This song and others you will find on the "Too Hip For The Room Playlist' are songs I loved but others felt were too outside the mainstream to move to the release stage. Well I saw The Boss was releasing old tracks so why not me. Each song in this collection is loved by the songwriter but so often that is not enough/ Be Well /Do well /Stay safe and know I love you all...EdAll rights reserved by Songwriter Edwin H. Balder(Lyric sheet available on request- Thanks to all the studio players)

Just Interference by songwriter Edwin H. Balder

The Almost By songwriter Edwin H. Balder

You are best when you are you you know...
It Matters that You Matter by songwriter Edwin H. Balder
They tell you don’t shake, don’t break, stand tall
Like your name don’t weigh a thing at all
But I see you, I hear you
Your voice cuts through, your fire’s true
It ain't just noise, ain't just dust
A quiet heart still knows its trust
You hold space, you hold light
Even in the loneliest night
It matters that you matter
That your words still carve the sky
That your footsteps, that your laughter
Are more than passing time
It matters that you matter
That the stars still know your name
That you're seen, that you're remembered
That your fire burns the same
Some days you drown in the weight they throw
Some nights you stand where no one goes
But even then, even there
You are more than thin air
So don’t let the quiet tell you wrong
Don’t let the world erase your song
You exist, you rise
Even through the dark disguise
It matters that you matter
That your words still carve the sky
That your footsteps, that your laughter
Are more than passing time
It matters that you matter
That the stars still know your name
That you're seen, that you're remembered
That your fire burns the same
If you fall, if you fade
Know this truth won’t drift away
Every heart, every spark
Leaves a mark in the dark
So stand here, stand proud
Let them hear, say it loud
You are here, you are light
You are meant for more than night
It matters that you matter
That your words still carve the sky
That your footsteps, that your laughter
Are more than passing time
It matters that you matter
That the stars still know your name
That you're seen, that you're remembered
That your fire burns the same
When the world moves fast and leaves you behind
When the echoes don’t answer, when silence climbs
Know this truth, hold it close
You’re worth more than they’ll ever know
It matters that you matter
That your words still carve the sky
That your footsteps, that your laughter
Are more than passing time
It matters that you matter
That the stars still know your name
That you're seen, that you're remembered
That your fire burns the same
It matters that you matter, (it always will)
matters that you matter
matters ...that ...you ....matter
matters .....that .....you....... matter


Link to more of our Singer/songwriter style hits you can cover into fame because of your take!

https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/best-new-folk-americana?si=04e0155163644977b37cf8c0a04f3c53&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing



All Rights Reserved Edwin H. Balder
Thanks so much to my band: Hot Cookie
See Our Music Videos Here> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-509h42heKT05D8egf2U9w

It Matters that You Matter by songwriter Edwin H. Balder

I used to run when the dark got near
Kept the lights on, drowned out fear
But now it sits beside my bed
Whispers truths I never said
It doesn’t shout, it doesn’t rush
Just breathes beside me in the hush
And every night, it pulls a chair
Like an old friend who’s always there
I’ve come to know the shadow’s face
It moves with quiet, tender grace
Not here to steal, not here to fight
Just walks me gently through the night
And though it hurts, and though I cry
I’ve stopped asking how or why
I’m not alone, not anymore
The shadow I feared… I’ve come to adore
It knows the names I never spoke
The dreams I lost, the hearts I broke
It hums a song I used to hear
When I was young and full of cheer
It doesn’t judge, it doesn’t preach
Just holds the things I couldn’t reach
And when I shake, it doesn’t leave
It stays until I start to breathe
I’ve come to know the shadow’s face
It moves with quiet, tender grace
Not here to steal, not here to fight
Just walks me gently through the night
And though it hurts, and though I cry
I’ve stopped asking how or why
I’m not alone, not anymore
The shadow I feared… I’ve come to adore
It doesn’t wear a cloak or crown
It doesn’t drag me, doesn’t drown
It just reminds me, soft and low
That even endings help us grow
So when the morning doesn’t rise
And I close these tired eyes
Know I went with love in tow
Led by the shadow I’ve come to know
The Shadow I’ve Come to Know (String Layers Edition)
The Shadow I’ve Come to Know (String Layers Edition)








The Shadow I’ve Come to Know

Searing timbre / burned in sound
The voice I lost / the one I found
Ashes echo / through the air
I sing what’s gone / I sing what’s there…
I was a whisper in the flame
A name erased, a song untamed
I walked through fire just to feel
If pain was proof that I was real
The chords were cracked, the mic was cold
But still I sang what couldn’t hold
A searing timbre, sharp and true
The kind that cuts and carries through
Searing timbre / voice of mine
Carved in smoke and turpentine
I bled in rhythm, broke in rhyme
But still I sang / I kept the time
Searing timbre / soul on fire
The echo born of lost desire
I sing the scars / I sing the flame
Searing timbre / still my name
I was the silence in the crowd
The note too sharp, the cry too loud
I sang in rooms that wouldn’t hear
But still I burned through every fear
The stage was cracked, the lights were dim
But I was gospel in the hymn
A voice that wouldn’t fade or bend
A song that didn’t need to end
I am the tremble in the steel
The heat beneath what others feel
I am the verse that won’t behave
The echo rising from the grave
I am the sound that won’t be tamed
The fire that sings without a name
I am the timbre, raw and seared
The voice you lost, the one you feared
Searing timbre / voice of mine
Carved in smoke and turpentine
I bled in rhythm, broke in rhyme
But still I sang / I kept the time
Searing timbre / soul on fire
The echo born of lost desire
I sing the scars / I sing the flame
Searing timbre / still my name
Searing timbre… still my name…
Searing timbre… still my name…
Searing timbre… still my name…

🌹Thanks to the players from H.C. and Del's studio

All Rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder.

Be sure to visit Tina's playlist here:
soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/tina-talone-may-this-kind-of?si=c962a19838244cafab03c08ba110c75f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

And Tina's new music video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZvNm4nfdQ

Searing Timbre by 🌹Tina Talone🌹

You didn’t ask / I didn’t speak
like we  were always just gonna meet
The air went still / the world fell quiet
And I knew the truth / without trying to write it…
We were just talking, nothing planned
Your hand brushed mine, not quite a stand
The light was low, the room was wide
But all I saw was what you tried
No lines rehearsed, no script to read
Just silence blooming like a seed
You leaned in close, I didn’t move
And something shifted in the groove
You said it all without saying
You touched the part I kept delaying
You found the note I couldn’t play
And held it there, then walked away
You said it all without saying
You turned the night into relaying
A thousand things I couldn’t name
But still I felt them just the same
I felt the warmth before the flame
The hush before you spoke my name
You didn’t speak, but I heard loud
The way you looked beneath the cloud
No need for words, no need for sound
Just breath and space and hearts unbound
You didn’t ask, I didn’t cry
But something real had passed us by
It wasn’t lips, it wasn’t skin
It was the fire that burns within
It was the pause, the held-back sigh
The way you didn’t even try
It was the echo in the air
The way you didn’t have to dare
It was the truth we didn’t speak
But still it made my knees go weak
You said it all without saying
You touched the part I kept delaying
You found the note I couldn’t play
And held it there, then walked away
You said it all without saying
You turned the night into relaying
A thousand things I couldn’t name
But still I felt them just the same
You said it all without saying
You turned the night into relaying
A thousand things I couldn’t name
But still I felt them just the same
You said it all… without saying…
You said it all…
You said it all… without...... saying….you said it ...all....

🌹Thanks to the players from H.C. and Del's studio

All Rights held by songwriter Edwin H. Balder.

Be sure to visit Tina's playlist here:
soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/tina-talone-may-this-kind-of?si=c962a19838244cafab03c08ba110c75f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

And Tina's new music video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZvNm4nfdQ

Without Saying by 🌹Tina Talone🌹

I thought the night would end the same,
Another countdown, cheep champagne.
But the room got smaller, the lights got slow,
And suddenly, I knew where I’d go.
I walked through the crowd with the music loud,
Faces blurred in the glitter cloud.
Then I saw her smile, it cut through the haze,
The DJ’s spinning, the floor’s alive,
We’re moments away eleven  fifty five.
The bass is heavy, the lights collide,
And I can’t stop looking in her eyes.
Get on the floor, it’s almost Mid night,
The beat is strong, the vibe is right.
We’re closer now, the world’s in sync,
Raise your glass, take one more drink.
This is the moment, don’t let it fade —
Love at first sight, majestic masquerade.
(majestic masquerade).....
Her dress caught the light like a silver flame,
Every move she made whispered my name.
I didn’t plan it, I didn’t try,
But the whole world stopped when she met my eye.
The DJ’s spinning, the floor’s alive,
We’re moments away eleven  fifty five.
The bass is heavy, the lights collide,
And I can’t stop looking in her eyes.
Get on the floor, it’s almost Mid night,
The beat is strong, the vibe is right.
We’re closer now, the world’s in sync,
Raise your glass, take one more drink.
This is the moment, don’t let it fade —
Love at first sight, majestic masquerade.
(majestic masquerade).....
I don’t play with silence, I don’t hide my flame,  
If I feel that spark, I’m gonna call your name.  
Respect in my tone, no games, no disguise,  
I speak with my heart, you can see in my eyes.  
Love ain’t a secret, it’s a song we sing,  
It’s a hand you hold, it’s a real-life thing.  
I won’t just wish, I won’t fade in the crowd,  
If I want you near, I’ll say it out loud.  
No pressure, no push, just a gentle vibe,  
The kind of connection where the souls collide.  
Truth is the gift, and it costs no gold,  
It’s the courage to speak what the heart has told.  
So I step to the rhythm, let the beat confess,  
Every word I drop is a soft caress.  
If love’s in the room, I won’t let it slide,  
I’ll honor the moment, I won’t run and hide.  
Respect in my flow, kindness in my rhyme,  
I’ll tell you I want you, and I’ll take my time.  
No wishful thinking, no walking away,  
I’ll stand in the light and I’ll mean what I say.
We move together, the crowd disappears,
The music softens, we lose our fears
Her hand in mine, the rhythm’s slow,
And I don’t care where the minutes go.
I felt it hit like a midnight fire,
A sudden rush, a deep desire.
No words were spoken, no plans were made,
Just a promise in the look we gave.
Get on the floor, it’s almost Mid night,
The beat is strong, the vibe is right.
We’re closer now, the world’s in sync,
Raise your glass, take one more drink.
This is the moment, don’t let it fade —
Love at first sight, majestic masquerade.
(majestic masquerade).....
The countdown’s gone, the lights now fade
 her lips found mine, majestic masquerade.
(majestic masquerade).....

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

Majestic Masquerade by WHY🎧 SPACE

WHY
Why do I still wonder?
Why you didn’t hear
The lightning and the thunder
When we were so near (so near).
An offer to understand
Slips through an open hand,
Lost like grains of sand,
Lost like the dreams we planned (dreams we planned).
And I wonder (And I wonder),
If you wonder (if you wonder)
How it might have been.
’Cause baby I’m still under (still under)
A spell that just won’t end.
Why do I wander
Through these thoughts again,
Trying to mend (Trying to mend)
From a love that wouldn’t bend,
From the thunder that I sent from my heart
(From my heart) from my heart,
(From my heart) from my heart.
I remember the night when the storm was loud,
I spoke my truth but got lost in the crowd.
You turned away when the sky lit bright,
I was reaching for you in the flash of light.
I carried the weight of the words unsaid,
Like thunder rolling inside my head.
You thought it was noise, but it was my plea,
A man trying hard to set his spirit free.
Why do I still wonder? (Why do I still wonder?)
Why you didn’t hear (Why you didn’t hear)
The lightning and the thunder (The lightning and the thunder)
When we were so near…
An offer to understand (An offer to understand),
Slips through an open hand (Slips through an open hand),
Lost like grains of sand (Lost like grains of sand),
Lost like the dreams we planned (dreams we planned).
And I wonder (And I wonder),
If you wonder (if you wonder)
How it might have been.
’Cause baby I’m still under (still under)
A spell that just won’t end.
Why do I wander
Through these thoughts again,
Trying to mend (Trying to mend)
From a love that wouldn’t bend,
From the thunder that I sent from my heart
(From my heart) from my heart,
(From my heart) from my heart.
I gave you the storm, but you closed your eyes,
Pretended the lightning was just disguise.
I was a man with a heart on fire,
But you walked away from the one desire.
Now I’m left with echoes, the sky still speaks,
Every rumble reminds me of what I seek.
You can’t erase what the thunder showed,
It was love in my chest, it was truth I owed.
So I wonder still, but I know it’s real,
The storm was my voice, the way I feel.
You didn’t hear, but the sky did too,
Every bolt of lightning was me calling you.
Why do I still wonder? (Why do I still wonder?)
Why do I still wonder? (Why do I still wonder?)
’Bout the lightning and the thunder? (’Bout the lightning and the thunder?)
’Bout the lightning and the thunder?
The lightning (the lightning)… the lightning and… the thunder.

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

Still Wonder by  WHY🎧 SPACE

I still see the faces in that dim-lit room,
Where the air was thick with my trembling tunes.
You clapped like I’d hung up the stars that night,
And your kindness became my guiding light.
You gave me your time, your ears, your hearts,
And piece by piece, you built my start.
From the first note I sang to the last I’ll write,
You’ve been the reason I survive the night.
Through every tear, every laugh, every song,
You’ve been the steady where I belong.
From first to last, you’ve carried me through,
every word I sing,
I sing for you.
(I sing for you.)
I ....sing ....for ......you.....
I’ve seen your hands raised in a sea of phone light,
Your voices weaving through the quiet nights.
You’ve held my stories like they were your own,
And in your grace, I’ve never felt alone.
You gave me your time, your ears, your hearts,
And piece by piece, you built my start.
We all see the stars in their stadium shows,
Spotlights blazing, the confetti flows.
And we think if we hustle, stay true to the craft,
Maybe one day we’ll stand where they’re at.
But that’s not the dream, not the reason we fight,
It’s the face in the crowd when the song feels right.
It’s the tear held back, the smile that climbs,
The foot that taps in perfect time.
It’s the finger that snaps, the body that sways,
The courage to dance in a brand-new way.
It’s one soul daring to take a chance,
To hear your song and start to dance.
That’s why we write, that’s why we sing,
Not for the trophies or the glittering things.
It’s the moment you see someone’s spirit ignite,
And you know your music just changed their night.
So I’ll keep on grinding, I’ll keep on true,
Every verse I bleed is a gift to you.
Not chasing the fame, not chasing the crown,
But the love in the room when the beat goes down.
From the first note I sang to the last I’ll write,
You’ve been the reason I survive the night.
Through every tear, every laugh, every song,
You’ve been the steady where I belong.
From first to last, you’ve carried me through,
every word I sing,
I sing for you.
(I sing for you.)
I ....sing ....for ......you.....
I’ve stumbled, I’ve fallen, I’ve lost my way,
But you were the dawn to my darkest days.
You taught me my voice was worth every fight,
Your love turned my whispers into a path so right.
From the first note I sang to the last I’ll write,
You’ve been the reason I survive the night.
Through every tear, every laugh, every song,
You’ve been the steady where I belong.
From first to last, you’ve carried me through,
every word I sing,
I sing for you.
(I sing for you.)
I ....sing ....for ......you.....
So here’s my heart, my thanks, my truth,
For every moment I’ve spent with you.
From first to last, you’ve made me who I am,
And I’ll sing for you as long as I can.
From first to last, you’ve carried me through,
every word I sing,
( every word I sing)
I sing for you.
(I sing for you.)
I ....sing ....for ......you.....

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

The Steady  by WHY🎧 SPACE

Met you in the static, neon lights on the floor,
You came up to me like I’d been waiting before.
Eyes locked heavy, I forgot myself,
Said I’d follow you to heaven, even follow to hell.
Every beat was a promise, every look was a flame,
I thought we were writing forever, you were playing a game.
I gave you my nights, gave you my fight,
But you were already planning your exit flight.
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…
[Beat cut]
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).
Yeah, I followed you to hell,
But I found myself again.
Your lies were neon,
But my truth is the flame.
Waste of time…
But I’m done letting you define 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

The Next Time  by WHY🎧 SPACE

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 #popmusic #popdance #toppop