Keys, strings, Duduk: Tolubai
Sound "Diving with whales.wav" by "KEVOY" from freesound.org 
Composing, Guitars & Bass: Thomas (TK78)

"The part of the Universe that we can see, referred to as the observable universe, has a diameter of about 93 billion light years (28 billion parsecs] and a volume of 4×1083 liters.The size of the whole Universe is not known - it may be infinite" (Wikipedia.com). 14 billion years old, containing about 100 billion galaxies. Is there life on other planets? This questions always confused me a bit, because: How could there not be? What makes people think, that we are the only ones, when it seems so unlikely? But how could life on other planets actually be? What's going on in the most advanced societies? Do they live, like we do? Work and try to make a living? Do they have music... :-)   ?  
Is there a planet similar to ours, with a species similar to us? A second Earth?
Just wondering... these are the thoughts crossing my mind when writing and listening to this tune...

Earth2 (TK78 & Tolubai)

This song was original an instrumental. Then John Eagle came in, and wrote these awesome lyrics. The lyrics are inspired by Elon Musk, the entrepreneur who owns Tesla Motors and is launching and recovering rockets from out of space. We were looking for a singer, for quite a while, and eventually Rudiger delivered these stunning vocals. Thanks guys, for making this song possible! 

Vocals: Rudiger (https://soundcloud.com/rudigeraudio)
Lyrics: John Eagle (https://soundcloud.com/johnny_eagle)

One of my old ideas, the origin is the bass riff in the beginning (tapped the chords with the right hand and bass line with the left, needs a six string to do so…). Then build up the chords, piano, etc. The chord progression is quite driving and it feels to me like starting into something very new and leaving all the old stuff behind. 

A brand new day - John Eagle

The cosmos is a vast place
The future of the human race
The heavens are our home
But only if we interface

It’s lonely to be upon the ground
With all that space left unwound
If I could reach to the stars
I could touch hands with Mars

Chorus
It’s a brand new day
We get to have it our way
To reach out to the stars
And touch our hands with Mars

We are mired in a realm
Our energy is in overwhelm
So maybe there is a place
Our humanity will find a trace

Sustain we must
It is in our trust
Reach out among the stars
Drive to work, in electric cars

Chorus
It’s a brand new day
We get to have it our way
To reach out to the stars
And touch our hands with Mars

It’s no great mystery
Littered in our history
The Universe destroys
In her hands we are like toys

But we have innate hope
It’s our wishes that it floats
From our couches we observe
We swing our might without reserve

On we press
Above the highest clouds
The flag of humanity
With unruffled shrouds

Chorus
That’s why it’s a brand new day
We get to have it our way
To reach out to the stars
And touch our hands with Mars

A brand new day - Collaboration with Rudiger Vocals and John Eagle

Oh, how could I resist this open collaboration… :-))

Stunning vocals, love this song. Added some guitar notes to it, hopefully not too much… Here is the link to the original track: https://soundcloud.com/mskingjazzsinger/take-care-of-u-guitar-needed

Take care of you - Collaboration with Ms King

A pretty simple chord progression, but I like the harmonies and melody ideas of this song. Better listen with headphones. Kind of a little metal symphony… 
Wasn't easy for me to find a title this time. Somehow had a picture about a running kid in mind, and the idea of freedom and doing things different. Therefore finally called it the big change. Which change it is exactly, is up to your own imagination.... :-)

The big change

How could I resist this invitation to add a haunting and phantom-like guitar part to Laurie's track. Got quite experiemental, I played the lead guitar parts in the verse and chorus with an Ebow and Wah pedal. The final solo is based on two guitar lines. One is played with the Ebow (sounds a bit like a Cello), and the higher notes, in harmony, with a clean guitar sound. First opted for a rock solo, but I wanted a more classic, baroque like, melody there. No fast notes, but melody driven, and well, here's the track... Sometimes, less is more, I guess...  :-)   

Composing, lyrics, instruments and vocals: Laurie (2 Way Street)
Lead Guitars: Thomas (TK78)

A Tango with Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde (A Haunted Spanish Tune) - Collaboration with 2 Way Street

Vocals: Rudiger (https://soundcloud.com/rudigeraudio)
Composing & Instruments: Thomas (TK78)

One of the songs where I felt it really needs a voice. So I wrote some draft lyrics, inspired by the movie "Still Alice" (btw, great acting by Julian Moore!), and the feeling of gradually losing the memory due to Alzheimer disease. Rudiger's vocals are a blast, glad how this song turned out.

The lyrics:
Memories – Echoes of the past

Memories fading, drifting like distant echoes through my mind.
Thoughts and ideas, once so clear, now lost in the void
Will I still remember, tomorrow, who I still am?
Until it’s all encumbered by the white screen, until myself is lost.

Back into childhood, the sweet times in my life.
Recalling love and comfort, the treasures in my mind

Holding on to the treasures, buried deep in my mind
Glad to remember what happened in my past
The good times, and all the struggles, which I went through
Holding on, to what I’ve once learned.

Just walked into the room, and now I’m wondering why I’m here
There’s something I wanted to do, a moment ago still so clear

Back into childhood, the sweet times in my life.
Recalling love and comfort, the treasures in my mind

Holding on to the treasures, buried deep in my mind
Glad to remember what happened in my past
The good times, and all the struggles, which I went through
Holding on, to what I’ve once learned.

Memories fading, like sand trickling through my hands,
I want to grasp it, hold it, but can’t 

Where is my childhood, the sweet times in my life?
Where is all the love and comfort, the treasures in my mind?

Holding on to the treasures, buried deep in my mind
Glad to remember what happened in my past
The good times, and all the struggles


Memories - Echoes of the past

"Gilgamesh is the main character in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an Akkadian poem that is considered the first great work of literature,and in earlier Sumerian poems. In the epic, Gilgamesh is a demigod of superhuman strength who builds the city walls of Uruk to defend his people and travels to meet the sage Utnapishtim, who survived the Great Flood". (Wikipedia). 
The lyrics were written by John Eagle and the idea was to create an epic Rock tale about Gilgamesh. Glad that we could win Rudiger on the vocals. And here it is.... The story of Gilgamesh... 

Lyrics: John Eagle - https://soundcloud.com/johnny_eagle
Vocals: Rudiger - https://soundcloud.com/rudigeraudio
Composing and instruments: Me - https://soundcloud.com/tk78

Gilgamesh - by John Eagle

The terrain is rocky, craggy
Steam rises from the peak
Tremors shake the land
There is not a word to speak

Fire rises into a darkened sky
Embers quicken, shattered and torn
The burning earth blackened
Gilgamesh is born
Oh Gilgamesh is born

Oh Gilgamesh
What have you done?
Oh Gilgamesh
Where will you be
When the day is gone
Oh Gilgamesh
Oh Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh breathes the air
Shrouded from Ishtar
Massive chest rises and falls
Enjoying his rightful freedom

Enkidu, borne of the gods
A man made for fighting
Gilgamesh and he would clash
In a battle of mythical Titans 

The blood was bore
Before the masses
The sound of heavens crashing
Both men rose from the siege
A friendship in the clashing

Chorus
Oh Gilgamesh
What have you done?
Oh Gilgamesh
Where will you be
When the day is gone
Oh Gilgamesh
Oh Gilgamesh

Tall they stood before a kingdom
Haunted and in peril
The Cedar Mountain rose cold and stark
Its guardian a monstrous devil

Humbaba breathed a cloudy breath
To guard the craggy summit
But the warriors took the giant 
From his mountain kingdom

Chorus
Oh Gilgamesh
What have you done?
Oh Gilgamesh
Where will you be
When the day is gone
Oh Gilgamesh
Oh Gilgamesh

Now he ruled the realm
And embraced all its glory
Gazing far and wide
His kingdom was his story

I am here, he says
Here in all this glory
I am Gilgamesh
And this is my story
This is my story
I am Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Stunning lyrics by John, and thanks a lot Lisa for adding these awesome vocals and beautiful Cello. The tune turned out fairly complex, and I'm really happy about the final result.

Lyrics: John Eagle
Lead and backing vocals: Faerytale
Cellos: Faerytale
Guitars (accoustic and electric): TK78 
Fretless Bass: TK78
Drums: EZDrummer

Lyrics (by John Eagle):

Red Sky

It’s early in the morning
I’m with my solitary stare
The rain has already fallen
But I am unaware

Why am I alone
On such a quiet morn
Why am I here
In such forlorn

There’s a red sky
Mixed with all the gray
Moon and sun are aligning
Darkness has its way

Chrous
The red sky at dawning
The red sky gives warning
The red sky is daunting
There’s blood…upon the moon

Bridge
I’m just a lover without a love
I’m just a loaner all alone
Just another sailor
Too far from home

But I see the sky
In all its glorious mass
There’s a storm a’comin’
To tangle line and lash

But first this moon
Encircled by a glow
Bloody as a battle
Red stained and low

Bridge
I’m just a lover without a love
I’m just a loaner all alone
Just another sailor
Too far from home

Chrous
The red sky at dawning
The red sky gives warning
The red sky is daunting
There’s blood…upon the moon


Red Sky - Collaboration with Faerytale and John Eagle

Lyrics: John Eagle
Vocals: Faerytale
Composition and instruments: TK78

This is so far the most ambitious project. The song is about Ludwig Van Beethoven, and all musical themes are based on some of his work. Thanks a lot to John for the great lyrics, and to Lisa for the awesome vocals! 

Intro: Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement
Verses: Sonate no. 17 (The Tempest), 3rd Movement
Bridge: Symphony 9, 2nd Movement (bar 87 to 98, I'm still surprised, and a bit proud, how well that fits in...)
Interlude: Symphony 5, 1st Movement (I just thought, this one is a must... and fits well in here to the story... checked a bit about Ludwig's life and background. So it seems that Beethoven referred to the beginning of his 5th Symphony as "fate knocking at the door". So I thought, placing this theme at that position makes sense...)
2nd Bridge: Symphony 7, 2nd Movement
Outro: Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement - closing the circle....

Ludwig - by John Eagle

Intro
Ludwig, Ludwig
The music calls your name
Ludwig, Ludwig
You will never be the same

Awake, the day begins anew
The music inside is hidden
In a place as dark as night
It emerges in sections unbidden
From the darkness comes the light

Arise from your Eroica
Take moonlight from the sky
Lay it down with ivory and string
Give it wings so it may fly
Music commissioned by a king

Vienna became your Fate
In sweeping horns and strings
And you held your secret close
In the distance the soprano sings
The echoes in your ears rings

Bridge
Awake, the day begins anew
Arise, life commands you devise
Your patron waits in the wings
To hear the angels sing

Give forth this Pastoral
That floats on heavenly clouds
And let the dirge play out early
Before the massive crowds
Leave the weeping women in shrouds

For your grand finale
The opus ode to joy
Run through the fields of floral
And all the voices sang from high
In one decisive Choral

In the end the madness came
In all its fateful rhythm
The music became the sin
And you stood by, baton in hand
A life written in a hymn

Outro
Ludwig, Ludwig
Let the music go
Ludwig, Ludwig
And opus for the seers
When silence stopped the ears


Ludwig

Lyrics: John Eagle
Vocals: Martin Valins
Composition and instruments: TK78

Wonderful lyrics by John, and Marting gave this song exactly the vibe it needed. I like this mix of desperation and optimism in this song. Thanks for this great collab!

Cheers,
Thomas

Lyrics:

Gone - by John Eagle (with some adjustments by Martin)

The day you left me here
The rain and winds were howling
The storms brought a  change
Of what was forgiven
And though the trees remained
It gave me a vision 
Of a stranger on the road
I felt his pain and burden
I wonder was that me
Or was I mistaken 
So I wonder back home
To a life no longer certain

It is me I am looking at
A jaded man without a story
Staring into a deep darken space
My road is long
And I’m so sorry

The sky is cloudy
The rain is near
Now you’re gone, gone gone
Without even shedding a tear

In this lonely place 
The cold makes me shudder
I stare into a mirror
Looking like no other
I guess I had my chances
But I’m lost and can’t recover 

Gone gone gone

Great lyrics by John, turned into a slow atmospheric and a bit heavy tune. I like the pictures John draw with his words, and Russ' vocals gave it the right feeling and edge. Thanks for this wonderful collab.

Lyrics: John Eagle
Lead and backing vocals: Russell Sinfield
Guitars (accoustic and electric): TK78 
Fretless Bass: TK78
Drums: EZDrummer

Lyrics:

People are acting crazy, everyone is so strange
There’s a lady with a baby buggy, filled with rubbed sage
Walking down the street, trying to find the range
I feel like I got snake eyes, lying on the felt
And the gilded man, with the eye in the sky
Marked the cards that he dealt

I’m gut-shot, got no time to bleed
The man with the gun, was just planting a seed

It’s not me they’re after, you can bet on that
I see crazy people, carrying a heavy load
Walking in my dreams, in the wee hours of morn
I’m tied to my horse, and at a fork in the road

People don’t care, you can see it in their face
At the train station, walking on the tracks
Or walking down the street, to Ursuline Place
They got no truck, with folks like you and me
Too busy playing croquet, on their manicured grass
Hanging their portrait, for all the world to see

I’m gut-shot, got no time to bleed
The man with the gun, was just planting a seed

It’s not me they’re after, you can bet on that
I see crazy people, carrying a heavy load
Walking in my dreams, in the wee hours of morn
I’m tied to my horse, and at a fork in the road

It’s a long road to freedom, quicksand along the way
Their marching on town halls, a bugle ready for Taps
Why can’t they let pigeons, have the general’s statue
They’re mini-conservationist, part of the liberal flock
Who cares what coat he’s wearing, his horse never had a say
Though he steps lively, and is chiseled like a clock

I’m gut-shot, got no time to bleed
The man with the gun, was just planting a seed

It’s not me they’re after, you can bet on that
I see crazy people, carrying a heavy load
Walking in my dreams, in the wee hours of morn
I’m tied to my horse, and at a fork in the road

Fork in the Road

Lyrics: John Eagle
Vocals: Faerytale
Composition and instruments: TK78

This song started with the idea of a recurring piano theme on top of the chord progression. Then John send me those beautiful lyrics! I'm grateful to get Lisa for the vocals. Wow, you really make it shine! It's a song about hanging on to your dreams, keep it up, don't let yourself down! Be the best you can be! Thanks to John and Lisa for this wonderful collaboration! This song speaks from my heart!

Lyrics - by John Eagle:

Dreams

Internal thirst, oh quench my soul
Find me things new and old
Don’t let the years, the pressure from peers
Steal my heart of gold

Let me dream of dragons
And castles by the shore
Or ships out on the sea
An evening with the duchess for tea

Chorus
Dreams… oh dreams
Don’t let them slip away
You can have everything you want
Say all you have to say
Dreams…oh dreams
Let them come
And win the day anew
Dreams…oh dreams
It’s all in your point of view

Dodge the beatdown
For such childish mirth
And see the elephant in the clouds
Hear the words of the poet’s verse

Bridge
If you could only ima-gine
You can be all that you can be
Imagination…imagination
Just fly and be free

Remember the dragon
Along the shores of Loch Ness
Don’t forget the Kraken
And the old sea chest

It’s a long way to Eden
But you can’t trust the fruit
There’s a man with an ax
In a rusty iron suit

Chorus
Dreams… oh dreams
Don’t let them slip away
You can have everything you want
Say all you have to say
Dreams…oh dreams
Let them come
And win the day anew
Dreams…oh dreams
It’s all in your point of view

Dreams

Lyrics, melody and singing: Laurie (2 Way Street)
Composing and instruments (Guitars, Piano & Bass): Thomas (TK78)

The song started with an idea of the acoustic guitar. I liked the idea of the repeating e not on top of the chords, like a pedal note. Thanks to Laurie for the great lyrics and awesome vocals. I like the feeling and depth of this song...

Lover's Dance

Lyrics: John Eagle
Vocals: Tony Bluestone
Composition and instruments: TK78

Great lyrics from John, and I feel very lucky that Tony joined to bring them to life with his vocals. Glad how this song turned out, thanks a lot!

Lyrics - by John Eagle:

War
I tried to close my eyes
To see what I could see
It really wasn’t any different
It’s all very dark to me
War is everywhere
In every size and shape
In the fields of battle
And a cozy little cape
Chorus
It’s raining war, war, war
There’s panic in the streets
Nothing but war, war, war
And we don’t know who to defeat
It’s war, war, war
The enemy is wearing sheets
Who is the enemy?
They are everywhere
If only where could see them
From behind our plough and share
We do the work
It takes to win the day
But what have we won?
They forgot to save the hay
Chorus
It’s raining war, war, war
There’s panic in the streets
Nothing but war, war, war
And we don’t know who to defeat
It’s war, war, war
The enemy is wearing sheets
Bridge
The Grand Ladies of the ages
Stood the test of spies
Guarding the homelands
But with tears in their eyes
Because
We do the work
It takes to win the day
But what have we won?
They forgot to save the hay
It’s war, war, war
The enemy is wearing sheets
It’s war, war, war
It’s war, war, war
It’s war, war, war….

Lyrics: John Eagle
Vocals: DAVID T SNOWMAN
Composition and instruments: TK78

Thanks for the wonderful vocals, David. And awesome lyrics, John, as always… :-)

Lyrics:

Kingdom in Revision - written by John Eagle

The bad prince was on the throne
His heart was in a prism
The good king was in the ground
The kingdom in revision
The knights stood guard against the darkness
Their lances raised in warning
But all the masses stayed at home
Til the dark prince came a calling

Chorus
What do we do, what do we do
It is not our decision
What do we do, what do we do
With this kingdom in revision

The waters of the stream
Ran red with the blood of the people
All the creatures of the land
Raised their heads to the church’s steeple
Save us from this peril 
They called to the council elders
We live in fear of the prince
While you’re cloistered in your vespers

Chorus
What do we do, what do we do
It is not our decision
What do we do, what do we do
With this kingdom in revision

The lancers were forced to tour the land
Taking alms from the poor and weakened
And all the people of the kingdom
Their hearts and lives did quicken
The new king enjoyed his feasts
While the poor had no mutton
With the forest barred from hunting
Hunger was quick and sudden

Chorus
What do we do, what do we do
It is not our decision
What do we do, what do we do
With this kingdom in revision

Save us, save us the people called
But the age grew dark as night
The good prince bided his time
Well aware of the people’s right
Soon he would raise a cudgel to his brother
And strike a blow for freedom
The people would again sing their songs
In the embrace of a rightful kingdom

All hail the good prince for his deed
Who brought light to the kingdom
Soon they would crown a king
Who returned their rightful freedom

Kingdom in Revision

Lyrics, melody and singing: Laurie (2 Way Street)
Composing and instruments (Guitars, Piano & Bass): Thomas (TK78)

Was experimenting a bit with different rhythm guitar ideas, and a few twists in the harmonies. Sounds best with head phones. Thanks for this wonderful collab, Laurie. The song turned out beautiful :-)

Lucky to find

Lyrics: John Eagle
Vocals: Edro
Composition and instruments: TK78

Thoughtful and inspiring lyrcis, and cool vocals from Edro. Thanks for this awesome collab.

Lyrics - by John Eagle:

Spirit Wind

The spirit wind is free and clear
Was there a scent of yesterday there?
Perhaps a mist of rain from afar
Or a grain of sand that came from Dakar

There is something in the air
What I cannot say
Something from biblical days
A passing beyond our view
Little bits of history
All the way from Waterloo

What else could the wind bring
Viennese musical notes
From the land where children sing
Will they sing for me?

Was that a taste of honey?
I hear the drone of bees
Or a flower’s opening
Coming from a land of leas
Where the meadows stretch
As far as you can see

There is a cool stretch of wind
Ranging from the frozen tundra
Then a sound low and telling
Could it be the distant thunder?

What will the spirit wind bring today?
Sweet teas brewed in little Ceylon
Savory curry from a far east hearth
Tiny grains once waved in the wind
Filled by hand in an overflowing cart
Wooden wheels on a cobblestone road

Chorus
Spirit wind, oh spirit wind
What will you bring today?
Spirit wind, oh spirit wind
What I cannot say

Spirit Wind

Lyrics, melody and vocals: Laurie (2 Way Street)
Composing and instruments (Guitars, Keys & Bass): Thomas (TK78)

Space Rock… :-))). Silence and desparation out there in the vast Universe. Thanks for this beautiful collab, Laurie.

The Silence

Hi, I'm Thomas, a German living and working in China. If you like my tunes, or want to collaborate, contact me. 

Btw. I like to repost, but will probably cancel this after a week. No bad meaning, but it's starting to mess my side up... any issue, just send me a message... :-)

Cheers, 
Thomas

TK78

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