Released: September 29, 1977
Songwriter: Billy Joel
Producer: Phil Ramone
[Instrumental intro]
[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
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?
[Post Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
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?
[Post Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
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
Ooo ooo
Ooh ooh
[Instrumental outro]
[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
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?
[Post Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
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?
[Post Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
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
Ooo ooo
Ooh ooh
[Instrumental outro]
- The Stranger (1977)
- Greatest Hits, Volume I & Volume II (1985)
- We Didn’t Start the Fire
- Piano Man
- Vienna
- Uptown Girl
- The Longest Time
- She’s Always a Woman
- Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
- Just the Way You Are
- Only the Good Die Young
- Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
- New York State of Mind
- Allentown
- Honesty
- The Stranger
- Goodnight Saigon
- My Life
- It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
- And So it Goes
- Big Shot
- Captain Jack
- An Innocent Man
- Zanzibar
- The Downeaster “Alexa”