Stranger In The House

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This never was one of the great romances
But I thought you'd always have those young girl's eyes
But now they look in tired and bitter glances
At the ghost of a man who walks 'round in my disguise

I get the feeling that I don't belong here
But there's no welcome in the window anyway
And I look down for a number on my keychain
'Cause it feels more like a hotel everyday

There's a stranger in the house; nobody's seen his face
But everybody says he's taken my place
There's a stranger in the house no one will ever see
Everybody says he looks like me

And now you say you've got no expectations
But I know you also miss those carefree days
And for all the angry words that passed between us
You still don't understand me when I say

There's a stranger in the house; nobody's seen his face
But everybody says he's taken my place
There's a stranger in the house no one will ever see
But everybody says he looks like me

Stranger In The House
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello
Produced byNick Lowe
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
John McFee - pedal steel guitar
Sean Hopper - keyboards
Johnny Ciambotti - bass
Mickey Shine - drums
Recordedlate 1976-early 1977, Pathway Studios, London
ReleasedMarch 17, 1978
AlbumsMy Aim Is True (Rykodisc/Demon reissue), 1993
My Aim Is True (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2001
My Aim Is True: Deluxe Edition, 2007
SinglesStranger In The House, 1978 (bonus single with This Year's Model LP)
CollectionsTaking Liberties, 1980
Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers, 1980
Girls Girls Girls, 1989 (vinyl only)
2½ Years, 1993
Singles, Volume 1, 2003
PromosTen Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers promo, 1980
UK Elvis Costello (2006), 2006
Length3:04

First known performance:
August 21, 1977, London, England
Last known performance:
February 9, 2023, New York, NY
     (115 known performances, 1 as a snippet)


Alternate versions

Stranger In The House (duet with George Jones)
Performed byGeorge Jones with Elvis Costello
Produced byBilly Sherrill
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
George Jones - vocal
Tommy Allsup - guitar
Phil Baugh - guitar
Billy Sanford - guitar
Pete Wade - guitar
Pete Drake - steel guitar
Johnny Gimble - fiddle
Hargus "Pig" Robbins - piano
Henry Strzelecki - bass
Karl Himmel - drums
RecordedJuly 1978, CBS Studio A, Nashville (backing track)
March 13, 1979, CBS Studio A, Nashville (vocals)
ReleasedApril 1980
AlbumsGeorge Jones: My Very Special Guests, 1980
Almost Blue (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004
SinglesGeorge Jones: Stranger In The House (single), 1980
CollectionsGeorge Jones: Playlist: The Very Best George Jones Duets, 2014
Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album, 2015
Various Artists collectionsOn The Road... Country Collection, 1981 (Netherlands)
Length3:36

Stranger In The House (Live 1978)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJune 4, 1978, Los Angeles, CA
ReleasedOctober 28, 2002
AlbumsArmed Forces (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2002
Length3:52

Stranger In The House (BBC Version)
Performed byElvis Costello (& The Attractions)
Produced byTony Wilson
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedOctober 23, 1978, Maida Vale 4, London
ReleasedFebruary 19, 2002
AlbumsThis Year's Model (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2002
PromosSelections From This Year's Model - Blood & Chocolate - Brutal Youth, 2002
Length4:15

Stranger In The House (Live 1979)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
John McFee - guitar
RecordedFebruary 16, 1979, Los Angeles, CA
ReleasedJuly 26, 2004
AlbumsAlmost Blue (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2004
Length3:56

Stranger In The House UK 7" single front sleeve.jpg

George Jones My Very Special Guests album cover.jpg

Stranger In The House (duet) single

Taking LibertiesTL album cover 200.jpg

Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers10BM album cover 280.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

My Aim Is TrueMAIT UK initial album cover large.jpg

2½ Years2½ Years album cover.jpg

This Year's ModelTYM album cover large.jpg

Armed ForcesArmed Forces Rykodisc album cover.jpg

Singles, Volume 1Singles Volume 1 album cover.jpg

Almost BlueAB album cover large.jpg

Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack AlbumUnfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album album cover.jpg

Covers

Julie Adams performed live, Mountain Stage radio program info needed
Billy Claiborne Live On Union Street 2011 reverbnation.combillyclaiborne.com
ICU Stringband performed live, 2017-03-16 Harlows, Sacramento, California 2017 YouTube
George Jones My Very Special Guests 1979 AllMusicAmazon
The Junkers performed live info needed
Shane McGeehan Your Love For Me Is Gold 2022 BandcampAmazonBluegrass Today
My Darling Clementine with Steve Nieve Country Darkness Vol. 1EP 2019 YouTubeAllMusicwebsite
My Darling Clementine performed live, 2020-02-12, The Quay Sessions, BBC Scotland, Glasgow 2020 YouTubeAllMusicwebsite
Brent Payne Full Throttle 2012 YouTubeAmazon
The Porch Pickers Still Safe At Home website
Jonah S. performed live, 2008-2009, Radio Bean, Burlington, Vermont 2008 Archive.org
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2013 YouTube
Rachel Sweet Fool Around 1978 AllMusicAmazonYouTube
Rachel Sweet performed live, 1979, Minneapolis, Seattle, Boston, New York, and other cities 1979 etreedb.org
Rachel Sweet B.A.B.Y.: The Best Of Rachel Sweet 2001 AllMusicAmazon
Erik Van Neygen Hotel Stil Verdrietsung in Flemish as "Hotel Stil Verdriet" 1981 infoDiscogsYouTube

Internal links

External links