This song is a heartfelt tribute to my great-nephew Thomas, the son of my Godson/nephew Thomas, and a powerful message of acceptance and awareness for autism. Inspired by my nephew's wife Tatiana's Facebook post, I wrote this song to honor Thomas' unique spirit and to encourage others to see beyond his differences. 

The lyrics reflect the challenges faced by non-speaking autistic individuals, who are often overlooked or misunderstood. The song urges listeners to greet Thomas and others like him with kindness, ask questions, and offer support, even if they don't respond in expected ways. 

Through its uplifting melody and poignant lyrics, the song celebrates Thomas's individuality and the special bond he shares with his sister Sophie. It's a message of love, acceptance, and inclusion, reminding us that every person, regardless of their abilities, deserves to be seen, heard, and valued.


LYRICS: 

[Verse 1]
Thomas, sweet Thomas, with a heart so true
Your autism may make you different, but it's a part of you
You may not speak, but your eyes tell a tale
Of a soul that's pure, and a love that never fails 

[Chorus]
Don't ignore him, don't look away
Greet him with kindness, every single day
Ask him questions, offer him a hand
He may not respond, but he understands 

[Verse 2]
He's not what you expect, but that's okay
He's his own unique self, in every single way
He may not interact, but he's feeling it all
A sensitive soul, with a heart that beats after all 

[Chorus]
Don't ignore him, don't look away
Greet him with kindness, every single day
Ask him questions, offer him a hand
He may not respond, but he understands 

[Bridge]
We'll learn to communicate, in our own special way
We'll find a connection, that transcends words each day
We'll celebrate his differences, and honor his name
Thomas, sweet Thomas, you're loved just the same 

[Verse 3]
Sophie's his sister, his partner in play
Together they laugh, in their own special way
And when he's gaming, his joy shines so bright
He's in his own world, where everything's alright 

[Chorus]
Don't ignore him, don't look away
Greet him with kindness, every single day
Ask him questions, offer him a hand
He may not respond, but he understands 

[Outro]
Thomas, sweet Thomas, you're a shining light
A precious gift, in the dark of night
We'll love and accept you, for who you are
Thomas, sweet Thomas, you're a treasure, near and far 


Thomas, Sweet Thomas

ABOUT

This track has been on the back burner for a (very!) long time and started out as an outline composition in support of a short film, about a reincarnated witch.   As it turned out the film didn’t happen, but the song continued to evolve, and somewhere along the way got renamed to Selene!

It’s a song about two women, separated across time, and could follow several different themes: haunting, possession, reincarnation or perhaps love.. I'll leave you to decide..It touches on separation and isolation, the power of connections and perhaps a life rebuilt, for both the songs characters.

I’ve been very fortunate to be ably assisted in creating this track, by two fantastic pro musicians; Glenn Welman, on drums, and an absolute POWERHOUSE soprano vocal performance from Marion Schneider (Mioune) Without their talent, innovation and, in Marion’s case, a ton of advice, Selene would not be the track it is!  Thanks should also go to Joseph, at JREL Music Studio, Oklahoma City, whose mastering skills put the finishing touches to a track that I really am pleased with!  Thanks a million guys! 

Selene, Music and Lyrics:   Goff Johnson
Drums: Glenn Welman
Vocals: Marion Schneider (Mioune) 

Lyrics

Verse 1: woman

In the quiet of the night,
Something stirs the wind
The silence isn’t right, I don’t know where
There’s some-thing lost inside,
 
Verse 2: Ghost 

I was a sigh behind the moon
A darker shade of night
A story ended far too soon, and far from sight 
But longing for the light 
 
Pre-Chorus: woman

I’m filled with questions with no answers
A masquerade without a dancer
 
Chorus: Ghost

Reach through the night — awake within my dream
Reach for the light
 
Verse 3 (duet)

There’s a truth to be revealed
Through shadows and through time
Throughout the counting of the years 
Our stories will entwine
You’ll be my voice, I’ll be your flame  

Pre-chorus 2 : both

The veil is torn, all doubts are gone
our souls are joined, our names are one
 
Chorus: both 

Reach through the night — awake within my dream
Reach for the light 
 
Middle Section : Ghost  

I thought I’d never be complete
A will without a form
You’re the spell I couldn’t speak
I’m the storm you’ve always worn 
                      
Final Chorus: both

Reach through the night — awake within my dream
Reach for the light 
 
Outro Chorus (quiet reprise)

Tonight — wake within my dream (ghost)
Reach for the light (woman)

Selene

This song is pure fire and fury — my unapologetic protest anthem against Donald Trump and everything he stands for. It’s a call for accountability, wrapped in a gritty rock groove that refuses to back down. I wrote it out of frustration with a man who twisted truth into a weapon, lit the match, and watched the country burn while pretending to lead.

“Lock Him Up” isn’t just a chant — it’s the roar of a movement demanding justice. Every guitar riff carries the sound of rebellion, and every lyric is a reminder that Trump’s lies don’t make him untouchable. No one, not even a so-called president, stands above the law. 🤬

This track is for everyone who’s sick of the gaslighting, the corruption, and the cruelty. It’s for the voices in the streets, the people who refuse to stay silent. It’s protest turned into melody — defiance with a heartbeat.


LYRICS:

[Verse 1]
He’s cryin’ in his mirror, orange paint runnin’ down,
Still lyin’ through his teeth while he’s losin’ his crown.
He screams “witch hunt!” every time they find proof,
But we got receipts, and we’re spittin’ the truth.

[Pre-Chorus]
No more tweets, no more rage-filled lies,
No more flags with your name in the sky.
We see through the con, we see through the bluff,
The people are shoutin’ — we’ve had enough!

[Chorus]
LOCK HIM UP!! 
LOCK HIM UP!!
Hear the crowd now, we won’t shut up!
Justice ain’t sleepin’, the walls are tight,
Orange suits never looked so right.
LOCK HIM UP!! 
LOCK HIM UP!!
Truth’s our weapon, time’s up, chump.
From the streets to the screens, we’ve had enough —
LOCK! HIM! UP!!

[Verse 2]
The money’s dirty, the base is blind,
His whole damn cult’s lost its mind.
He’s a coward king with a crumblin’ throne,
The sound of justice is a beautiful tone.

[Pre-Chorus]
No more walls for your hate to build,
No more kids in cages or blood unspilled.
You sold your soul, but truth fought back,
Now watch us rise, while you fade to black.

[Chorus]
LOCK HIM UP!! 
LOCK HIM UP!!
Hear the echo, the streets erupt!
No more kings, no lies to trust,
This time the truth belongs to us.
LOCK HIM UP!! 
LOCK HIM UP!!
Orange lies are out of luck,
From the booth to the block, we’re loud as fuck —
LOCK! HIM! UP!!

[Verse 3]
His empire’s crumblin’, truth took aim,
Even his shadows whisper his name.
He can’t escape the storm he fed,
The whole damn nation’s done being misled.

[Bridge]
Voices rise, we’re not afraid,
Justice marchin’, debts unpaid.
No more silence, no more spin,
We the people won’t cave in.

[Chorus]
LOCK HIM UP!! 
LOCK HIM UP!!
Raise your voice, erupt, disrupt!
From New York streets to D.C. steps,
We’re takin’ back what freedom meant.
LOCK HIM UP!! 
LOCK HIM UP!!
We’re the truth they can’t corrupt!
Justice singin’ loud enough —
LOCK! HIM! UP!!

[Outro]
Echoes fade but the fire stays lit,
No crown, no lies — just the sound of it.
A country reborn, no fear, no bluff,
Say it proud, y'all — 
LOCK! HIM! UP!! 🔥

LOCK HIM UP!!

This song, “They All Knew (Trump & Epstein Blues),” is my protest anthem about power, privilege, and silence. I wrote it to expose the web of complicity between Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and those who enabled their crimes. It’s not just about two men—it’s about the institutions that looked away while young girls were hurt and justice was traded for influence.

I wanted the verses to feel like reading a declassified file—cold facts dripping with truth—while the choruses rise like a collective cry from the survivors. Every “They all knew” is both accusation and lament, a reminder that silence protects the guilty. This one’s for every voice that was ignored, and for the courage it takes to keep telling the truth.


LYRICS:

[Intro]
Melania knows.
Acosta knows.
The victims know.
Palm Beach Police know.
The FBI knows.
They all know.

[Verse 1 – The Introduction]
’99 at the Knicks game lights,
Donald and Melania, date-night smiles so bright.
Epstein in the crowd, Zampolli pulls the strings,
Models, moguls, dirty kings.
“Terrific guy,” Trump laughed on cue,
They drank champagne while the cameras flew.
But behind that flash, the whispers grew,
And the girls who cried — yeah, they knew too.

[Pre-Chorus]
Palm Beach nights, the mansion walls,
Where secrets echo down the halls.
History’s watching, the world in pause,
And justice trembles at the cause.

[Chorus]
They all knew, they all knew,
Trump and Epstein, the chosen few.
Money hides but truth breaks through,
And the lies all fall in view.
They all knew, yeah, they all knew—
Acosta signed, the pain renewed.
They all knew… they all knew.

[Verse 2 – The Deals and Denials]
Maison de l’Amitié, bought in gold,
While Trump’s casino empire sold.
Epstein lost, the friendship broke,
Two devils choking on their smoke.
Acosta’s pen made the nightmare real,
A secret pact, a sweetheart deal.
The girls were silenced, justice too,
And still they smiled for photo shoots.

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Power talks in whispers low,
While victims beg for truth to show.
History’s bleeding through the cracks,
And Epstein laughs—no turning back.

[Chorus 2]
They all knew, they all knew,
Trump and Epstein, the chosen few.
Mar-a-Lago to Fifth Avenue,
They shared a sin the world once knew.
They all knew, yeah, they all knew,
Acosta signed, the pain renewed.
They all knew… they all knew.

[Verse 3 – The Fall]
Stormy storms and Access lies,
“Grab her by the—” on replay twice.
Melania’s gone, that “cooling off” smile,
She knows the secrets stretch for miles.
Then Epstein’s gone, cameras die,
A noose appears beneath the sky.
Maxwell caught, Virginia speaks,
And Trump denies for endless weeks.

[Bridge – The Reckoning]
She warned, “I’m not suicidal,” clear,
Her voice still ringing in our ears.
The pastor falls, the files still sealed,
The cycle spins, the wounds unhealed.
But truth’s a blade—it cuts through spin,
And even kings can’t cage their sins.

[Chorus – Extended Anthem]
They all knew, they all knew,
Trump and Epstein, the chosen few.
Money hides but truth breaks through,
And ghosts still walk Mar-a-Lago’s view.
They all knew, yeah, they all knew,
Melania, Acosta too—
From Palm Beach halls to D.C.’s pews,
They all knew… they all knew.

[Verse 4 – 2025 and Beyond]
Giuffre’s gone, the headlines fade,
The House calls out, subpoenas laid.
Gloria walks, the victims stand,
Demanding truth across the land.
And Trump just laughs, “Old history,”
While bodies fall like prophecy.
But every lie will meet its due,
When justice finds the chosen few.

[Final Chorus]
They all knew, they all knew,
Trump and Epstein, the chosen few.
The girls were children, now they’re gone,
But truth still sings their battle song.
They all knew, yeah, they all knew,
No more secrets left for you—
We won’t forget, we won’t undo,
’Cause we all know…
And now we see it too.

[Outro]
Melania knows.
Acosta knows.
The victims know.
Palm Beach Police know.
The FBI knows.
Trump knew.
Epstein...
They all knew.

They All Knew (Trump & Epstein Blues)

This song comes from a place of heartbreak, not hate. It’s me speaking as someone who still loves this country deeply, even with all the damage that’s been done. My grandfather was actually a big fan of Trump back in the day—long before he ever ran for office. I remember him watching that old Oprah interview where Trump said he might run someday, and my granddad said he thought he’d make a good President. If he were alive now, I know he’d be heartbroken and appalled to see what Trump has done to our country—to our people, our values, our sense of decency. This song is like a letter I wish I could read to him, and maybe to America itself. It’s slow, dark, and honest—part protest, part mourning. It’s about loving your country enough to call out the ones destroying it, even when it hurts to say the words: I never knew you.


LYRICS: 

[Intro]
This isn’t hate.
This is heartbreak.
The kind that burns slow.
The kind that makes you write a letter you’ll never send. 

[Verse 1]
I'm still glad to be an American
Even with the mess we're in
But I'm writing you to say you suck
'Cause you're just a nasty fuck 

[Verse 2]
It don't matter what your policy is
You're tearing down what we've always been
If I could see my granddaddy now
I wonder what he'd say to him 

[Pre-Chorus]
I can hear him now—
Voice cracking through the years—
Saying the words I never wanted to believe. 

[Chorus]
“I never knew you
I'm ashamed to have ever shook your hand”
You can't claim to be a patriot
While you're burnin' down this sacred land
This hateful letter's to you
I'm just speakin' the truth
I'm just speakin' the truth
We never knew you 

[Verse 3]
I don't care how much you paid in taxes
It ain't about what you owe
What you're takin' from us
Is worth a whole hell of a lot more 

[Verse 4]
And now you got folks hatin' on each other
We're more divided than we've ever been
It's time to pack up and go back to Mar-a-Lago
Or maybe we can build a wall around it 

[Final Chorus] 

I can hear 'em now,
“I never knew you
I'm ashamed to have ever shook your hand”
You can't claim to be a patriot
While you're burnin' down this sacred land
This hateful letter's to you
I'm just speakin' the truth
I'm just speakin' the truth
We never knew you 

Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh 

[Outro]
Maybe someday…
We’ll find our way back home.
But not like this.
Not like this. 

Not like this.

Letter to President Trump

This started off as a track entitled 'Conflicted Thoughts' which was an instrumental. When I recorded the vocals I thought'Broken Echo' fitted better as a title and the arrangement reflects that. It's a bit strange but hey ..... !

Lyrics

Broken Echo

When I first met you 
I was so proud 
I proclaimed my love out loud
But that has waned 
My heads in flames   

Am I stuck here in a cage 
Or am I the one who turns the page   

Stay or go I don’t know 
My heart’s a broken echo 
Every yes feels like a no 
Stay or go 
I don’t know   

Your hands feel like a safety net 
But the threads 
Twist cruelly and I’m set 
With no escape 

If I leave 
Will I still feel whole 
If I stay 
Do I lose my soul 
This push and pull is taking its toll   

Stay or go I don’t know 
My heart’s a broken echo 
Every yes feels like a no 
Stay or go I don’t know

When I first met you 
I was so proud 
I proclaimed my love out loud
But that has waned 
My heads in flames   

Am I stuck here in a cage 
Or am I the one who turns the page   

Stay or go I don’t know 
My heart’s a broken echo 
Every yes feels like a no 
Stay or go 
I don’t know   

Your hands feel like a safety net 
But the threads 
Twist cruelly and I’m set 
With no escape 

If I leave 
Will I still feel whole 
If I stay 
Do I lose my soul 
This push and pull is taking its toll   

Lyrics by Phil Hawker

Broken Echo

A third (and supposedly last) version of putting the lyrics -- first used with "silken shadows" and then "therapy of love" -- to some now extra soft and folky arrangement. 

more than gold

This song is about the little pieces of life we leave behind us as we go — the crumbs, the memories, the lessons, and the moments that guide us forward. “Bread on the Road” is my way of saying that every step we take leaves something meaningful for the next one, and sometimes the things we drop without thinking are exactly what help us find our way back home.

It’s about movement, survival, growth, and trusting that even when life feels scattered or uncertain, there’s always a trail leading somewhere better. It’s a reminder that nothing we’ve lived through is wasted — every piece matters, every crumb counts, and the road always knows where we’re going.


LYRICS:

[Verse 1]
Sunrise on the blacktop
Aint got no time to stop
But that Greyhound bus looks full
Empty belly aint cool

[Prechorus]
Got to find a place
To fill my face

[Chorus]
Bread on the road
Bless this heavy load
Strangers share what they can
Yeah Bread on the road amen

[Verse 2]
Hitchin rides with a smile
Walked a weary mile
Mama said dont take no rides
From strangers with shifty eyes

[Prechorus]
But I aint got no choice
Hear my hungry voice

[Chorus]
Bread on the road
Bless this heavy load
Strangers share what they can
Yeah Bread on the road amen

Bread On The Road

01 Echo Dream

Home for Christmas

The final composition in a four-part suite incorporating, re-orchestrating and expanding the themes originally written for my 2022 track "Year in a Day".

Autumn to Winter

Songwriting has been a lifelong passion for me, dating back to elementary school when I first began crafting stories, poems, and eventually lyrics. As a former drummer in various bands, I always relied on others to bring my words to life musically. However, after a long hiatus from drumming, I decided to take the leap and learn to compose music to accompany my lyrics. Through classes and dedication, I've embarked on a new journey, breathing fresh life into old lyrics and penning new ones. You'll find a mix of older and newer works here. Especially for some of the lyrics. 

Music has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is being completely entranced by 'The Little Drummer Boy' as a very young child. There was something about the rhythm and the melody that just captivated me. I must have played it a thousand times, wearing the record out, and from that moment on, I was hooked. I knew I wanted to be a drummer and to create that magic for others. 

But I was too young then, and of course, I couldn't afford a drum set just yet. So, I turned to writing as a way to express myself. As I mentioned above, I started with stories, then poems, and eventually, lyrics. I found that writing was not only a way to tap into my creativity, but also a way to process my emotions and experiences. 

As I grew older, my love for music only deepened. I realized that music has this incredible power to transport us to different times and places, to evoke emotions and memories that we thought were long forgotten. It's a universal language that can bring people together like nothing else can. 

For me, writing lyrics is a cathartic experience. It's a way for me to tap into my emotions, to process the world around me, and to create something that I hope will resonate with others. And when I hear my words come to life in a song, it's truly magical. It's a feeling that never gets old, and it's what keeps me coming back to music time and time again. 

I love many genres of music and artists of many genres. And if you listen to some of my songs, you will find that I like to make songs of different genres as well as mix different genres into each song. One of my all-time favorite bands is Evanescence, and I have made a lot of songs where I have tried my best to emulate that sound. 

Now, I have recently started experimenting with new sounds. I never heard of glitch beats before I took music classes, and now I'm fascinated with the sound, so I have been experimenting with glitch beats recently. 

I hope you enjoy some of my songs. And thanks so much to everyone who has been listening so far. I truly appreciate it. I welcome constructive feedback to help me grow as an artist, and I appreciate your support. ❤️

BTW if you follow me, I will ALWAYS follow back. If I like your music, I will follow you, but if you don't follow me back within a week or so I will probably unfollow. The same goes for when I see someone listening to my music, I WILL follow, however, if they don't follow me back within a week or so, I'll unfollow, because I'm at my limit of follows and I want to follow back everyone who follows me. Did not know that SoundCloud limits us to following only 2000. 😢

*******************
VickStiX's Artist Manifesto
*******************

I am the static between truth and noise.
A pulse that cracks the silence open.
When the world forgets its conscience,
I remind it — one beat, one lyric, one spark.

I don’t shout to divide; I sing to awaken.
I don’t chase fame; I chase clarity.
My art is not a weapon — it’s a flare in the dark.
A signal to every soul that still believes in better.

Let the trolls rage, let the cowards hide.
They can’t drown out a voice that’s tuned to truth.
I will paint their lies in sound and light
until justice has a melody again.

Because protest is not anger — it’s hope with a megaphone.
And I was born to be loud.

🎶 VickStiX — Truth. Rhythm. Revolution.












Thomas, Sweet Thomas

VickStiX

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