Supertramp: Goodbye Stranger Meaning

Song Released: 1979

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Goodbye Stranger Lyrics

It was an early morning yesterday
I was up before the dawn
And I really have enjoyed my stay
But I must be moving on
Like a king without a castle
Like a queen without a throne
I'm an early morning lover
And I must be moving on
Oh...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jul 23rd 2011 report

   It was an early morning yesterday
   I was up before the dawn
   And I really have enjoyed my stay
   But I must be moving on
   
   (Translation: He's a long time stoner, and he's decided to quit smoking pot and move on with his life)
   
   Like a king without a castle
   Like a queen without a throne
   I'm an early morning lover
   And I must be moving on
   
   (Translation: Giving up weed is going to make him feel lost, like a "King without a castle", or a "Queen without a throne", since it's been a major part of his life for so long.)
   (Many heavy pot smokers get high first thing in the morning. He loves getting high early in the morning, hence...he's an early morning lover of Mary Jane or weed, but he's decided to move on with his life and give it up.)
   
   Now I believe in what you say
   is the undisputed truth
   
   (Translation: Weed makes you philosophical and he believes in it's use, even though he's decided to give it up.)
   
   But I have to have things my own way
   To keep me in my youth
   
   (Translation: I think he's trying to say that life is passing him by, so he's going to quit smoking weed so he can experience more)
   
   Like a ship without an anchor
   Like a slave without a chain
   Just the thought of those sweet ladies
   Sends a shiver through my veins
   
   (Translation: Another reference that he will feel lost without marijuana since it's been such a big part of his life. "Just the thought of those sweet ladies sends a shiver through my veins", is a reference that just thinking about marijuana plants/buds makes him have second thoughts about quitting, since only the female plant produces buds that get you high.)
   
   And I will go on shining
   Shining like brand new
   I'll never look behind me
   My troubles will be few
   
   (Translation: He's turning over a new leaf and starting anew. He won't have to worry about getting busted anymore, hence...his troubles will be few.)
   
   Goodbye stranger
   It's been nice
   Hope you find your
   Paradise
   Try to see your
   Point of view
   Hope your dreams will
   All come true
   Goodbye Mary
   Goodbye Jane
   Will we ever
   Meet again?
   
   (Translation: He's having a conversation with himself. He's enjoyed smoking weed but he's decided to move on, yet he has reservations about stopping.)
   
   Sweet devotion
   It's not for me
   Just give me motion
   And set me free
   The land and the ocean
   Far away
   Life I've chosen
   Every day
   So goodbye Mary
   Goodbye Jane
   Will we ever
   Meet again?
   
   (Translation: Same as the above verse. He's decided to quit smoking weed, but he's having some reservations about it.)
   
   Now some they do and some they don't
   And some you just can't tell
   And some they will and some they won't
   With some it's just as well
   
   (Translation: A reference about people that get high. Sometimes it's easy to tell who does, and other times you would have never guessed. The second line references people that have never gotten high....some will try it and some won't, and for those that won't, it's probably just as well.)
   
   You can laugh at my behavior
   That'll never bother me
   
   (Translation: This is a reference to society looking down on potheads.)
   
   Said the devil is my savior
   But I don't pay no heed
   
   (Translation: Weed used to be called "the devils weed", by anti-marijuana folks. Since he smokes the "devil's weed", the devil must be his savior according to these same people.)
   
   And I will go on shining
   Shining like brand new
   I'll never look behind me
   My troubles will be few
   
   Goodbye stranger
   It's been nice
   Hope you find your
   Paradise
   Try to see your
   Point of view
   Hope your dreams will
   All come true
   Goodbye Mary
   Goodbye Jane
   Will we ever
   Meet again?
   
   Sweet devotion
   It's not for me
   Just give me motion
   And set me free
   The land and the ocean
   Far away
   Life I've chosen
   Every day
   Now I'm leaving
   Got to go
   Hit the road
   I'll say it once again
   Oh, yes, I'm leaving
   Got to go
   Hit the road
   I'm sorry, I must tell you
   Goodbye Mary
   Goodbye Jane
   Will we ever
   Meet again?
2. anonymous

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   Jul 14th report

   My 18 year old daughter nailed it.
   
   “ So I was listening to Goodbye Stranger this morning and I think I just figured out what it’s about. So I think it’s about a relationship ending because the person he loved has changed and he doesn’t recognize them or love them anymore. Like pretty much saying that they are now a stranger to him. “But I must be moving on”. He says goodbye and that he hopes their dreams come true and then asks if they will ever meet again. He makes it seem like he’s come to terms with the fact that it is time to move on but wonders if someday they will meet again and they will be the person that he loved in the beginning.”
3. anonymous

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   May 20th report

   THIS SONG IS NOT ABOUT WEED!
   This song is about a free spirit a perosn who cannot be tied down it has nothing to do with pot. "I must be moving on." is lovers want more a long term commitment he does not. He wants to be free. I know this because it is how i live my life. I have been to more than 60 countries since i was 19 years old. I broke off engagements because i do not want to be a mother i want to LIVE my life. And I do and I have I have seen so many gorgeous places and I am just getting started. Men always wanted me to marry them but I am happy being alone. NAture sustains me. I feel love and peace there i did not need to live in one place with a house and 2 kids-that is death to me. I love my life I go where i want when I want and I regret nothing. Life is not what they tell you on TV it is not about having a bunch of kids and "family" It is about pursuing who you are developing yourself spiritually whatever that means for you and for me it has been travelling to beautiful Natural places.
4. anonymous

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   May 20th report

   OK. I KNOW what this song is about because I LIVE this song and I am 50 and a woman. I am Very lucky I look so young and not my age. LOL!
   So basically, this person is a free spirit. Nothing is going to settle him down. He does not want a family. He does not want a mundane life with a wife and two kids and a mortgage.
   I play this song all the time and perform it in Karaoke because friends and boyfriends say this is quintessentially me. I travel the world. I have been for 31 years except for when i did my Master's and completed my bachelor's before that but I travelled in between. I broke off an engagement. I never wanted what was being forced down my throat in America because in my family it never led to happiness. I wanted to explore the world and I have been to 60 countries lived on five continents and am still exploring-despite covid. I am Happy being alone. I have lovers-men I meet but i will not marry them I see them as baggage. I have to move on. I feel that when you stop moving you die so I am constantly seeing new things and travelling. I am happy in my life. I love myself and I am so creative i am all I need and Nature which is God. So I may have dogs but i don't want to be tied down. I have to be free. People say I look like a cat and act like one which makes me angry because i am a dog lover all the way! I feel love being free, in Nature in the wind. I am peaceful I feel love just being in Nature free from baggage and negativity. I do not need to be tied down. And most guys want to be in a long term relationship marriage etc. I don't need that. I don't want that I want to be free.
5. anonymous

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   Jan 6th 2021 report

   Double-entendre! Written for popular culture as a rockstar bangin groupies; but for those who read between the lines, it is as the original poster said, it is really about his love afair with weed. If you ever had a lifelong weed habit and quit the lyrics match perfectly with original poster's description.
6. anonymous

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   Sep 6th 2020 report

   Bang'in groupies. Seem fairly ovvious. I'd think they could have collaborated on a song that dealt with the drug issues (weed) how evil(sarcasm) in a more poignant way. Just my take on it. All that aside l really like this band. Saw them on the 'Breakfast in America tour......in my youth...!
7. anonymous

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   Mar 27th 2020 report

   It's about ending a weed high.
8. anonymous

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   Feb 23rd 2020 report

   All I know is he had a one night stand got up before her and off he went..I have done that myself.and as far as Mary and Jane..Mary is fine but Jane doe was the other...I have woke up a few mornings after a night of doing some blow and drinking and smoked a joint and when I got up there was a laying there sleeping we came from a bar to go to my house and partied and when I woke up I couldn't even remember her name it had to be a Jane doe to me...go to a supertramp concert back in early and they jammed to go by stranger and it was SUPER TRAMP...
9. anonymous

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   Oct 13th 2019 report

   Life and love on the road...turn the Page...yada yada
10. anonymous

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    Sep 7th 2019 report

    
    My god most of the interpretations of "Goodbye Stranger" are so stupid. It's so simple, so obvious. He's a rock star, and he's laying pipe to all these anonymous women. And he has no remorse for it; he's taking what is given to someone in his position. Plan and simple. If you think it is bout anything more than that you are a pretentious idiot.
11. anonymous

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    Feb 15th 2019 report

    Its a masterpiece of brutal honesty and how cynicism and love affects us all. The character potrayed has an air of mastery and confidence in what he is doing which is learned perspective and behaviour by bedding multiple lovers. The line 'some they do and some they don't' is key and 'sweet devotion..not for me'. Yet i feel the writer is making a mockery of him because he is objectifying and using women and feeling like he is invincible. If only life was ever that simple.
12. anonymous

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    Aug 22nd 2018 report

    He had a three-way with Mary and Jane.
13. anonymous

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    Apr 7th 2018 report

    I believe it has to do with a "Free" Spirit that is afraid of settling down or falling in love,Protecting himself,Having one night stands or gets what he wants then has to leave before he or the other gets to attached! Feel no shame,come tomorrow feel no pain! Getting away,just give him the land and ocean,No strings attached and he is good! Saying Goodbye Stranger,cause he was never that invested to call these women anything other than a Stranger,I don't think the Mary Jane names were a mistake in names,but maybe commen enough to get attention on or off the real meaning,but I think it has to do with being content with his own way of life and you can't talk me into changing,even though he Seen their point of view,might be true,just not enough for him to stay cause being tied down isn't in the cards for him,he is a ship without a anchor and a slave without a chain
14. anonymous

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    Oct 20th 2016 report

    it's about drugs, fools. These guys are too deep to sing about one night stands. Leave that for the hair bands
15. anonymous

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    Aug 19th 2016 report

    I used to be a huge Supertramp fan when this album was popular. I was a teenager and never thought about lyrics at all. Today, someone posted a picture of "Libby" (the lady on the cover), as she is today, and tagged me on FB. Realizing I hadn't listened to this album since I was a teen, I dug it out and listened from start to finish.
    
    Wow! I never realized how much Rick Davies was pissed at Roger Hodgson. The last two tracks (Casual Conversation and Child of Vision) were dead give aways. As history recalls, Roger left Supertramp after their follow up studio album. He probably would have left sooner if "Breakfast" wasn't a mammoth success.
    
    The album pans out like a guy dealing with a breakup. Goodbye Stranger was the 3rd track on the album, and it starts off with the sting of having his longest Supertramp partner wanting to leave. Goodbye Stranger was his first reaction to the news, i.e., "goodbye a**hole, it's been nice". Most of Rick's subsequent songs were about being stressed out (Gone Hollywood, Just Another Nervous Wreck). His last song, and the penultimate tune, "Casual Conversation", is about acceptance. The song ends with "Should be sad, but I really believe that I'm glad".
16. anonymous

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    Mar 11th 2016 report

    The song is actually about being educated but not being encouraged to lexplore/learn who we are as individuals. We are socialized in an illusional facade which is school in our youth and then thrown into the world to find out own way. It speaks about soul searching and the need for it to feel complete. The life of the author is portrayed in a follow your own path, find your own worth and incorporate what knowledge you have learned through education, both instructional and social. The youth is finding out about who he is and thus "goodbye stranger" as he becomes more conscious of who he is, why he is such, what he believes, what he has experienced and realizes that those formative years were only an illusion in comparison with the immensely disillusioned adult world. The search is one each must travel alone mere interaction with others brings relief of physical needs but not spiritual as that is every humans missing piece in the search and it is much easier to look outward than in. But in the end love of self is the only way one can prevail. Calhoun,TM