Original music by neno J.
This composition was created 25 years ago and now I have finally decided to rearrange and record it. Classical guitars (Hohner guitar) and piano played by me, July 2025.

Vortex

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.  
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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

sky ship

My EP SUPERNOVA contains two Japanese songs, and this is one of them. I have never released a song in Japanese before, but I took the plunge and decided to release these. It's a song recorded in one take with my acoustic guitar and vocal. The tempo is middle tempo (I didn't use the metronome function so I don't know the BPM). 3m58s. The main genre is Folk. This is a gentle and slightly blue song. Link to major platforms : https://linkco.re/E2aRhZS6

Lyrics : (Alright)

悲しい湖を通り過ぎ
僕は明日へと辿り着く
もし僕が人生を捨てたなら
あなたは三度笑うでしょう

Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be

見知らぬ人に笑われて
僕は明日から戻るでしょう
僕の果てなき探究は
きっとあなたへと帰ってゆく

Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be

涙を見たくて
涙を流したくてOh
僕は僕は
きっと戻るね

悲しい湖を通り過ぎ
僕は明日へと辿り着く
もし僕が人生を捨てたなら
あなたは三度笑うでしょう

Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be
Let forever be

FOREVER BE

Photo from left to right: JJ, Josh, and Ken
Cast of characters:
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — Ovation guitar, lead vocals, lyrics, and compostion
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –- VST Chinese gong and VST cello
J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – light VST Latin percussion, synth, and piano
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four-string bass, chant vocals at the end 
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen — ebow, production, mix, and mastering

 This song is the fourth Carl has written and composed with a member of Eclectic Collective in mind. This time JJ is being honored, and we all agree that he deserves it, too. Carl is a wonderful singer, songwriter, composer, and musician, and we're all grateful that he's joined our collective. 
  Here's what Carl had to say about it. "The music for this was a personal song written to myself which I never really released as I was trying to say goodbye to my own ego in the song. From that point of view I have always seen the piece as a great bit of personal therapy for me. None of the original lyrics survived and JJ gets painted by the new words .. But I thought it would be nice to reuse the composition for this. There was no big reason for it only when I decided to start a 60bpm song for JJ on piano .. I started playing Goodbye Ego and the rest is history..."
  We tackled this song like we would any other, though. Mark was first up on this, adding his VST magic in the form of a Chinese gong, as well as the cello you hear throughout. The subject of our adulation came next, with JJ adding not only his hot, yet minimal Latin percussion and essential piano, but moody synth, as well. Ken added his spicy drums after that, and once they were down, Josh jumped in with his four string fretless bass to complete the rhythm section. Josh also added the vocal chant at the end.
  All that was left was for Stephen to mix it all down for us, which he did in his always pro manner. But before he did, he also added some subtle, yet stirring ebow on his guitar. 
  As stated above, this is a continuation of our songs about us. Hope no one thinks it's arrogant. When Carl presents us with these little treasures, it's hard not to run with them, though. Always a ton of fun to make music together. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark:

Praying hands
Whatever cause
Once our greater good not lost
Bored children create their fun
We shelve French horn for this fine one
"Nice one lads" We read it all!
Vacation taken
To JJ calls
Neighbour to good Mickey Moore
Find Michigan piano pure

JJ calls
Just for us
Love lit up
Just for us

Down the road city of cars
To Howell front deck
Dad and Guitars
We jam that love then tell the world
Love and service human highway knurled
Good bi-product of happiness sought
With Croatian fun to cloud we court

Terrell Terminator in Jungle
Predator for good
Keys like Mr Bungle
Faith in more like we could
He Thanks you
It's lifestyle
Built from a porch
Good collective friend
Keep lighting that torch

Some moments sealed, marked and moulded
Pure intention
Dark blindfolded
Howl from human to Howell good soul
Keyed keystone as collective role

JJ calls
Darkness falls
Love lit up
Just for us
Love lit up
Just for us
Love lit up
Just for us
JJ calls

JJ calls
Just for us

JJ Calls (Eclectic Collective)

Can't Get Bayou (But I Can't Get By Without You Either)

*My last upload was taken down by Soundcloud
Here's an older one from the vault.

Remixed by LS/2014.

Dial my Heart

Si les plus beaux paysages sont au-dessus de la ligne d’horizon chaque continent a son génie du ciel ....  Le ciel change chaque jour et imprime d’imperceptibles nuances grâce à ses nuages aux mille et une formes. Tout ciel nuageux en forme de gaze longiforme donnent cette « mélancolique lessive d’or du couchant » dont parlait si bien Rimbaud .... La fin d'été approche et nous pouvons observer maintenant un ciel plein de gros nuages blancs et aux nuances de gris, bourgeonnants, rembourrés, cotonneux, mais aussi lumineux comme des lampes au reflets lactescent …. 
J'ai essayé d'être représentatif de ce phénomène avec les nuances harmoniques de ce concept ….

**************************************************************************************************************************
 
If the most beautiful landscapes are above the horizon line each continent has its genius in the sky .... The sky changes every day and prints imperceptible nuances thanks to its clouds with a thousand and one shape. All cloudy sky in the shape of a long gauze give this "melancholic laundry of the sunset" of which Rimbaud spoke so well .... The end of summer is approaching and we can now observe a sky full of large white clouds and shades of gray, budding, padded, cottony, but also luminous like lamps with lactscent reflections …. I tried to be representative of this phenomenon with the harmonic nuances of this concept ....

Towards The Clouds ....

Music: Little Man & Janne Hennie
Lyrics & Vocals: Janne Hennie
Instruments & Mix: Little Man

Listen to Little Man: @user-474544459

Lyrics:

Look in the mirror, what do you see?
Can you see the same you are to me?
Big blue eyes
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

When I go out I might meet other men
But you don't have to be blue
No one is like you
Big blue eyes 
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

If I look at others, and maybe not just you
I don't look at beauty
You are the only one for me
Big blue eyes
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

When you're having a bad day and feel like crap
Well, I think you're awesome
Prettier than everyone
Big blue eyes
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

Look in the mirror, what do you see?
Can you see the same you are to me?
Big blue eyes 
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

Big blue eyes
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

Big blue eyes
A beautiful smile
Don't  ruin it with jealousy!

Don't Ruin It With Jealousy

I'm so thankful to be a songwriter! Feels good to express like this. Just letting loose! This by far is the most different song I've ever written. Circumstances can hit you in crazy ways. Who would've thought my favorite dinosaur would be the title of a song lol. It surprised me but I went with it. The glorious Ankylosaurus, built like a tank. There are some very cold hearts out there, that tell lies, that are just so cruel, that betray, wanting to cause harm. Go ahead, try...because you'll just break your teeth on me...goodbye. Thanks for the song:) I've become an Ankylosaurus. This song was inspired from quite a few situations that happened within the past year. For all those out there who have encountered, conquered and moved on from those kinds of people, people who are really just unhappy.  Hey, you're an Ankylosaurus too! Thanks for listening to this live recording I did late last night on the Old Baldwin...which by the way is in need of a tuning. It might be a while before I post another song, hopefully I can get it tuned soon! 

Ankylosaurus

I'm free like driftwood
I'm feeling so good yeah

Cause I don't have a verse for you 
Only a chorus 

You tried to bite me in two
But I'm a Ankylosaurus 

And I don't know how 
Your heart pumps any blood at all 

Cause you're as cold as February 
I never wanna see you walking towards me 
Without you I can really shine
Forget my last name
Valentine

I'm free like driftwood
I'm feeling so good yeah

Cause I don't have a verse for you 
Only a chorus 

You tried to bite me in two
But I'm a Ankylosaurus 
I'm a Ankylosaurus!

And I don't know how 
Your heart pumps any blood at all 

Cause you're as cold as February 
I never wanna see you walking towards me 
Without you I can really shine
Forget my last name
Valentine

I'm an Ankylosaurus
I'm an Ankylosaurus
I'm an Ankylosaurus
I'm an Ankylosaurus

All music written and recorded by © Daniel Colter Valentine

Ankylosaurus (Original Song Live)

Alexia turned up with this make over of my acoustic take - magnifique! Je fête la transformation

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Steve Low remix Alexia Caouette

Playing live and writing & recording in Nelson New Zealand - began recording in 2004 once technology was available to make CDs using industry standard equipment at home. Radio airplay on Fresh FM and the TLC network from 2005. The track IS THIS WHO I THINK IT IS was a finalist in the 2009 NZ MLT songwriting contest.  In Dec 2012  DUNEDIN SOUND reached  no. 26 on NZ on Air "The Audience" chart. In December 2015, RIP OFF THE SCAB and DREAM DESTINATION were selected by a US A&R agent for promotion to artists, In July 2017 - HIGHEST ROOM also picked up by a US agent for promotion. July 2018 DON'T YOU TURN AWAY selected by NY agent to promote to a London soul singer. August 2018 LOVE MY LIFE assigned to BuyNZ audiovisual advertising. December 2018 WHERE CIGARETTES FALL forwarded by Taxi.com to US TV music director. Latest 3 albums seek to marry singer songwriter Imagery with multi-harmony musical movement. 2024 FLOATING INTO WONDER and ECCENTRICITY SO BEAUTIFUL got airplay on a New Foundland radio station. Dec 24 FAKING IRONY and COLLECT the MOMENT have have gotten a foothold in Spotify.