I think this song is absolutely beautiful. The best version I've actually heard is the version on a '67 taping of "Once More With Felix" : youtube.com/watch
Onto analysis...
"It's true that all the men you knew were dealers
who said they were through with dealing
Every time you gave them shelter
I 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."
This is pretty clear, I think. Talking about a "dealer", what we could call a "player" I suppose...simply put; someone who is constantly moving from person to person to get what they want. So he's telling her that he knows all her previous lovers hurt her in such a way, and each time you believed their promises that they were done "dealing" they let you down. And he's saying that he knows that kind of person and recognizes how hard it is to love someone like that (possibly implying that he understands how hard it must be to love someone else after that happens to you)
Chorus 1:
"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 sweeping up the jokers that he left behind' just seems to imply that this person, or ex-lover, took everything from this woman (even the "jokers") The singer refers to how little this woman has been left with because of these relationships. He's also saying that because she let him con her so well, he was able to stay in that relationship and use her for a long time "he'll never need to deal another"
Chorus 2:
"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."
More empty promises from the "dealers", making her think that she has changed them for the better. I believe the fact that "I told you when I came I was a stranger" part is placed here and repeated at the end of the song is supposed to contrast the singer with the previous lovers. Letting her know that while some parts of the situation are similar, he is very different than her previous relationships.
"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."
This is saying that this new person (let's say the singer) is asking her to ignore his selfishness. He tells her that he used to be a player, that he knew that life well but now he's "rusted". He basically wants to trade his previous ways for a meaningful relationship with this woman.
"Ah you hate to see another tired man
lay 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."
The beginning of this verse makes me think that she doesn't believe the singer's intentions.
"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."
"The door is open, you can't close your shelter" makes me think that he has fallen for her (and one would reasonably assume she for him) and she has become the untrusting one, the one unable to settle down.
"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."
He's thinking of leaving, telling her that this was not his original intention. He seems to understand on some level why/that she cannot trust him.
"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."
He's basically telling her it's her choice whether to trust him enough to let him in or not. Insinuates that perhaps she realizes too late that he was different.
Chorus 1
Chorus 2
I told you when I came I was a stranger.
Again the repetition of that line seems to say that it is a very important part of the song, and I think the placement at both the beginning and the end is supposed to be a symbolic contrast.
Hope I could give some clarity! Sublimechump seemed to have it pretty much right on the nose there.
ps. Keep an eye out in the performance at the end. There's a tear on his cheek. Sad, eh?
I think this song is absolutely beautiful. The best version I've actually heard is the version on a '67 taping of "Once More With Felix" : youtube.com/watch
Onto analysis...
"It's true that all the men you knew were dealers who said they were through with dealing Every time you gave them shelter I 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."
This is pretty clear, I think. Talking about a "dealer", what we could call a "player" I suppose...simply put; someone who is constantly moving from person to person to get what they want. So he's telling her that he knows all her previous lovers hurt her in such a way, and each time you believed their promises that they were done "dealing" they let you down. And he's saying that he knows that kind of person and recognizes how hard it is to love someone like that (possibly implying that he understands how hard it must be to love someone else after that happens to you)
Chorus 1: "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 sweeping up the jokers that he left behind' just seems to imply that this person, or ex-lover, took everything from this woman (even the "jokers") The singer refers to how little this woman has been left with because of these relationships. He's also saying that because she let him con her so well, he was able to stay in that relationship and use her for a long time "he'll never need to deal another"
Chorus 2: "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."
More empty promises from the "dealers", making her think that she has changed them for the better. I believe the fact that "I told you when I came I was a stranger" part is placed here and repeated at the end of the song is supposed to contrast the singer with the previous lovers. Letting her know that while some parts of the situation are similar, he is very different than her previous relationships.
"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."
This is saying that this new person (let's say the singer) is asking her to ignore his selfishness. He tells her that he used to be a player, that he knew that life well but now he's "rusted". He basically wants to trade his previous ways for a meaningful relationship with this woman.
"Ah you hate to see another tired man lay 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."
The beginning of this verse makes me think that she doesn't believe the singer's intentions.
"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."
"The door is open, you can't close your shelter" makes me think that he has fallen for her (and one would reasonably assume she for him) and she has become the untrusting one, the one unable to settle down.
"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."
He's thinking of leaving, telling her that this was not his original intention. He seems to understand on some level why/that she cannot trust him.
"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."
He's basically telling her it's her choice whether to trust him enough to let him in or not. Insinuates that perhaps she realizes too late that he was different.
Chorus 1
Chorus 2
I told you when I came I was a stranger.
Again the repetition of that line seems to say that it is a very important part of the song, and I think the placement at both the beginning and the end is supposed to be a symbolic contrast.
Hope I could give some clarity! Sublimechump seemed to have it pretty much right on the nose there.
ps. Keep an eye out in the performance at the end. There's a tear on his cheek. Sad, eh?