Verse 1
A few short months 'for I was born,
On a hot and humid July morn',
A stranger came to our Tennessee town--
It was easy to see that he'd been around:
So full of stories of varying themes,
Tales of woe, of passion and dreams.
--Right then from the very start
He captivated my Papa's heart,
And before you could whistle "Jimmy crack corn
Papa had invited him home!

Verse 2
Then I was born and filled my space,
And as I grew up I never questioned his place.
He'd sit right there in the corner and weave
His stories by the hour, & no one could leave;
Hypnotized by the tales he told,
We were fascinated! Why, he could hold
Our whole family spellbound hours on end
Except for Mama, who'd recommend
We all grab some book, or go outside
And get some exercise.

Chorus 1
Who's he, the stranger,
That's molding our thoughts and lives?
Is he a danger, or just opening up our eyes?
Who's he, the stranger, an enemy or a friend?
One thing for sure:
We'll never be the same again,
We'll never be the same again.

Verse 3
Now, he knew the past like no other creature,
Understood the present, predicted the future--
Politics, history, science or sports,
Why, he knew it all, a genius of sorts.
He took us to all his favorite places,
And filled our anxious, waiting faces
With all the good things he'd been told--
Yep, he knew the World, it's glitter and gold;
But he also knew the darker side,
And loved to lay it before our eyes!

Verse 4
Now Papa and Mama had strong convictions,
And ran our house with loving restrictions:
No bad language was ever to be heard--
But how the stranger liked four-letter words
That stung my ears and made 'em burn,
And made dear Mama and Papa squirm!
He'd boldly stand right there and sneer
At values that my folks held dear.
Why, to this day I just cannot perceive
Why Papa never asked him to leave!

Verse 5
He had some strange ideas about sex,
And constantly offered us cigarettes--
Preaching to us that beer and wine
Would somehow bring us peace of mind.
Gory stories filled with action
And bloody endings were his passion.
As I look back on all those years,
I truly feel that so many fears
I've had through life were planted then,
While spending time with him.

Chorus 2
Who's he, the stranger,
That's molding our thoughts and lives?
Is he a danger, or just opening up our eyes?
Who's he, the stranger, an enemy or a friend?
One thing for sure:
We'll never be the same again,
We'll never be the same again.

Verse 6
Now 40 years have come and gone,
And both Mama and Papa have slowed down some.
Papa's no longer so in a daze
From the stranger's talkative ways.
But to this day, if you walk in
My parent's house, there in the den
The stranger sits, just a-waitin' for
Someone to listen to his stories
And those tales he loves to weave.
His name? --We just called him " TV." -

Chorus 3
TV, the stranger,
That's molding our thoughts and lives.
Is he a danger, or just opening up our eyes?
TV, the stranger,
Be careful what he has to say!
One thing's for sure:
You'd better take control today,
You'd better take control,

Chorus 4
TV, the stranger,
That's molding our thoughts and lives.
Is he a danger, or just opening up our eyes?
TV, the stranger,
Be careful what he has to say!
One thing's for sure:
You'd better take control today,
You'd better take control today!

 

"THE STRANGER" (with chords)

Capo: 2nd fret

Intro: (Em)

Verse 1
A (Em)few short months 'for I was born,
On a (A)hot and humid July morn',
A (C)stranger came to our (D)Tennessee town--
It was (Em)easy to see that he'd been a(Bm7/F#)round:
(Em)So full of stories of varying themes,
(A)Tales of woe, of passion and dreams.
(C)--Right then from the (D)very start
He (Am)captivated my (G/B)Papa's heart,
And be(C)fore you could whistle (D)"Jimmy crack corn
(B7/D#)Papa had in(B7)vited him (Em)home! (G)-(A)(Em)-(G)-(D)-(A)

Verse 2
Then (Em)I was born and filled my space,
And as (A)I grew up I never questioned his place.
He'd (C)sit right there in the (D)corner and weave
His (Em)stories by the hour, & no one could (Bm7/F#)leave;
(Em)Hypnotized by the tales he told,
We were (A)fascinated! Why, he could hold
Our (C)whole family spellbound (D)hours on end--
(Am)Except for Mama, who'd (G/B)recommend
We all (C)grab some book, or (D)go outside
And (B7/D#)get some (B7)exer(Em)cise. (G)-(A)(Em)-(G)-(D)-(A)

Chorus 1
Who's (Em)he, the (C)stranger,
That's (D)molding our thoughts and (G)lives?
Is (Em)he a (A7)danger, or just (D)opening up our (Am/C)eyes? (Am)
Who's (Em)he, the (C)stranger, an (D)enemy or a (G)friend?
(Cmaj7)One thing for sure:
We'll (Bm7)never be the same a(Am7)gain,
We'll never be the same a(Em)gain.

(Em)-(G)-(A) (Em)-(G)-(D)-(A)
(Em)-(G)-(A) (Em)-(G)-(D)-(A)

Verse 3
Now, (Em)he knew the past like no other creature,
(A)Understood the present, predicted the future--
(C)Politics, history, (D)science or sports,
Why, (Em)he knew it all, a genius of (Bm7)sorts.
He (Em)took us to all his favorite places,
And (A)filled our anxious, waiting faces
With (C)all the good things (D)he'd been told--
Yep, (Am)he knew the World, it's (G/B)glitter and gold;
But (C)he also knew the (D)darker side,
And (B7/D#)loved to (B7)lay it before our (Em)eyes!

(Fm)-(Cm/G)-(Fm)-(Cm/G)

Verse 4
Now (Fm)Papa and Mama had strong convictions,
And (Bb)ran our house with loving restrictions:
(Db)No bad language was (Eb)ever to be heard--
But (Fm)how the stranger liked four-letter (Cm7/G)words
That (Fm)stung my ears and made 'em burn,
And (Bb)made dear Mama and Papa squirm!
He'd (Db)boldly stand right (Eb)there and sneer
At (Bbm)values that my (Ab/C)folks held dear.
Why, (Db)to this day I just (Eb)cannot perceive
Why (C7/E)Papa never (C7)asked him to (Fm)leave!

(Ab)-(Bb) (Fm)-(Ab)-(Eb)-(Bb)

Verse 5
He (Fm)had some strange ideas about sex,
And (Bb)constantly offered us cigarettes--
(Db)Preaching to us that (Eb)beer and wine
Would (Fm)somehow bring us peace of (Cm7/G)mind.
(Fm)Gory stories filled with action
And (Bb)bloody endings were his passion.
(Db)As I look back on (Eb)all those years,
I (Bbm)truly feel that (Ab/C)so many fears
I've (Db)had through life were (Eb)planted then,
While (C7)spending time with (Fm)him.

(Ab)-(Eb)-(Bb)

Chorus 2
Who's (Fm)he, the (Db)stranger,
That's (Eb)molding our thoughts and (Ab)lives?
Is (Fm)he a (Bb)danger, or just (Eb)opening up our (Bbm/Db)eyes? (Bbm)
Who's (Fm)he, the (Db)stranger, an (Eb)enemy or a (Ab)friend?
(Dbmaj7)One thing for sure:
We'll (Cm7)never be the same a(Bbm7)gain,
We'll never be the same (Fm)again.

(Ab)-(Bb) (Fm)-(Ab)-(Eb)-(Bb)

Verse 6
Now (Fm)40 years have come and gone,
And both (Bb)Mama and Papa have slowed down some.
(Dd)Papa's no longer (Eb)so in a daze
From (Fm)the stranger's talkative ways.
But (Fm)to this day, if you walk in
My (Bb)parent's house, there in the den
The (Db)stranger sits, just a-(Eb)waitin' for
(Bbm)Someone to listen (Ab/C)to his stories
(Db)And those tales he (Eb)loves to weave.
His (C7/E)name? --We just called him " TV." (Fm)(Ab)-(Eb)

Chorus 3
T(Fm)V, the (Db)stranger,
That's (Eb)molding our thoughts and (Ab)lives.
Is (Fm)he a (Bb)danger, or just (Eb)opening up our (Bbm/Db)eyes? (Bbm)
T(Fm)V, the (Db)stranger,
Be (Eb)careful what he has to (Ab)say!
(Dbmaj7)One thing's for sure:
You'd (Cm7)better take control to(Bbm7)day,
You'd better take control,

Chorus 4
T(Fm)V, the (Db)stranger,
That's (Eb)molding our thoughts and (Ab)lives.
Is (Fm)he a (Bb)danger, or just (Eb)opening up our (Bbm/Db)eyes? (Bbm)
T(Fm)V, the (Db)stranger,
Be (Eb)careful what he has to (Ab)say!
(Dbmaj7)One thing's for sure:
You'd (Cm7)better take control to(Bbm7)day,
You'd better take control to(Fm)day!

(Ab)-(Bb) (Fm)-(Ab)-(Eb)-(Bb)
(Fm)-(Ab)-(Bb) (Fm)-(Ab)-(Eb)-(Bb) (Eb)-(Fm)