Really great vibe and nice deep lyrical thoughts

Wow I absolutely love the backing track to this, is this a collaboration or is it all of your sounds? The singing without vocals, what style is that? The hey-ya-ho style is it Native American? I've been trying to sing vocals like that for ages but have no reference.

Excellent Carl , good zen ambiance 🌍🤍

wow Carl 🧬 . That is really really great my friend. Great message. I would like to see more mindfulness in society. That would make things much better. Cheers mate 🙂‍↕️

Brilliant mate the opening draws you in and lyrics keep you there

Added an Acoustic Guitar Lead line. My intention before making this song was to make it B Harmonic Minor... B for Buddha and this scale is popular in Nepal where he was born. Up to this guitar being added I had not commited to the key. I was living around 1st 5th and 8th... A harmonic minor sharpens the 7th note of the scale leaving a 3 semitone gap between the 6th and 7th. It's fascinting how that delivers such an established regional mood (Asian) that arguably wasn't strongly there before the guitar emphasising the scale made it on. That scale is so cool

Thanks Carl, for this track!! Now Valerio’s gonna talk about Buddha for a whole week!!! We hate you both!! 🤦🏽‍♀️🤣😹 Caaaaaaaaaarl!! Jokes aside… great track… really unique… very “Valeric”… but awesome! 🤣

Première chanson. Our first song

Translation:
CAFFEINE
You promised me a coffee,
An espresso close to you,
A lungo by your side,
And sleepless nights in your embrace.
And thanks to you, caffeine,
Adrenaline, and insomnia
Took on a paradise-like air,
Of happy days, of blessed times.
I'm more a fan of Chinese tea,
but I’d gladly be converted
To the pleasures of caffeine,
To all the charms of Italy.
You promised me a coffee,
And countless sugary delights,
So many treats to savor,
Your voice to keep me warm.
Because of you, caffeine,
With bold and intimate aromas,
Fills my heart with memories,
And every night now I sigh.
I'm more a fan of Chinese tea,
but I’d gladly be converted
To the pleasures of caffeine,
To all the charms of Italy.
You promised me a coffee,
An espresso close to you,
A lungo by your side,
And sleepless nights in your embrace.
Now my nights are nothing but
Synonyms for sadness and insomnia;
Those coffees, that caffeine –
Your invitation, I decline.
I'm more a fan of Chinese tea,
I no longer wish to be converted
To the pleasures of caffeine –
Gone are the charms of Italy.

Délestage

01 - Cafeine (with translation)

Fort Minor VS PNL (Dramantic Remix)

La vidéo de cette chanson est à visualiser sur ma chaîne Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkhtAfG-H1s

« La musique donne une âme à nos cœurs
et des ailes à la pensée. »
(Platon, La Musique)

J'aime vos cheveux aussi noir que vos yeux
J'aime votre corps incliné brûlant de volupté sur un sopha
J'aime votre long soupir, votre voix langoureuse, votre regard enflammé
J'aime votre mélange de joie, de rêverie et de douce langueur
J'aime de vous un mot, un songe, une pensée
J'aime de vous un caprice, une idée indécise, loin de moi vous volez
[Chorus]
J'aime la place où vous allez
Un ange aussi beau que vous-même

Titre : Qu'aimez-vous ?
Poète : Charles Dovalle (1807-1829)
Recueil : Poésies de feu (1830).
J'aime un œil noir sous un sourcil d'ébène,
Sur un front blanc j'aime de noirs cheveux :
Et vous avez de longs cheveux d'ébène
Sur un front blanc, et le jais est à peine
Aussi noir que vos yeux.

J'aime un beau corps, qui se penche avec grâce,
Sur un sopha négligemment porté ;
Et savez-vous avec combien de grâce
Sur un sopha vous vous inclinez, lasse
Et brûlante de volupté !

Et puis, quand, là, plaintive et paresseuse,
Le cœur ému, l'œil à moitié fermé,
Vous soupirez... J'aime une paresseuse,
Un long soupir, une voix langoureuse,
Un regard enflammé.

J'aime à trouver un mélange de joie,
De rêverie et de douce langueur :
Pourquoi chez vous ces chagrins, cette joie
Ce sein qui bat contre un fichu de soie,
Ce sourire triste et moqueur ?...

Parfois un mot, un songe, une pensée,
De votre joue efface la pâleur :
Souvent un songe, un mot, une pensée,
Une pâleur lentement effacée
Me fait battre le cœur.

Vienne un caprice, une idée indécise,
Comme un oiseau loin de moi vous volez.
J'aime un caprice, une idée indécise,
J'aime la place où vous étiez assise,
J'aime la place où vous allez...

Un ange... un ange aussi beau que vous-même,
Dont le parler comme le vôtre est doux...
Qui rit aussi... dont le nom est le même
Que votre nom... Oui, voilà ce que j'aime,
Tout ce que j'aime !... — Et vous ?...
À découvrir sur le site https://www.poesie-francaise.fr/charles-dovalle/poeme-quaimez-vous.php

Qu'aimez-vous

Some thoughts that have been percolating in my mind lately (cover photo:  photo of my halloween skeleton edited with a not to scale termite and silver spoon: adobe stock images)

***
Copyright 2025
Vocals , Chords and Lyrics by Joe Stroffolino
Organ (playing my midi keyboard with sound from Logic Pro BeBop Organ)
Single Strum track  (playing my Taylor 114ce)
Second fast strumming track: PG music real track
Bass: PG Music real track
Piano:  EZ Keys2 (with sound from Native instruments Piano uno)
Drums: EZ Drummer 3
***
They say that life is a test but not everyone’s dealt the same hand
Some are born into privilege, while others struggle through quicksand
We play the cards we’re dealt as we try to find our way,
Doing our best to keep our heads above water as we go about each day.
People born with a silver spoon in their mouths, they’re rich and the die is cast
Other’s get a wooden spoon, which the termites eat, and it’s struggle not to finish last
They say money can’t buy you happiness, but it’s hard to put a smile on your face
When the game is rigged and you can’t even get to first base.
How many billions do you have to accumulate before you’re just running up the score
At what point do you decide that you don’t need anymore
Telling rags-to-riches stories, so the common man believes it’s true,
“Keep those taxes off the billionaires cause someday that might be you.”
 People born with a silver spoon in their mouths, they’re rich and the die is cast
Other’s get a wooden spoon, which the termites eat, and it’s struggle not to finish last
They say money can’t buy you happiness, but it’s hard to put a smile on your face
When the game is rigged and you can’t even get to first base.
 Politicians smiling and acting like they share your blues,
But they’d collapse in a minute trying to walk a mile in your shoes.
Lottery tickets selling hope, though the odds are that you’ll never win
You’ve got a better chance of being struck by lightning than ever cashing in.
You’ll be paying off those loans for the rest of your life from that useless college degree
As the corporations implement AI trying their best to replace you and me
 The universe is billions of years old; we come and go in a flash.
We spend our short lives obsessing over cash.
 People born with a silver spoon in their mouths, they’re rich and the die is cast
Other’s get a wooden spoon, which the termites eat, and it’s struggle not to finish last
They say money can’t buy you happiness, but it’s hard to put a smile on your face
When the game is rigged and you can’t even get to first base.

Life Is a Test

Big And Bouncy

A simple, little weird Original track
Music made in GarageBand
Lyrics & vocals by me 

😊

Lyrics:

In your house you want to feel like home
If you can't feel it
You don't want to be there!
On your sofa you want to feel relaxed
If you can't feel it
You don't want to be there!

Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...Mmm

In your kitchen you want to make food
If you can't do it
You don't want to be there!
On a plate you want to serve something good
If it's not good
You don't want to serve it!

Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...

In your bedroom you want to get some sleep
If you can't sleep
You don't want to be there!
In your bed you want to feel good
If you can't feel it
You don't want to be there!

Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...

You Dont Want To Be There (Original)

#DeepHouse #FloMilli #NeverLoseMe 

Remix for no profits/no monetization 

Prod By Klein 

Flo Milli - Never Lose Me (Dramantic Remix)

/
It Is Still

/
A Beautiful World

/
music written, produced and provided by, courtesy of mobygratis.com and its crew, licensed

/
vocal arrangement, final mix and drop by fictionalive

/
artwork illustration by peter uertz, düsseldorf / germany

/
fusion of it all -
fictionalive with the popoems series


/
dropped
monday, october 6th, 2025
8:08 pm

/


/

It Is Still

A warrior that wanted to study the knowledge instead of fighting

The forgiven warrior (2009)

Cast of Characters:

Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –- VST Middle Eastern instruments (Duf Drum, Daire drum, Darbuka, Riq, Qanun, Zurna horn, Ney flute, strings), female vocal sample, 'ululation' (high pitch yodel), and composition

Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Custom fretless 5-string bass 

Llanpsych - Fluffer for the keyboardist and keygrip

The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — vocals and lyrics

J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – saz, shakuhachi, and synth

K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken — cymbals and Chinese percussion

TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen — traditional gourd-body sitar and mastering.

  Josh had the idea for doing a traditional Palestinian song, as he is an avid fan of their music. He wanted to raise awareness of this music and tie it to the idea it may cease to exist as a living musical tradition sooner than later. Everyone in the band was immediately on board with this idea, and set about to make it happen. 

  Mark, who is an expert percussionist, learned a basic traditional Palestinian drum pattern, in a very authentic fashion. He laid it down, along with an Arabic sounding modal melody line portrayed by the quanun, which is a kind of zither. Josh found this pattern fascinating, and added his five string fretless bass to the it shortly after. Carl jumped in very shortly thereafter, and came up with some really amazing vocal melodies, as well as wonderfully prescient lyrics. He even learned more than several phrases in Arabic, which he sang in there, too. We were all very impressed by this, of course.

  JJ was next up, adding his magical, melodic, and exotic saz, shakuhachi, and synth to the mix. Ken threw in next, adding his perfectly timed brass and Chinese percussion to the mix, too. Last, but certainly not least, Stephen recorded his subtle, exotic, traditional sitar to the piece. 

  Once we had it all recorded, we turned it over to Mark for a mix, as the whole thing is really his baby. Stephen mastered it, though, as he is our resident professional producer.

  Our hope is that this song inspires you to dig into Palestinian music, and through that, you recognize the magic and the humanity of millions of Palestinian people who are suffering unimaginably right now. But most of all, we hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark:

Sisters and brothers
Daughters and Sons
We would give you food
But the road is blocked to sun
Proud Palestine
Brave brethren
Our hearts are with you
Our souls are weeping

Inhumane blockade of bread
Pains collective minds 
We want gone this dread
Let's find our kind
Please be strong
As we right this wrong
Hope prays that day will not be long

We pine with your God
To find a normal truth
Where your kids can grow and learn good youth
Sisters and Brothers
Daughters and Sons
We are with you Palestine
Sending love through song

The eye sees but the arm is short ( العين ترى والذراع قصيرة )

We are in the same boat ( نحن في نفس القارب )

Winds do not blow as the ships wish ( لا تهب الرياح كما تشاء السفن )

Being alone is better then being with someone bad (أن تكون وحيدا أفضل من أن تكون مع شخص سيء )

What is hidden is more then what has happened ( ما هو مخفي أكثر مما حدث )

Every problem has a solution ( لكل مشكلة حل )

Good intentions count for as much as good actions ( النوايا الحسنة لها نفس أهمية الأفعال الحسنة )

All is well that ends well ( كل شيء على ما يرام إذا انتهى بشكل جيد )

Oh My Darlin' Palestine - Eclectic Collective

Beneath the Bodhi Tree

We shall not rise until we know
Come noble truths
Salvage this show
Why do we suffer?
Why do we crave?
Say,
Cessation of desire to meet light old age

Prove pure path
The right eight show way
Good vision
Good thought
Good speech
Good day
Good livelyhood
Effort
Mindfulness and action
Weaved wisdom concentrated
Content has traction

To Dukkha debonair
Satisfied with real
Ruse rooted Samudaya
You suffer thirst by feel
Nirvana, be known
Nirodha find light
From Mārga
Our eight fold path meant right

Born beneath the Bodhi tree
Cyclic Samsāra sits
Transcience for fear food free
Karmic Dharma fits
Not torn with our time
Minded body synced
Not shocked
Transcendence through rhyme
Be harmonic miner clocked

We shall not rise until we know
Come noble truths
Salvage this show
Why do we suffer?
Why do we crave?
Say,
Cessation of desire to meet light old age

Notes 🎶

Key B Harmonic Minor
Tempo 33bpm

Instrumentation
-Vox drone backing x 4
-Vox Backing melodic x 1
-Vox Narration
-Vox Lead x 1
-Pads x 3 played on keys
-Acoustic Lead line

I don't quite believe in reincarnation of a single spirit although the discovery of DNA in a way sheds a bit of light on it being possible at least in potential code as traits that are passed on. They are either honed and retained or lost through long term positive or negative behavior and discernment of honest or dishonest action from our beings. Epigenetics looks to be starting to show that nurture, particulariy early in life actually enables and disables chemical signals in our genes. This has been shown in rats by a mother that licks her offspring vs a mother that doesn't and the different effects on those baby rats growing up and those scientists believe that translates to humans although they can't stick us in labs to prove it yet. So it looks like nurture may end up holding more influence then early geneticists told us and less is set in stone then we had previously thought. Epigenetics is a young science so it's difficult to make a solid reality from is so far but it does appear to have huge relevancy with our tendencies throughout life and towards addiction and habits. 

Whether we have a spirit that inhabits a body and fully comes back I'm not sure we will ever know that but I guess elements of past spirits and all past life does exist in our code at some level.

This has a lot more potential to bear fruit with our world of knowledge of course because we can actually teach ourselves what other humans think and have thought and what they did with their lives and make our own version of those truths based on our unique life experience.

This track is paying homage to Buddha

Buddha, as far as I am aware is one of the rare old teachers who said go find yourself and the power is inside you and around us. We generally escape the reality of ourselves with desires and indulgence in materialism but have the ability to find our true spiritual selves with discipline and an honest lifestyle. His main realisation was, we suffer, like it or not and his teachings allow us to not amplify that suffering with cravings or self harm but become one with it via a balanced approach  ⚖️  Re-living or re experiencing feelings from the difficult parts of our lives so they don't become a controlling factor in how we react to any situation seems to be central to finding that zen place where we can respond rationally to any situation no matter how trivial or significant. The reason I mention epigenetics and early life is a few scholars seem to allude to a lot of our problematic traits and strengths being born from trauma or solid nurture early in life and are not something we would usually medically consider when contemplating our own shadow searching for that oneness in ourselves...

So in that light I think rebirthing thought in our heads may actually be quite important to deal with any grief from our experience so it doesn't manifest itself as physical ailment from the hidden stress it causes us.

Beneath the Bodhi Tree

Howdy,

Welcome to TBD.

All these creations are made by hard work and years upon years upon years of practice and trying to explain this world and the human condition to myself in the process through poems & songs.

Thanks for all of your wonderful support.

Peace and Love to Everyone,

Carl Culliton



A nice David Bowie Interview here:

https://youtu.be/JRtZc_Nmo5w?si=1g1Wag87NdEumAc4

Beneath the Bodhi Tree

The Beautiful Dark

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