Stranger Than You

"Stranger Than You" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 2001 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]

"Stranger Than You"
Single by Joe Jackson
from the album Night and Day II
B-side"Hell of a Town"
Released2001
Length3:47 (single version)
4:19 (album version)
LabelSony Classical
Songwriter(s)Joe Jackson
Producer(s)Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson singles chronology
"Statue of Liberty"
(1997)		 "Stranger Than You"
(2001)		 "Glamour and Pain"
(2002)

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 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".[3] L.A. Tarone of the Standard-Speaker considered the song 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".[4]

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."[5] Trouser Press noted the song "salut[es] the oddest characters Jackson's found in his adopted hometown".[6]

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

  • Joe Jackson - producer, arranger
  • Dan Gellert - engineer, associate producer
  • Charlie Post, Ross Peterson - additional engineering
  • Ted Jensen - mastering

Other

  • Alex Vandoros - photography
  • Joe Jackson - art direction

Charts
Chart (2000-01) Peak
position
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] 91
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[8] 30
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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. Zuel, Bernard (17 February 2001). "CD Reviews: Joe Blows". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. Tarone, L.A. (19 November 2000). "Joe Jackson's sequel album unlike any other". The Standard-Speaker. p. E5.
  5. Darnall, Steve (22 October 2000). "Recordings". The Chicago Tribune.
  6. "Joe Jackson". Trouser Press. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  7. "Dutchcharts.nl – Joe Jackson – Stranger Than You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  8. "Joe Jackson Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
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