Only suckers fall in love with perfect strangers

I wanted to see how many more Tom Waits love songs are up in my faves. Here's a duet with Bette Midler, that starts with a cheap pick-up and ends on a sweet note. ...Speaking of which, have you ever fallen in love upon first sight? First meet? I never believed in it, but I did have a crush-upon-first-meet when I met Fernando at 15, and maybe that's the same thing.


we're all just perfect strangers
as long as we ignore
that we all begin as strangers
just before we find
we really aren't strangers anymore


Stop me if you've heard this one
I feel as though we've met before
perhaps I am mistaken
but it's just that I remind you
of someone you used to care about
oh but that was long ago
now tell me do you really think I'd fall for that old line
I was none born just yesterday
besides I never talk to strangers anyway
Well I ain't a bad guy when you get to know me
I just thought there ain't no harm
hey just try minding your own business
bud who asked you to annoy me
with your sad, sad repartee
besides I never talk to strangers anyway

Your life's a dime store novel
this town is full of guys like you
and you're looking for someone to take the place of her
You must be reading my mail
and you're bitter cause he left you
that's why you're drinkin in this bar
well only suckers fall in love
with perfect strangers

It always takes one to know one stranger
maybe we're just wiser now
yeah and been around the block so many times
that we don't notice
that we're all just perfect strangers
as long as we ignore
that we all begin as strangers
just before we find
we really aren't strangers anymore

Ah you don't look like such a chump