the  stranger  song  -  leonard  cohen

its  true  that  all  the  men  you  knew  were  dealers

who  said  they  were  through  with  dealing

every  time  you  gave  them  shelter

i  know  that  kind  of  man

its  hard  to  hold  the  hand  of  anyone

who  is  reaching  for  the  sky  just  to  surrender.

who  is  reaching  for  the  sky  just  to  surrender.

and  then  sweeping  up  the  jokers  that  he  left  behind

you  find  he  did  not  leave  you  very  much

not  even  laughter

like  any  dealer  he  was  watching  for  the  card

that  is  so  high  and  wild

hell  never  need  to  deal  another

he  was  just  some  joseph  looking  for  a  manger

he  was  just  some  joseph  looking  for  a  manger.

and  then  leaning  on  your  window  sill

hell  say  one  day  you  caused  his  will

to  weaken  with  your  love  and  warmth  and  shelter

and  then  taking  from  his  wallet

an  old  schedule  of  trains,  hell  say

i  told  you  when  i  came  i  was  a  stranger

but  now  another  stranger  seems  to  want  you  to  ignore  his  dreams

as  though  they  were  the  burden  of  some  other

o  youve  seen  that  man  before

his  golden  arm  dispatching  cards

but  now  its  rusted  from  the  elbow  to  the  finger

and  he  wants  to  trade  the  game  he  plays  for  shelter

yes  he  wants  to  trade  the  game  he  knows  for  shelter.

you  hate  to  watch  another  tired  man

lay  down  his  hand

like  he  was  giving  up  the  holy  game  of  poker

and  while  he  talks  his  dreams  to  sleep

you  notice  theres  a  highway

that  is  curling  up  like  smoke  above  his  shoulder

its  curling  up  like  smoke  above  his  shoulder.

you  tell  him  to  come  in  sit  down

but  something  makes  you  turn  around

the  door  is  open  you  cant  close  you  shelter

you  try  the  handle  of  the  road

it  opens  do  not  be  afraid

its  you  my  love,  you  who  are  the  stranger

it  is  you  my  love,  you  who  are  the  stranger.

well,  ive  been  waiting,  i  was  sure

wed  meet  between  the  trains  were  waiting  for

i  think  its  time  to  board  another

please  understand,  i  never  had  a  secret  chart

to  get  me  to  the  heart  of  this

or  any  other  matter

well  he  talks  like  this

you  dont  know  what  hes  after

when  he  speaks  like  this,

you  dont  know  what  hes  after.

lets  meet  tomorrow  if  you  chose

upon  the  shore,  beneath  the  bridge

that  they  are  building  on  some  endless  river

then  he  leaves  the  platform

for  the  sleeping  car  thats  warm

you  realize,  hes  only  advertising  one  more  shelter

and  it  comes  to  you,  he  never  was  a  stranger

and  you  say  ok  the  bridge  or  someplace  later.

and  then  sweeping  up  the  jokers

that  he  left  behind

you  find  he  did  not  leave  you  very  much

not  even  laughter

like  any  dealer  he  was  watching  for  the  card

that  is  so  high  and  wild

hell  never  need  to  deal  another

he  was  just  some  joseph  looking  for  a  manger

he  was  just  some  joseph  looking  for  a  manger.

and  leaning  on  your  window  sill

hell  say  one  day  you  caused  his  will

to  weaken  with  your  love  and  warmth  and  shelter

and  then  taking  from  his  wallet

an  old  schedule  of  trains

hell  say  i  told  you  when  i  came  i  was  a  stranger

i  told  you  when  i  came  i  was  a  stranger.