The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
How can you walk away
How can you look away
How can you run away
And make me feel bad
Hear what I have to say
Hear what I have to say
How can you look away
And make me so sad
Please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
She was a friend of mine
Such a good a friend of mine
She was a friend of mine
And now it's all over
And I don't know why that is
And I don't know what went wrong
I'll fight like a tiger
If you put me in a corner
Please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
No, please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
What am I supposed to say
What am I supposed to do
What's left of me to say
If you don't know me
That's just the way it is
That's just the way things go
If you're so all alone
Why don't you show me
No, please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
How can you look away
How can you run away
And make me feel bad
Hear what I have to say
Hear what I have to say
How can you look away
And make me so sad
Please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
She was a friend of mine
Such a good a friend of mine
She was a friend of mine
And now it's all over
And I don't know why that is
And I don't know what went wrong
I'll fight like a tiger
If you put me in a corner
Please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
No, please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
What am I supposed to say
What am I supposed to do
What's left of me to say
If you don't know me
That's just the way it is
That's just the way things go
If you're so all alone
Why don't you show me
No, please don't treat me like a stranger
No don't treat me like a stranger
I knew you so well
You never can tell
Don't treat me like a stranger
Lyrics submitted by entourage606
Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger [2018 Remaster] Lyrics as written by Thomas Earl Petty
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Gone Gator Music
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I just heard this song for the first time yesterday and I liked it a lot. I'm not sure that I got every lyric correct, but I think that I get the main idea - and I hope that the meaning doesn't apply to me and a person I like.
@entourage606 Did you hear this song on Sirius XM Tom Petty Radio (31)? I heard it for the first time there and loved it immediately!<br /> <br />