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Stranger in the Crowd

Rating:
4.3 / 5

Words & Music: Winfield Scott

I've been standing on a corner
Since a quarter after seven
I was down to my last cigarette
And the clock in the window
At a quarter to eleven

I was watching all the people
Passing by me going places
Just the loneliest guy in the town
Looking for a friendly smile
But all I see were faces

And then, just like the taste of milk and honey
I found the stranger I've been looking for
Like a wave, my cup of love was overflowing
I knew the stranger in the crowd
And I would be stranger no more

The love that comes on the corner
At a quarter to eleven
I thought you were to good to be true
All my life I had believed
That angels only live in heaven
But now, we share the taste of milk and honey
Each day is sweeter than the day before

My cup runned overflowing
because the stranger in the crowd
And I would be stranger no more

Deep inside, my cup of love was overflowing
I found the stranger I've been looking for
Like a wave, my cup of love was overflowing
I knew the stranger in the crowd
And I would be stranger no more

Recordingdate: 1970/06/05, first released on: That's the Way It Is (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Stranger in the Crowd:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(organ)
(harmonica)

Others*

(percussion)
(french horn)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with Stranger in the Crowd.

Lex wrote on June 03, 2009
Don't know why, but it has always been among my favourites, it catches me every time.
Jay wrote on November 18, 2009
One of my fav tracks on TTWII. Although every track is awesome on that album.
burninglove92 wrote on November 18, 2009
Great Song from a great year from a great album from a great artist. EP at his best. TCB
old shep wrote on November 18, 2009
An average song from Winifred Scott who was the co writer of Return to Sender. A song I rarely play.
Pedro Nuno wrote on November 18, 2009
Love this song, Love its lyrics, love its beat and love its live version. Never get tiered of it!
bluesboy wrote on November 18, 2009
This cute little popsong comes so easy to Elvis that he seems to soar through it.
Great Dane wrote on November 18, 2009
Definitely one of my favourite songs.
dgirl wrote on November 18, 2009
Yes, this is one of the best songs from 1970 and would have been a better choice as a single than those that were chosen that year. Great pop song, vocal, & band.
Deano1 wrote on November 18, 2009
From my favorite album of all time "That's The Way It Is" (1970). A strong song with Elvis in complete control, yet still not one of the best songs from this fantastic album. This song would have been a stand out on many albums ("Love Letters From Elvis", "Elvis Now", "Raised On Rock", and "Elvis" come to mind), but on this classic LP, it is just average. Of course, on an album with "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Just Pretend", "The Next Step Is Love", "How the Web Was Woven", "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "Twenty Days and Twenty Nights", average is outstanding.
adzzan wrote on November 18, 2009
Love it. Top five on my all time elvis favourite's list.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on November 18, 2009
Great song and performance. The Live versions in Vegas, even better should have been a single.
Steve V wrote on November 19, 2009
A single choice indeed. A wasted chance for another top 10 and it could have been used to promote the film. Instead they issued a song like You Dont Have to Say You Love Me already done by Dusty 4 yrs prior! What was RCA thinking?
marty wrote on January 13, 2012
One of my favourites! I love the extended version for the FTD version of TTWII. The live version I think could be better. Probably a better single choice than some of the songs selected from the 1970 sessions (e.g. 'Life'). I don't think it would have been a big hit even though it deserved to be. 5 stars from me.
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on January 13, 2012
A good song from a good LP.Never to be repeated sadly. Btw..what is a "canned" telegram ref to the one sent to the Beatles ?
benny scott wrote on January 13, 2012
I just love it ! Catchy rhythm ! Just great. One of my all time favourites. Always El.
Marty_TCE wrote on January 13, 2012
I love this song. I recommended this album and this song in particular to a non-fan as an example of a great non-famous Elvis tune. 5 stars all day long
ElvisSacramento wrote on October 28, 2012
This is such a splendid song and it's one of nine songs that Elvis recorded that was written by Winfield Scott. It's such a shame that this song wasn't a hit for Elvis.
Gorse wrote on December 22, 2012
Yep could have, and should have been at least one side of a single release. This beautiful song with a great rhythm, hints at the Latino Elvis voice which I like a lot and receives 5 stars all the way from me.
kink56 wrote on December 22, 2012
Great album and great song. Very modern/comtemporary at the time.
sugartummy wrote on May 13, 2013
One of a few songs that has a love theme that went right, instead off wrong. Great drumming by Tutt on the live version.
jwedwards835 wrote on November 14, 2014
A true classic! I give it the same amount of stars that are in the heavens.
bajo wrote on October 26, 2016
To me, this song is one of the best on the album. I've always wondered why this one wasn't regarded as a single release. Stranger In The Crowd cw Just Pretend would have been a obvious choice if I should have picked a single back then. It's got a driving, catchy rhythm and drive to it.
hounddawgs6499 wrote on November 14, 2017
This would have (and should have) made for a good A-side single release. They could've released it on a single in December 1970 (backed with "I'll Never Know") when the 'That's The Way It Is' album was still on the charts - and it would've helped the sales and chart position of that album. The 'Elvis Country' album (and the single I Really Don't Want To Know/There Goes My Everything) could've waited for two or three months.
Cruiser621 wrote on March 29, 2018
One of those tunes I don't go out of my way to play to be honest. I see the title in print and until I actually hear it it just doesn't ring a bell. 3-stars.
JerryNodak wrote on February 07, 2019
This is a fave of mine from the TTWII LP. 4 stars BTW: The only "Live" cut I like on the album is "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling."
Milky White Way wrote on September 23, 2019
Love the intro. The ending is superb and the middle is outstanding. Just a belter of a song that makes me smile and move along with it.
Deano1 wrote on March 18, 2021
I originally gave my opinion of this song back in 2009. As I read my review, I was disappointed in my response to this song. This IS one of the highlights of the TTWII album and that is saying something as the LP was tremendous. TTWII is still my favorite LP and this track is one I look forward to hearing every time I play the CD. This song is akin to "It's Your Baby, You Rock It" from his next album "Elvis Country" in that it is a tremendous song performed outstandingly by Elvis that (as stated in other reviews) could have easily been a hit single.
Steve V wrote on March 06, 2022
A very average (and very overrated) LP compared to the year before 2 great Memphis albums, but this is a highlight. Probably the best and catchiest song on the LP.
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