Sunlight cuts through the blinds
Like a blade I didn’t see coming
My head’s a church of broken bells
And every echo feels like running
I drank from the cup of “almost”
Slept in the arms of “might’ve been”
Woke up with ghosts in my pockets
And a voice I buried deep within
They said life was a ladder
But I found more rungs made of glass
Every step a question
Every fall a photograph
Hungover from the years
From the fights, from the cheers
From the love that didn’t stay
From the words I didn’t say
Hungover from the truth
From the youth, from the proof
That I lived, that I bled
That I danced with what I fled
I kissed dreams that tasted bitter
Held hands with borrowed time
Told myself I’d be better
But better’s just a state of mind
I’ve seen beauty in the breakdown
Heard lullabies in screams
And every scar I carry
Still sings in my dreams
You don’t get clean without the mess
You don’t find peace without unrest
You don’t grow wings without the fall
You don’t hear truth without the wall
Hungover from the years
From the fights, from the cheers
From the love that didn’t stay
From the words I didn’t say
Hungover from the truth
From the youth, from the proof
That I lived, that I bled
That I danced with what I fled
No words—just breath, ....strings, and memory.


Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message

Hungover by Hot Cookie♨️ 🍪

I gave you my Friday nights
You gave me your maybe’s
I built a future in my mind
You built escape routes daily
I wore your name like a promise
Hung your words like stars
Thought I was more than a moment
But I was just spare parts
You said I lit up your darkness
But you never stayed for the light
You kissed me like a secret
Then left ...left in the... night...
Waste of time, waste of tears
Wasted months, wasted years
I thought I mattered, thought I fit
But I was just your counterfeit
Waste of hope, waste of grace
Wasted love you won’t replace
I gave you truth, you gave me spin
I thought I’d lose you—never knew I’d never begin
Waste of time
And I’m done letting you define
What I was
What I am
What... I’ll... be
Next time (next time)
I saw forever in your silence
Heard forever in your lies
I kept showing up for nothing
Kept mistaking lows for highs
You said I was your anchor
But you never stopped the boat
I was the one who stayed
While you wrote your exit note
You don’t get to call it love
Just because I stayed
You don’t get to call it truth
Just because I prayed
Waste of time, waste of tears
Wasted months, wasted years
I thought I mattered, thought I fit
But I was just your counterfeit
Waste of hope, waste of grace
Wasted love you won’t replace
I gave you truth, you gave me spin
I thought I’d lose you—never knew I’d never begin
Waste of time
And I’m done letting you define
What I was
What I am
What I’ll be
Next time ...What... I’ll... be
Next time (next time)...next...time!
I was never yours (never yours)
You were never mine (never mine)
Just a beautiful
Waste of time (waste of time)

Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message 



Waste of Time

I stitched my soul to someone else’s thread
Wore promises like armor, now I bleed instead
They said forever, but forgot the map
Now I’m tracing shadows, trying to get back
I keep counting all the cracks in the glass
Every “I love you” that didn’t last
Is there a number, a rule, a line
Where broken hearts stop keeping time?
I could sure use some advice
On the number of trys you make
To stop your heart from breaking again
Oh please tell me, my friend
When does this pain end?
When does this pain end...
When does this pain end?
When does this pain end...
There’s a letter I never sent, still sealed in blue
A name I whisper, but never tell who
They said I changed, but I just woke up
From a dream where love was never enough
I keep counting all the cracks in the glass
Every “I love you” that didn’t last
Is there a number, a rule, a line
Where broken hearts stop keeping time?
I could sure use some advice
On the number of trys you make
To stop your heart from breaking again
Oh please tell me, my friend
When does this pain end?
When does this pain end...
When does this pain end?
When does this pain end...
Maybe pain’s a tide, not a wall
Maybe healing’s not a rise—it’s a fall
I’ll tie my heart to stars, not hands
And learn to love without demands
So I’ll make fewer trys, but stronger ones
To truth, to grace, to setting suns
And if the pain still finds a way
I’ll sing it out until it fades
When does this pain end?
Maybe not today...
But I’m still here
And I’m still okay (ok) I’m still okay(ok-ok)I’m still okay (ok) I’m... still okay...(ok...-..ok) But I’m still here
And I’m still okay (ok) I’m still okay(ok-ok)I’m still okay (ok) I’m... still okay...(ok...-..ok)When does this pain end...
When does this pain end?
When ..does ...this... pain... end..

Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message

When Does This Pain End

Yeah, I’m a woman who can change a tire
Climb a mountain, build a fire
Outrun, outwalk, outtalk the best
Handle myself with zero rest
I’ve stitched my wounds with barbed wire thread
Slept on truth and fought what’s said
I’ve danced alone in desert rain
And smiled through heartbreak dressed in pain
But don’t mistake this strength for stone
I’ve got a heart that’s carved in bone
And if you lean in close, beware
There’s heat beneath this steady stare
I’m the kind you chase but never tame
Wild as whiskey, soft as rain
I’ll hold you close, then let you go
Just to watch your fire grow
So trust me gentle, trust me wise
I’m still the one you fantasize
But if you get too close, too dire—
You just might burn in this fire
I’ve been the girl who fixed the truck
Who held the line when life ran amok
I’ve kissed the stars from canyon ledge
And buried dreams at nature’s edge
I’ve loved a man who couldn’t stay
I’ve watched good hearts get thrown away
But I don’t beg, and I don’t plead
I plant my roots, I let them bleed
So if you’re lookin’ for a rose
Know I’ve got thorns beneath these clothes
And if you’re searchin’ for a spark
I’ve got a flame that lights the dark
I’m the kind you chase but never tame
Wild as whiskey, soft as rain
I’ll hold you close, then let you go
Just to watch your fire grow
So trust me gentle, trust me wise
I’m still the one you fantasize
But if you get too close, too dire—
You just might burn in this fire
I’ve walked through storms with heels and grace
Faced down fear in makeup’s face
I’ve been the hero, been the ghost
Been the one who gave the most
I’ve held my breath through courtroom lies
Sang lullabies to empty skies
I’ve built my name from ash and dust
And learned that love don’t mean you trust
So if you see me standing tall
Know I’ve climbed through every fall
And if you want to hold me near
You better learn to love the fear
I’m not your girl next door cliché
I’m thunder wrapped in satin grey
I’m lipstick on a rifle stock
I’m midnight’s voice in ticking clock
I’m every woman who’s been told
She’s too damn loud, too fierce, too bold
I’m every flame they tried to snuff
Still burning bright, still strong enough
I’m the kind you chase but never tame
Wild as whiskey, soft as rain
I’ll hold you close, then let you go
Just to watch your fire grow
So trust me gentle, trust me wise
I’m still the one you fantasize
But if you get too close, too dire—
You just might burn in this fire
Burn in this fire…
Burn in this fire…
You just might burn in this fire…
If you touch the flame…
You wear the name…
Burn in this fire…Burn in this fire…Burn..in ..this ..fire…

Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message 

Burn in This Fire by ♨️ 🍪

Black lace moon, candy wine
I’m dressed to haunt, you’re dressed to shine
October’s calling, hearts in disguise
Tonight we dance where memory lies
[Verse 1 – The Costume Box]
Found my old mask in a cedar chest
Lipstick smudged, a velvet vest
I wore it once to kiss a ghost
He vanished when I loved him most
[spooky solo]
[Chorus]
Thrill me, treat me, trick me right
Give me chills and candlelight
I’m not afraid of what I feel
This Halloween it’s all too real
Thrill me, treat me, take your bite
Maybe I’m yours for just one night
[Verse 2 – The Haunted Party]
We crashed a party in hunted dive
Dressed as sins that came alive
You said I looked like heartbreak’s bride
I laughed and danced, but died inside
[spooky solo]
[Hook]
Maybe it’s magic, maybe it’s fright
Maybe it’s just my Maybelle night
I’m not a spell, I’m not a scream
I’m just the echo of your dream
[spooky solo]

[Verse 3 – The Candy Confession]
I stole your Snickers, you stole my grace
We kissed with chocolate on our face
You said “forever” in fake blood ink
I saved the wrapper, made me think
[Bridge]
Cobwebs in the chandelier
Truth gets louder every year
We dress it up, we play pretend
But ghosts don’t care how stories end

[spooky solo]
[Final Chorus]
Thrill me, treat me, trick me right
Give me chills and candlelight
I’m not afraid of what I feel
This Halloween,  it’s all too real
Thrill me, treat me, take your bite
Maybe I’m yours for just one night
[spooky solo]
[Outro]
So light the lantern, dim the shame
Tonight we play the sweetest game
Thrill me, treat me—don’t be tame
This Halloween,(Halloween) I want your to scream your
This Halloween (Halloween)This Halloween(Halloween) This Halloween

Black Lace Halloween by ♨️ 🍪

mmm(mmm)mmm
dated curtains fall like secrets
High heels echo down the hall
her lips in cherry silence
no one sees her midnight calls
mmm(mmm)mmm
They scream her name like it’s a prayer
But never ask ...what’s... buried ...there
this life , this stage, this show, dancing through fire
Living for love, sold to desire
glitter shines no-place in the dark
Every ovation just another end. Just  another start
grace on a wire, tears in disguise
The life , this stage , this show—truth in her eyes
Backstage roses wilt by morning
Perfume fades, the lights go cold
She trades her soul for one more chorus
Chasing echoes she can’t hold
She’s not your doll, she’s not your muse
She’s got her scars, she paid her dues
And when the curtain falls tonight
She’ll walk away in forgotten light
dancing through fire
Living for love, sold ...to desire
fierce and alone
Built from ashes, carved ..into ..stone
the broken, ...dance for grace
every heartbreak ...  thread worn lace 
She’s drinks the spotlight, tears in disguise
this life , this stage, this show—truth in her eyes
this life , this stage ...this life , this stage, ..this show, ...this show
this life , this stage, this show....truth in her eyes.....!

Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=999876588ecd44a4a474147d926fa192&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message

This Life, This Stage, This Show by ♨️ 🍪

She types the memos, runs the show
He gets the credit, she gets the “whoa”
They call her “bossy,” not “in charge”
She’s got the brains, he’s got the large
They say “we couldn’t do it without you”
But they still pay her half as much too
Female progress, clap your hands
She’s doing great in no-man’s land
She’s got the skills, she’s got the grace
But still no raise, just a smiling face
“Keep it up,” they say with pride
While she’s stuck on the underpaid ride
She wrote the song, she played the part
He took the bow, she took the heart
They said “you’re lucky just to be here”
While he drank champagne and she poured beer
She’s the echo in the spotlight’s glow
The name they never bother to know
Female progress, clap your hands
She’s doing great in no-man’s land
She’s got the voice, she’s got the soul
But still no credit, just a silent role
“Keep it up,” they say with pride
While she’s stuck on the underpaid ride
She lifts the weight, she works the line
He gets the bonus, she gets the spine
They say “you’re strong for a girl, you know”
As if her sweat don’t count like so
She builds the world, he takes the bow
She’s still waiting for “equal” now
“Well, you gotta understand the system, babe
It’s complicated, not just what you gave
We value you, we really do
But leadership’s a different view
You’re emotional, you’re just too nice
And hey, have you tried asking twice?”
Female progress, clap your hands
She’s done waiting, she’s making plans
She’s got the fire, she’s got the fight
She’s rewriting what’s called “right”
“Keep it up,” they say with pride
But she’s done with the underpaid ride
Whatever you do, I’m gonna get through
I’ll be more than you ever knew
More than you ever were before
I’m the storm you can’t ignore
I’m the storm 
the... storm ...you.... can’t...... ignore....

Want to rock some more? Click this link to our Rock Playlist: soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/shred?si=64a6ae72df554d8c9002fb056cac6d54&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

All Right held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder..DM us to cover any tune ♨️🍪

Female Progress by ♨️ 🍪

He outran the law in a pickup with no brakes.
She danced on a bar in Reno just to pay for her sister’s mistakes
He built a house with his bare hands and lost it in a flood.
She buried three husbands and still sends Christmas cards. signed love
They met at a bus stop, argued about jazz, and never stopped together walking
He’s got a scar from a jukebox fight — she’s got one  but she's not talk'en
You wouldn’t believe the stories they carry.
 wouldn’t believe what they’ve seen.
They look like porch chairs and quiet prayers —
But they’ve lived like kings and queens.
You wouldn’t believe the fire still burning.
 wouldn’t believe the roads they’ve run.
Old folks don’t brag —
cause they’ve already won.
She  hitchhiked to Memphis with a guitar and a broken heart.
He played poker with a preacher and lost before the start
She lost a child .
He lost his sight 
were beyond broken  but got back in the fight
They’ve been cheated, praised, forgotten, and forgiven.
been the storm and the shelter. and kept on giving
They don’t talk much —
But when they do, the room changes.(the room changes.)
You lean in,
 time leans back.... time rearranges (time rearranges )
You wouldn’t believe the stories they carry.
 wouldn’t believe what they’ve seen.
They look like porch chairs and quiet prayers —
But they’ve lived like kings and queens.
You wouldn’t believe the fire still burning.
 wouldn’t believe the roads they’ve run.
Old folks don’t brag —
cause they’ve already won.
So next time you pass  by,
Say hello.
You might just hear
The best story you’ll ever know
 [ long epic acoustic riff]
 mmm(mmm)mmm
You wouldn’t believe the stories they carry.
 wouldn’t believe what they’ve seen.
They look like porch chairs and quiet prayers —
But they’ve lived like kings and queens.
You wouldn’t believe the fire still burning.
 wouldn’t believe the roads they’ve run.
Old folks don’t brag —
cause they’ve already won.  (already won.)  already won.  
 mmm(mmm)mmm
already won.  (already won.)  already won.  

Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Best Story by ♨️ 🍪

Preview track from the upcoming Album "Homecoming Heart"
You ever look down at your life and realize…
You’ve been chewing on the same dry sandwich for years?
Yeah.
Me too.
I made his lunch for twelve straight years.
Cut the crusts, bit my tongue, swallowed tears.
He said “thanks” like I owed him the air.
I said “you’re welcome” like I wasn’t even there.
The bread was stale, the meat was thin.
And I started to taste the life I was in.
It ain’t about food — it’s about being fed.
And I was starving in a house with a king-sized bed.
I’m done with bologna skin sandwiches,
With dry white lies and half-hearted wishes.
I want spice, I want heat, I want something real.
Not a life that’s wrapped in plastic and sealed.
So I’m walking out with my name and my keys —
And leaving the crusts and the crumbs and the please.
He watched the game while I watched the clock.
Dinner got cold, and so did the talk.
He said, “You’re lucky I come home at all.”
I said, “You’re lucky I ain’t burned it all.”
I used to dream in color and sing in the rain.
Now I hum to the sound of a leaky drain.
It ain’t about love — it’s about being seen.
And I was fading in a life that felt routine.
I’m done with bologna skin sandwiches,
With dry white lies and half-hearted wishes.
I want spice, I want heat, I want something real.
Not a life that’s wrapped in plastic and sealed.
So I’m walking out with my name and my keys —
And leaving the crusts and the crumbs and the please.
I packed my bags in a paper sack,
Left a note on the fridge that said, “I ain’t coming back.”
Took the long road, windows down,
Singing to myself like I owned this town.
I found a diner with a jukebox soul,
And a waitress who said, “Girl, I too have been told
We laughed about men and the meals we make,
And how freedom tastes like a char grilled steak.
I’m done with bologna skin sandwiches,
With dry white lies and half-hearted wishes.
I want spice, I want heat, I want something real.
Not a life that’s wrapped in plastic and sealed.
So I’m dancing out with my boots and my pride —
And tossing that sandwich out the passenger side.
He can eat alone now.
(bologna skin sandwiches,)
I’ve got better things to chew on.

Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message 



Bologna Skin Sandwiches ♨️ 🍪

I remember the first time I saw the flags fly.
Daddy lifted me high, said, “That’s freedom in the sky.”
Now I’m the one lifting someone of my own —
And the band plays on.
There’s a man in a cap with a faraway stare,
His daughter’s on his shoulders, ribbons in her hair.
He doesn’t cheer, just nods at the drum,
Thinking of brothers who’ll never come.
His wife wipes a tear, but she won’t let it fall —
For them, this parade says it all.
It’s more than floats and marching feet,
It’s memory, meaning, and hearts that beat.
This is what the parade means —
To the ones who gave, to the ones who dream.
It’s a song in the street, a flag in the sky,
A reason to laugh, a reason to cry.
It’s not just a show, it’s a sign we’re still here,
Holding on to hope, year after year.
This is what the parade means.
There’s a mother with a blanket and pride in her eyes,
Her first July under American skies.
She whispers, “We made it,” as the colors roll past,
Her children wave flags, their joy rising fast.
No mansion, no riches, just a patch of green —
But for them, this parade is a dream.
It’s more than floats and marching feet,
It’s memory, meaning, and hearts that beat.
This is what the parade means —
To the ones who gave, to the ones who dream.
It’s a song in the street, a flag in the sky,
A reason to laugh, a reason to cry.
It’s not just a show, it’s a sign we’re still here,
Holding on to hope, year after year.
This is what the parade means.
There’s a boy with a trumpet and tears in his eyes,
Marching alone ‘neath the summer skies.
His brother’s face on a pin by his heart,
Gone too soon, but never apart.
Their mother stands still, hands folded tight —
Three families, three stories, one street, one sound.
Different hearts, but common ground.
We don’t just gather to cheer and wave —
We gather to honor the lives this moment gave.
This is what the parade means —
To the ones who gave, to the ones who dream.
It’s a song in the street, a flag in the sky,
A reason to laugh, a reason to cry.
It’s not just a show, it’s a sign we’re still here,
Holding on to hope, year after year.
This is what the parade means.
Next year, a new baby will hear the drums.
A new family will find their place.
And the band will play on.
Because this…
This is what the parade means.
Please check out our other albums...!
https://soundcloud.com/cookiehot/sets/dream-and-pretend?si=ec8b6a32f93441429b79cf315810a28b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Songwriter Edwin H. Balder
All rights reserved and protected by ZproMur LLC, doing business as Pinky's Picks. Copyright 2024 by ZproMur. For cover inquiries and use in films, commercials, or other marketing, promotional, or musical applications of this material in any part, please direct message

The Parade by ♨️ 🍪

Meet Hot Cookie, the wonder that’s redefining cool with a fresh blend of reflective lyrics and acoustic-driven power. Our sound is the heartbeat of today's music scene, capturing the essence of raw emotion and musical artistry. With every track, we aim to elevate your listening experience, offering melodies that resonate and lyrics that linger. Get ready to be swept away by Hot Cookie, where every note is a testament to our passion and every song a journey!....Social Contact: https://x.com/HotCookieMusic

New tracks tagged #indiepop #pop