The Stranger Song Lyrics - Songs Of Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen

It's 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, it's 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 

He'll 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 

He'll 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, he'll 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 

Oh, you've seen that man before 

His golden arm dispatching cards 

But now it's rusted from the elbows 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 

Ah, you hate to see 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 there's a highway 

That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder 

It's curling just like smoke above his shoulder 

You tell him to come in sit down 

But something makes you turn around 

The door is open you can't close your shelter 

You try the handle of the road, it opens, do not be afraid 

It's you my love, you who are the stranger 

It is you my love, you who are the stranger 

Well, I've been waiting, I was sure 

We'd meet between the trains we're waiting for 

I think it's 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 don't know what he's after 

When he speaks like this you don't know what he's after 

Let's meet tomorrow if you choose 

Upon the shore, beneath the bridge 

That they are building on some endless river 

Then he leaves the platform for the sleeping car that's warm 

You realize, he's only advertising one more shelter 

And it comes to you, he never was a stranger 

And you say okay, 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 

He'll 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 

He'll 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, he'll say 

I told you when I came I was a stranger 

I told you when I came I was a stranger 

I told you when I came I was a stranger 

I told you when I came I was a stranger