Stranded
Joe Purdy Lyrics


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Airport road there's a bus turned over
Many people died, I guess I should've been a soldier
What the hell you know it's not my fault
We been stranded here and it's too far to walk

It's late afternoon approaching evening now
And I'm just sitting in this airport bar wondering how
How I got here and how to get home
Has anyone around seen a payphone?
I gotta get out of here

And I'm stranded, the west of my coast
I just need to get home
And I'll be back here before you know
So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?

Hungry now get a bite to eat
And the pilot sits down to rest his feet
A fat man walks into the pizza shop
Another little one walks out with nothing

Pretty girl walks by and I say,
She turns her back, guess I caught her eye
The cripple rolls backwards in a wheelchair
And the pretty girl stops to fix her hair
And I gotta get out of here

'Cause I'm stranded, the west of my coast
And I just need to get home
And I'll be back here before you know
So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?

Cop tackles me down, shouts, "Give me a hand"
And his partner comes up and says, "You got the wrong man."
So the night grows on and I'm in the,
Call a friend at home, says "I wish you were here
Oh how I wish you were here"

I talk to a stranger to pass the time,
Says, "How are you, boy, 'cause I'm doing fine."
Place grows cold so I put a sweater on
I turn to reply but the stranger was gone
The stranger was gone

And I'm stranded, the west of my coast
I just need to get home
And I'll be back here before you know
So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?

I take one more drink and I get up from my seat.
And I try not to fall asleep
The rich push their carts and they prepare to fly
As a little boy stops and waves goodbye
Stops to wave goodbye
Oh and he waves goodbye

And I'm stranded, at the west of my coast
And I just want to get home




And I'll be back here before you know
So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?

Overall Meaning

The song Stranded by Joe Purdy tells a story of a stranded traveler who is stuck in the airport after a bus accident that claimed many lives. The traveler is frustrated and feels helpless as they try to find a way out of the airport. The lyrics suggest that the singer feels isolated and alone, as their attempts to connect with other people are often met with disappointment.


The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer feeling guilty for not being able to help those who were affected by the accident. The second verse highlights the singer's feelings of despair and loneliness, as they struggle to find a way home. The chorus repeats the singer's plight, as they plead with the pilot to let them and their people go.


The third verse reveals more about the characters the singer encounters during their time at the airport. A pretty girl catches their eye, but ultimately ignores them. A disabled person catches the attention of the pretty girl, but she only stops to adjust her hair. The singer even has a run-in with the police, indicating that their bad luck knows no bounds.


Throughout the song, the singer is desperate to go home, but they seem to be hindered at every turn. The final verse shows that the singer is resigned to their fate, as they prepare to leave the airport but are unable to sleep due to their frustration.


Overall, the song Stranded by Joe Purdy captures the feeling of isolation and desperation that can come from being stuck in a strange city or country with no way to get home. The lyrics are poignant and relatable, and the melody of the song is beautifully melancholic.


Line by Line Meaning

Airport road there's a bus turned over
I see a bus accident on Airport Road


Many people died, I guess I should've been a soldier
As many casualties are lying on the road, I feel helpless and regretful that I could not prevent it, as if I ought to have been a soldier


What the hell you know it's not my fault
I deny any responsibility for the accident


We been stranded here and it's too far to walk
We are in a stranded position, and walking home is not feasible


It's late afternoon approaching evening now
It's getting dark - early evening


And I'm just sitting in this airport bar wondering how
I'm at the airport bar, and all I can think about is


How I got here and how to get home
how I ended up here, and how to leave and return home


Has anyone around seen a payphone?
I'm looking for a payphone to call someone for help


I gotta get out of here
I'm eager to leave this place and situation


And I'm stranded, the west of my coast
On the west coast, I'm trapped in this unfortunate predicament


I just need to get home
All I need is to reach my home safely


And I'll be back here before you know
I'll return to this place again quite soon


So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?
I'm requesting the pilot to let us board the plane and leave this place immediately


Hungry now get a bite to eat
I'm feeling hungry and decided to grab a snack


And the pilot sits down to rest his feet
I see the pilot relaxing and taking a break


A fat man walks into the pizza shop
A heavyset man enters the pizza shop next to us


Another little one walks out with nothing
A small child exits the pizza shop empty-handed


Pretty girl walks by and I say,
A gorgeous woman walks past me and I make a comment


She turns her back, guess I caught her eye
She ignores me and leaves, but she may have noticed me in passing


The cripple rolls backward in a wheelchair
I see a person with a disability sitting in a wheelchair and rolling backwards


And the pretty girl stops to fix her hair
The lady turns to fix her hair in the presence of the disabled man


And I gotta get out of here
I feel trapped and desperate to leave this place


'Cause I'm stranded, the west of my coast
I'm still trapped and feeling helpless at the west coast of my country


And I just need to get home
My sole desire is to return home


And I'll be back here before you know
I'll return to this location soon enough


So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?
I keep requesting the pilot to allow us to leave immediately


Cop tackles me down, shouts, "Give me a hand"
A police officer tackles me and demands assistance


And his partner comes up and says, "You got the wrong man."
The cop's partner arrives and declares that I'm not the person they are looking for


So the night grows on and I'm in the,
The night passes, and I remain stuck in the same place


Call a friend at home, says "I wish you were here
I call a friend and express my longing for their presence with me


Oh how I wish you were here"
I intensely desire my friend to be with me in this terrible situation


I talk to a stranger to pass the time,
To kill time, I start a conversation with a stranger


Says, "How are you, boy, 'cause I'm doing fine."
The stranger responds to my greeting and brags that they're perfect


Place grows cold so I put a sweater on
As the location grows colder, I wear a sweater


I turn to reply but the stranger was gone
When I look back, I notice that the stranger has disappeared


The stranger was gone
The stranger has vanished without a trace


And I'm stranded, the west of my coast
Despite my efforts, I'm still stranded on the west coast


I just need to get home
All I need is to find a way home


And I'll be back here before you know
I'll soon be back in this area again


So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?
I keep imploring the pilot to free us from this trap


I take one more drink and I get up from my seat.
I finish my drink and stand up to leave my spot


And I try not to fall asleep
I'm trying to keep myself awake and alert


The rich push their carts and they prepare to fly
The wealthy people start to board the plane


As a little boy stops and waves goodbye
Meanwhile, a small boy waves goodbye to someone departing


Stops to wave goodbye
The child pauses to say farewell


Oh and he waves goodbye
The child bids a final goodbye


And I'm stranded, at the west of my coast
Finally, I'm still stranded on the western coast


And I just want to get home
All I want is to go back to my home


And I'll be back here before you know
No matter what, I'll come back to this location again in the future


So how about it Mr. Pilot, won't you let my people go?
I keep pleading with the pilot to help me escape from here




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOE PURDY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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