Stranger Than You

Last updated
"Stranger Than You"
Joe Jackson Stranger Than You 2001 single cover.jpg
Single by Joe Jackson
from the album Night and Day II
B-side "Hell of a Town"
Released2000
Length3:47 (single version)
4:19 (album version)
Label Sony Classical
Songwriter(s) Joe Jackson
Producer(s) Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson singles chronology
"Statue of Liberty"
(1997)
"Stranger Than You"
(2000)
"Glamour and Pain"
(2002)

"Stranger Than You" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, released in 2000 as the lead single from his studio album Night and Day II (2000). The song was written and produced by Jackson. It reached No. 91 on the Dutch Single Top 100 chart. [1]

Contents

In a 2007 interview with FaceCulture, Jackson revealed his inspiration for the song: "It was one of the things that attracted me to New York; no matter how weird you think you are, there's always someone stranger than you." [2]

Critical reception

In a review of the single, FMQB wrote, "Joe Jackson's is a talent that encompasses styles and genres that just won't work on most mainstream radio stations. That's where we come in. Own this." [3] In a review of Night and Day II, Bernard Zuel of The Sydney Morning Herald felt "Stranger Than You" was reminiscent of Billy Joel and described it as a "fine pop song, though too stylish for mainstream radio". [4] L.A. Tarone of the Standard-Speaker considered it to use a "Chopin-ish piano as its foundation" and noted the "gorgeous chamber string explosion mid-tune". Lyrically, he added, "Jackson finds romance amidst the seemliness and is happy". [5]

Steve Darnall of the Chicago Tribune commented, "The sardonic overture 'Hell of a Town' and the Brill Building-influenced "Stranger Than You" prove that intimacy and humor are still Jackson's greatest assets." [6] Trouser Press noted the "humorous" aspect of the song's lyrics which "salut[es] the oddest characters Jackson's found in his adopted hometown". [7] Dw. Dunphy of Popdose picked the song as number two on a top ten list of Jackson's songs. Dunphy felt that Night and Day II was "probably an ill-advised project" where "several of the songs simply don't hang together", but added "Stranger Than You" was an exception. [8]

Track listing

CD single
  1. "Stranger Than You" - 4:19
  2. "Hell of a Town" - 3:19
CD single (European promo)
  1. "Stranger Than You" (Special Radio Edit) - 3:17
  2. "Hell of a Town" - 3:19
CD single (Canadian promo)
  1. "Stranger Than You" (Radio Edit) - 3:47
  2. "Stranger Than You" (Album Version) - 4:19
CD single (French promo)
  1. "Stranger Than You" (Radio Edit) - 3:47
  2. "Love Got Lost" - 4:24

Personnel

Production

Other

Charts

Chart (2000-01)Peak
position
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [9] 91
US Adult Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [10] 30
US Adult Alternative Top 30 ( Radio & Records ) [11] 20

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shining Light</span> 2001 single by Ash

"Shining Light" is a song by Ash, which was released as the first single from their album Free All Angels. It was released on 29 January 2001. It was released as a single CD and as a 7-inch vinyl. It was also Ash's first single to be released as an enhanced CD. "Shining Light" reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. The song had been covered by fellow Downpatrick songwriter Triona in 2015 which featured on a Power NI advert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wall of Voodoo</span> American rock band

Wall of Voodoo was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Though largely an underground act for the majority of its existence, the band came to prominence when its 1982 single "Mexican Radio" became a hit on MTV and alternative radio. The band was known for surrealist lyrics drawing on iconography of the American southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful Stranger</span> 1999 single by Madonna

"Beautiful Stranger" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on May 19, 1999, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records as a single from the soundtrack of the film, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Madonna co-wrote and co-produced the song with William Orbit. The soundtrack for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me was a much expected release and Madonna's song was chosen by the album's executive producers to promote it. "Beautiful Stranger" has appeared on two separate Madonna greatest hits collections: GHV2 (2001), Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022). Musically, "Beautiful Stranger" is a psychedelic pop and disco song that features heavily reverberated guitars and bouncy drum loops. Its lyrics tell the tale of a romantic infatuation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will You Be There</span> 1993 single by Michael Jackson

"Will You Be There" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson which was released as a single on June 28, 1993. The song is the eighth single from the 1991 album Dangerous. The song gained recognition for its appearance on the soundtrack to the film Free Willy (1993), under the title "Will You Be There ", of which it is the main theme, and was also included in the album All Time Greatest Movie Songs and video game Michael Jackson: The Experience. With the album version clocking in at seven minutes and forty-one seconds, it is the longest song in Michael Jackson's solo discography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strangers When We Meet (David Bowie song)</span> Song by David Bowie

"Strangers When We Meet" is a song by English musician David Bowie, originally recorded for his 1993 album The Buddha of Suburbia. In 1995, Bowie re-recorded the song for his Outside album, and this version was edited and released as the second single from the album, paired with a reworked version of Bowie's 1970 song "The Man Who Sold the World".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jam (Michael Jackson song)</span> 1992 single by Michael Jackson

"Jam" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released in July 1992 as the fourth single from his eight album, Dangerous (1991), where it is the opening track. It also appears as the second track on his 2009 This Is It compilation album. The single was re-released in 2006 as part of Jackson's Visionary: The Video Singles collection campaign, and it was remixed to the Cirque du Soleil's Immortal World Tour, releasing that remix on the soundtrack album. "Jam" is a new jack swing song whose bridge features a rap verse performed by Heavy D. The music video of the song featured NBA basketball legend Michael Jordan. The song was also featured on the Chicago Bulls 's 1992 NBA Championship video "Untouchabulls" and was also used in many promotional ads of the NBA in the said season. The single peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2006, reaching number 22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thursday's Child (David Bowie song)</span> Song by David Bowie

"Thursday's Child" is a song recorded by David Bowie for his twenty-second studio album Hours (1999). Written by Bowie and Reeves Gabrels, the song was released as the album's lead single on 20 September 1999, by Virgin Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far Away (Nickelback song)</span> 2006 single by Nickelback

"Far Away" is a song by Canadian band Nickelback. First released on January 23, 2006, in Australia, it was the second international single and the fourth US single from the band's fifth album, All the Right Reasons (2005). "Far Away" peaked at number eight in the United States, making All the Right Reasons the only Nickelback album to date to have more than one top-10 hit. The band's lead singer and guitarist Chad Kroeger described this song on the Tour when in Australia as the "only real love song" that Nickelback has. He described many others as "being about love" but not solely about "being in love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disremembrance</span> 1998 single by Dannii Minogue

"Disremembrance" is a song written by David Green and Ian Masterson for Australian singer Dannii Minogue's third studio album, Girl (1997). The song was produced by Flexifinger and received a positive reception from music critics. It was released by Eternal and Warner Music Group as the third single on 16 March 1998 and peaked at number 21 in the United Kingdom. In Australia, the song narrowly missed peaking within the top 50, reaching number 53 and spending five weeks in the top 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand</span> 1996 single by Primitive Radio Gods

"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" is a song by American alternative rock group Primitive Radio Gods. Their debut single, it was released from the soundtrack to the 1996 black comedy film The Cable Guy and was also included on the band's first album, Rocket. Its chorus consists of a sample from the 1964 B.B. King song "How Blue Can You Get", and the enigmatic lyrics of the song describe a troubling relationship in which two people cannot connect on an emotional level. The song was released in the United Kingdom on March 18, 1996, and was serviced to US radio on June 11, 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When You Were Young</span> 2006 single by the Killers

"When You Were Young" is a song by American rock band the Killers. It was released on September 18, 2006, as the lead single from their second studio album, Sam's Town (2006). The song was written and produced by The Killers and co-produced by Flood and Alan Moulder.

"It's All Coming Back to Me Now" is a power ballad written by Jim Steinman. According to Steinman, the song was inspired by Wuthering Heights, and was an attempt to write "the most passionate, romantic song" he could ever create. The Sunday Times posits that "Steinman protects his songs as if they were his children". Meat Loaf had wanted to record the song for years, but Steinman saw it as a "woman's song". Steinman won a court case, which prevented Meat Loaf from recording it. Girl group Pandora's Box went on to record it, and it was subsequently made famous through a cover by Celine Dion, which upset Meat Loaf because he was going to use it for a planned album with the working title Bat Out of Hell III. Alternately, Meat Loaf has said the song was intended for Bat Out of Hell II and given to the singer in 1986, but that they both decided to use "I'd Do Anything for Love " for Bat II, and save this song for Bat III. Steinman at one point offered it to Bonnie Tyler, who was recording her album Hide Your Heart with producer Desmond Child. Confident that it would be a hit, she asked her record company to include it in the album; they declined, citing cost reasons for using Jim Steinman to produce it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Read My Mind (The Killers song)</span> 2007 single by the Killers

"Read My Mind" is a song by American rock band the Killers. It was released on February 13, 2007, as the third single from their second studio album, Sam's Town (2006). It peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also charted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Singles Box</i> 2006 box set by The Clash

Singles Box is a compilation album by the Clash. It includes all the singles that they released in the UK, with their original mixes and edits and B-sides, as well as single releases from different parts of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pictures of You (The Last Goodnight song)</span> 2007 single by the Last Goodnight

"Pictures of You" is a song by American rock band the Last Goodnight. It was released in June 2007 as the first single from their debut album, Poison Kiss (2007). The song peaked at number 70 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became a top-three hit in Australia and the Czech Republic. The song is certified platinum in Australia for shipping over 70,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaceman (The Killers song)</span> 2008 single by The Killers

"Spaceman" is a song by the Killers. The song was released as the second single from the band's third studio album Day & Age on November 4, 2008, as a digital download on iTunes, and as 7" and promo CD in the US, Canada and the UK. It has been released to radio in Australia and has gone into regular rotation on Triple J. This song was number 17 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008. The song has been used regularly as the opening song during the band's tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is It Scary</span> 1997 single by Michael Jackson

"Is It Scary" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. The song was written in 1994 during sessions for Jackson's 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1, but it was not included on the album. It was later released on Jackson's 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. "Is It Scary" was written and produced by Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snuff (song)</span> 2009 single by Slipknot

"Snuff" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released on September 28, 2009, as the fifth and final single from their fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, the song charted at number two on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, their highest chart placement to date, surpassing "Dead Memories".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stranger than Fiction (Joe Jackson song)</span> 1991 single by Joe Jackson

"Stranger than Fiction" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1991 as the lead single from his ninth studio album Laughter & Lust. It was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and Ed Roynesdal. "Stranger than Fiction" reached No. 53 in Germany, No. 71 in the Netherlands, and No. 79 on Canada's RPM 100 Singles chart. A music video was filmed to promote the single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only Love (The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty)</span> 1996 single by Sophie B. Hawkins

"Only Love (The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, which was released in 1996 as the fifth and final single from her second studio album Whaler (1994). The song was written by Hawkins and produced by Stephen Lipson. "Only Love" peaked at No. 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's music video was directed by Bonnie Hoffenberg.

References

  1. Hung, Steffen. "Joe Jackson - Stranger Than You". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  2. FaceCulture. "Joe Jackson interview (part 1)" . Retrieved 14 August 2020 via YouTube.
  3. "Progressive Adult Radio Music - Singles/EPs" (PDF). FMQB . 20 October 2000. p. 31. Retrieved 28 March 2021 via World Radio History.
  4. Zuel, Bernard (17 February 2001). "CD Reviews: Joe Blows". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. Tarone, L.A. (19 November 2000). "Joe Jackson's sequel album unlike any other". The Standard-Speaker. p. E5.
  6. Darnall, Steve (22 October 2000). "Recordings". The Chicago Tribune.
  7. "Joe Jackson". Trouser Press. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  8. "10 Songs: Joe Jackson". Popdose. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  9. "Joe Jackson – Stranger Than You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  10. "Joe Jackson Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  11. "Adult Alternative Top 30". Radio & Records . No. 1380. Radio & Records, Inc. 8 December 2000. p. 109. ISSN   0277-4860.