He sat by the fire with a notebook and pen,
Said, “I’ve seen the world break and build again.”
I was just passing through, chasing some plan —
But I stayed for the words of that old wise man.
He said, “Don’t trade your joy for a job that pays more,
Don’t lock up your heart just to open a door.
The world will tell you to hustle and win,
But the best kind of wealth comes from deep within.”
I wrote it down, but it burned in my chest —
Truth like that don’t need to rest.
The wise man said, “Keep your colors bright,
Don’t dim your soul just to fit the light.
Sing your song, even if no one stays —
The echo might guide someone else someday.”
The wise man said…
And I’m still listening.
He said, “Love is a garden, not a race to the ring,
It grows in the quiet, not in what spotlight’s bring
Don’t chase the ones who only want fame
Find someone who sees your roots and don't play games
I didn’t ask, but he knew what I’d lost —
Some wisdom comes without a cost.
The wise man said, “Keep your colors bright,
Don’t dim your soul just to fit the light.
Sing your song, even if no one stays —
The echo might guide someone else someday.”
The wise man said…
And I’m still listening.
He said, “Connection’s the thread that we weave,
It’s the hand on your back when you’re ready to leave.
Don’t let tears replace the sound of a laugh,
Real love remembers— like a dear photograph.”
He said, “You’ll forget my name, and that’s okay —
But remember the feeling, and pass it on someday.
To a kid on a bus, or a friend in the rain,
Say something true —to soften their pain.”
The wise man said, “Keep your colors bright,
Don’t dim your soul just to fit the light.
Sing your song, even if no one stays —
The echo might guide someone else someday.”
The wise man said…
And I’m still listening.
He packed up his notebook and tipped his hat.
Said, “You’ll be fine — just... remember that.”
And I walked away with more than a plan…
I walked away
a wiser man......
walked away....
a.. wiser.. man....

All rights reserved by songwriter and producer Edwin H. Balder.
For more ride-and-rock tracks, click here: https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/rusty-marshall-band?si=c5040230a7334213b5d7609527997d7c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Wiser Man by Rusty Marshall Band

Rain falls heavy on the broken ground,
Every drop an echo, every drop a sound.
Walking through the storm, I feel the strain,
But I’m still alive beneath the rain.
Clouds above, the sky turns gray,
Memories wash but never fade away.
Every street reflects the pain,
Every shadow whispers your name
Who will hear my silent cry,
When the storm keeps passing by?
Alone I stand, but still I fight,
we're the song in the spotlight
Rain keeps falling, I survive,
If you love me... don't say goodbuy
Rain keeps falling, I survive,
If you love me.... don't say goodbuy
I walk alone where the rivers rise,
Every drop is truth, no disguise.
The storm don’t care, it cuts the same,
But I hold my ground, Iwith out blame
Rain on my shoulders, rain on my face,
It carves the lines, it leaves a trace.
I’m not afraid of the weight it brings,
I’m a man who fights through everything.
Windows cry with endless streams,
Shattered hopes and broken dreams.
But in the flood I find my way,
The rain won’t wash my soul away.
Who will hear my silent cry,
When the storm keeps passing by?
Alone I stand, but still I fight,
we're the song in the spotlight
Rain keeps falling, I survive,
If you love me... don't say goodbuy
Rain keeps falling, I survive,
If you love me.... don't say goodbuy
Rain don’t lie, it tells the truth,
It cuts through age, it cuts through youth.
Every drop is a memory’s call,
Every storm is a rise, a fall.
I’ve seen the floods take all I own,
But I still stand, I’m flesh and bone.
The thunder roars, but I don’t break,
I fight for love, I fight for faith.
Rain is the weight that makes men strong,
It teaches right, it teaches wrong.
So let it fall, let the rivers rise,
I’ll keep on walking beneath the skies.
Moonlight breaks through clouds above,
Rain reminds me of our love.
Echoes of what used to be,
Flowing...now.... through.... eternity....what... used ...to.. be.......
Who will hear my silent cry,
When the storm keeps passing by?
Alone I stand, but still I fight,
we're the song in the spotlight
Rain keeps falling, I survive,
If you love me... don't say goodbuy
Rain keeps falling, I survive,
If you love me.... don't say goodbuy
Rain… rain… rain…can't hide this pain
Still I stand, still ...I remain.....Rain… rain… rain...still ...I..... remain

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Rain Broken by WHY🎧 SPACE

Innocence shattered like a broken glass,
A call for help through a classroom’s fears.
The echoes bounce off the silent halls,
This ain’t the world we dreamed — not at all.
In the hallways filled with cries,
A child’s voice echoes through the skies.
Dialing numbers with trembling hands,
This is not what anyone plans.
A girl with a future untold and bright,
Lost in shadows, lost to night.
Fifteen years shoots the moon,
In a world of chaos, no one immune.
This is not OK, it’s not alright,
Lives in darkness, lost the light.
Through the pain and through the grief,
We must stand for our belief.
Hearts are heavy, tears run free,
A call for help, a silent plea.
Innocence shattered, trust betrayed,
In a place where love should stay.
I walk through halls where the silence screams,
Broken desks, broken childhood dreams.
The chalkboard’s faded, the lessons are gone,
But the pain of the moment keeps dragging on.
We thought these walls were safe and strong,
But the echoes prove we were all wrong.
A child’s cry cuts through the air,
And I ask myself — why weren’t we there?
We build our lives on fragile trust,
But it crumbles fast, it turns to dust.
If innocence can fall this way,
Then we must rise, we must not sway.
Lessons learned in fear and dread,
Where dreams of safety now lie dead.
One moment changed so many lives,
We ask for hope amidst these cries.
Looking for answers in the dark,
Finding strength to leave a mark.
Together we must change our ways,
To see a brighter, safer day.
A child’s voice cries in the morning light,
A scream for safety in the midst of fright.
The ticking clock stops at ten fifty‑seven,
As innocence drifts to a question of heaven.
The future held in hands so small,
Now bleeding, hope starts to fall.
If our hearts could mend the wounded sky,
Would we still live these helpless cries?
How did we get here, so lost, so torn,
Where the promise of safety is all but gone?
We preach of love, but the actions fade,
And children pay for the choices made.
I see the faces, I hear the names,
But the world keeps playing the same old games.
We talk of change, but the time is now,
We can’t just whisper — we must allow.
Every tear is a warning sign,
Every cry is a fragile line.
If we don’t listen, if we don’t act,
The cycle repeats, the pain comes back.
I’m just one man, but I’ll raise my voice,
To fight for the future, to make a choice.
No cure in silence, no peace in lies,
We must stand together, we must rise.
In a world on fire, we must ignite,
A better dream, a peaceful light.
How did we get here, so lost, so torn?
What happened to the love we swore?
This is not OK, it’s not alright,
Lives in darkness, lost the light.
Through the pain and through the grief,
We must stand for our belief.
Hearts are heavy, tears run free,
A call for help, a silent plea.
Innocence shattered, trust betrayed,
In a place where love should stay.
Joy gone… joy gone… joy gone…
The last echo of a child’s song.

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

This Is Not OK  by WHY🎧 SPACE

The world is silent, no voices ring,
Steel and glass the echoes bring.
Walking through ruins, heart feels lone,
Last human left, flesh and bone.
I walk paths that time forgot,
Memories that can’t be caught.
Ghosts around me all the same,
Playing endless mindless games.
Who will hear my last goodbye,
In the ashes where dreams die?
Alone I stand but still I strive,
I’m the last human alive.
I’m the last human alive,
Alone I stand but still I strive.
I’m the last human alive… (alive),
I’m the last human alive.
Cities dark with empty streets,
Lonely rhythm my heart beats.
Searching shadows for a sign,
In a world that’s left behind.
Who will hear my last goodbye,
In the ashes where dreams die?
Alone I stand but still I strive,
I’m the last human alive.
I’m the last human alive,
Alone I stand but still I strive.
I’m the last human alive… (alive),
I’m the last human alive.
I walk alone through the ruins of time,
Every heartbeat echoes like a broken rhyme.
The towers fell, but I still remain,
Carrying the weight, carrying the pain.
I see the shadows where laughter once lived,
Now silence is the only gift.
The playground’s empty, the streets don’t sing,
I’m the last man standing in everything.
I hold the memories, I hold the scars,
They shine above me like forgotten stars.
No voices left, but I still survive,
I fight to prove I’m still alive.
The ashes whisper, the night won’t lie,
I’ll keep on walking till the day I die.
The world may fade, but I won’t fall,
I’m the last human, I’ll outlast it all.
Dust and memories fill the air,
No one left to see or care.
Whispers fade in the cold night,
Holding on with all my might.
Moonlight paints a ghostly hue,
Stars above in lonely view.
Echoes of what used to be,
Written in this empty sea.
Who will hear my last goodbye,
In the ashes where dreams die?
Alone I stand but still I strive,
I’m the last human alive.
I’m the last human alive,
Alone I stand but still I strive.
I’m the last human alive… (alive),
I’m the last human alive.
The last human alive… (alive),
The last… human… alive.

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Last Human by WHY🎧 SPACE

Funny how the cure feels worse,
Like a blessing turned to curse…
The lab lights buzz, the vials gleam—
“What you lose, you don’t redeem.”
I built the dose to numb the past,
To soften edges, dull the glass.
Test Subject One just blinks and nods,
“I don’t miss anyone—that’s so odd.”
We traded grief for empty shelves,
Ghosts we killed just haunt ourselves.
The formula was pure but still flawed,
Now there’s silence down every hall.
I saw the cure cut deep, no pain,
But it stripped the soul, left nothing to gain.
Men don’t cry, but men still bleed,
And silence don’t give you what you need.
The trial group checks out just fine,
No tears at night, no tangled spines.
But at the park, a swing goes still—
No one laughs, and no one will.
The playground’s full of quiet hearts,
A perfect cure that tore apart.
We traded grief for empty shelves,
Ghosts we killed just haunt ourselves.
I smashed the glass, I broke the frame,
No pill can fix a man’s own name.
You take the hurt, you take the scars,
That’s how you know who you really are.
Funny how the test tubes lie,
Clear as glass but just as sly.
The leader calls, his voice too bright—
“We’ll dose the world on Friday night.”
I smash the lab, the liquid spills,
Destroy the method, destroy the pills.
Our warning’s learned, kept in dark places,
Hearts and souls need what this erases.
I stand my ground, I fight, I roar,
No cure can close a man’s own door.
We carry grief, we carry flame,
That’s how we rise, that’s how we claim.
We traded grief for empty shelves,
Ghosts we killed just haunt ourselves.
The formula was pure but still flawed,
Now there’s silence down every hall.
Funny how the cure feels worse,
Like a blessing turned to curse…
The formula was pure but still flawed,
Now there’s silence down every hall.
Silence down every hall…
(Every hall) every… hall…

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Ourselves by WHY🎧 SPACE

Two‑lane highway, dust in the rain,
Voices whisper, saying it won’t change.
Packed a suitcase, left the key,
Something bigger calling me.
Small town rules, small town fate,
Clock keeps ticking, but it won’t wait.
Everybody knows how stories go,
Work the land, watch the seasons flow.
But I had a song, I had a fire,
Had a name set to climb higher.
Couldn’t fade, couldn’t let it die,
Had to see if the stars aligned.
It’s hard to find your way in a place brand new,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Hard to trust what and who is true,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Believe in yourself and what you do,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
I left behind dirt roads and the same old bars,
Chasing a horizon, chasing the stars.
They said “boy, you’re crazy, you’ll lose your way,”
But I knew my voice had something to say.
Every mile I drove was a test of will,
Every silence I faced taught me to be still.
I carried my roots, but I broke the chain,
Turned small town struggle into city rain.
City roads, endless sound,
Lost my way, but I won’t drown.
Lines get blurred, faces fade,
But dreams don’t break, they just evade.
Got a gig, got a shot,
Got a place that said I’m not.
But I stayed, kept the fight,
Took the stage and let it ignite.
It’s hard to find your way in a place brand new,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Hard to trust what and who is true,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Believe in yourself and what you do,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
I still hope time will teach me patience,
Have the willpower to hold, to wait.
Take the road in the right direction,
When it’s right, don’t I hesitate.
This dream in me burns forever,
No disaster can turn it to dust.
Dreams will always find me,
But dreams don’t happen if you don’t trust.
Crowd stands still, silence weighs,
Breath gets tight, pulse betrays.
Then the chords rise, echoes start,
And they finally hear the heart.
Some will doubt, some won’t see,
Some will never believe in me.
But I kept my ground, I held the proof,
Sang my story, sang the truth.
I’m not the man who stayed behind,
I’m the one who chased what he had to find.
You never know till you take that chance,
Life’s a gamble, but the song’s the dance.
It’s hard to find your way in a place brand new,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Hard to trust what and who is true,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Believe in yourself and what you do,
The only thing you know for sure is you.
Two‑lane highway, dust in the rain,
Voices whisper, saying it won’t change.
Packed a suitcase, left the key,
Something bigger calling me

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

For Sure WHY🎧 SPACE

I was sliding left when the beat said right,
Doing my own thing under neon light.
True that, I was clumsy, true that, I was free,
But the rhythm was laughing, not dancing with me.
She walked in smooth, with a smile so wide,
Said “you’ve got the way of one, let me show you the stride.”
True that, she was fire, true that, she was new,
She said “you’ve got the way of one, but I’ll show you with two.”
I was lost in the crowd, just moving alone,
Every step was crooked, every beat my own.
Didn’t care for the rules, didn’t care for the style,
But she caught my eye, and she made me smile.
True that, she’s magic,
True that, she’s bold.
She turned my rhythm
Into pure gold.
Show me how to move, show me how to sway,
Turn my one‑step stumble to a two‑step play.
Show me how to move, show me how to groove,
True that, I’m alive when she shows me the proof.
She spun me around, taught me how to glide,
Every beat was a wave, every step a ride.
I was clumsy before, but she made it art,
Every move she gave me lit up my heart.
True that, she’s lightning,
True that, she’s flame.
She turned my dancing
Into her game.
Show me how to move, show me how to sway,
Turn my one‑step stumble to a two‑step play.
Show me how to move, show me how to groove,
True that, I’m alive when she shows me the proof.
Now the floor is alive, every step in sync,
She gave me the rhythm, she gave me the link.
From the way of one to the way of two,
She taught me the dance, and she taught me the truth.
True that, she’s fearless,
True that, she’s mine.
She turned my rhythm
Into a sign.
Show me how to move, show me how to sway,
Turn my one‑step stumble to a two‑step play.
Show me how to move, show me how to groove,
True that, I’m alive when she shows me the proof.
She said “don’t fight the rhythm, let it carry you through,
Don’t hold back the motion, let the music renew.”
True that, I was stubborn, true that, I was slow,
But she taught me the steps, and she taught me the flow.
Now I’m spinning in circles, now I’m flying in time,
Every move she gave me is a perfect rhyme.
True that, she’s the teacher, true that, she’s the key,
She turned my one‑step stumble to a dance set free.
I was sliding left when the beat said right,
Doing my own thing under neon light.
True that, I was clumsy, true that, I was new,
But she showed me the way of one, and the way with two.

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

True That I'm  Alive by WHY🎧 SPACE

In the desert’s embrace, as the sun sets low,
The word "Descanso" means rest, a tranquil glow.
As I journey onward, seeking peace so deep,
Dreaming of the desert’s wonders, in my sleep.
After a night’s performance, I drift away,
To a land of cacti, where coyotes play.
"Descanso" calls me, in the moon’s soft light,
A gentle whisper, in the desert night.
I’ve been chasing echoes through the midnight air,
Writing down truths that nobody shares.
It’s a gift and a curse, this songwriter’s grind,
Every verse is a mirror of the soul I find.
Descanso reminds me to breathe, to rest,
To lay down the weight that clings to my chest.
It’s not the fame, not the lights, not the streams,
It’s the quiet desert teaching me dreams.
A songwriter’s soul, forever chasing streams,
"Descanso" in the desert,
and my endless dreams.
(endless dreams)
endless dreams.
Snakes slither silently, in shadows cast,
Seeking solace in each midnight rasp.
The oasis waits, with waters pure and clear,
"Descanso" leads me, to where dreams appear.
The beauty of the desert, a timeless scene,
With sunsets painting skies in amber sheen.
I wander through this dreamscape, feeling free,
"Descanso" in my heart, my sanctuary.
A songwriter’s soul, forever chasing streams,
"Descanso" in the desert,
and my endless dreams.
(endless dreams)
endless dreams.
In the silence of the night, the desert sings,
A lullaby of peace, that the nighttime brings.
I close my eyes, and let the dream take flight,
"Descanso" is my guide, through the desert night.
We all see the stars in their stadium shows,
Spotlights blazing, the confetti flows.
But the dream’s not the crowd or the fame we chase,
It’s the tear held back on a single face.
It’s the smile that rises, the foot that taps,
The finger that snaps in the quiet gaps.
It’s one soul daring to dance along,
To hear your truth inside the song.
That’s why I write, that’s why I sing,
Not for the trophies or glittering things.
Descanso reminds me, the desert is proof,
That music’s real when it touches the roof.
As the dawn approaches, my dreams gently fade,
I awaken with the memories they made.
A songwriter’s soul, forever chasing streams,
"Descanso" in the desert,
and my endless dreams.
(endless dreams)
endless dreams.
A songwriter’s soul, forever chasing streams,
"Descanso" in the desert,
and my endless dreams.
(endless dreams)
endless dreams.

Please Dance this on to your playlist ..So much thanks... WHY🎧 SPACE
All rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder

Link to our Album..YES it's free..do we seem famous?
https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Endless Dreams by WHY🎧 SPACE

✨ To the winners of MAMA 2025 ✨
Your music stayed true, and that truth made you stars.
Holding on to your dreams brought you here.
Congratulations, sincerely. 🌌
Why Space

✨ MAMA 2025 수상자 여러분께 ✨
당신들의 음악은 진실을 지켰기에 별이 되었습니다.
끝까지 꿈을 붙잡은 열정이 오늘을 만들었습니다.
진심으로 축하드립니다. 🌌
Why Space..... 드림

이 노래를 당신의 플레이리스트에 올려주세요… 정말 감사드립니다… WHY SPACE  
모든 권리는 작곡가 Edwin H. Balder에게 있습니다.  
우리 앨범 링크: WHY🎧 SPACE
네, 무료입니다… 우리, 유명해 보이나요? 🌌  

👉 https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/masquerade-and-more?si=7f86e3876c484824abac69745d79d9d3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_

다시 서빙하는 나  WHY🎧 SPACE

I woke up in a room I didn’t know,
With wires and whispers and a quiet glow.
The mirror showed a stranger in my skin,
But something in my soul said, “Begin again.”
I counted every breath like a borrowed song,
Held on to the rhythm when the days felt wrong.
The world kept spinning, I stayed still,
Learning how to climb without the hill.
They said I might not make it through,
But I’m still standing — look at you.
I’m walking the road of healing,
With every scar revealing
The strength I didn’t know I had inside.
I’m walking the road of healing,
No more hiding, no more kneeling —
I rise because I’ve already survived.
I lost some things I’ll never get back,
Like time and touch and the easy track.
But I found a fire in the quiet pain,
A reason to dance in the pouring rain.
I saw the sunrise through a hospital screen,
Felt the grace of moments I’d never seen.
The body breaks, but the spirit learns
To turn the ashes into something that burns.]
They said I might not make it through,
But I’m still standing — look at you.
I’m walking the road of healing,
With every scar revealing
The strength I didn’t know I had inside.
I’m walking the road of healing,
No more hiding, no more kneeling —
I rise because I’ve already survived.
There were nights I begged the light to stay,
When the silence nearly stole my name away.
But the dawn came slow, and the truth came fast:
You don’t need perfect — you just need to last.
So if you’re lying in the dark tonight,
Wondering if you’ll ever feel alright —
Let me be the voice that breaks your fear,
The song that says, “You’re still here.”
You’re not broken, you’re becoming whole,
You’re not lost, you’re taking control.
You win because you didn’t quit,
You’re loved, you’re strong — and this is it.
You’re walking the road of healing,
And every step is worth the fight.
You’re walking the road of healing —
And you’re gonna be alright.

Walking the Road of Healing

In the shadows of Apache Junction, at the foot of the majestic Superstition Mountains, sits a weathered hacienda. This desert oasis is home to an enigmatic figure, a songwriter whose journey reads like a long, dusty road of honky-tonk bars and college cafeterias. He wasn't chasing fame or glitter; instead, he chose the soul-crushing beauty of music for music's sake.

Years spent hunched over sticky barroom tables and scribbling lyrics on napkins earned him a reputation—not in the spotlight but in the back rooms where deals are made. He wrote melodies that found their way into the hearts of stars who had lost their own muse. He sold his creations for cash, with no recognition, but the whisper of his songs carried the weight of his soul.

Finally, he bought this piece of desert paradise—a stable income from his timeless songs allowed him to live comfortably, if anonymously. Here in this hacienda, with his family beside him and the mountains as his backdrop, he found the peace to write hits under his own name. He chuckled at the irony that now, without chasing fame, he could create music that brought him joy.

In the end, it was never about the spotlight. It was about the journey, the stories, and the songs that wrote themselves through his life. As the sun set behind the Superstitions, casting long shadows over the hacienda, he strummed his guitar and sang—content, unknown, and unburdened by the world's gaze.


Copyright 2019 Edwin H. Balder

I may be dead when fame comes but my real glory was always JULIE & The Kids. Thank you for such love

New tracks tagged #pop #indierock #indiepop #topten #retro #country #folk #countrywestern #waltz #storysong #americana #nashville #guitar #playlist #Dance #dancemusic #musicnews # #musicmonday #musicindustry #singersongwriter #singer #songwriter #musician #reco