Joe Stroffolino Selection

Spring 2025

My MIX 20250710

Energy (276)

Teenage Dreams

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

Joe Stroffolino - Joe on the Edge

THE KEYS

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

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

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

Beautiful song written by DjSas. Soft drum. Song by Joy - Soar Like An Eagle 

[Verse]
Wings spread wide against the sky
Freedom calls and I reply
Majestic dreams and endless flight
In the morning and in the night

[Verse 2]
Fearless heart where courage stays
Faithful through the cloudy haze
Beauty seen in every dive
A spirit strong and so alive

[Chorus]
Wish I could soar like an eagle high
Touch the clouds and kiss the sky
Glide so smooth with no goodbyes
Free forever never shy

[Verse 3]
Grace in every gentle beat
Power flowing so discreet
Faithful to the winds so sweet
Unseen worlds beneath my feet

[Chorus]
Wish I could soar like an eagle high
Touch the clouds and kiss the sky
Glide so smooth with no goodbyes
Free forever never shy

[Bridge]
Up above the world so grand
Where dreams are gold and life expands
On currents of a fearless flight
In the day and through the night.

Soar_Like_An_Eagle

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

Cover picture: Albert Bierstadt, "Emigrants Crossing the Plains" (1869): an oil on canvas painting of emigrants on their way to Oregon, inspired by a fifty-wagon train of German emigrants who crossed Bierstadt's path during his 1863 expedition.

Although it is very difficult to estimate the total number of European emigrants, it is thought that from the beginning of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, around 30 million people left Europe for the United States.

I reworked in the last days on this not particularly original piece, whose first draft is from 2018.
Femal vocals courtesy by La Boutique Studios Dakar; harmonica by Dust Bowl - Vintage Country.
Composed by Michele Ansani (2018-2025).
Posted on SoundCloud: 2025, March 26

Their American dream *

[ Albums ]
https://negativeheadphone.bandcamp.com

[ Youtube ]
https://www.youtube.com/c/negativeheadphone

[ Spotify ]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6yptVqiGbvP3HpQNz2XTyQ

[ Facebook Page ]
https://www.facebook.com/negativeheadphone

[ Twitter ]
https://twitter.com/NegaPhone

Youtube

Invader

Cast of characters:
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Taylor T5z acoustic guitar, Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, Gibson Earle Scruggs banjo, Eastwood MandoCaster mix, mastering, production, and composition
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums 
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Fender Precision four string bass, played with a plectrum 
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – harmonica, jaw harp, timpany, hambone percussion, and production editing     
This song began with Stephen, who recorded it on his acoustic guitar and bass to a programmed drum track a few months ago. We were all thrilled to work on it, even though it sat in BandLab as a project for almost a month before Stephen separated the tracks, thus allowing us to trickle in our parts. JJ was first to jump on it, because he could before the tracks were separated, as his part is completely his idea. He added the organ that really set up the entire sound of both dominant sections of the song. 
  Ken was first up to the project once the tracks were replaceable, making the wild, driving beat his own. Inspired by both JPJ and Michael Ivins, Josh laid down his bass line, trying to match Ken's energy. Last, but not least, Mark jumped in with the rumbling timpani. He also added the flavorful harmonica, and unique jaw harp you hear throughout, as well. 
  At that point, Stephen also got the idea to add the hambone percussion at the very end of the song, which we all consider a treat, and after showing us how it's done, Mark volunteered his percussion skills to give it a go. Stephen wasn't done with it, though, and still had some magic to sprinkle. He went in and added the howling electric guitar you hear prominently in the second main section. Also, he added the tempting intro with his acoustic guitar and electric mandolin that looks like a Telecaster guitar. 
  Once it was in the bag, we thought it appropriate for our master mixer Stephen to put it to bed, which he did in his always expert manner. Mark did help with the production, though, as he's very good with editing and spotting mistakes that need to be corrected.
  This is a gift from Stephen to all of us, and you, too. It took a lot of teamwork to make the dream work, as always for Eclectic Collective. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Country Ham (Eclectic Collective)

Mental Health Day$

CAN’T YOU SEE
Vocals: Melissa (Ghosthack) Can’t you see
Brandon (Ghosthack) I don’t wanna go
https://www.ghosthack.de
Lillithe: Arrangement and Production
Paploviante: Remastering


Can't you see

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

Soul Cruisin'(E.P.Beats&Tot.)
Dope Cool Beat Maker: E.P.Beats https://soundcloud.com/lala-land-361191160
All Stuff :E.P.Beats&Tot.masa
Thank U 4 listening from us both🙏🙏

SOUL CRUISIN'(FEAT. E.P. BEATS)

Moonlight

Born Again

Indefatigable

Cover Art: Wilhelm Grimm (left) and Jacob Grimm (right), portrayed by Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann (1855) PD-US
Music and Lyrics Copyright 2025 Joe Stroffolino

Hansel and Gretel were abandoned by their parents in the forest all alone.
They stumbled across a delicious looking candy-coated home.  A cannibalistic witch captured them and put them in a cage. Those were the kind of stories they used to tell children at a young age.

The brothers Grim told stories that were a reflection of their time
There was disease famine and poverty and things were not going fine 
We had to sanitize the stories because our modern stomachs are weak
And you’ll get in trouble if you read a book to kids, and it makes them shriek

Three little pigs were in a brick house trying really hard to survive 
The big bad wolf came down the chimney, fell in a pot of water and was boiled alive.
Cinderella’s stepsisters wanted to marry the prince, but they couldn’t fit into her shoes so they chopped off their heels and toes because they had so much to lose 

The brothers Grim told stories that were a reflection of their time
There was disease famine and poverty, and things were not going fine 
Little Red Riding Hood in the bedroom with a wolf dressed in human clothes.
Wondering why her grandmother had sharp teeth and a snout instead of a nose. Jack climbed the beanstalk, there was a giant who wanted to grind up his bones and make some bread. He stole the magic harp and the hen that laid golden eggs and the giant ended up dead

There’s days when you want to take a sheet of tin foil and stick it in your baseball cap
To keep all those negative thoughts from getting in your head and making you a miserable chap
Did it all start when you were a child, and your mother read you that bed time story that perhaps in retrospect may have been a bit too dark and gory

The brothers Grim told stories that were a reflection of their time
There was disease famine and poverty and things were not going fine 
Now we environmental devastation, nuclear weapons and milk that might have bird flu
Just turn on the news you don’t need a fairy tale to put the fear of God in you
But if you take away all the parts that are dark, sick twisted and gory. 
Do you have anything left that actually resembles a good story.
***
Vocals and backing vocals -  Joe Stroffolino 
Guitars - Joe Stroffolino ( 2 Strumming tracks: Taylor 114ce and Fender Squire and I picking track:Taylor114ce)
Bass, Saxophone, Horns: PG Music Real tracks
Piano andi Strings: PG Music and Native Instruments
Drums: EZ drummer 3
Recorded, mixed and mastered with Logic Pro 11

The Brothers Grim

The train to nowhere has no end
As far as you can see around the bend
There always is another curve
Another chapter to the story
So we can continue to pretend
Not to see how our story ends

We try so hard to never see
The end of tracks go on endlessly
We hear them rumble beneath our feet
We feel the sway in perfect time
An effect for every cause we find
Creates our end in harmony

A life of storms with wind and rain
Teaches us to weather pain
There is no sense to lie and blame
Hardships on bad timing
The train that I am riding
Is my story just the same

The Train To Nowhere

Breathe the light, soft on the sea
Dive where the sky empties
No more words are needed, only this sound
The sun is silent, the water is long

The wind is soft, the air tastes of salt
Paths without a trace, in a golden glow
The waves tell of things that pass
But everything remains if we simply stand

Sun and sea, a silent gaze
Colors flow, return
No goal, no plan, only this moment
Which calls itself like a distant promise
Sun and sea... between light

The evening falls, the hours pass
Shadows move gently, creating worlds
When I lose myself in the sound of the sea
I myself become wind and idea

Sun and sea... between light
A breath, a shimmer, a silent weight

Sun and Sea

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

Special thanks to Ashesndreams for her acappella

Lyrics :
Baby no me pidas que me aparte
Yo ya te he buscado en todas partes
Solamente vengo a recordarte que estoy
Imaginandote
Una y otra vez
Que tu estas aqui conmigo
Acariciandome
No seas timido
Dejate querer
Que si dudas te prometo
Que vas a volver

No tengo miedo
Soy un kamikaze
Mi imaginacion se prende con lo que me haces
Diario yo te pienso
Te tengo en mis suenos
Eres el motor para escribir todos mis versos
No te voy a mentir te quiero todo pa mi

IMAGINANDOTE. 🎧.  feat  Ashesndreams

Deleted scenes, momentary gods, dreamless sleep
I don’t believe what’s true 
I don’t know what’s true
I just believe what I hear most often
It’s the storm that clears the noise
It’s the storm that clears the noise
But I’m not the storm 
I am the sky
No, I’m not the storm 
I am the sky
Whispers shape worlds
Whispers shape minds
Whispers shape worlds
As the future unwinds
Lonely nights, weary world, hear the cities symphony, 
The more I walk a path the more visible it becomes
But If I don’t change direction, I may end up where I’m going
It’s the storm that clears the noise
But I’m not the storm 
I am the sky
No, I’m not the storm 
I am the sky
It’s the storm that clears the noise
But I’m not the storm 
I am the sky

It's the Storm that Clears the Noise

I had posted a year ago the row version of this track recorded back in 2015 (https://soundcloud.com/michele-ansani/bosque-redondo)
I thought that, after all these years, it was time to remake it, without altering the melody or the atmosphere.
Regarding the context evoked, see for example here: https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/navajo/long-walk/long-walk.cshtml

Composed by Michele Ansani (2015-2025).
Bansuri is courtesy by Aahro.
Cover photo: Navajo girls at Fort Sumner, Bosque Redondo era, New Mexico, 1864-1868(?). Palace of the Governors Photo Archives, negative number 038208.

RePosted on SoundCloud: 2025, June 16

Bosque Redondo (final 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

let me be there for you

Path of Light

Madness and reality

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

A stripped down version of this song with just me and my guitar
And here’s a link to a more highly produced version https://on.soundcloud.com/ilKgH0ZJjkQdhPEuk7

Copyright 2025

Verse 1
I’ve never seen the Great Wall; I’ve never been to Japan.
I’ve never seen the Eiffel Tower; it’s not part of my bucket list plan.
I don’t need to stand in line for two hours so I can see the Mona Lisa for thirty seconds.
I can see the same thing at home for free on my computer.

Chorus
I’m perfectly content to stay right here,
Living in the same place year after year.
I’m perfectly content to stay right here.

Verse 2
I don’t want to sit in a pressurized cylinder, with only a bag of peanuts to eat,
As I’m elbowed by a stranger who decides he wants to ventilate his feet.
I don’t want to go to a tourist trap and hang out with a bunch of ugly Americans.
If I want to see ugly Americans, all I’ve gotta do is step outside.

Chorus (Repeat)
I’m perfectly content to stay right here,
Living in the same place year after year.
I’m perfectly content to stay right here.

Bridge
I don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be a rambling man.
I don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be a rambling man.

Verse 3
Waking up early, rushing to the airport, to get on a crowded flight,
Trying to find space in the overhead bin and not get in a fight.
When you get there, you can’t drink the water, and the alcohol can make you go blind.
That doesn’t sound like the optimal place for a person to unwind.
You have to ration your underwear, or you’ll have to wear it inside out again for a second time.
You have to keep your money in a belt or you could be the victim of a pickpocketing crime.

Bridge (Repeat)
I don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be a rambling man.
I don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be, don’t want to be a rambling man.

Not a Rambling Man (Acoustic Version)

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.