Just one year later, signed by Elektra Records, Neal and Rex were in Los Angeles putting the final touches on their debut album, Aztec Two-Step. Quickly becoming a staple of FM and college radio the album remained in print for fifteen years and was the foundation for a performing and recording career that continues to the present day. In 1992, Aztec Two-Step was re-released by ERA Records.
In the intervening years, Aztec Two-Step recorded six more albums for RCA, Waterhouse, Reflex and Flying Fish Records. The duo's 1986 release, Living in America, was sighted in Billboard Magazine's year end critics poll and received the 1987 Best Folk Album at the New York Music Awards.
Of Age, Aztec Two-Step's eighth album, was released by Beacon Records in September 1993. Its title celebrates both the twenty-one year anniversary the group marked while recording the album and the maturity Rex and Neal feel the writing, playing and singing on it reflect.
Headliners in their own right, Aztec Two-Step has also appeared in concert with such notable artists as Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Talking Heads, Bill Cosby, The Beach Boys, Jackson Browne, Bette Midler, Heart and many more. They continue to tour, pleasing old fans and winning new ones.
Strangers
Aztec Two-Step Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I was younger, and life a stranger
I dreamed of circuses and things of danger
I watched the clouds suspended like balloons
I sailed my ship on treetop afternoons
No obligations, no sense of time
And life was equal to a lost child's nursery rhyme
And it was easy, so very easy for my mind
Climbing the spiral stairs that lead nowhere
But as the years ceaselessly were rolling
Like a passage from a play of someone strolling
Through foggy nights and naked imagery
Through sunless days and glass menageries
A frozen face would hide its eyes
And wouldn't dare to even dream about the sky
Now ain't it funny, oh ain't it funny why
When we first met we both were strangers
You took me in from all the danger
You gave me warmth when I was cold
You reached with love and and touched my soul
You put the sun back in the sky
And then you gave me back my eyes
And now it's easy, so very easy I
Feel like I could fly
The lyrics to Aztec Two-Step's "Strangers" are nostalgic and contemplative in nature. The first stanza speaks of the innocence and carefree nature of childhood, where the singer dreamed of circuses and watched the clouds suspended like balloons. They highlight that in those days, they had no obligations or sense of time, and life was equal to a lost child's nursery rhyme. The second stanza transitions to the present, where the singer reflects on the passage of time and how it has affected them. They describe the years as "ceaselessly rolling" and paint an image of someone strolling through foggy nights and sunless days. They speak of a "frozen face" that wouldn't dare to dream about the sky.
The final stanza shifts again to the present, where the singer speaks of meeting someone who was once a stranger to them. This person took them in from all the danger and gave them warmth when they were cold. They put the sun back in the sky and gave the singer back their eyes, allowing them to see the world differently. The singer concludes that it's easy now, feeling like they could fly.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was younger, and life a stranger
As a child, I had no understanding of life and its ways
I dreamed of circuses and things of danger
My imagination allowed me to dream of thrill and adventure
I watched the clouds suspended like balloons
I enjoyed the beauty of the floating clouds in the sky like they were balloons
I sailed my ship on treetop afternoons
I pretend-played sailing a ship amongst the tree leaves and branches during afternoons
No obligations, no sense of time
I had no responsibilities or awareness of time as a child
And life was equal to a lost child's nursery rhyme
Life was simple for me, like a forgotten nursery rhyme
And it was easy, so very easy for my mind
Everything was uncomplicated for my young and innocent mind
Where does it go? Nobody knows
I don't know where that simplicity and innocence went
Climbing the spiral stairs that lead nowhere
As time passes, sometimes it feels as if we're going around in circles with no direction or purpose
But as the years ceaselessly were rolling
Years continued to pass by ceaselessly and without pause
Like a passage from a play of someone strolling
It felt like the passing of time was a scene from a play, with people casually strolling along
Through foggy nights and naked imagery
Through unclear moments and exposed thoughts
Through sunless days and glass menageries
Through gloomy and bleak days, and moments that felt like they were displayed in a glass box
A frozen face would hide its eyes
A face with no expression would cover its eyes, as if hiding something
And wouldn't dare to even dream about the sky
This person has stopped dreaming about happy things and has lost hope
Now ain't it funny, oh ain't it funny why
Isn't it peculiar, why things take such a drastic turn?
When we first met we both were strangers
When we met, we were unknown to each other
You took me in from all the danger
You provided me with safety and shelter from the bad things in life
You gave me warmth when I was cold
You showed me kindness and compassion in times of need
You reached with love and and touched my soul
You expressed love and affection, touching my innermost being
You put the sun back in the sky
You brought happiness and positivity back into my life
And then you gave me back my eyes
You allowed me to see the beauty in life again
And now it's easy, so very easy I
Now, with you by my side, everything is a lot simpler and easier
Feel like I could fly
I feel like I can accomplish anything, like soaring high in the sky
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: REX FOWLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind