Identify song using your Microphone
Lyrics
Meaning
Chords

Artist: Billy Joel
Track: The Stranger

Lyrics
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, ooh
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, ooh
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
Full Lyrics and Meaning
SongMeanings Interpretations
Billy Joel - The Stranger Lyrics
The real meaning behind this song: A few people hit on it, a few people were WAY off. Infidelity, plain and simple. The stranger describes "the mystery guest" ...
Billy Joel Lyrics, Songs, Albums And More
The whole song on a metaphor basis is about life.and all of its ups and downs.... 1 month ago · Songs · Albums · Followers · Login to Add Lyrics ...
Billy Joel - Vienna Lyrics
This is such a deep and beautiful song, I can listen to it over and over again. The narrator is talking about a young person who still sees life as an adventure ...
Billy Joel - Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) Lyrics
Anthony works in the grocery store. Savin' his pennies for someday. Mama Leone left a note on the door. She said, "Sonny, move out to the country"
Billy Joel - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant Lyrics
A bottle of white, a bottle of red. Perhaps a bottle of rose instead. We'll get a table near the street. In our old familiar place. You and I, face to face
Billy Joel - Everybody Has a Dream [Stranger Reprise] Lyrics
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means. Don't have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It's ...
Billy Joel - Get It Right The First Time Lyrics
I don't believe in first impressions. For just this once I hope that looks don't deceive. I ain't got time for true confessions
Billy Joel - The Entertainer [Live] Lyrics
I am the entertainer. And I know just where I stand. Another serenader. And another long haired band. Today I am your champion. I may have won your hearts
Billy Joel - Just The Way You Are Lyrics
I think that this is Billy's most beautiful song, and apparently so dose my girlfriend, because when I learne dto play it on the guitar, I playeed it for her ...
Billy Joel - Christie Lee Lyrics
Let me tell you a story. About a woman and a man. Maybe you will find familiar. Maybe you won't understand. The man's name I don't remember
Billy Joel - Only The Good Die Young Lyrics
Come out, Virginia, don't let me wait. You Catholic girls start much too late. Aw, but sooner or later it comes down to fate
Billy Joel - Always a Woman Lyrics
She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes. And she can ruin your faith with her casual lies. And she only reveals what she wants you to see
Billy Joel - She's Got a Way [Live] Lyrics
Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It's super easy, we promise! Artists - B · Billy Joel · The Stranger [30th ...
Billy Joel - Souvenir [Live] Lyrics
A picture postcard. A folded stub. A program of the play. File away your photographs. Of your holiday. And your mementos. Will turn to dust
Billy Joel - Say Goodbye to Hollywood [Live] Lyrics
Bobby's driving through the city tonight. Through the lights. In a hot new rent a car. He joins the lover in his heavy machine
Billy Joel - Don't Ask Me Why Lyrics
All the waiters in your grand café. Leave their tables when you blink, ohh. Every dog must have his everyday. Every drunk must have his drink
Billy Joel - Everybody Has A Dream Lyrics
While in these days of quiet desperation. As I wander through the world in which I live. I search everywhere, for some new inspiration
Billy Joel - Captain Jack [Live] Lyrics
Saturday night and you're still hangin' around. Tired of living in your one horse town. You'd like to find a little hole in the ground. For awhile
Billy Joel - Careless Talk Lyrics
A rather good strike at gossip-magazines! It's always really annoying seeing "Celeb" spreads in magazines, one thinks why the paparazzi and journalists can't ...
Billy Joel - Easy Money Lyrics
You don't have to talk all night. I'm a man who can't say no. You don't have to twist my arm. Just point me where you wanna go. Take me to the action, ...
Billy Joel - This Night Lyrics
The melody in the chorus ("This night you're mine, it's only you and I ...") is a melody from either Beethoven's 4th or 6th.
Billy Joel - Say Goodbye To Hollywood Lyrics
Bobby's driving through the city tonight. Through the lights. In a hot new rent a car. He joins the lover in his heavy machine
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl Lyrics
He talks about it like "maybe someday I'll be good enough for her, maybe she'll like me for me even though I don't have the same background." That really makes ...
Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman Lyrics
billy crafts a song here that describes that unattainable girl, the one that you can't help but simply be amazed by no matter what she does, even if through it ...
View 21 More →
SongFacts
The Stranger by Billy Joel - Songfacts
The Stranger by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel - Songfacts
Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) by Billy Joel - Songfacts
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
She's Always A Woman by Billy Joel - Songfacts
She's Always A Woman by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Everybody Has a Dream by Billy Joel - Songfacts
Everybody Has a Dream by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel - Songfacts
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
A Matter Of Trust by Billy Joel - Songfacts
A Matter Of Trust by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
My Life by Billy Joel - Songfacts
My Life by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Stiletto by Billy Joel - Songfacts
Stiletto by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
Where's The Orchestra? by Billy Joel - Songfacts
Where's The Orchestra? by Billy Joel song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position
View 7 More →
Genius Meanings
Billy Joel – The Stranger
“The Stranger” is the title track from Billy Joel’s critical and commercial breakthrough album. Featuring a traditional rock outfit, the song begins with a slow, moody melody
Billy Joel – Vienna
In a July 2008 New York Times article, Joel cited this as one of his two favorite songs, along with “Summer, Highland Falls”. Why did I pick Vienna to use as a metaphor for the
Billy Joel – Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
“Movin' Out (Anthony’s Song)” is the first track off Billy Joel’s hit 1977 album The Stranger. It is also the title of the Twyla Tharp Broadway dance musical) which featured many
Billy Joel – Only the Good Die Young
A classic lusty pop-rock tune from the hit 1977 album, The Stranger, “Only the Good Die Young” was inspired by a high school crush of Billy Joel’s, Virginia Callahan. The narrator
Billy Joel – Just the Way You Are
Billy Joel’s first US Top 10, “Just the Way You Are” comes off his brilliant album The Stranger. It was internationally successful, reaching the top 20 in six countries including a
Billy Joel – Everybody Has a Dream/The Stranger (Reprise)
The closing to Joel’s breakthrough album and The Stranger, ‘'Everybody Has A Dream’‘ is a steady, hymn-like song with a gospel-backed chorus. Joel wrote the song in 1971. It is
Billy Joel – Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
“Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” has the longest duration in all of Billy Joel’s catalog, clocking in at 7 minutes and 37 seconds. While never released as a single, it has
Billy Joel – She's Always a Woman
“She’s Always a Woman” is a song from Billy Joel’s 1977 album The Stranger. It is a love song about a modern woman, with whom he falls in love for her quirks as well as her flaws
Billy Joel – Zanzibar
Zanzibar is a song from Joel’s ‘'52nd Street’‘ album, and most characterizes the jazz direction Joel wanted to take after releasing the pop smash ’‘The Stranger’‘ a year earlier.
Billy Joel – Get It Right The First Time
Track 8 on Billy Joel’s 5th album, “The Stranger” Joel is hoping to impress a girl, but worries that, if he messes up, he won’t get a second chance. So he has to “get it right the
Billy Joel – Don't Ask Me Why
“Don’t Ask Me Why” appears on Billy Joel’s hit 1980 album Glass Houses. The song features a lighter, folkier sound, reminiscent of Joel’s earlier work, and is in contrast with the
Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire
This monster hit of a song was created in 1989, when Joel turned 40. The idea spawned from a conversation he had with a friend of Sean Lennon. The friend just turned 21 and was
View 9 More →
Genius Albums
The Stranger by Billy Joel
It may as well be considered a greatest hits album. This 1977 masterpiece was released during the height of Joel’s songwriting frenzy (Turnstiles, The Stranger and 52nd Street
Cold Spring Harbor by Billy Joel
Cold Spring Harbor is the first studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on November 1, 1971. He had previously released albums as a member of the bands The
She’s Always a Woman: Love Songs by Billy Joel
Get all the lyrics to songs on She’s Always a Woman: Love Songs and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
Live at Yankee Stadium by Billy Joel
Get all the lyrics to songs on Live at Yankee Stadium and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
View 1 More →