Tom Waits - I Never Talk To Strangers Lyrics






stop me if you've heard this one
i feel as though we've met before
perhaps i'm mistaken
but it's just that i remind you
of someone you used to care about
but that was long ago
do you think i'd fall for that
i wasn't born yesterday
besides i never talk to strangers anyway

i ain't a bad guy when you get to know me
i just thought there ain't no harm
hey just try minding your own business
bud who asked you to annoy me
with your sad repartee
besides i never talk to strangers anyway

your life's a dimestore novel
this town is full of guys like you
and you're looking for someone to take the place of her
and you're bitter cause he left you
that's why you're drinkin in this bar
well only suckers fall in love
with perfect strangers

it always takes one to know one stranger
maybe we're just wiser now
and been around the block so many times
that we don't notice
that we're all just perfect strangers
as long as we ignore
that we all begin as strangers
just before we find
we really aren't strangers anymore





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Tom Waits I Never Talk To Strangers Comments
  1. N.... W....

    Something about the harmonies on the last line (we really aren't strangers anymore) moves me to tears every time I hear it.

  2. S.... ....

    "You must be readin' my mail."
    Yeah . . . she's reading the male all right.

  3. D.... L....

    Because fuck Trump.

  4. N.... Z....

    Lost strangers finding love. Deeply heartfelt.

  5. g.... p....

    Just lovely

  6. K.... W....

    Bette and Tom! Sell my clothes I am going to heaven.

  7. E.... B....

    put this song on my death list, for sure !

  8. B.... _....

    I can't stop reminiscing

  9. B.... G....

    What is so fantastic about this tune is that both Midler and Waits are forever intertwined in the legal field for successfully suing a bunch of unoriginal car and chips corporations and their ad agencies for blatantly ripping off each of their UNIQUE vocal stylings with spot-on soundalikes all for the sake of crass commercialism and profits (cheezy radio jingles clearly intended to sound like Midler and Waits, without either's consent, when they have a right to publicity for their own likeness = VOICE MISAPPROPRIATION under California law, aka "the Midler tort"--an extension of the common law tort of misappropriation that allowed Waits to recover $2.6 million from Frito Lay!).

    Midler's case was decided first, in the late '80s (9th Circuit reversed a lower court judgment for the defendant and held that this was a sound legal basis for a singer to use to recover, as long as they were sufficiently well-known). Waits' case was in the early '90s, and also went to the 9th Circuit on appeal, which upheld his massive jury verdict.

    Both singers had too much integrity to sell out, and Waits is on the record testifying against the ad purveyors, mocking the ad as a “corn chip sermon” and calling it the equivalent of someone reconstructing his face: “All the scars, dimples, the lines all being in the same place.” So bad ass--I love Tom Waits!!!

  10. t.... ....

    I am a great fan of Bette Middler for many years-- saw her in concert several times-- even with Barry Manilow  BUT BUT I am listening to this and did not recognize this was BM!!!!!

  11. H.... G....

    I just LOVE this song :D

  12. D.... W....

    Bette being the beautiful person she is. Love her on this.

  13. M.... ....

    Bette Midler, still a legend... (Who is the gravelly voiced raggedy backing singer?).

    M.... ....

    +MrShepperson: The low toned voice accompanying Bette Midler is the composer of this piece as well as many other great compositions, Tom Waits.

    M.... ....

    He wrote a lot for her around that time, isn't 'Muriel' one of his? 

    M.... ....

    I am not sure Muriel was written for her, it is on his early albums Foreign Affairs so I don't think he wrote it for Miss Middler. She covered more of his songs, like Shiver me timbers and Martha ......... she did a great job, thank god totally different cause no one can beat Tom Waits ofcourse....

    M.... ....

    Less gavel in Blue Valentine, Heart Attack & vine.

  14. m.... ....

    I think this is one of the best things Bette Midler has ever done..... is there anything else she did that is similar ? I like the fact that she is more subdued here, not bellowing and wailing as she is prone to do..... GREAT DUET, Thanks Tom Waits !!

    m.... ....

    Loved her in this period. Her delicate touch to this song is amazing!!!

    m.... ....

    From what I've read about the recording of this song--and it could all be myth, who knows--Tom acted like this was a rehearsal so as to keep things loose, and Bette didn't know he would use this take. Apparently, she wanted to redo the vocals, because they are raw and dirty, but I think the song is perfect as it is.

    m.... ....

    Ah that explains why she's singing as flat as a pancake through most of the song...

    m.... ....

    Try the soundtrack from the movie For The Boys. She and James Caan sang a ballad or two on it.

    m.... ....

    Many of the songs on this album, BROKEN BLOSSOM, are very subdued and soulful. I would definitely suggest you check out the full album for more Bette like this.

  15. A.... K....

    anyone know where i could find the sheet music to that amazing piano work please?

    A.... K....

    +Alex Kelly:  I've tried looking for the sheet music myself, can not find it.  I agree that piano is amazing just as much as the sax.  One of my all time favorite duets; I've gone as far as trying to figure it out myself and playing it by ear, the nice thing about having this track on a cassette, you can play it over and over again until you got it down...

    A.... K....

    +Ixchel Recio Correction: You can purchase the music on line but I've found that usually its the dumb down versions rather than the original composer. I suggest going to your local music store and ordering it through them. I have a great relationship with the employees at my local music store and they know what I'm looking for; I'm lucky these guys know music and pretty good musicians themselves.

    A.... K....

    https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=14004639&lid=14004639&seriesfeature=LITTLE&&viewtype=songlist

  16. J.... S....

    Fantastisk - dog lidt fragile

  17. J.... K....

    I sang this song in a cabaret show I wrote in the late 90's.. my pianist was the pianist for The Duke Ellington Orchestra. I really got him hooked on Tom Waits early stuff. I met my pianist one night after our rehearsal. He was waiting in a bar near the Victory theater in the east village in NYC and having a drink before playing for Savion Glover's show. Five minutes after I left, who walks in but Tom Waits. I've never lived that down.. but I took it as a good omen.

    J.... K....

    Excellent story. I only wish my life were as interesting as yours.

    J.... K....

    It's true. I was floored when I was told he was just there. Hope someday I'll get a chance to meet him. My pianist is now the leader of The Duke Ellington Orchestra. Tommy James.

    J.... K....

    I hope the same. I would love to meet the kerosene-voiced, Bristol-Cream-singing man in person. Unfortunately, I was born far too late to meet him when he was performing music among his contemporaries in New York. Still, I still hope I can catch at least one of his live shows before it's too late.

    J.... K....

    I don't suppose you have any footage of the cabaret that you could upload to YouTube, do you? Obviously, the video quality back then was somewhat less awesome than it is now (I speak/type from sad experience. Some of my band footage from back then -- that I thought looked amazing at the time -- is nigh unwatchable!), but I would love to see it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

  18. K.... ....

    Tom Waits is one of my favourite musicians, but I cannot stand Bette Middler.

  19. l.... j....

    Trying tot explain tot my daughter..beauty!

  20. J.... S....

    Most soulful Jewish girl in history.
    If Sandy Koufax had been born a girl, he'd have turned into Bette Midler.
    If Bette Midler had been born black, she'd have been Billie Holliday.

    J.... S....

    I think Amy Winehouse fans might disagree with you.

  21. K.... R....

    I would love to have Tom Waits hit on me at a fancy bar. When he imploringly groans 'oh baby' at the end I couldn't help but giggle coquettishly.

    K.... R....

    Personally, I would rather he hit on me at a dive bar.

    What can I say? I've always enjoyed the finer things in life....

  22. D.... W....

    Just. Wow

  23. S.... M....

    I'm not a huge Tom Waits fan but this is the most perfect song from his best album (in my opinion). I miss his jazzy days...

  24. R.... ....

    Lord, lord... I need a cigarette.

    R.... ....

    I am going to smoke one this very second. This very second.

  25. E.... ....

    My pleasure! ☼ ;-j

  26. A.... B....

    I have NOT heard this in ages, but thought abou it today for some reason and looked it up. Thanks for posting!

  27. T.... ....

    Damn. I thought I was on to something there.
    Nice bumping into you. Andy

  28. E.... ....

    lol...yea...sounds like I guess? lol You're half right ; I'm doing a youtube thing, but I'm not Tom... neither Uncle nor Bombaclat, I mean Bombadil..uh, maybe the middle one!? Raaaasss...hahaha...sorry, no free tickets or pass pal (and no Gun Street Girl either))·: the dweams ain't broken down here, they're just walking with limp. See ya around buddy ☺

  29. T.... ....

    So true! Hold on. Is this Tomwaitsyspeak? You sure your not Tom doing a youtube thing? It's the kind of thing he would say. If I am right can I have some free tickets and a backstage pass. I will be good.

  30. E.... ....

    ☺ Truth is, strangers are fiction.

  31. T.... ....

    On youtube you sometimes have to.
    Great Post! Tom at his best!

  32. o.... ....

    Could you imagine what this would be like if Ricky Lee Jones had've replaced Bette Midler???