He has been active in the 00s and since, touring both as a single artist and as a member of the rotating supergroup 'Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band'. Before fronting the band titled in his name, Squire was the frontman of the power pop group Piper. Said band had some underground fame in the 70s before Squire left for bigger things.
Squier started off his solo career with May 1980's 'The Tale of the Tape'. Although a commercial breakthrough eluded him, the release spent three months on Billboard's album chart and gained a large fan response. Working with songwriter impresario Desmond Child and Kiss co-guitarist Bruce Kulick, his album also brought him praising critical reviews, noting his talent for meeting catchy pop hooks with aggressive guitars and vocals.
His 1981 follow-up, 'Don't Say No', shot his career into the stratosphere. It hit the Top Five on the Billboard album chart and remained on the chart for over two years (a total of 111 weeks). Getting RIAA certified as triple-platinum, singles such as "Lonely Is The Night" and "The Stroke" became staples of arena rock radio. His music from this album has popped up in variety of places such as in the comedy film 'Blades of Glory' and in the popular Guitar Hero video game series.
Squier's third album, 'Emotions in Motion', also picked up both critical praise, with Allmusic calling it a "slice of AOR heaven", and commercial acclaim. The album itself peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart while singles such as "Everybody Wants You" and "Learn How To Live" achieved top 40 rock stardom. Squier also achieved notability both for his album cover, devised by famous artist Andy Warhol, and for his popular music videos, played often on MTV.
Massively successful touring with artists such as Queen had Squier labeled as one of the best hard rock artists of the decade. Still, 'what goes up, must come down', as the saying goes, and his next album would spell his downfall. 1984's 'Signs of Life' came out with initial good press, viewed as perhaps lacking the rock crunch of his previous affairs but still involving some catchy tunes. Single "Rock Me Tonite", released in June 1984 as the lead single, became his highest charting U.S. song, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting the Top 10 on the Cash Box singles chart. It also returned him to #1 on the Top Rock Tracks chart in August of 1984.
Nevertheless, the music video for the song was the beginning of the end for this part of Squier's career. Popularly regarded as one of the worst ever music videos ever made, if not the worst, it shows Squier putting on a pink tank top and making effeminate dance moves around a bed with pastel-colored satin sheets while badly miming to the song, rolling around on the floor in several parts. Many viewers who saw it thought that it depicted the singer on drugs or pretending to be flamboyantly gay. It was directed by Kenny Ortega, who was the third director to be considered for the job.
After an acrimonious break from his label and also making other changes, Squier re-grouped and released 'Enough Is Enough' on September 27, 1986. Signed to Capitol Records, he achieved some success, with the album having peaked at #61 on the Billboard album chart, but failed to meet expectations. Some critics charged that the stress that he had been put under took its toll on his songwriting. Future releases over the next few years failed to change things as his popularity slid downwards, and he ultimately quit the music industry for several years in the 90s.
As stated before, he has been active in the 00s and since, touring both as a single artist and as a member of the rotating supergroup 'Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band'. More recently, a few live albums have come out featuring his music. He also has had several low-key tours.
Stranger To Myself
Billy Squier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I...don't know where I'm goin'
But what I'm leavin' behind...i already know
Run...the streets have no ending
But what I'm hopin' to find...i just can't ignore
I live to be strong...i want to be king
When time after time...i try to be me
But I look down inside--it's the stranger I see
Stranger, stranger...stranger to myself
I was born on the other side of life
I'm just a stranger...stranger to myself
Never thought I'd ever cry
Never thought we'd ever be denied
Stranger to myself...
Why...are my thoughts so uncertain
Will I ever unwind...this damage I've done
Love--it's a fight--it's your life--it's not over
Can you look at me now...and show me I'm wrong
For once in my life...i want to be good
But I'm playin' the bad boy...much more than I should
When time after time...i try to explain
Those voices inside...they're callin' out again
Stranger, stranger...stranger to myself
I was born on the other side of life
I'm just a stranger...stranger to myself
Who'd have thought we'd ever hide
Who'd have thought we'd ever be denied
Now don't ask me why...i don't really know
But sure as I'm breathin' I've got to let it go
The eyes of a man...see the world of a child
The door it lies open--won't you step inside and see the
Stranger...stranger to myself
I was born on the other side of life
I'm just a stranger...stranger to myself
Who's to fall if you won't try
Who's to fall if you won't try...you won't try...you don't wanna try
Stranger to myself
The song "Stranger to Myself" by Billy Squier is a reflection of the inner turmoil felt by the artist as he struggles to understand his own identity. Throughout the song, the artist expresses his uncertainty about where he is headed and what he is leaving behind. He acknowledges that he has been foolish in the past and has acted in an unwise manner, but he strives to be strong and wants to be king. However, no matter how hard he tries to be himself, he realizes that he is a stranger to himself.
The artist delves into the complexity of his thoughts and the damage he has done. He believes that love is a fight, and that it is not over yet. He hopes that someone will show him he's wrong and that he wants to be good but struggles to break out of the bad boy image he has created for himself. He knows that voices inside him are calling out again and that he has a lot of uncertainty to unravel.
The final verse of the song is the artist's plea to the listener to try and understand him. He acknowledges that he doesn't know everything but implores the listener to step inside his world and see the stranger that he is to himself. The song leaves us with a sense of vulnerability and a longing to be understood.
Line by Line Meaning
Stranger, stranger...
The repetition of the term 'stranger' serves as a reminder of the disconnection the singer feels within themselves.
I...don't know where I'm goin'
The singer is lost and unsure of their direction in life.
But what I'm leavin' behind...i already know
The singer is aware of their past mistakes and is leaving them behind to start anew.
Run...the streets have no ending
The artist is running away but there seems to be no escape from their problems.
But what I'm hopin' to find...i just can't ignore
The artist is desperately searching for something and can't ignore the longing they feel.
I live to be strong...i want to be king
The singer strives to be powerful and in control of their life.
But I act so unwise--look how foolish I've been
The singer admits to acting foolishly despite their aspirations to be strong.
When time after time...i try to be me
The artist has tried to be true to themselves but fails repeatedly.
But I look down inside--it's the stranger I see
Despite trying to be true, the artist feels like a stranger to themselves.
Never thought I'd ever cry
The artist didn't expect to experience vulnerability or weakness.
Why...are my thoughts so uncertain
The singer is unsure of their own thoughts and feelings.
Will I ever unwind...this damage I've done
The artist is questioning if they can ever repair the damage they've caused.
Can you look at me now...and show me I'm wrong
The singer is seeking validation from someone else and hoping to be proven wrong about themselves.
For once in my life...i want to be good
The singer desires to do the right thing for once in their life.
But I'm playin' the bad boy...much more than I should
Despite wanting to be good, the singer finds themselves acting out in negative ways.
When time after time...i try to explain
The artist has tried to justify their actions and behavior repeatedly.
Those voices inside...they're callin' out again
The artist is plagued by inner turmoil and doubts.
Now don't ask me why...i don't really know
The singer doesn't have an explanation for why they feel the way they do.
But sure as I'm breathin' I've got to let it go
The singer needs to release the burden they're carrying.
The eyes of a man...see the world of a child
The artist has a childlike perspective on the world despite being an adult.
The door it lies open--won't you step inside and see the
The artist invites the listener to come into their world and understand their inner struggle.
Who's to fall if you won't try...you won't try...you don't wanna try
The artist questions who will suffer the consequences if they don't try to better themselves.
Stranger to myself
The singer feels disconnected from their true self.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: BILLY SQUIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chaos Sergey Efimov
Ошибка в титрах умышленная. Думал не найдут))) Нашли!. Никуда от них не спрятаться!)))
MrPavlec
Найдут, даже если несколько кривых нот на баяне сыграете, проверено.
Welder X-MachinE
Сейчас еще и за ошибку влепят страйк ! 🤣
Николай Мишин
Вообще крутяк! Здравствуйте, Сергей! Привет из Калуги! Человек легенда- Сергей Ефимов! Горжусь, что когда-то в 2010 году имел честь с ним пообщаться! Удачи и доброго здоровья!
Roman Snastin
Приятная песня. И послушать, и посмотреть есть на что, несмотря на отсутствие... 😁
Welder X-MachinE
Классная композиция ! Спасибо !
Дмитрий Дмитрий
Слушаю сначала оригиналы, потом ваши версии-отлично!)
Chaos Sergey Efimov
Вы можете меня и не слушать. Честно! Важно, что вы слушаете оригинал ,после моего предложения. Спасибо!
Chaos Sergey Efimov
Stranger To My Self . Эта песня так называется. Прошу прощения у автора!
Олег Курышин
Приветствую Сергей. Классная композиция и ваше исполнение.