Friday, September 4, 2009

The Stranger; Billy Joel

I always knew the whistling of this song but never knew who it was until... well, until now! I couldn't even remember the rest of the song, only came to my mind its slow introduction. And now, listening to the entire song, I am thinking how a very slow and moody introduction can be so well arranged with the fast and shaking melody that goes after. A great ability of this such Billy Joel, who needs no introduction, right?

“The Stranger” was written by Billy Joel and gave the name from his 1977 album. The album hit #2 in USA hit parades and the song (only featured as single in Japan) also reached #2 in that country.

Recently, in a interview with USAToday, Joel explain why he put the whistling on it: "After we recorded the song, I remember thinking, 'it needs some sort of introduction. It needs a prelude or a theme, and then it should slam into the song.'

"I played the theme on the piano to show Phil and whistled along with it, and I said, 'What instrument do you think should do that?' And Phil said, 'You just did it.' I heard it played back and went, 'That's kind of cool, I like that.'

"It was really the theme to the album because it was born in the studio during the process, and it just kind of captured the mood."


As usual, there are the lyrics, the audio and the videoclip!

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 the stranger
But we 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
Though 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

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