The Stranger
Billy Joel
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
Well, we all have a face That we hide away forever And we take them out And show ourselves when everyone has gone Some are satin, some are steel Some are silk and some are leather They're the faces of a stranger But we'd love to try them on Well, we all fall in love But we disregard the danger Though we share so many secrets There are some we never tell Why were you so surprised That you never saw the stranger Did you ever let your lover See the stranger in yourself Don't be afraid to try again Everyone goes south every now and then You've done it Why can't someone else You should know by now You've been there yourself Once I used to believe I was such a great romancer Then I came home to a woman That I could not recognize When I pressed her for a reason She refused to even answer It was then I felt the stranger Kick me right between the eyes Well, we all fall in love But we disregard the danger Though we share so many secrets There are some we never tell Why were you so surprised That you never saw the stranger Did you ever let your lover See the stranger in yourself Don't be afraid to try again Everyone goes south every now and then You've done it Why can't someone else You should know by now You've been there yourself You may never understand How the stranger is inspired But he isn't always evil And he is not always wrong Though you drown in good intentions You will never quench the fire You'll give in to your desire When the stranger comes along
Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
Written by: Billy Joel
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Song Origin"The Stranger" is the title track from Billy Joel's fifth studio album.
|
Release InformationThe song was released in 1977, along with the rest of the album.
|
Album SuccessThe "Stranger" album is considered as Joel's commercial breakthrough and remains his best-selling non-compilation album to date.
|
Song ThemeThe song deals with themes of introspection and personal identity. Joel sings about the hidden parts of us all that we hide from the world and even from ourselves.
|
Song Composition"The Stranger" begins with a mysterious whistling introduction followed by melancholic piano chords, which gives the song its unique sound.
|
Chart PerformanceDespite being well-known and highly regarded, it was never released as a single and thus did not chart.
|
AccoladesRolling Stone magazine rated "The Stranger" as one of the top 500 greatest albums of all time.
|
Live PerformancesAfter playing the song live once in 1980, Billy Joel did not play "The Stranger" again until 2008.
|
Song CoverIt was covered by artists such as O.A.R. and Tom Odell signifying its cultural impact.
|
Unique Whistling SoundThe whistling in the song was done by Phil Ramone, the producer of the album.
|
InfluencesThe melody and some of the lyrics to the song “Anthony's Song” (Movin' Out) were inspired by Billy Joel's experiences in Los Angeles, where he spent six months doing production of The Stranger.
|
Citation
Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"The Stranger Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/14567757/Billy+Joel/The+Stranger>.
Discuss the The Stranger Lyrics with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In