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Billy Joel
Billy Joel


Background information
Birth name William Martin Joel
Born May 9, 1949
Born place The Bronx, New York, United States
Origin Hicksville, New York, United States
Genre(s) Rock
Pop
Jazz
Classical
Years active 1964—present
Label(s) Columbia Records
Sony Music
Family Productions U.S.
Associated acts Elton John
Bruce Springsteen
Echoes
The Hassles
Attila
Website Website



Music World  →  Lyrics  →  B  →  Billy Joel  →  Albums  →  The Stranger

Billy Joel Album


The Stranger (09/29/1977)
09/29/1977
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. . .


Oo Hoo, oh oh...

Anthony works in the grocery store
Saving his pennies for someday.
Momma Leoni left a note on the door.
She said, "Sonny, move out to the country.
Aw, but working too hard can give you a heart attack, ack, ack, ack, ack, ack;
You oughtta know by now.
Who need a house out in Hackensack?
Is that all you get for your money?
And it seems such a waste of time.
If that's what it's all about...
Momma, if that's moving up, than I'm moving out.

Mmm I'm movin out
mm hmm, Oo Hoo...

Seargeant O'Leary is walking the beat.
At night he becomes a bartender.
He works at Mr. Cacciatorre's down on Sullivant Street,
Across from the medical center,
And he's trading in his Chevy for a Cadillac, lac, lac, lac lac,lac;
You oughtta know by now,
If he can't drive with a broken back,
At least he can polish the fenders.
And it seems such a waste of time,
If that's what it's all about...
Momma, if that's moving up, than I'm moving out.

Oo I'm movin out, Oh oh, Oo hoo...

You should never argue with a crazy, ma, ma, ma, ma man;
You oughtta know by now.
You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime
Is that all you get for your money?
And if thats what you have in mind
yeah if thats what you're all about..
Good luck moving up, cause I'm moving out.

Oo I'm movin out
mmhmm Oo hoo uh-huh mmhmm...

I'm movin' out!

. . .


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

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?
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

REPEAT CHORUS

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

. . .


Don't go changing, to try and please me,
You never let me down before,
Mm mm mm mm mm
Don't imagine, you're too familiar,
And I don't see you anymore.

I would not leave you in times of trouble,
We never could have come this far.
Mm mm mm mm
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times,
I'll take you just the way you are.

Don't go trying some new fashion,
Don't change the color of your hair.
Mm mm mm mm mm
You always have my unspoken passion,
Although I might not seem to care.

I don't want clever, conversation.
I never want to work that hard.
Mm mm mm mm mm
I just want someone, that I can talk to,
I want you just the way you are.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew,
What will it take ’til you believe in me,
The way that I believe in you?

I said I love you, that's forever,
And this I promise from the heart,
Mm mm mm mm mm
I couldn't love you any better,
I love you just the way you are. Right

I don't want clever, conversation.
I never want to work that hard.
Mm mm mm mm mm
I just want someone, that I can talk to,
I want you just the way you are.

. . .


[Instrumental]

. . .


Slow down, you crazy child
you're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, tell me
Why are you still so afraid?


Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
You've got so much to do and
Only so many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told..
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even
Get halfway through
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Slow down, you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight
Tonight...
Too bad but it's the life you lead
you're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong, you know
You can't always see when you're right. You're right

You've got your passion, you've got your pride
but don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Slow down, you crazy child
and take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
it's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

And you know that when the truth is told
that you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
Why don't you realize, Vienna waits for you
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

. . .


Come out, Virginia. Don't let me wait.
You Catholic girls start much too late,
Oh, but sooner or later, it comes down to fate.
I might as well be the one.

Well, they showed you a statue, told you to pray.
They built you a temple and locked you away,
Oh, but they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done.
Only the good die young.
That's what I said
Only the good, die young
Only the good die young

You might've heard I run with a dangerous crowd.
We ain't too pretty. We ain't too proud.
We might be laughing a bit too loud,
Oh, but that never hurt no one.

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign,
Send up a signal. I'll throw you a line.
The stained-glass curtain you're hiding behind
Never lets in the sun,
Darlin' only the good die young
Whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo
I tell ya, only the good die young
Only the good die young

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation.
You got a brand new soul
Mmmmm, and a cross of gold,

But, Virginia, they didn't give you quite enough information.
You didn't count on me
When you were counting on your rosary.
Oh oh ooh

They say there's a heaven for those who will wait.
Some say it's better but I say it ain't.
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.
The sinners are much more fun,
Ya know that only the good die young
Ho ho ho baby
I tell ya, only the good die young
Only the good die young

You say your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation.
Ohh,she never cared for me,
Did she ever say a prayer for me?
Oh oh ohh

Come out, come out, come out Virginia Don't let me wait.
You Catholic girls start much too late,
But sooner or later, it comes down to fate.
I might as well be the one
Ya know that only the good die young
Tell ya baby
Ya know that only the good die young
Only the good die young
Only the good
Only the good die young
Whoo whoo whoo whoo whooo....

. . .


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
She hides like a child
But she's always a woman to me

She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe
And she'll take what you give her as long as it's free
Yeah, she steals like a thief but she's always a woman to me

Oh, she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh, and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

And she'll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin'
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me

Oh, she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh, and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
But she can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
And she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me

. . .


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
I've got to make the move right now
Got to meet that girl somehow

CHORUS
I've gotta get it right the first time
That's the main thing
I can't afford to let it pass
You get it right the next time that's not the same thing
Gonna have to make the first time last.

I'm not much good at conversation
I never was too smooth at comin' on real strong
If all it takes is inspiration
Then I might have just what it takes
If I don't make no bad mistakes and I

CHORUS

I might find the courage yeah I might get up the nerve
But if my timing ain't just right what purpose would it serve?
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know how
To say those first few words

If I want to put myself in touch
The first few moments mean so much
So I suppose it's now or never
Before that woman walks right out of my life
Just let me pull myself together
I've got to give it one good try
Gotta take my chance tonight

CHORUS

. . .


While in these days of quiet desperation
As I wander through the world in which I live
I search everywhere for some new inspiration
But it's more than cold reality can give
If I need a cause for celebration
Or a comfort I can use to ease my mind
I rely on my imagination
And I dream of an imaginary time

CHORUS
I know that everybody has a dream
Everybody has a dream
And this is my dream, my own
Just to be at home
And to be all alone...with you

If I believe in all the words I'm saying
And if a word from you can bring a better day
Then all I have are these games that I've been playing
To keep my hope from crumbling away
So let me lie and let me go on sleeping
and I will lose myself in palaces of sand
and all the fantasies that I have been keeping
Will make the empty hours easier to stand

CHORUS

. . .


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