Strangers (Elton John song)

Infobox Song
Name = Strangers
Type = Song
Artist = Elton John
Album = A Single Man (1998 reissue)


track_no = 16
Recorded = January-September 1978
Genre = Pop, Ballad
Length = 4:46
Label = MCA (US/Canada)
Rocket Records
Writer = Elton John, Gary Osborne
Producer = Clive Franks, Elton John
prev = "Lovesick"
prev_no = 15
next =
next_no =

Strangers is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Gary Osborne. It was originally released as the b-side to his 1979 disco-single "Victim of Love", but was recorded during the sessions for "A Single Man". It appeared on that album's 1998 remaster as the last track.

Musical structure

The song is build up as a simple ballad. It starts with sole piano, then it gets accompagnied by guitars, the rhythm section and various percussion. In the choruses, gospel is reminiscent, typical for John's compositions. Featured is also a country-esque guitar. There is also electric piano, which would be John's main sound for albums to come.

Lyrical meaning

The song deals with the trouble of not knowing each other well enough though you have been together as a couple for some time. It could easily be inspired by typical marital issues. The chorus sounds:

"Strangers, after all, we find we're strangers

"After all this time

"We've made the long and the lonely climb

"And now we've reached the part

"Where we find we're strangers

"We were strangers from the start"

A typical ballad, it got made into a b-side in late 1979. John managed to record 28 songs for the whole album sessions, with some of them ending up in cases like this one. Twelve songs have yet to surface from the sessions, including the demo for this song which allegedly was written as a waltz.