Stranger in My Own Home Town – Elvis Presley – 1969

About The Song

“Stranger in My Own Home Town” is a blues song recorded by Elvis Presley in 1969. Here are five facts about this track:

1. Songwriters: “Stranger in My Own Home Town” was written by Percy Mayfield, a renowned blues singer-songwriter known for his soulful compositions.
2. Recording Session: Elvis recorded his rendition of “Stranger in My Own Home Town” during the legendary Memphis sessions at American Sound Studio in January 1969. These sessions produced some of Elvis’s most acclaimed recordings.
3. Blues Influence: The song reflects Elvis’s deep appreciation for blues music. His rendition of “Stranger in My Own Home Town” captures the essence of the genre, with its soulful vocals and emotive lyrics.
4. Lyrical Theme: The lyrics of “Stranger in My Own Home Town” express feelings of alienation and displacement, a theme that resonated with Elvis and his own personal experiences, particularly as his fame and success distanced him from his roots.
5. Reception: While “Stranger in My Own Home Town” wasn’t released as a single, it received positive reviews from critics and has become a favorite among Elvis fans for its raw emotion and powerful vocal delivery.

Video

Lyrics

I’m like a stranger
Like a stranger in my own home town
I’m like a stranger
Like a stranger in my own home town
My so-called friends stopped being friendly
Ah, but you can’t keep a good man down
No you can’t keep him down

I came home with good intentions
About five or six years ago
I came home with good intentions
About five or six years ago
My hometown town won’t accept me
Just don’t feel welcome here no more

My hometown won’t accept me
I just don’t feel welcome here no more

I came home with good intentions
About five or six years ago, yes I did
I came home with good intentions
About five or six years ago
But my hometown won’t accept me
Just don’t feel welcome here no more

I’m like a stranger, like a stranger in my own home town
Yeah, I’m like a stranger, like a stranger in my own home town
My so-called friends stopped being friendly
Ah, but you can’t keep a good man down

My so-called friends stopped being friendly, ah, na, na, na, na

I came home with good intentions
About five or six years ago, yes I did
I came home with good intentions
About five or six years ago
My so-called friends stopped being friendly
Ah, but you can’t keep a good man down

I’m like a stranger, like a stranger in my own home town
I’m like a stranger, like a stranger in my own home town
My so-called friends stopped being friendly
Aw, but you can’t keep a good man down
Yeah baby, yeah baby, yeah baby