You've Left Memories

✌️✌️✌️... Mixed & Mastered by Daniel Doherty at Darklands Audio

2026

Free Download

This is a remix of my first vocal offering which I originally released over 10 years ago. Some of the original (free) VST's have faded from existence so I worked with a few of my current favourites and one new one. By now I had switched to a Strat guitar and this is undoubtedly one of my better, more fluid leads. At the time, I was also experimenting with keyboards and was really just getting comfortable using two hands (rather than 2 fingers). Also at this time, I was getting comfortable using Cuckos Reaper. As for lyrics, they just came from the mood of the tune. Everything is drawn from life experiences, so a "cut and paste" of some old, but not forgotten, memories. I'm not sure why I chose the 3rd person to express these images. 

Broken Dreams
---------------------

[INTRO/SOLO]

You wake up from a nightmare ...
Or was that real?
Somehow you can't get out of bed
Fingers too numb to feel.

Sun coming through the window
But there's no heat.
Now, the silence is deafening
Not a sound from the street.

[SOLO]

Sweet smells from the pillow
As you turn in bed.
Memories of warm embraces
Filter through your head.

No matter now, the bed is cold.
The covers are all grey.
The memories still linger
Of a love that did not stay.

[OUTRO/SOLO]

:: Words and music copyright Rick Engler

Image courtesy of MS Word Clipart
Drum sounds courtesy of Free Studio Drum Sounds and 9th Wonder Kit
Microphones: Apex 185
Keyboards: Casio WK-110 with built-in voicings
Fender Princeton Chorus Amp
Fender Stratocaster Blacktop Guitar
Boss ME-70 Multi-effects pedal
Analog to Digital: Steinberg CI 1 USB MIDI Interface
Mixed in Cuckos Reaper on a PC
Remixed using Reaper with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and a Shure SM58.

Broken Dreams

Broken Dreams (Original)

Trance feat. Ryder
Vocals and Lyrics:
Ryderofficial:
https://www.looperman.com/acapellas/detail/22300/trance-travis-scott-type-vocal-160bpm-trap-acapella
Paploviante: E-Bass, Composing, Arrangement, Mix and Mastering

Trance feat. Ryder - Paploviante

Rocktober day/track 30

Seems as if I am getting a bit emotional 😬🙁

Which is fine and about time, because this tempo of producing tracks is insane! And I want to finish most of them, I definitely have some favorites! 🦾✨

30 Desolate

Scratshy(Demo #1)

"For My Lady" is a song written by Ray Thomas that was released on the Moody Blues 1972 album Seventh Sojourn. It was also released as the B-side to the single "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)"
The lyrics to "For My Lady" are about the singer's desire for true love.The lyrics may have been inspired by Thomas' recent divorce at the time he wrote the song.

Music journalist Geoffrey Freakes described "For My Lady" as an "uncomplicated, uncluttered and blissfully romantic song" that is "supremely elegant." Moody Blues biographer Marc Cushman felt that "the melody and heartfelt vocal performance convey a sadness despite the positive nature of the lyrics. Tampa Tribune critic Ralph Harold described the song as "an elegant love song, almost Elizabethan, although somewhat gimmicky with a cymbal sound of ocean waves and a nautical harmonica and organ background.

At one point Justin Hayward plays a guitar note that had some listeners thinking that the guitar string broke. But according to Hayward that it was not a broken string but merely an emphasized pluck to accompany the lyrics "and slowly bow her head."                          Wikipedia

Mastered Track: Distrokid Mixea

For My Lady - The Moody Blues (Cover)

flying saucer

T-Vulcan

Wrote this song around 14 years ago, goodness time flies! Was practicing it a little earlier today and decided to do a live take tonight. Just piano and vocals. Throwback pic of the open mic days at Fuel Coffee House in Llano TX. Thanks for listening!:)

Love Decided 

Routine is getting old
I am getting old
A thousand times I'm told
Every day to just let go
Cause when I'm in your arms
I feel my heart unfold...Oh 
Afraid to ask why
Afraid to stare in your eyes
I thought I could say goodbye
But love decided to fly 
From my heart 
To your heart

I love you whoa oh oh oh oh  
I love truly do 
Love you 

So many times I've ran
Just because I can
Running without a plan
Until you squeezed my hand
I'm sorry it stormed so long 
I'm sorry I failed to be strong
Your love just poured along 
It put me where I belong
In your heart 
In your heart 

Oh I love you Whoa oh oh oh oh 
I truly do 
Love you 

Oh I love you Whoa oh oh oh oh 
I truly do 
Love you 
mmm Whoa oh oh oh oh 

I thought I could say goodbye
But love decided to fly 
From my heart 
To your heart 
From my heart 
To your heart
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm 
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm 
mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm 

©Daniel Colter Valentine

Love Decided (Original song live)

Years ago, I started writing a science ficition story where once a year the government would allow crazy people to stop taking the pill that kept them normal and then go out on a date. It was an social experiment to see if the pill was absolutely necessary to lead a normal life.  In my mind, the experiment was doomed to failure. I never finished the story, opting to write this song instead.  This is a revised version.

Rain on My Window
Song and Lyrics by Mike Krath
artwork from hotpot.ai/art-generator
artificially enhanced using SUNO

Lyrics:

I see the rain on my window,
dropping down into the drain,
The pill I take helps me to like it,
and I watch it again and again.

But once a year the pill is forgotten,
and they let me see the world anew,
and have a date with a woman that will be like me,
that is, she'll be pill-less, too.

And they'll take us to a wooden table,
where she'll sit across with a rose between,
But before we talk, she'll want to go to the bathroom,
and I'll laugh and cry and make a scene.

And I'll see the rain on the window,
dropping down into the drain,
And when the waiter comes to take our order,
I'll ask for something to be normal again.

I see the rain on my window,
dropping down into the drain,
The pill I take helps me to like it,
and I watch it again and again.

Rain on My Window

I revised this song to make it a little more contemporary.  Last year, I discovered my poetry from High School in a box in the garage, and I decided to write a song to one of them.  The others will take some time since they really go off in all directions.

The Silent Fog
Music and Lyrics by Mike Krath
artwork from hotpot.ai/art-generator
artificially enhanced using SUNO

Lyrics

The silent fog,
Lifted its head,
And in its place,
Stood a girl,
With a smile,
A girlish smile,
And she vanished.

Oh oh oh,
Girl of grace,
With pretty face,
Oh oh oh,
And I love her.

The silent fog,
Lifted its face,
And in its place,
Stood a woman,
Not the girl,
But the woman I love.

Oh oh oh,
woman I loved,
From long ago,
Oh oh oh,
And I still love her.

And we laughed and we cried,
And we laughed and cried,
And laughed and cried,
And laughed and cried,
And laughed and cried,
And laughed and cried,
'Til one of us
Finally died.

Oh oh oh,
Woman I loved,
First to go,
Oh oh oh,
And I still love her.

The Silent Fog

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the first photo I saw was that of a pregnant woman who was killed by shelling.  The photo haunted me. Here was a woman ready to give birth, probably excited to have another baby or maybe even her first, and free to deliver the day before, but now, that freedom mercilessly taken away.  I wrote these lyrics to work through how I would have felt if my wife had died, and how the fight to obtain the lost freedom would feel without her no longer by my side.

Why in Our Generation?
Music and Lyrics by Mike Krath
artwork from hotpot.ai/art-generator
artificially enhanced using SUNO

Lyrics

You know, I didn’t say goodbye,
I didn’t think you’d be gone,
I didn’t think you’d die,
Before bringing our baby home.
Your building was in shambles,
And I couldn’t make it through,
But I knew I was already too late,
When I saw you on the news.

Since then it’s been hard
to keep freedom in my view.

Freedom comes, Freedom goes,
In my grief, it’s tough you know,
I feel I’m losing the battle to make it so,
Freedom comes, freedom goes
In every generation, it seems so,
But why was it in ours I had to let you go?

I’ve seen a march to victory
by a courageous few,
Courageous to die,
for what is true,
Holding their banner above their heads,
High in vivid hues,
To bring back our freedom,
To bring it back anew.

But I don’t care,
Not with you in my view.

Freedom comes, Freedom goes,
In my grief, it’s tough you know,
I feel I’m losing the battle to make it so,
Freedom comes, freedom goes
In every generation, it seems so,
But why was it in ours I had to let you go?

Why Was It in Ours?

Another redo of my songs.  When I'm finished with this new exploration, time to go back to grind of composing on my keyboard. 

Just Want to Rest This Head
Music and Lyrics: Mike Krath
artwork: hotpot.ai/art-generator
artificially enhanced using SUNO

Lyrics

I’m tired of waking up to read,
About people who used to be,
Who I grew up with 
you see,
And now have started their eternity.
People who’ve made their history,
As brief as that could be.

Here’s to the woman who gave me a chance
To see the beauty of this life's dance.
But now is only a memory,
Of what life was and still should be. 

I see them walking in the street,
The young making their new ends meet,
I once was there, but am still,
Watching it all through our window sill. 

What life was is no longer a thrill,
No longer a thrill.

I’m tired
And just want to rest this head,
Find a place to rest this head 
There’s not much left that can be said,
The light is dimming,
Time to leave. 
And I just want to sleep. 
Just rest my head.

Just Want to Rest This Head

You've Left Memories
Music and Lyrics: Mike Krath
artwork: hotpot.ai/art-generator
artificially enhanced using SUNO

Lyrics

You've left memories,
Sad, unforgotten memories,
Pitiless, unforgivable diseases,
Common colds, crazy diseases,
In the world I stand,
It's mine, let me stand.
Apathy, grief, happy places,
All that was mine, faces,
Beauteous, memorable faces,
Shaken from hot coals, winters come,
Snow falls, dust collects, winters come,
The flowers bloom, life is dim, waiting,
Sweat, grime, dirt, pestilence, waiting,
Up from the grave, crowds crying, laughing,
Letters, books, poems, madness, laughing...

This was my absurd life!

Forget it!

A razor-sharp, satirical song about royal privilege and public accountability. This monarchy parody music takes a darkly funny look at elite culture, mocking outdated authority and the collapse of status when scrutiny hits. A modern monarchy criticism parody with biting satire about faded nobility, it delivers witty commentary on power and downfall in the UK royal family satire tradition. Expect a humorous royal downfall lyric style with political and royal satire ballad energy, blending a parody about fallen aristocrats with sharp lyrical takedowns of celebrity entitlement. A bold, modern satire on high society scandals and the myth of untouchable status—perfect for listeners seeking royal scandal satire songs and satirical aristocracy commentary.

The Once-Grand Duke of York

I’m a song-writer who enjoys creating music of any genre.

My son recently introduced me to A.I. and taught me how to do covers of my previously released non-A.I. music. Since I've never considered myself a performer (except playing with worship bands at church or solo-piano at a rehab center) using A.I. is right up my alley.

Since I've  exhausted using my previously released music for A.I. covers, I now compose music in a DAW, rip to a wave file, and make an A.I. cover of this wave file. I then write lyrics to the A.I. music. It takes around 100 A.I. iterations to complete the lyrics and get a style I'm happy with.  

Brief Bio: Lived more than a quarter of my life overseas (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). Each country gave me an appreciation for different types of music plus probably why I get bored easily in sticking with one genre or another.

Why Was It in Ours?

Mike Krath

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