In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hayes became famous as a recording artist in his own right, scoring with critically and commercially successful albums such as Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. Hayes is best known today for composing the score to the 1971 blaxploitation film Shaft. That film's "Theme from Shaft" was one of the best-selling singles in Stax Records history, and Hayes became the first African-American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category when "Theme from Shaft" won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Song.
Isaac Hayes may be known to today's youngest generation as the voice of the character "Chef", the ladies' man/school cook, on the animated sitcom South Park from 1997 until his resignation from the show in March 2006. While Hayes' departure was tagged to a controversial South Park episode on Scientology that had supposedly offended him, Hayes rarely declared anything about the departure in first person.
Stranger In Paradise
Isaac Hayes Lyrics
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I'm a stranger in paradise
All lost in a wonderland
A stranger in paradise
If I stand starry-eyed
That's the danger in paradise
For mortals who stand beside an angel like you
Out of the commonplace into the rare
Somewhere in space I hang suspended
Until I know there's a chance that you care
Won't you answer this fervent prayer
Of a stranger in paradise
Don't send me in dark despair
From all that I hunger for
But open your angel's arms
To this stranger in paradise
And tell him that he need be
A stranger no more
Oh yeah
The lyrics of Isaac Hayes’s song Stranger In Paradise speak of a man who has found himself in a new and unfamiliar place, a stranger in a paradise. He has lost himself in this wonderland, but his starry-eyed wonder is both a blessing and a curse, for the angel he stands beside is dangerously alluring to mortals. The singer of the song has been entranced by this angel, and as a result, he feels like he has transcended the commonplace and has entered the rare. He is suspended in space, hoping that she might reciprocate his feelings.
The singer prays that this angel, who has entranced him, might answer his fervent prayer and allow him to be a part of her world. He longs to no longer be a stranger in paradise and to be taken in by her angelic embrace. He begs her not to send him into dark despair and to open her angel's arms to him, allowing him to find a home in this paradise.
The lyrics of the song Stranger In Paradise speak of the desire to find a home in a new and unfamiliar place. The singer has been enthralled by an angel, and he hopes to find a place in this paradise. The lyrics are symbolic of the human desire to find a sense of belonging and to be accepted by others. The song captures the danger and excitement of new experiences, the tantalizing allure of the unknown, and the longing for love and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Take my hand
Please come with me and let me show you something beautiful.
I'm a stranger in paradise
I feel like I don't belong here, but in your presence, it's like heaven.
All lost in a wonderland
I'm mesmerized by everything around me and I'm not sure what's real anymore.
A stranger in paradise
Even though everything is beautiful, it still feels unfamiliar and strange.
If I stand starry-eyed
If I look at you with admiration and awe,
That's the danger in paradise
It can be risky to fall for someone so divine and perfect.
For mortals who stand beside an angel like you
It's hard for average people to keep up with someone as wonderful and pure as you.
I saw your face and I ascended
Seeing you lifted me out of my ordinary life and into something rare and special.
Out of the commonplace into the rare
You made me feel like I was experiencing something extraordinary and beyond my usual existence.
Somewhere in space I hang suspended
I feel like I'm floating in the unknown, waiting to see if you feel the same way about me.
Until I know there's a chance that you care
I won't be able to relax or feel secure until I know that you feel the same way about me.
Won't you answer this fervent prayer
I'm begging you to give me a chance and consider being with me.
Don't send me in dark despair
Please don't reject me and leave me heartbroken and alone.
From all that I hunger for
I desire so much from life, and all of those desires can only be fulfilled if I'm with you.
But open your angel's arms
If you open up to me and allow me in, it will feel like being embraced by an angel.
To this stranger in paradise
I may not belong in this perfect world, but with you, everything feels like a paradise.
And tell him that he need be
Please let me know that there's a chance for us and that I don't have to be alone anymore.
A stranger no more
I want to be accepted and loved, and I'm hoping that you can make that happen.
Contributed by Liam W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.