Stranger
Rik Kaez Lyrics
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Coming home to me".
I've been here and there
And I've been somewhere in between.
"What is it you can bring me?
Which is not hurt or grief".
All treasures have been stolen
You say I don't look happy
You say I often seem sad
That I'm half the man I used to be
Well, what does it mean to be a man?
And yeah, wild women do crowd my mind
With rankness and serpentine
And yeah, my flesh is often weak
And my spirit screams to be released
Sometimes all lays in ruin
And I treat it with less care
But while busy destroying
I do learn how to repair
You say I don't look happy
You say I often seem sad
That I'm half the man I used to be
Well, what does it mean to be a man?
And what would I live for?
If I would have to die for you
I can live fast and die young
Or have patients to outlive this nonsense
You say I don't look happy
You say I often seem sad
That I'm half the man I used to be
Well, what does it mean to be a man?
In Rik Kaez's song "Stranger," the lyrics revolve around a conversation between two people, with one person questioning the other about their absence and what they can bring to the relationship. The singer responds by explaining that they have been both here and there, but also somewhere in between. They then assert that all treasures have been stolen and to bargain is to be deceived. The singer is not offering anything tangible, which the other person may want from them.
The other person perceives the singer as not being happy or being only half the man they used to be. The singer questions what it truly means to be a man, which the listener may interpret as the singer exploring his own identity. The lyrics also express the singer's temptations and weaknesses in the form of wild thoughts and sinful desires. The singer's flesh may be weak, but the spirit desires to be released from its limitations.
The lyrics then suggest that the singer may have a tendency to destruct, but it is through this process that they learn to repair. The listener can interpret this as the singer's attempt at growth, learning from his mistakes to become a better person. The lyrics end with the singer questioning what does it mean to be a man and questioning what they would live for, which could mean that the singer is questioning their purpose and identity.
Line by Line Meaning
She said: "Stranger where have you been?
Coming home to me".
The singer's lover asks where he's been and when he's coming back.
I've been here and there
And I've been somewhere in between.
The singer has been on a journey and has experienced various situations.
"What is it you can bring me?
Which is not hurt or grief".
The singer's lover wants to know what he can offer her that won't cause pain or sorrow.
All treasures have been stolen
To bargain is to be deceived
The singer believes that all valuable things have been taken and that bargaining is futile and misleading.
You say I don't look happy
You say I often seem sad
That I'm half the man I used to be
Well, what does it mean to be a man?
The singer questions the definition of masculinity and his own identity.
And yeah, wild women do crowd my mind
With rankness and serpentine
And yeah, my flesh is often weak
And my spirit screams to be released
The singer admits to being tempted by women and struggles with his desires, both physical and emotional.
Sometimes all lays in ruin
And I treat it with less care
But while busy destroying
I do learn how to repair
The singer recognizes that he has caused destruction in his life, but has learned from his mistakes and is trying to fix what he can.
And what would I live for?
If I would have to die for you
I can live fast and die young
Or have patients to outlive this nonsense
The singer ponders the value of life and whether he would sacrifice himself for his lover, or live fast and recklessly instead.
You say I don't look happy
You say I often seem sad
That I'm half the man I used to be
Well, what does it mean to be a man?
The singer reiterates his confusion about what it means to be a man and his own state of mind.
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.