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Stranger
dr dog Lyrics
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I just never learned the math
That one and one don't equal two
They often equal half
I have tried to live the high life
The best that I know how
And bought my share of debonair
I do believe that there are no more tricks up my sleeve
The good old days have passed and the good times after that
And slowly I've become undone
A stranger with a stranger heart
Well I plan to hit the bottom
The bottle then the top
And I pray that something quits me
Before I gotta stop
Cause the masquerade is over
But I was barely there
The mask come off the gilded cloth
Yet I'm just barely here
I do believe that there are no more tricks up my sleeve
The good old days have passed and the good times after that
And slowly I've become undone
A stranger with a stranger heart
The song "Stranger" by Dr Dog is one that explores the idea of feeling lost in one's own life. The first verse talks about how despite going through years of schooling, the singer still struggles with basic math - this can be interpreted as a metaphor for not being able to make sense of life's ups and downs. Furthermore, the line "They often equal half" could represent feeling like one never quite gets the full picture of what life is supposed to be like. In the second verse, the singer admits that despite trying to live a glamorous lifestyle and impress others, they feel like they've run out of tricks and are slowly becoming disconnected from themselves. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer feels like a stranger, both to themselves and to the world around them.
The third verse talks about hitting rock bottom, as the singer plans to turn to alcohol in order to cope with their feelings of disillusionment. However, they also hope that something will come along and save them before they completely hit rock bottom. The final verse uses the metaphor of a mask coming off to represent the idea that the singer is slowly losing touch with their true self. Despite being surrounded by material possessions and people, they still feel like they are barely existing.
Overall, "Stranger" is a song that speaks to the feeling of being lost in one's own life and feeling disconnected from oneself. It touches on themes of disillusionment, materialism, and the struggle to find one's place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
20 years of schooling
Despite receiving extensive education throughout my life,
I just never learned the math
I have not been able to grasp the fundamental principles of life,
That one and one don't equal two
Such as the fact that things are not always as simple as they seem,
They often equal half
And sometimes the results are not what we hope for.
I have tried to live the high life
I have attempted to live a life of luxury and extravagance,
The best that I know how
To the best of my abilities,
And bought my share of debonair
And I have indulged in various forms of elegance and sophistication,
And parlayed it on the crowd
While attracting attention and admiration from others.
I do believe that there are no more tricks up my sleeve
However, I now feel that I have exhausted all the tricks and tactics I had to offer,
The good old days have passed and the good times after that
And the times of my past glory days have faded into history, and there is no hope for anything better in the future.
And slowly I've become undone
As a result, I am falling apart,
A stranger with a stranger heart
And the person I have become is a complete stranger to myself, with a heart that is unfamiliar and detached.
Well I plan to hit the bottom
I have made the decision to reach rock bottom,
The bottle then the top
Starting with alcohol and then whatever heights I can achieve,
And I pray that something quits me
And I hope that some external force will stop me before I destroy myself completely,
Before I gotta stop
Before I am forced to stop on my own.
Cause the masquerade is over
My façade has come to an end,
But I was barely there
Yet, I never really existed underneath it all,
The mask come off the gilded cloth
And now the mask of luxury and opulence has been removed,
Yet I'm just barely here
Leaving me as an empty shell of a person, barely present in my own life.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DANIEL NEIL MCDOUGALL, TOR MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ICO
Still out here listening to your songs, and this song came out when I was 8 years old. Growing up with your music has been nice, but I wish y'all made a new album. Much love
MrGrunge99
This album makes me want to learn how to play bass. Their bassist is spot-on in almost every song, especially "Later".
89arnburg
this band is soooooooooooooo under rated
Sadonomy
Just saw them in Birmingham... oh yeah everyone's in for a real treat, amazing show!
3th0s
I love the "lead bass" sound.
Sherod Smallman
THIS song is so amazing !!!! If you listen to the lyrics its sad
Sunni Beach
this song kicks ass....... signed, addicted to dr. dog ♥
Zanai Torney
no one has been here since 2012, either way they still are great
KrustyKrabIsUnfair __
I’m here bro
Joshua Rodriguez
wow...i can't wait for the album