Stranger On the Shore
Chris Barber & Acker Bilk Lyrics

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Here I stand, watching the tide go out
So all alone and blue
Just dreaming dreams of you

I watched your ship as it sailed out to sea
Taking all my dreams
And taking all of me

The sighing of the waves
The wailing of the wind
The tears in my eyes burn
Pleading, "My love, return"

Why, oh, why must I go on like this?
Shall I just be a lonely stranger on the shore?

The sighing of the waves
The wailing of the wind
The tears in my eyes burn
Pleading, "My love, return"

Why, oh, why must I go on like this?
Shall I just be a lonely stranger on the shore?

Overall Meaning

"Stranger On The Shore" by Chris Barber and Acker Bilk is a hauntingly beautiful instrumental piece, but it's the accompanying lyrics that give it a whole new dimension of emotion. The first stanza portrays the sadness and loneliness that the singer feels as they stand by the shore watching the tide go out, with feelings of emptiness and yearning for their love.

In the second stanza, the singer watches their beloved sail off to sea, taking all their dreams and leaving them alone with nothing but tears and memories. The sound of the waves and wind serve as a constant reminder of the lover's absence, making the singer desperately plead for their return. In the final lines of the song, the singer asks themselves if they will forever remain a lonely stranger on the shore, with their love now gone.

The song embodies the pain and longing one feels when they are separated from someone they love, and the torment of not knowing if they will ever return. It's a timeless piece that captures the essence of love, loss, and despair.

Line by Line Meaning

Here I stand, watching the tide go out
I am standing alone on the shore, watching the tide recede

So all alone and blue
I feel extremely lonely and sad

Just dreaming dreams of you
I am lost in thought, imagining being with my loved one

I watched your ship as it sailed out to sea
I saw the ship that carried my love leave for the open sea

Taking all my dreams
It took away all my hopes and aspirations for the future

And taking all of me
It took away a part of me, leaving me incomplete

The sighing of the waves
The sound of the waves that emanate sadness and grief

The wailing of the wind
The sound of the wind that adds to the melancholy mood

The tears in my eyes burn
My eyes are sore from crying

Pleading, "My love, return"
I am yearning for my beloved to come back to me

Why, oh, why must I go on like this?
I question why I have to suffer in this way