Leonard Cohen - The Stranger Song Lyrics

It's true that all the men you knew were dealers
who said they were through with dealing
Every time you gave them shelterI 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"
"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 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 manlay 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 is 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's 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
When 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 ok the bridge or someplace later.
And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind ...
And leaning on your window sill ...

I told you when I came I was a stranger.