Long recorded the 10-song collection Dirty Pond Songs in his London bedroom, traffic noises and all. “Left to Lie” from Dirty Pond Songs, became an iTunes favorite, topping the site’s “Unsigned” chart and reaching #8 on its Folk Music chart. “The Bounty of Mary Jane” from Dirty Pond Songs and a live version of his “Being a Mockingbird”, recorded at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City, were also released via iTunes. “The Dangerous Summer” tour continued until the end of 2009, logging some 80 performances in all.
Long embarked upon the “Left to Lie” tour of Europe in early 2010 and began to record his first studio CD with producer Grammy winner Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios in London. He also released a collection of live performances from the Dangerous Summer 2009 tour. "My Darling Belle" from that collection went to #2 on iTunes' Singer-Songwriter chart.
On April 23, 2010, Long officially signed on to the roster at ATO Records, the label co-founded by musician Dave Matthews, which is home to such artists as Radiohead, David Gray, Ben Kweller, Liz Phair, and more. They released his debut album, "A Winter Tale", on February 1, 2011. During 2010, he toured with Matt Pond PA during which time he met the Kalob Griffin Band, also known as KGB, who would become his backing band for subsequent U.S. dates that year, including the Mile High Festival in Denver, the xPoNential Music Festival in Philadelphia and the Troubadour in Los Angeles. He did a solo tour of Europe in the fall, followed by North American dates in support of Michael Franti. He ended the year with a fund-raising event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in Manhattan where he debuted his new touring band.
Long spent most of 2011 promoting the album "A Winter Tale," which began with a tour in North America. He also made an appearance on The Tonight Show on February 3, 2011 and on The Early Show on August 8, 2011. During the summer, as part of the legendary Bonnaroo Music Festival, he played on the Cafe Stage. The Dave Matthews Band Caravan included him in the line-up in Atlantic City, NJ and in Chicago, IL. He played on the BMI stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival in September. Long made "another live" recorded EP called "The Backing Singer" in July 2011, with the producer, Jesse Lauter. In October 2011, he kicked off "The Losing My Brotherhood Tour" with shows in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Long started 2012 by recording his sophomore album, produced by Ted Hutt, and appeared on the Cayamo Cruise in February. On February 23, he announced online that he would be doing a weekly "song of the week," (for an undisclosed period of time), that he records at home. He spent most of April supporting the acoustic guitar duo, Rodrigo y Gabriela, on tour, but ended the month opening a show for Iron & Wine. In between supporting Steve Winwood on tour in May, Long released his first book of poetry, "Losing My Brotherhood." He stated that a "discipline aspect allowed me to separate the poems from my music.” July consisted of Long opening shows for The Mother Hips in California as well as a performance and poetry reading at Barnes & Noble in L.A. for his book. He followed with shows in the western U.S. and then returned to opening for Steve Winwood on tour in the fall. After Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast of the United States in October of 2012, Long donated his 1965 Epiphone Cabellero guitar to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief fund. For the victims, he later participated in the benefit "A Love Letter to New York" that also included Joan Osborne, Matisyahu, and others.
Treat Me Like a Stranger
Bobby Long Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One a falling bird, another a lonely child,
If it's gonna be you, my judge and my saviour,
Bury me in rock, just like I told you,
If I had a candle, I'd light it at your end,
But you won't light me up, not even a part of me,
So let the colours run, my lover, my friend,
Bury me in sand, right up till the end
Like I was never here, in the wake of the danger,
One more time around, treat me like a stranger,
Then you won't recognize me,
Turn me over babe, turn me loose and under,
Then you can drift away, leave me to the lonely tide,
But I'm glad it was you, my friend and my lover,
Give me to the waves, send me down under,
At least you told the truth, somewhere so low beneath,
Hanging from the noose, the parts of me,
Swinging underneath, somewhere so high above
Tied to the tree, the parts of me
Hanging from the noose, the parts of me,
Swinging underneath, somewhere so high above
Tied to the tree, the parts of me
But maybe for tonight, treat me like a stranger
Like I was never here, in the wake of the danger,
One more time around, treat me like a stranger,
Then you won't recognize me,
The lyrics of "Treat Me Like a Stranger" by Bobby Long reveal a sense of emotional detachment and the need for a fresh perspective. The singer addresses his lover, acknowledging her astuteness in perceiving the different parts of his personality. He recognizes his vulnerable nature, comparing himself to a falling bird and a lonely child. He implores her to be his "judge and savior," burying him in rock, a metaphor for stability and constancy. The singer expresses his desire for intimacy and connection, offering a symbolic gesture of lighting a candle in his lover's honor. However, he laments that his lover refuses to reciprocate, refusing to light him up and only focusing on certain parts of his personality.
The singer then shifts his tone, asking his lover to treat him like a stranger for the night, erasing any preconceptions and biases she may hold towards him. He acknowledges the danger of their situation, possibly inferring the instability of their relationship or the danger of their strong emotions. The singer allows his lover to turn him over and loose by the end of their interaction, leaving him to the "lonely tide." Despite the painful nature of their relationship, the singer is still grateful for his lover, thanking her for her honesty and acknowledging the different parts of his personality that she observes.
Overall, "Treat Me Like a Stranger" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of human emotions and relationships. It shows the difficulties of true intimacy and the importance of seeing someone in their entirety, rather than only focusing on certain aspects of their personality.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you can tell the different parts of me,
You claim to see various sides of my personality
One a falling bird, another a lonely child,
One part of me is vulnerable and afraid, while another is helpless and alone
If it's gonna be you, my judge and my saviour,
If you're going to be the one to evaluate and save me,
Bury me in rock, just like I told you,
Put me in a solid and unchanging environment, as I previously instructed
If I had a candle, I'd light it at your end,
If I could bring light into your life, I would do so
But you won't light me up, not even a part of me,
However, you won't return the gesture, not even a little bit
So let the colours run, my lover, my friend,
Let our emotions spill out without restraint, my romantic partner and confidant
Bury me in sand, right up till the end
Cover me in sand until the very end
But maybe for tonight, treat me like a stranger
Perhaps, just for tonight, pretend you don't know me
Like I was never here, in the wake of the danger,
As if I never existed, after the difficult times have passed
One more time around, treat me like a stranger,
Once more, act like you don't recognize me
Then you won't recognize me,
So that you won't see or know the real me
Turn me over babe, turn me loose and under,
Let me go, loosen my hold and set me free
Then you can drift away, leave me to the lonely tide,
Then you can drift off into the distance and leave me alone with my feelings
But I'm glad it was you, my friend and my lover,
Nevertheless, I'm grateful that you were the one, my companion and significant other
Give me to the waves, send me down under,
Let the waves take me away and submerge me
At least you told the truth, somewhere so low beneath,
At least you were honest, even if it was deep down inside
Hanging from the noose, the parts of me,
Parts of me are still being held back and weighed down
Swinging underneath, somewhere so high above
While other parts of me are suspended above, swinging back and forth
Tied to the tree, the parts of me
Some parts of me are secured to the tree, unable to move on
But maybe for tonight, treat me like a stranger
Once more, please act like you don't know me, just for tonight
Like I was never here, in the wake of the danger,
Like I was never present, after all the problems have subsided
One more time around, treat me like a stranger,
Once more, please act like you don't recognize me
Then you won't recognize me,
Then you won't know who I am
Writer(s): LONG ROBERT THOMAS
Contributed by Alexander T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.