"People Are Strange" is a single released by the American rock band the Doors in September 1967 from their second album Strange Days which was also released in September 1967.
"People Are Strange" was composed in early 1967. Doors' drummer John Densmore recalled the songwriting process in his book "Riders on the Storm": He and Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, who had then been roommates, were visited by Jim Morrison, who appeared to be "deeply depressed." At Krieger's suggestion, they took a walk along Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. Morrison returned from the walk "euphoric" with the early lyrics of "People Are Strange". Intrigued by the new lyrics, Krieger was convinced that the song was a hit upon hearing the vocal melody:
[Morrison said] 'Yeah, I feel really good about this one. It just came to me all of a sudden ... in a flash – as I was sitting up there on the ridge looking out over the city. His eyes were wild with excitement. 'I scribbled it down as fast as I could. It felt great to be writing again.' He looked down at the crumpled paper in his hand and sang the chorus in his haunting blues voice.
— John Densmor
Lyrics
People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange
When you're strange
When you're strange