No Excuses

Daily Drops

Good folk(s)

*"Best of Friends"* is a collection of songs, each chosen by our artist friends as the most representative of their music. It's not meant to be exhaustive - we've surely forgotten a long list of friends, and we apologize for that! We're still waiting for some of them to send us their picks. If you’d like to suggest your songs, send us a message, and we’ll make it right. Enjoy the music!😊

Best of Friends

"Everything Is" is a song written for individuals and loved ones affected by Alzheimer's and dementia. 

"Everything Is" by Le Jank feat. Drew Seeley

I wish for more days like the past inside me
But that’s doesn’t mean I don’t hope
I accept the present as this moment the rest 
Is out of our control
So...

All you need to know is all things are going to be alright
Everything is going to be alright now
Everything is going to be alright

I dream my life clock could tock tick, go backwards
To when the future seemed more clear
But I'll keep growin' to the sky with each blink, unshrinking
Until I forget how to fear
So...

All you need to know is all things are going to be alright
Everything is going to be alright now
Everything is going to be alright

Ⓟ © 2022 The Jank Guitar Store Records. All Rights Reserved.

Everything Is

Now Or Never

I jump out of bed every morning eager to continue the fight.
There’s so many wrongs in the world today.
I want to try make them right.
All those negative people out there, I pretend they don’t exist
The more times they tell me no, the harder I persist.

Life keeps trying to knock me down.
But as soon as my body hits the ground.
I bounce back up with a grim smile on my face.
And I lurch on forward slightly dazed with a sense of purpose only I can see.

I’m gonna focus on what’s important, I’m gonna stay above the fray.
Every obstacle I encounter, I’ll push it out of my way.
If anybody tries to stop me, like a steamroller I’ll run them flat.
Like a boxer facing a TKO I’m goanna to jump up from the mat

I’m gonna put one foot in front of the other.
I’m gonna keep right on going.
I’m trying as hard as I can. 
I’ve got no intention of slowing.

I’m gonna to be as relentless as one of those zombies in the walking dead.
I’m not goanna let any negative thoughts creep into my head.

I’m gonna  make up for lost time. 
I’m gonna  squeeze the most out of every day.
And if I head down the wrong path,
I’m gonna a turn around and find a better way.

All those sacrifices I’ve been making.
Its goanna be worth the time I spent.
I’m goanna flap my wings as hard as I can.
I’ll continue my ascent.
They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn.
And if I hit a rough patch I’ll continue to push on


Life keeps trying to knock me down.
But as soon as my body hits the ground.
I bounce back up with a grim smile on my face.
And I lurch on forward slightly dazed with a sense of purpose only I can see.

I’m gonna unlock the door to my cage and set myself free.

Bounce Back Up

Every day it feels like the world’s getting a little more crazy
Every day the future feels a little bit more hazy

Well there’s one thing I like to do 
When I’m feeling blue
That makes me feel okay 
When I’m having a bad day

I pick up my dumbbells and I watch a fitness video on my TV
And I exercise all those negative thoughts right out of me
I lift those weights up and down and I huff and I puff 
And I keep on going at it until I think I’ve had enough

Every time I go to the grocery store the food is more expensive
I go home, I look at my bank account, I feel so apprehensive
I drive to work, every day and the commute is not that great
I turn on the news, it’s so bad, the world is in a sorry state

After a hard day of working 9 to five
Like Hans and Franz on Saturday Night Live
You can pick up your dumbbells
And pump yourself up. You can do it.
Or you can lie on the sofa and watch TV
If you want to bed rot it’s so easy
And the only burn you’ll feel is from the hot sauce on your chicken wings
It’s not the same.

I pick up my dumbbells and I lift them
And I embrace all the pain
And I push all the negative thoughts right out of my brain
I lift those weights up and down and I huff and I puff 
And I keep on going at it until I think I’ve had enough

Some people turn to donuts when they’re feeling overstressed
We all need to do that we think is the best
As for me I’d rather grab my dumbbells and work up a good sweat
As I try to keep up with the fitness coaches on my TV set
As for me I’d rather grab my dumbbells and work up a good sweat
As I try to keep up with the fitness coaches on my TV set

I Pick Up My Dumbbells

D sides

Slow Motion

Life just kind of got in the way.  
You put those dreams on the shelf for another day.
You thought you’d get around to doing
all those things on your bucket list.
But lately it feels like you’re running out of time
 and you’ve got this urge to lay it on the line.
You tell yourself you’re going to do it, but then you hear this voice in your head.
Making up excuses for why you should take the easy road instead.

Sometimes the answers aren’t in a book
Sometimes you gotta leap before you look
Sometimes you gottta take a shot and let the chips fall where they may.
Sometimes you gotta pick up your bat and give it a really big swing.
Sometimes you gotta get up on that stage and open your mouth and sing

It feels like nobody’s on your side
You wish you had someone with whom you could confide
You’re afraid if you tell people what you’re trying to achieve you’ll seem delusional
You tell yourself that even though you’re no longer a young pup
That doesn’t mean you should take off your hat and hang it up

Time has a way of passing by quicker than you think
We all share the same ultimate fate
You’d better do it before it’s too late
You can keep making excuses or you can try to get something done
Even if you don’t succeed, you can try to make the journey fun

Sometimes the answers aren’t in a book
Sometimes you gotta leap before you look
Sometimes you gottta take a shot and let the chips fall where they may.
Sometimes you gotta pick up your bat and give it a really big swing.
Sometimes you gotta get up on that stage and open your mouth and sing

guitar s

hi 😊 happy Sunday to all of you🙏 I present to you PhiLōSōPhiA hoping to give you a few minutes of pleasure🙏 
Peace ✌️😊

#electronic #trance #techno #beats #bandlab #bass #frenchtouch #matesplash 

{_PhiLōSōPhiA_}

Here's another easy, dirty, old strum refreshed somehow in these hot summer days. This used to be a song, but the years have taken the words away and only the initial chords remain in my memory and maybe that of some old friends.

Picture is from Pietro Corrao.

------

Composed by Michele Ansani (2024).
Posted on SoundCloud: 2024, July 28.

Dirty and easy summertime strum

Sometimes I feel it all slipping away
My hopes and dreams for a better day
Then I flip on the TV and my mind grows dim
I sit on the couch with a silly grin

One of these days I’m goanna wake up 
And I’ll take a look a look around and say I’ve had enough
And I’ll take all the bad advice
That I’ve been hearing all of life
And I’ll decide to ignore all the pessimists around me

I tell myself that I still have time
To find a place in the world that I can call mine
Then I open the fridge and grab another beer
I tell myself those plans can wait till next year

One of these days I’m goanna wake up 
And I’ll take a look a look around and say I’ve had enough
And I’ll take all the bad advice
That I’ve been hearing all of life
And I’ll decide to ignore all the pessimists around me

You tell people that things need to change
And they look at you like you’re kind of strange
They say why can’t you accept things just the way they are
They say the world has always been this way
As if that makes it all okay
To sit around and do nothing while it all falls apart

Sometimes I walk off the beaten path
But my comfort zone keeps calling me back
Saying there’s too much competition
The odds are against you
Youre not goanna make it no matter what you do

One of these days I’m goanna wake up 
And I’ll take a look a look around and say I’ve had enough
And I’ll take all the bad advice
That I’ve been hearing all of life
And I’ll decide to ignore all the pessimists around me

One Of These Days (2024 Version)

I am hugely thankful to Axel for his absolutely spellbinding and sublimely beautiful orchestration for my solo piano piece! It has been a great honour and pleasure to collaborate with such a highly talented musician and composer.

Please listen to Axel’s marvellous music here: @axel-m-501052973

Below you can also find a short fascinating story that Axel wrote for our composition.

Thank you very much for listening to this music, and we do hope that you will enjoy it!

Credits:

Piano: Anastasiya Ihnatovich
Orchestration: Axel Menningen

You can find the video "Lux - Light and Darkness" here:

youtu.be/3NxdqY6mg9Y?si=0yY9rNMtLipCtLhl

__________________________________

Light and Darkness

On a cold, moonless night, Light and Darkness met in a deserted forest. The Light was nothing more than a weak spark, barely more than a glow. The Darkness was all-encompassing, thick as ink and impenetrable.

Darkness: "What are you doing here, little spark? Can't you see this is my realm? I devour everything that comes in my way."

Light: "I may be small, but I am still here. And as long as I exist, I am a sign of hope."

Darkness laughed deeply and thunderously, like an approaching storm.

Darkness: "Hope? You are nothing! A small breath is enough to extinguish you."

The Light flickered slightly, but it stood firm.

Light: "Perhaps you can extinguish me, but even in my disappearance, the memory of me remains. And wherever there is a spark of hope, new light can arise."

The Darkness was silent for a moment, then it thickened even more to suffocate the Light.

Darkness: "Try it then. I have already extinguished countless lights, and each time the night only became darker and more powerful."

The Light now shone a bit brighter, as if nourished by an inner strength.

Light: "Maybe you underestimate me. Every flame starts small, but it can grow and become stronger. It can bring warmth and light, even into the deepest darkness."

Darkness began to seethe, feeling that the Light was not weakening but growing stronger.

Darkness: "What nonsense! You will suffocate in my embrace!"

But the Light now glowed with a definite strength, its glow growing into a flame.

Light: "I am the light of hope and renewal. Even if you envelop me, I will break through. For where there is light, darkness cannot exist."

With these words, the Light spread further, its rays piercing through the Darkness, piercing it like a thousand tiny arrows. The Darkness whimpered, retreated, unable to bear the growing brightness.

Light: "It is time for you to retreat. Your grip is not infinite. Where there is light, darkness cannot exist."

The Darkness retreated further and further, until it was only a shadow in the corners. The Light now shone bright and clear, filling the forest with a warmth that had previously been missing.

Darkness: "You may have won, this time. But I will always return."

Light: "And I will always be here to push you back. For just as the day follows the night, so does light follow darkness. And in every battle, I will triumph again."

The Darkness finally disappeared, and the forest was bathed in warm, golden light. The Light had triumphed, and with it, hope returned to the world.

Lux - "Light and Darkness" (Ft. Axel Menningen)

Lux - Light And Darkness (Ft. Axel Menningen)

Reminiscence of Chief Joseph and the Nez Percé war 1877.
Some words about the historical background can be found here:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chief-Joseph

The lyrics are in part an excerpt of the original words which Chief Joseph spoke to his followers of the Nez Percé, when they finally surrendered on October 5th, 1877.


In the shadows of our fears,
We’ve shed too many tears.
Now it’s time to break free,
From the chains of enmity.

From the battles we have faced,
We’ve learned the costs of hate.
But in forgiveness we’ll find strength
To go beyond this war at end.

What he told me before
I have in my heart. 
I am tired of fighting. 
Our chiefs are dying.

Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired.
My heart is sad and sick 
From where the sun now stands
I will fight no more forever.

The storm raged hard and broke our souls
The years of war did take their toll  
The face of yours turned into grey
No saving shores in any way 

What he told me before
I have in my heart. 
I am tired of fighting. 
Our chiefs are dying.
Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired.
My heart is sad and sick.
From where the sun now stands 
I will fight no more forever.

Fight No More Forever

Time Drifter

Drums: Mateusz 'Mat' Melanowski
Lyrics & Vocals : Mauro Elias
Written by/ Guitars/ Bass/ Keys/ Production : Me!
Mastered by Marvin@Tidestudio

Lyrics:

I’m a drifter, lost in time,
Chased by echoes, a haunting cry

Falling in 
my own thoughts

The clock ticks slow, shadows cling
Moments stretch, they sting
Yesterday grips, won’t let go
A heavy weight I’ve come to know

Through dark halls, I wander blind
Ghosts of failures fill my mind
Each step drags, pulling me back
Lost in the past’s endless track

I’m a drifter, lost in time
Chased by echoes, a haunting cry
A thousand screams, I hear their call
I will break through and burn it all

Fragments scatter, torn apart
Guilt like poison fills my heart
I chase the light, but shadows stay
Time keeps laughing, I’m its prey

Every second, a heavy chain
Tied to moments filled with pain
But through the cracks, I’ll find my way
I’ll shatter time and seize the day

I’m a drifter, lost in time
Chased by echoes, a haunting cry
A thousand screams, I hear their call
I will break through and burn it all

I walk through time, no tether, no line
Moments blur, no reason, no rhyme
A fleeting glimpse, a fading spark
The future whispers, crying for the past

The clock still ticks, but I am free
No more shadows haunting me
No longer lost, I’ve claimed my way
The past is gone, I own today

Time Drifter

Todd Bulik, (Valley Forge Audio) My awesome childhood friend produced this entire track for me. He did mixing, mastering, guitar solos, melodies, and backing vocals. 
I'm am SO thankful for the time and effort he put into this track. I thought my Destiny was shitty demo's only haha!

He's a killer guitarist, Singer, and songwriter. Check out his One man Band "Under the Sword" Please DM him if you're interested in Recording, mixing/mastering or need guitar session work.

Link:
https://soundcloud.com/todd-bulik

Thank you!!!

Legacy (Featuring Todd of Under The Sword)

Hello everyone,
this track is very special to me for several reasons. It's the first song I've composed and written. 

I am incredibly glad that I was able to work and collab with the great Sarah Paradise-Brown for this song. Her voice is fantastic and I'm delighted and honoured that she's singing the song with me.
 
Yes, with me. I like challenges and dare to take on the microphone. This is completely new territory for me, normally I just press the keys ;-)

Have fun with ‘What we still feel’

Watch the song on youtube:

https://youtu.be/GXyGluGof8A?si=A88s9KuPN7L_cjdo
________________________________________________________________


"What We Still Feel"

I see you standing in the rain,
Your shadow whispers through the pain.
I told myself I’d let you go,
But my heart can’t seem to make it so.

Your voice still echoes in my chest,
A quiet song that won’t find rest.
We said goodbye, but not for real,
Some wounds take longer to heal.

What we still feel, we can’t deny,
It’s in the tears we try to hide.
Even apart, the love remains,
A fragile spark through all the pain.

I built these walls to keep you out,
But all they hold is fear and doubt.
I tell myself I’ve moved ahead,
But you still linger in my head.

I tried to fill the empty space,
But nothing takes your rightful place.
I thought our story reached its end,
But now I see it starts again.

What we still feel, we can’t deny,
It’s in the tears we try to hide.
Even apart, the love remains,
A fragile spark through all the pain.

If I could take back every fight...
If I could hold you through the night...
(I’d find a way to make it right.
‘Cause love like this can’t just fade out of sight.

What we still feel, we can’t deny,
It’s in the tears we try to hide.
Even apart, the love remains,
A fragile spark through all the pain.

I still love you...
I always will...
A love like ours is standing still.
What we still feel is all that’s true,
And somehow, I still...  
 ...feel you.

_______________________________________________________________
            Credits:

              Vocals: Sarah Paradise-Brown & Axel Menningen
Lyrics & Music: Axel Menningen
_________________________________________________________________

Visit Sarah's profile for more fantastic music from her:
https://on.soundcloud.com/aUdCKRxsvgucVSH66

What We Still Feel

O QUE

Another from the back catalog.. recently re-recorded. Around the time this was written I had just resumed playing and writing after a 22 year layoff. It was at the tail end of a whole lot of ugly and nasty moments ... but the dust was finally settling and I needed time to collect my thoughts and heal a bit.  Mid-Life thing..? Yeah...
I remember distinctly writing this in the basement..  Early on I didn't have very good guitar skills ( At least I don't think so.. )  and this song was particularly hard for me to play and sing at the same time. I spent a long time writing it.. maybe a few months. I would sit and drink Dry Red and write songs.. I recall working on this with my song writing companion " Little Penguin ".😆  ( Cheap Australian Dry Red... )...  So that didn't help matters.
I have since, played this live thousands of times and can play it with or without dry red and eyes closed..

Lyrics

Don't you know that I get
Plenty of rest
because you know I know what's best
for these old bones
and don't you know that I drink
A little too much wine
You know i've got plenty of time on my hands
I need someone who understands
I've got to get my rest
so I can look my best
for when Big things start coming my way

Don't you know that I sleep till 10:15
with a couple of snacks and a couple of naps
in between
and don't you know that I sit
and read plenty of books
I might just mosey down into the kitchen and cook
I realize how this must look
but i've got to get my rest so I can look my best
for when big things start coming my way

I am a man.. of limited means
all the fancy things in this world
they don't add up to a hill of beans
I've got to save my strength
you know i've got to lay low
I've got to get my rest so I can look my best
for when big things start coming my way
oh yeah big things..are coming.. my way.

Big Things ( with Merlot )

New Single By Edge Of The Void

I was raised where the streets ran slow 
Barefoot summers where the wild grass grew 
Back when the stars could still break through 
Before the city swallowed the moon

The lights got brighter, the roads stretched far 
The voices doubled, then tripled the cars 
They paved the fields where we used to play 
And built up walls that hid the day

So I packed my bags, left the static behind 
Chased the wind to the edge of the night

Where the sky runs wide and the roads turn to dust 
Where the wolves still howl when the night wakes up 
No towers to fall, no sirens to cry 
Just the wind and the trees and the firelight

Mama used to say, There’s room for dreams
Now the lines stretch longer than the eye can see 
We watched the homes turn cold and gray 
And I knew we couldn't stay

Met a man with a map in his weathered hands 
Said, Ain’t no place left untouched by man 
Told me, Run while you can, before they come 
Before the silence is overrun

Where the sky runs wide and the roads turn to dust 
Where the wolves still howl when the night wakes up 
No towers to fall, no sirens to cry 
Just the wind and the trees and the firelight

Maybe out here, I’ll learn to be free 
Find a home where the world still breathes 
Where the air is clean, and the stars still shine 
Far from the weight of a crowded mind

Where the sky runs wide and the roads turn to dust 
Where the wolves still howl when the night wakes up 
No towers to fall, no sirens to cry 
Just the wind and the trees and the firelight

Let the wind take me where I belong 
Where the world still whispers in an old, lost song

Firelight

Many thanks to Minai for singing lead on this song.
Written by Cavebar in 2024
Mastered by A7 Recording Studio

Lyrics:
Exceptional night, warm candlelight, 
Feeling you could lose your heart without a fight.
Mist in the eye, willing to try to find love.
Moonflower air, senses aware,
Music winds its way up through a dim thoroughfare.
Diamond sky, willing to try to find love.

Ending up the evening with an indigo feeling
Ending up the evening with a sigh
Ending up the evening, ending up the evening in love.

No one’s gonna tell you that it’s time to turn around
No one’s gonna stop the magic now
Everything is pointing in the one direction
The only one that you’ll allow.

Smile in the air, arms that are bare,
Such a heady feeling that you’re not really there.
Drink to the sky, willing to try to find love.

Ending up the evening with an indigo feeling
Ending up the evening with a sigh
Ending up the evening, ending up the evening in love.

Moonflower air, senses aware,
Music winds its way up through a dim thoroughfare.
Diamond sky, willing to try to find love.
 
Ending up the evening with an indigo feeling
Ending up the evening with a sigh
Ending up the evening, ending up the evening in love.

Ending Up the Evening

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.

No Excuses

Joe Stroffolino