From there, the band would continue to rise in the charts. In 2007, they released their fifth full-length, The Flame in All of Us, which was produced by Ken Andrews (Beck, Chris Cornell, Pete Yorn). Arriving in 2009, the aggressive Welcome to the Masquerade, which would be the band's last release with Tooth & Nail, entered the Billboard Top 200 at number 35, peaking at number two on the Christian rock chart. It was their most successful album to date and would spawn the band's first live album, Live at the Masquerade. The group's next studio album, The End Is Where We Begin, was issued in 2012. It was their first album released entirely independently. Continuing the upward chart trajectory with each subsequent release, The End debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200, and claimed the top spots on both the hard rock and Christian charts. In late 2013, the band released Made in Canada: The 1998-2010 Collection, which included two new tracks. Thousand Foot Krutch remained independent into 2014, relying on crowd-sourcing for the release of the energetic Oxygen: Inhale, the first part of a pair of hard rock chart-topping LPs. The heavier Exhale followed in 2016, marking TFK's third consecutive Christian number one.
Stranger
Thousand Foot Krutch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just need something to cure the infection
I don't want to be your misconception
No, no, don't want to break the connection
It's just the pent up aggression
That drives me into this direction
If I had to ask just one question
"Oh no, how come they don't listen?"
I don't want to slip, I don't want to fall,
I don't want to care, or be here at all,
I don't want to crash, I don't want to burn,
I won't want to forget what I've learned
I'm a stranger that no one can see
A stranger to every part of me
I'm a stranger to all that I know
A stranger, everywhere I go
Sometimes I don't hate but I want to
Blinded by the reason I found you
It's just a feeling I get when I'm around you
Can you relate to what I'm going through?
How much farther will I get?
Man, I feel like such a moving target
how many times will I slip before I find it?
Until then I guess I'll just keep climbing
It's so hard when you're a loser
Heaven help us find our way
And it's so hard 'cause I'm a loser
Heaven help me feel okay
The song "Stranger" by Thousand Foot Krutch touches on the internal turmoil that people often struggle with. The first verse delves into the desire to connect with others, but at the same time, the fear of being misunderstood or misconstrued. The "state of affection" is something that most people crave, but it can also lead to an infection, a metaphor for the negative consequences that can come with relationships. The singer doesn't want to be seen as a misconception and doesn't want to lose the connection they have with someone.
The chorus reiterates the fear of failure and wanting to escape from the pain of life. The singer expresses a desire to forget what they've learned because learning can often lead to pain. They feel like a stranger to themselves, and everyone around them is a stranger as well. They don't know how to connect with others, and they don't even know themselves.
The second verse continues this theme of not wanting to fall and be a loser. The singer feels like a moving target, always slipping before they find their footing. They question their own capability to achieve their goals. They also express love to someone, but the feeling is clouded by their internal pain and confusion.
Overall, the song is both expressive and introspective. It deals with many issues that people face in their daily lives, particularly with regards to relationships and self-doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
It's just the state of affection
This is just what love does to me
Just need something to cure the infection
I need someone to heal my heart
I don't want to be your misconception
I don't want to be falsely understood
No, no, don't want to break the connection
I don't want to lose our bond
It's just the pent up aggression
I'm only acting out because of my suppressed anger
That drives me into this direction
It's motivating me to move forward
If I had to ask just one question
I only need to ask why it seems like no one listens
"Oh no, how come they don't listen?"
I wonder why no one seems to hear me
I don't want to slip, I don't want to fall,
I don't want to make any mistakes
I don't want to care, or be here at all,
I don't want to exist in this state of mind
I don't want to crash, I don't want to burn,
I don't want to completely fall apart
I won't want to forget what I've learned
I don't want to lose my progress
I'm a stranger that no one can see
I feel invisible to the world
A stranger to every part of me
I don't even know myself
I'm a stranger to all that I know
I don't recognize anything anymore
A stranger, everywhere I go
I feel disconnected from the world around me
Sometimes I don't hate but I want to
Sometimes I don't feel negative, but I can't help it
Blinded by the reason I found you
My love for you is clouding my judgment
It's just a feeling I get when I'm around you
I feel a certain way when I'm near you
Can you relate to what I'm going through?
Do you understand my struggles?
How much farther will I get?
How long until I reach my goals?
Man, I feel like such a moving target
I feel like I can't stay still
how many times will I slip before I find it?
How many times will I fail before I succeed?
Until then I guess I'll just keep climbing
Until I make it, I'll keep trying
It's so hard when you're a loser
It's tough when you feel like a failure
Heaven help us find our way
I hope a higher power guides us
And it's so hard 'cause I'm a loser
It's especially hard because I feel like a loser
Heaven help me feel okay
I hope I can find peace and happiness
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVE AUGUSTINE, JOEL BRUYERE, TREVOR MCNEVAN, ARNOLD LANNI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind