It was covered to moderate success in 1988 by Echo and the Bunnymen for The Lost Boys soundtrack. It was also covered in 2000 by Twiztid on the album Freek Show. Pianist George Winston also covered the song on his album Night Divides the Day - The Music of the Doors.
People Are Strange
The Doors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're a stranger
Faces look ugly
When you're alone
Women seem wicked
When you're unwanted
Streets are uneven
When you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
People are strange
When you're a stranger
Faces look ugly
When you're alone
Women seem wicked
When you're unwanted
Streets are uneven
When you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
All right, yeah!
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
The Doors’ “People Are Strange” is a melancholic ride that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of loneliness and isolation. The song describes how everything around us can seem strange and uncomfortable when we are feeling down and out. This effect is emphasized by the repetition of the opening verse which is sung twice in the beginning and end of the song. The lyrics delve into how people and situations can appear extremely strange if one is feeling like a stranger, an outsider in the world around them.
Jim Morrison’s vocals are full of raw emotion and create a perfect enigma around the song. The repeated line “When you’re strange”, adds to the sense of mystery as it is left open to interpretation. The verses indirectly point towards the idea of alienation and social exclusion which lead to a sense of disorientation. The lines “Faces come out of the rain” and “No one remembers your name” encapsulate this feeling of loneliness while the line “Women seem wicked when you're unwanted”, adds a subtle theme of misogyny.
Overall, “People Are Strange” is a haunting reminder that the state of our minds has a huge role to play in the way we perceive the world around us. The song is an ode to the darker, more vulnerable side of the human psyche and how negative thoughts can color our perception of everything we see.
Line by Line Meaning
People are strange
People can behave in unexpected ways that others may find strange
When you're a stranger
It can be difficult to relate to others when you are an outsider in a new or unfamiliar environment
Faces look ugly
The appearance of others can be distorted or unappealing when you are feeling isolated or disconnected
When you're alone
Being without companionship or a sense of belonging can make you feel disconnected and distanced from others
Women seem wicked
The actions of women, who are traditionally seen as nurturing and supportive, can seem cruel or harmful when you are feeling unwanted or unsupported
When you're unwanted
Feeling like you are unimportant or undervalued can make you feel isolated and unloved
Streets are uneven
The world can feel unstable and unpredictable when you are feeling down or depressed
When you're down
Feeling sad or discouraged can make it difficult to see the world in a positive light
Faces come out of the rain
Unexpected or unknown persons can become more apparent and alarming when you are feeling vulnerable
No one remembers your name
Feeling unnoticed or unimportant can be deeply distressful when you are feeling disconnected or alone
When you're strange
Being different, unusual, or unfamiliar can make it difficult to connect with others and feel accepted in society
When you're strange
Repeating the line emphasizes the theme of feeling disconnected and unusual
When you're strange
The repeated line emphasizes the theme of feeling isolated and disconnected
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Roba Music Verlag GMBH, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jim Morrison, John Paul Densmore, Raymond D Manzarek, Robert A Krieger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mhayes33120
If you had a brain, you would take it out and play with it.
Listen stupid person,
" Everybody talking about
Heaven { ain't } going there. "
" He was in the world and the world was made through Him
and the world { did not } know Him.
He came to His own, and His own { did not } receive Him.
But as many as received Him, to { them } He gave the right to
become children of God.
To those { who believe in His name } , who were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. "
To those who are born from above.
To those who are born of the { Spirit } .
To those who are { born again } .
And { only } to those. ✔
@elmo6123
People are strange
When you're a stranger
Faces look ugly
When you're alone
Women seem wicked
When you're unwanted
Streets are uneven
When you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
People are strange
When you're a stranger
Faces look ugly
When you're alone
Women seem wicked
When you're unwanted
Streets are uneven
When you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
All right, yeah
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
@godbladerzerg9895
My Top 10 Favorite Songs of THE DOORS
1. People Are Strange
2. Light My Fire
3. Love Me Two Times
4. The End
5. L.A. Woman
6. Break On Throught
7. Riders On The Storm
8. Roadhouse Blues
9. The Crystal Ship
10. Not No Touch The Earth
Comment on your Favorite Songs 👍🏻
@scottoconnor
It's kind of strange how this song never gets old.
@Vince-wd1lk
Well it is a over 53 years old
@Lunarosalina
yess, always sounds as hauntingly beautiful as the first time I heard it!
@bagofbones95
Good songs never gets old.
😎
@frankiebutler2894
When Jim told the other bandmates to start writing songs, Jim said just write about something that will last for time, not trendy things.(This is according to Robbie). Robbie thought about it, & came up with "Light My Fire"!!! So trendy themes are out. This song, & most of other "Doors" songs, are proving the test of time, as you said.
@EddieC3336
They stand the test of time like was said because like true art it lives forever
@lydiagray1627
It is sad when your own family makes you feel strange, but this song accurately describes how a person's family can make them feel, when they reject you, especially for some small almost nonexistent reason.
@prodzeiu
Just what I needed on a lonely night at 4am.
@Littlewing6was9
Love and blessings from Manchester England 💙💚💜
@callofthewintermoon
4:10 am now