Stranger in Paradise
Tony Bennett; Arranged and conducted by Percy Faith Lyrics


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Take my hand I'm a stranger in paradise
All lost in a wonderland
A stranger in paradise
If I stand starry-eyed
That's a danger in paradise
For mortals who stand beside an angel like

I saw your face and I ascended
Out of the commonplace into the rare
Somewhere in space I hang suspended
Until I know there's a chance that you care

Won't you answer this fervent prayer
Of a stranger in paradise?
Don't send me in dark despair
From all that I hunger for

But open your angel's arms
To the stranger in paradise




And tell him that we need be
Our stranger no more

Overall Meaning

The song "Stranger in Paradise" by Tony Bennett is a beautiful love song that portrays the feeling of being lost in a wonderland, feeling starry-eyed and suspended, and being in danger because of the overwhelming feeling of standing beside an angel. The song speaks of the singer's yearning to be with the one he loves and how he is willing to overcome any obstacle to be with them. He wishes that his prayers will be answered and that he will not be left in dark despair without the one he loves.


The lyrics of this song paint a beautiful picture of paradise and the feeling of being lost in it. The singer describes how he saw the face of the one he loves and ascended out of the commonplace into the rare. The feeling of being suspended in space until he knows that his love is reciprocated is a powerful feeling that many people can relate to. The song is a plea for the one he loves to open their arms and embrace him, telling him that they need not be strangers anymore.


Overall, "Stranger in Paradise" is a beautifully written song that encompasses the feeling of love, longing, and desire. It speaks to the universal theme of wanting to be with the one you love and overcoming any obstacle to achieve that goal.


Line by Line Meaning

Take my hand I'm a stranger in paradise
Let me guide you through a magical place that is unfamiliar to me too


All lost in a wonderland
I'm confused and amazed by the beauty and mystery around us


A stranger in paradise
I'm an outsider in this perfect world that I'm discovering with you


If I stand starry-eyed
If I stare too long at the incredible sights around me


That's a danger in paradise
I might lose touch with reality and not appreciate the true wonder of it all


For mortals who stand beside an angel like
Because it's hard for ordinary people like us to comprehend this kind of beauty


I saw your face and I ascended
When I saw you, I felt like I was lifted up to a higher level of existence


Out of the commonplace into the rare
I left behind the everyday world and experienced something extraordinary


Somewhere in space I hang suspended
I feel weightless, as if I'm floating through the universe


Until I know there's a chance that you care
But I need to know you feel the same way or it will all be for nothing


Won't you answer this fervent prayer
Please tell me that my dream can come true


Of a stranger in paradise?
For someone who is discovering a perfect world for the first time?


Don't send me in dark despair
Please don't disillusion me or take away the happiness I've just found


From all that I hunger for
From the love and acceptance that I've been missing in my life


But open your angel's arms
Instead, show me your love and kindness


To the stranger in paradise
And let me belong to this perfect world forever


And tell him that we need be
And say that we should be together


Our stranger no more
And I won't be an outsider anymore




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Chet Forrest, Bob Wright

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

john huffinley

this is simpley the best recording of this classic song.

philip norris

R.I.P. Tony, yet another star in Heaven.

Buzz Vickers

I have to say I like Tony's rendition of this song more than the 4 Aces all though theirs was very good also.. It's just a beautiful song.

Harriet Ritter

I agree and I loved the 4 Aces.

April Black

RIP in peace 🎤🗽Tony.💕🙏🇺🇸👍

James Marshall

"But did you know the original theme was from the Polovetsian Dance No. 2 by Borodin?"

LOST SOUL

I did!!

Bic Parker

Yes

Michael Anderson

Everybody does.

Hestia A

Yes. Listen to our city’s classical music station all of the time.

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