellina Barnett. Just see what you think about it.

Merry Christmas and thanks so much for stopping by.

[CREDITS]
Music / Vocals / Arrangement / Programming :  Michael C. Lynn
Lyrics : Mellina Barnett
Guitar Solo : Brent Mason @Band_in_a_Box
Acoustic Guitar Picking : Jason Roller @Band_in_a_Box
Strings Quartet : Avery Bright @Band_in_a_Box


[LYRICS]
Children are dreaming warm in bed 
So tread carefully as you turn out the lights
Watch the shadows dance around the house
As the clock chimes day to night
Cobwebs shimmer 'cross frozen glass
Breath hangs heavy in the air
Something magical's on its way
If you try hard you can feel her near

Lay down in front of the glowing fire
Pull the blanket around your shoulders
Let the warmth of flames mesmerize
As snowflakes drop in silence
Candle flickers around the walls
Whispering for you to hear
The gentle steps and Christmas bells
As an angel draws softly near

(CHORUS)
Christmas Angel has come to visit
For she heard your Christmas prayers
She danced round the fairy lights
You didn't see her there
She kissed each sleeping child 
Wished them health and happiness
Left a white feather in your open hand
And sang to you Angels blessings

(Bridge)
She stands serene in the frosted night
Translucent with goodness
Marbled in crystal light
And when the Lord calls to her
With grace she has to go 
Sending stars from Heaven
Falling with every drop of snow

Repeat Chorus

Angels Blessings [2024 Version]

The Title means in english "Time passes"

Le temps est passé vite et me revoilà avec un nouveau track...

LE TEMPS PASSE ... - MC T-Rex - Feat -Marie Cavalia

This song is a bit campy. The core of this thing is pure Isley Brothers' formula from the 70s -- they had these no nonsense, hard slamming funk songs that just went on forever (and you want them to). And there's also a healthy dose of 80s/90s slinky funk guilty pleasures like Grace Jones, Sade, & Seal.

is it finally living this feeling inside
I waited for hours with a slow burning fire
now is not the time to evade in the face of desire

but that's how it goes when you hold the control does it feel right
you're letting it go and I know that you know are you satisfied

the rules of the game are so easily changed
let's be honest about it lonely hearts will stray
I am still willing but your love is failing me every night

oh but that's how it goes when you're running the show  how you feel it
you're letting it go and I know that you know I can't steal it

out in the city new hearts align   
but tonight I am only alive for yours and mine

Control

ENDLESS TIME
Written, Performed & Produced
by Andrew Borderick Copyright 2024 AB Music
YouTube Link
https://youtu.be/oR0dpoMQafI?si=DvNXSIOR5O_b81q0

V1
THIS IS YOUR LIFE, IT'S IN YOUR HAND
DON'T JUMP THE START, IT ALL ENDS FAST
V2
TO LOOK YOUR AGE, IS OUT OF STYLE
TO GO BACK IN TIME, THERE MUST BE DENIAL
(Ref)
WE'RE LIVING IN ENDLESS TIME
(Chorus)
YOU'VE NEVER HAD A LONLY DAY
WITH THAT FACE, IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME
YOU CAN CALL IT ALL YOU LIKE
BUT NOBODY LIVES, UNTILL THE END OF TIME
V3
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, BUT NOT YOUR HANDS
THE END OF THE WORLD HAS ALREADY PAST
(Ref)
WE'RE LIVING IN ENDLESS TIME
(Chorus)
YOU'VE NEVER HAD A LONLY DAY
WITH THAT FACE, IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME
YOU CAN CALL IT ALL YOU LIKE
BUT NOBODY LIVES, UNTILL THE END OF TIME
(Break)
(Ref)
WE'RE LIVING IN ENDLESS TIME
(Chorus)
YOU'VE NEVER HAD A LONLY DAY
WITH THAT FACE, IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME
YOU CAN CALL IT ALL YOU LIKE
BUT NOBODY LIVES, UNTILL THE END OF TIME
(End)

2024

ENDLESS TIME

ENDLESS TIME - (see info for video link)

Cast of Characters:
E Ruizzo-- https://soundcloud.com/ruizzoidman21centurions --Manuel-- composition, lyrics, Squier Stratocaster electric guitar, vocals, mix, and production
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- piano, accordion, and horn
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Jose Ramirez nylon stringed flamenco style guitar, and mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – four string Fender Precision Bass bass

This song began all the way back when Manuel was 16 and found love that summer with a girl named Carmen. He remembered her, though, and wrote this song about her all these years later. The title of the song means "Your name has the song," and the lyrics spell out the girl's charms using the letters of her name. Check out the lyrics and the translation below. 
  Using that inspiration, Manuel came up with the song structure and the vocal melodies to a rudimentary drum track with his electric guitar. He then asked Josh if the group would be interested in taking it on. Josh, never being one to refuse a challenging piece of music, and always on the lookout for interesting musicians with whom to collaborate, accepted his kind offer and created a project for the rest of the Eclectic Collecitve to join. He started the whole thing off by adding his bass, to which Ken added his innovative drums, to which Josh redid his bass, as is the typical process in the EC.
  Next up was JJ, who you'd think he'd grown up with Spanish music the way he added the horns, accordion, and piano. Then Stephen stepped in and added his psychedelic and intricate acoustic guitar to the stew. 
  It was all done, except for the mix at this point. Manuel did the honors, and did it very expertly. Stephen mastered it to give it more volume and dynamism, too, as he always does. 
  This was the first, but we hope not the last, time the EC has collaborated with Manuel, although we're all fans of the incredible music on his page. He was a true delight to work with, giving honest, encouraging feedback and helping us shape his song to meet his vision. We hope you enjoy listening to this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by E Ruizzo:

TU NOMBRE TIENE LA CANCIÓN  /  YOUR NAME HAS THE SONG

Qué es una lágrima en el desierto?  /  What is a tear in the desert?
Cae sin ruido, se evapora y se olvida.  /  It falls without noise, evaporates and is forgotten.
No tiene tiempo de brillar, su vida  /  It has no time to shine, its life
es corta y su camino tan incierto…  /  is short and its path so uncertain...

Ce del calor del desierto y su sol,  /  ‘C’ for the heat of the desert and its sun,
a del adiós por el que lloré tanto;  /  ‘a’ for the farewell for which I cried so much;
erre del río que forma mi llanto;  /  ‘r’ for the river formed by my crying;
eme de miedo, de magia y de amor.  /  ‘m’ for fear, for magic and for love.

E de esperanza, de espacio rosado,  /  ‘E’ for hope, for pink space,
de espina clavada, de suelta emoción;  /  for stuck thorn, for loose emotion;
ene de noche de un tiempo pasado.  /  ‘n’ for night of a past time.

Carmen, tu nombre tiene la canción  /  Carmen, your name has the song
de todo aquello que has significado:  /  of all that you have meant:
Carmen de luz, de sonrisa y de adiós.  /  Carmen of light, of smile and of goodbye.

Tu Nombre Tiene La Canción (with The Eclectic Collective)

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

a remake I did last night of a classic song

LAST KISS (COVER/REMAKE)

The latest track from my Not Completely Useless project. I tend to think of it as a low-key one for me - still quite a bit going on; Sonic Youth-style triplet feel intro, bass grooves, organ, touches of syncopation and a change of pace for the outro... there's just not as much guitar heroics as usual.

This one is about missing my kids when I was away at a festival. And my eldest daughter - then 6 I think - wrote the lyrics for the chorus.

Empty

We are pleased to present track 7 from our latest album, 'Haunting One Seven,' full album available on Bandcamp, we hope you’ll enjoy!

outstation.bandcamp.com/album/haunting-one-seven


Haunting One Seven

A Deity Looks After Me

Brand NEW track "Thought I Was Dreaming", taken from the "Ultraviolet Cosmos" upcoming full length STA album (2025). Enjoy y'all #share, #like, #follow and comment of course. :D

Youtube: https://youtu.be/5TOaRZxQbGs?si=tAH31Rz_1uPP6dEn

lyrics:
I've been dreaming for so long
and never woke up back to reality
i never thought it could take so long
to learn such a solid morality

Thought i was screaming, nightmares dreaming
and it's time not to hide away
It's time for breathing, 
forget about those golden years so fly away

And then i opened my eyes and realize
that neon lights blinded my side
and it's time to get up my feet again
and regain what's mine and never let it again.

(p) & (c) STA, 2025.

Thought I Was Dreaming

Souvent nous revient cette curieuse envie de changer le monde parce que certaines choses ou pour certain beaucoup de choses nous dérangent ou déplaisent, mais c’est en fait un jugement qui nous appartient, c’est donc surement le monde à l’intérieur de nous qu’il faut changer, notre perception, car personne n’a le même ressenti pour les mêmes choses, la paix intérieure est en nous c’est ce que j’essaie tous les jours de comprendre et de suivre, la résilience, le contentement pour accéder à cette paix intérieure. Lâcher prise en faisant confiance à cette force invisible qu’est la vie et son équilibre, se laisser un peu porter lorsque c’est trop difficile.
 Gandhi disait : Personne ne peut te blesser sans ta permission, le bonheur c’est un état d’être, le bonheur c’est un choix que l’on fait le matin au réveil, ou pas. Nous sommes libres de notre état d’être

Voici 3 livres que j’aime particulièrement :
Le bonheur de Frederic Lenoir
Messager de lumière de Neale Donald Walsh
Danser le rêve de Jamie Sams

Image et cœur : https://soundcloud.com/user-262019520
Chant et musique : Steph Ouna

 Parole :
C’est un musicien
Toujours pressé d’aller plus loin
Qui s’enfuit dans le lointain
Avec son âme à la main
Comme il s’enfonçait
Au plus profond de la forêt
Le vent se mis à souffler
Pour l’empêcher de tomber

refrain :
Lever les mains, vers le haut
Profiter il fait beau, ça nous donne tellement chaud
Qu’on est si près des oiseaux, on se sent libre au bord de l’eau
Et on y trouve le repos, on garde le tempo,
mais où sont cachés les défauts

Et dis-moi le musicien, je crois que l’on se sert de toi
Quel contraste sur ton chemin, tu sais qu’il n’y a ni raison, ni lois
Et t’y perds un peu parfois, tu te crois à l’abris de ça
Et l’on ne donnerait pas cher de toi, si l’on ne te connaissait pas

A vouloir partir trop loin, aller jusqu’à se rendre fou
Puisque rien ne nous retient, alors regarde ce qu’ils ont fait de nous
Essaye toujours de rester debout, même quand la lumière s’éteint
Et que la douleur te cloue, comme l’ancre sur un parchemin

Et mon pauvre musicien, tu avais envie d’aller jusqu’au bout
Mais tu n’es pas magicien, tu es là pour nous faire rêver, c’est tout
C’est comme un nœud qui se dénoue, puis la vie reprend son chemin
Alors on sent ce vent si doux, qui semble venir de si loin

refrain :
Lever les mains, vers le haut
Profiter il fait beau, ça nous donne tellement chaud
Qu’on est si près des oiseaux, on se sent libre au bord de l’eau
Et on y trouve le repos, on garde le tempo,
mais où sont cachés les défauts

Le chemin du musicien

Cast of Characters:
Joe Stroffolino-- @joseph-stroffolino -- Taylor 114ce acoustic guitar, main vocals, harmony vocals, lyrics, composition
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender HSS Telecaster electric guitar
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, mix, mastering, and production
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – piano
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- four string Fender Precision Bass with a plectrum

This song began as one of Joe's catchy, lyrically centered songs, which he wrote on his acoustic guitar, and filled in with VST instruments. He came up with the lyrics by sharing ideas with fellow SoundCloud musician Michele Ansani, who began the thought process of a song about becoming a musician.
Knowing that Josh is a fan of his work, Joe offered this song to him in hopes that he'd share it with the rest of the band. Of course, Josh jumped at the opportunity to work on his song, and immediately shared it with the rest of the group.
Ken went to work first, adding his driving, excting drums. Josh was having a hard time coming up with a good bass line for it, until Ken suggested that he use the power of the 1/8 note to propel it. Tez was up next with his clever fills you hear throughout the first half of the song. Stephen came along right after and matched Tez's energy for the guitar fills in the second half of the song.
It was still missing a solo in the designated spot, though, so Mark stepped up with his innovative piano solo you hear in the middle. If it sounds a little mechanical, that's because he's using an arpeggiator to achieve the effect. We thought it sounded good in a song about AI, though.
Once all the parts were dialed in, and Joe had gotten all his vocals tuned up, we asked one of our resident pros, Stephen, to mix it for us. He did that and mastered it, too, expertly, as always.
This is the first song we've ever done with Joe, and don't expect it to be the last. We all really enjoyed putting together, in no small part because Joe is such a competent, receptive, and gracious collaborator. We all hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Lyrics by Michele Ansani and Joe Stroffolino
Music by Joe Stroffolino (@joseph-stroffolino)

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 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
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 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

AI Sucks - Eclectic Collective

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

Music and Lyrics Copyright 2025 Joe Stroffolino
Vocals Joe Stroffolino
Guitar's: Fender Squire picking track  and Taylor 114ce strumming track Joe Stroffolino
Violin and Bass PG Music real tracks
Drums EZ drummer 3
Piano Logic Pro Session Player track 

All these people who claim they were abducted by alien UFO’s
They say they took them up onto the spaceship and examined them from head to toe.
Most people think those stories are made up, but what if they’re actually true
It kind of makes you wonder what motivates those aliens to do the things they do
If I ever get abducted by aliens from outer space, I think I might ask if I could hitch a ride off this crazy place. 
People who believe we couldn’t have built the pyramids without alien assistance
There’s days when I can’t find my car keys without lots of searching and persistence. 
Maybe we’re just 2 legged creatures and the earth’s an exotic alien zoo. 
And they come here on safari to see what we’re up to
If I ever get abducted by aliens from outer space, I think I might ask if I could hitch a ride off this crazy place. 
Even if they don’t consider me to be much better than a trained monkey
I could play my guitar to cheer them up whenever they feel grumpy.
They say the speed of light is as fast as you can possibly go
Maybe those aliens have access to information we don’t know
Maybe they just look at us in the same way scientists study bugs
They read the work of our most brilliant minds and they just shrug
Maybe someday if we start World War three, they’ll stop the missiles from firing
Or maybe they’ll just let us blow ourselves up because they find our behavior so tiring
Maybe someday if they think we’re ready, they’ll land a spaceship in times square
And although they’re usually naked, they’ll put on some underwear
If I ever get abducted by aliens from outer space, I think I might ask if I could hitch a ride off this crazy place. 
Even if they don’t consider me to be much better than a trained monkey
I could play my guitar to cheer them up whenever they feel grumpy.
There's days on earth when it feels like it might be kind of nice to get away
And getting abducted by aliens just might be okay.

If I Ever Get Abducted

Scream for Your Life before it changes forever. 

Collaboration

Vocals, Lyrics, Composition, Production, Guitar - Billy @sidehustleprophets

Guitars, Bass, Composition, Production, Mixing - Chris @chris-schlue

Drums - Karli @mightymartens

Scream for Your Life

Scream For Your Life

Q-Don't Stand by Me

Copyright 2025 Joe Stroffolino 
***
Vocals, Strumming and picking tracks (Taylor 114ce): Joe Stroffolino
Additional Picking Track: Native Instruments Sunburst Guitar
Bass, Drums and Keys: Toontrack EZ Bass, EZ drummer and EZ Keys
Fiddle: PG Music Real track (viola)
Recorded using Logic Pro 11 and mastered with Ozone 11
***
All those times when you tried to play at the at top of your game
lately your enthusiasm’s starting to wane
You’ve been trying so hard to re-ignite that fire in your belly
lately your resolve, it’s turning into jelly 
You've been trying to be the best that you can be
but maybe you’ve been barking up the wrong tree
if your Spidey sense starts to tingle, maybe it’s a sign 
that you should open up the curtains and let in some sunshine
Sometimes you need to listen to your inner voice
Every morning that you wake up you still have a choice 
You’ve been swinging for a home run, but you can’t even seem to get to first base
You feel stuck like a rat in a race, like one of those monkey’s they shot into outer space
There’s days when it feels like you’re hanging by the end of your rope
And you struggling so hard to find a solution so you can cope
if your Spidey sense starts to tingle, maybe it’s a sign 
that you should open up the curtains and let in some sunshine
Sometimes you need to listen to your inner voice
Every morning that you wake up you still have a choice 
You try to make it through each day and sometimes you feel like the missing link
White knuckling your way through all the changes, trying not to be the first to blink
People doing things fast with AI that you're sure would take you several weeks
But you swear you’re going keep doing things the old-fashioned way with your luddite techniques
Your life is like a river that’s constantly flowing, 
You get swept along by the current You’re never sure where it’s going
Sometimes it feels like you’re playing a game of musical chairs
You’re afraid that when the music stops, you’ll be the one whose left standing there

If your Spidey sense starts to tingle, maybe it’s a sign 
that you should open up the curtains and let in some sunshine
Sometimes you need to listen to your inner voice
Every morning that you wake up you still have a choice

All Those Times

Great EWI Breath Controller Cello Jam by Jörg: https://soundcloud.com/joerxworx

The Next Level (Remix Cello Jam)

Dream of Freedom

A smooth blend of mellow pop, ambient textures, and downtempo jazz vibes. Laid-back grooves, soft keys, and warm tones come together to create a dreamy, late-night mood. Perfect for slow evenings, creative sessions, or simply letting your mind wander.

Floomara Swaylix Octo

Link to video where I tell the story behind the song : https://youtu.be/cilXaNM0IoI?si=IbBwc2wlxYTwoADH 


In Catholic school, whenever I misbehaved, the nuns used to pull my hair.
If I could go back in time and do it all again, I’d gab some clippers and shave my head bare.
I did eight years of hard time in Catholic school
I was never the kid who was considered cool
Eight straight years of Catholic School and somehow, I survived
Eight straight years of Catholic School.  Thank God I’m still alive  
My first-grade teacher was a nun, who if you’re penmanship was sloppy
She’d make you take all your books and stand there holding them in the back of the room.
She was like a witch except instead of a pointy hat she wore a habit
She carried a crucifix instead of broom.
I did eight years of hard time in Catholic School
I was never the kid who was considered cool
The cafeteria food tasted horrible, but I had to eat it
I had to wash it down with milk that was warm and sour
I’d try to fold my plate in half and throw it away, but the nuns would catch me and make me eat it
It’s like they had this secret food wasting detection superpower
Every year your birthday, it was customary for the kids in the recess yard,
To grab you and kick you and punch you for every year of your age.
I still have flashbacks of a girl with pointy hard black shoes kicking me really hard in my rib cage.
My fifth-grade teacher Sister Margaret she’d been teaching for way too long
It was time for her to retire but they let her teach another year and that was wrong
She had long grey whiskers growing out of her chin
She’d sit at her desk and trim them with of scissors and you sure as hell better not grin
She’d tell cautionary tales about innocent kids who got into cars strangers
She seemed to enjoy describing all the bloody graphic details of the danger.
I did eight years of hard time in Catholic school
I was never the kid who was considered cool
Eight straight years of Catholic School and somehow, I survived
Eight straight years of Catholic School.  Thank God I’m still alive

Catholic School

Hey everyone!
This track, Asteroids (The Original Was Better), started when I heard Beating Edge’s chiptune tune RND and got inspired to write some lyrics about the classic arcade game Asteroids. I added my acoustic guitar and vocals on top and sent it over to the band.
They liked it so much they decided to jump in and make a second part with a more rock vibe using the same musical base. We put both parts together into one track, starting with a fun spoken intro, a little vocal line to bridge the two sections, and finishing off with a hilarious outro.
It was a really cool collab and I’m stoked for you all to hear it!

Music by: Beating Edge
Lyrics by: Tom (Beating Edge) and Joe Stroffolino
Performed by: Beating Edge and Joe Stroffolino
Acoustic guitar (Taylor 114ce) by: Joe Stroffolino
Vocals performed by: Joe Stroffolino and Tom (Beating Edge)
At the moment, this track is exclusively available on SoundCloud.
Released on June 6, 2025.
©2025 Beating Edge and Joe Stroffolino

Lyrics:

[Spoken Intro]
Joe: Wow! This is a really cool Arcade!
Tom: Yeah!
Joe: Hey, check it out! Is that an Asteroids game over there?
Tom: Oh, wow!
Joe: I haven't seen that in like that forever!
Tom: That's definitely Asteroids! Let's play a game!
Mary (with a sore throat 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣): Oh yeah! Let's play Asteroids!

-->Joe

I used to play asteroids in the 1980’s
I liked to blow up rocks in outer space
The flying saucers would attack me
At an ever-increasing pace

I stumbled across an old vintage arcade the other day
I hadn’t played Asteroids in a long time
I popped a quarter into that old machine
And I watched my score start to climb

I watched my score start to climb
I watched my score start to climb
I watched my score start to climb

Time goes by so quickly
and playing that game really took me back
To those days when my future was unwritten
And I hadn’t gone so far down my current track

Pushing those buttons so fast and furiously
Standing in front of that arcade machine
Blowing up all those asteroids
On that black and white video screen

Blowing up all those asteroids
On that video screen
Blowing up all those asteroids
On that video screen

For a couple of minutes, I forgot about the present
I was back floating in outer space
Breaking big rocks into small rocks
I had a a big smile on my face

And then it was time for me to go
Cause I had errands that I needed to run
But that old video game
I sure had a lot of fun

It's not over yet

-->Tom

Just a single screen, all black and white
The whole room's dark except the TV's light
Rotate and thrust, it wasn't much
No one had seen a thing like this before

Now there's a 3D holographic thing
That no one plays, 'cause nobody can afford
With a visor on, your body's gone
It's kinda fun, but the original was better

We used to play all day, late at night
For the high score, it was do or die
No one knew what a quarter was worth
No one knew what the future had in store

Now there's a 3D holographic thing
That no one plays, 'cause nobody can afford
With a visor on, your body's gone
It's kinda fun, but the original was better

The original was better
The original was better
The original was better
The original was better

Now there's a 3D holographic thing
That no one plays, 'cause nobody can afford
With a visor on, your body's gone
It's kinda fun, but the original was better

[Spoken Outro]
Someone who wants to stay anonymous 😂: That was a lot of fun!

Asteroids (The Original Was Better) - Beating Edge & Joe Stroffolino

Cover art:  Taylor 114ce and my Peloton

Eating lots of cheese and hotdogs, eating lots of cake. and pie
I wish that I could switch to arugula and beets so I could be a more healthy guy.
It seems like everywhere I look; I see a delicious high calorie treat
But I only have one stomach and there's so much food to eat.
There's a Peloton in my basement, I need to go down there
Cause I. don't like how I look in my underwear
Why can't losing weight be as easy as losing hair.
I step into Starbucks for black coffee and walk out with hot chocolate and a muffin. Sometimes I feel like a teddy bear who's been filled with too much stuffing 
I tell myself that for lunch I'll have a side salad, and I'll skip the dressing but the more that I think about it it starts to feel depressing
there's the peloton in my basement I need to go down there.

If God said to Adam if you eat that fruit, you won't look good in your birthday suit, would he have taken a bite?  Based on my experience I don't think so.
If Moses led his people to the promised land and they found a place where desert was banned, would they have stayed there?  Based on my experience I don't think so.
There’s a Peloton in my basement. I need to go down there. 
I chew on my celery stick and I wish I was eating a French fry and I sip from my bottle of water but I'd rather be drinking a Mai Tai 
every day when I put on my clothes my pants feel a little bit tighter and every time when I step on the scale I realize I'm not getting lighter
There's a Peloton in my basement, I need to go down there
Cause I don't like how I look in my underwear
Why can't losing weight be as easy as losing hair.
Why is the food that tastes the best so unhealthy it's not fair.

Peloton in My Basement 2025 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

Carl from the Beautiful dark wrote a song today titled "Baldy Patty" and  it inspired me to write my own personal a song about baldness.  I started to lose my hair in my early twenties, and for awhile it bothered me and then one day, I decided to shave my head and I have never looked back. And now so many years have passed that I have been bald longer than I had hair. 
***
Guitar (two strumming tracks) Taylor 114CE 
Organ (playing my midi keyboard using the Logic Pro Organ plug in)
Strings (playing my midi keyboard using Native Instruments strings)
Piano: EZ Keys 2 (Indie Pop (tweed))
Drums (EZ Drummer 3)
Bass (PG Music Midi track with sounds from Native instruments Rickenbacker)
***
My hair’s falling out and I don’t know what to do.
My hair’s falling out, and I’m singing this song to you.

I’ve got hair on my fingers; I’ve got hair on my neck.  
I’ve got on my toes, I’ve got hair on my chest.  
But the one place I want it, it keeps falling out.  
My hair’s falling out and I don’t know what to do.

I shaved my head until the top of my skull was shiny
And I know it’s counterintuitive but I’m no longer bald and whiny.
When you’re young, you assume that you’ll always have hair
And then when you start to lose it, you think it’s not fair
Sampson in the bible when he lost his hair, he became so weak
But that guy on the bottle of mister clean is definitely no geek

I’ve got hair on my fingers; I’ve got hair on my neck.  
I’ve got hair on my toes; I’ve got hair on my chest.  
But where it’s missing on the top of my head, I no longer care one bit.
Because now when it comes to baldness, I don’t give a shit

My Hair's Falling Out

I have been using a CPAP machine for several months.  I am sleeping much better and I decided to take a stab at writing a song about it.  
***
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. A CPAP machine uses a hose connected to a mask or nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure to help you breathe while you sleep.
***
Copyright 2025
Vocals, Lyrics and Chords: Joe Stroffolino
Guitars:  Joe Stroffolino: Taylor 114ce (two guitar strumming tracks) and Fender Squire Picking track
Drums:  Programmed using EZ drummer 3
Bass:  Pg Music Midi track with .vst sound from Native instruments Rickenbacker
Organ: Joe Stroffolino: Playing Midi Keyboard with vintage B3 Organ sound from Logic Pro
***
Cover art:  Real (Non-AI) Photo of a Halloween Skeleton wearing my actual CPAP mask  (I was going to take a picture of me wearing the mask but believe it or not, the skeleton looks more attractive) 
****
CPAP Lyrics: 
I was snoring, so I had a sleep study, and they gave me a CPAP machine
It took a bit of getting used to, it was uncomfortable at first, but now it’s part of my nightly routine
When I first put on that CPAP mask, I tried to pretend I was like Darth Vader, part man and part machine, but actually I look more l like Jason in that hockey mask on Friday the thirteenth
The doctor said if I don’t wear that mask, I’ll be gasping for breath all night long and I know I’d better keep wearing it, if I want my heart and brain to stay strong.  I just wish I looked a little bit more sexy while I was wearing it.
Every night when I go to bed I wear a mask that covers my mouth and my nose and on the top of my head, connected to the mask, there’s a big, long hose.
They say when it comes to romance, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover 
 But something about that CPAP mask makes me thinks it’s goanna be hard to find myself a new lover.
The doctor said if I don’t wear that mask, I’ll be gasping for breath all night long and I know I’d better keep wearing it, if I want my heart and brain to stay strong. I just wish I looked a little bit more sexy while I was wearing it.
Sometime you gotta try to put things in perspective
Sometimes you gotta try to be a little bit more objective
Sometimes you just gotta put function over form
Sometimes you gotta be willing to deviate from the norm
The doctor said if I don’t wear that mask, I’ll be gasping for breath all night long and I know I’d better keep wearing it, if I want my heart and brain to stay strong.
I know it’s very important to follow all the proper medical advice and I have every intention to keep using my CPAP device.  I just wish I looked a little bit more sexy while I was wearing it.

CPAP

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

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.