Total Stranger - Hank Thompson, Lyle Lovett

Now I was down upon my luck

And the jobs were hard to find

I was sort of short on cash

And my bills were way behind

So I went to see my life long friend

An old man now by trade

I figured it’s how he had help me out

With his fortune he had made

I said,?

Old pal, I need your help

I hate to be so bold

But remember when I saved your life

Down at the swimming hole

Now I’d like to ask a favor

If you can see your way

I’d like to have a little loan?

And then I heard him say

?

Excuse me total stranger

I can’t seem to recall

Are you absolutely certain

That we’ve ever met at all?"

«I'd really like to help you out?

As he opened wide the door

?

So long total stranger

That I’ve never seen before?

Now once I had a girlfriend

Who really caught my eye

And when the wife was out of town

Well, I’d court her on the sly

We’d taken all the nightclubs

And honky tonk around

Join at all the parties

And really do the town

But then one night my wife came home

She must have smelled a rat

She looked around from place to place

And found where I was at

Well, there we were all cuddled up

I knew that I was dead

But before my wife could say a word

I jumped right up and said

?

She’s just a total stranger

Who came in off the streets

The place is kinda crowded

So I offered her a seat"

«Now, I couldn’t leave this lady

Just a standin' on the floor

She’s just a total stranger

That I’ve never seen before?

My friend said let’s go huntin'

I’ve got the gun and chills

The birds are really flyin'

And I think we’ll do quite well

He killed a half a dozen

Then said,?

I supposed

I really ought to tell you

That the huntin' season’s closed?

About that time he heard a noise

And he ducked behind a tree

He took the gun, shelled some birds

And gave them all to me

Up stepped the old game warden

And found me standing there

Before I had a chance to talk

I heard my friend declare

?

He’s just a total stranger

And I was passing by

I saw this total stranger

Shoot those birds out of the sky?

?

It’s a shame the way some people

The laws they do ignore

Like this total stranger

That I’ve never seen before?