Stranger
The Cohens Lyrics

It's true that all the men you knew were dealers
The men you associated with in the past were involved in illegal drug trade

Who said they were through with dealing
Even though they claimed to have quit dealing, it was not entirely true

Every time you gave them shelter
You provided them with a place to stay and protection

I know that kind of man, it's hard to hold the hand of anyone
It's difficult to trust and rely on someone who has a history of being involved in illegal activities

Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender
Someone who has high aspirations but ultimately gives up on them

And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind
Picking up the pieces of the aftermath of his actions and lifestyle

You find he did not leave you very much, not even laughter
The association with him resulted in little joy or positivity

Like any dealer he was watching for the card that is so high and wild
He was always on the lookout for opportunities to make a profit, even if it was risky

He'll never need to deal another
He's done with dealing drugs, he's moving on

He was just some Joseph looking for a manger
He's just a lost soul searching for a place to belong

And then leaning on your window sill
A figure standing at the window to seek attention and validation

He'll say one day you caused his will
You were the reason he found the strength to change his ways

To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter
The care and support you gave him helped him overcome his struggles

And then taking from his wallet
Showing off his possessions and wealth

An old schedule of trains, he'll say
Making plans to leave for somewhere else

I told you when I came I was a stranger
I warned you that I was not an ordinary person, but you still welcomed me into your life

But now another stranger seems
Someone else has taken his place in your life

To want you to ignore his dreams
Trying to convince you to disregard your own aspirations and goals

As though they were the burden of some other
Treating your dreams and ambitions as if they are somebody else's responsibility

Oh, you've seen that man before
Recognizing the patterns and traits of this type of man

His golden arm dispatching cards
His luck and skill at gambling and taking risks

But now it's rusted from the elbows to the finger
His glory days are over, and he's no longer as successful or powerful

And he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter
He's tired of the life he's been living, and he's looking for a place to escape and start anew

Yes, he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter
He's willing to give up everything he's ever known for a chance at something better

Ah, you hate to see another tired man
Feeling empathy for someone who is exhausted and worn out

Lay down his hand like he was giving up the holy game of poker
Giving up on something he's been committed to for a long time

And while he talks his dreams to sleep you notice there's a highway
Realizing that while he's talking about his aspirations, he's also planning an escape

That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder
The idea of leaving and starting over is constantly on his mind

You tell him to come in sit down
Inviting him to stay and seek shelter

But something makes you turn around
Something doesn't feel right

The door is open you can't close your shelter
It's too late to take back the offer of shelter

You try the handle of the road, it opens, do not be afraid
Encouraging him to take a chance on something new and unknown

It's you my love, you who are the stranger
Realizing that the stranger is someone who was always meant to be in your life

Well, I've been waiting, I was sure
I've been waiting for this moment, and I knew it was going to happen

We'd meet between the trains we're waiting for
Meeting between the opportunities and choices in our lives

I think it's time to board another
It's time to move on to the next stage in our lives

Please understand, I never had a secret chart
I didn't have a plan, I didn't know exactly how this was going to happen

To get me to the heart of this or any other matter
I didn't know how to get to the root of this, or any other complex issue

Well, he talks like this you don't know what he's after
The stranger speaks cryptically, and it's hard to figure out his intentions

When he speaks like this you don't know what he's after
It's still difficult to understand what the stranger is trying to say

Let's meet tomorrow if you choose
Planning to meet again in the future if that's what you want

Upon the shore, beneath the bridge
Meeting in a specific location with symbolic meaning

That they are building on some endless river
Meeting at a location that is constantly changing and evolving

Then he leaves the platform for the sleeping car that's warm
Going back to where he came from, a place of comfort and safety

You realize, he's only advertising one more shelter
The stranger is not as mysterious as he seems, he's just looking for a place to stay

And it comes to you, he never was a stranger
Realizing that the stranger was never really a stranger at all

And you say okay, the bridge or someplace later
Agreeing to meet again, but not necessarily at the specific location previously discussed

I told you when I came I was a stranger
Repeating the fact that the stranger was introduced as someone unknown in the beginning