Strangers is the title of a song written by Liz Anderson

Liz Anderson

Liz Anderson was anAmerican country music singer/songwriter who was one of a wave of a new generation of female vocalists in the genre during the 1960's to write and record her own songs on a regular basis. Writing in The New York Times Bill Friskics-Warren noted, "Like her contemporary Loretta...

. Best remembered as American country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 artist Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard

Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...

's first national top ten record, it was also a top ten song concurrently for Roy Drusky

Roy Drusky

Roy Frank Drusky Jr., was an American country music singer popular from the 1960s through the early 1970s. Known for his baritone voice, he was known for incorporating the Nashville sound. His highest-charting single was the No. 1 "Yes Mr. Peters", a duet with Priscilla Mitchell.-Early life and...

. The song is also known as All My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers, (From Now On) All My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers, and simply Strangers. Haggard went on to name his band The Strangers

The Strangers

The Strangers is a 2008 American horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, and starring Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Glenn Howerton, Gemma Ward, Laura Margolis, and Kip Weeks...

 after the record's success. The song was subsequently recorded by scores of additional country stars as an album track including George Jones

George Jones

George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....

, Ernest Tubb

Ernest Tubb

Ernest Dale Tubb , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music...

, Porter Wagoner

Porter Wagoner

Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...

, Ferlin Husky

Ferlin Husky

Ferlin Eugene Husky was an early American country music singer who was equally adept at the genres of traditional honky honk, ballads, spoken recitations, and rockabilly pop tunes...

, as well as Liz Anderson herself and Anderson's daughter Lynn Anderson

Lynn Anderson

Lynn Rene Anderson is an American country music singer and equestrian known for a string of hits throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably her Grammy Award-winning, worldwide mega-hit, " Rose Garden." Helped by her regular exposure on national television, Anderson was one of the most...

.

Background and writing

Liz Anderson wrote the song circa 1964 and had sent it to Nashville producers. Her friend Bonnie Owens

Bonnie Owens

Bonnie Owens , born Bonnie Campbell, was an American country music singer who was married to Buck Owens and later Merle Haggard.-Biography:...

 encouraged her to meet with Haggard (Owens' beau at the time) and pitch some of her songs to the newcomer. Anderson was reluctant to do so, having already had songs recorded by national artists and not particularly interested in a regional performer and having never heard Haggard, not certain he had talent but agreed to meet with him out of her loyalty to Owens. Haggard likewise had never heard of Anderson and was not particularly pleased that Bonnie insisted they go to the Anderson home to listen to some songs however Merle and Liz hit it off and both proved to be in awe of the others' talents, with Haggard eventually recording several songs by Anderson he heard that night. He was particularly taken with "[My Friends Are Gonna Be] Strangers" and rushed into the studio the record it and single release. After the track had been cut and the single printed, all involved learned Roy Drusky had also just recorded it and was releasing it as a single. Although both Drusky and Haggard versions eventually made it into the Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Hot Country Singles top ten, the competiting records undoubtably kept either version for being a top five and perhaps number one record.

Content

The song's narrator is embittered by a deceitful lover, not only vowing to be through with love but trusting in anyone at all.

Merle Haggard

Chart (1964-1965)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	10

Roy Drusky

Chart (1964-1965)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	6