"(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers" is a song written by

Liz Anderson Elizabeth Jane Anderson (née Haaby; January 13, 1927 – October 31, 2011) was an American country music singer-songwriter who was one in a wave of new-generation female vocalists in the genre during the 1960s to write and record her own son ...

. Best remembered as American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

artist

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...

's first national Top 10 record, it was also a Top 10 song concurrently for

Roy Drusky Roy Frank Drusky, Jr. (June 22, 1930 – September 23, 2004) was an American country music singer and songwriter popular from the 1960s through the early 1970s. Known for his baritone voice, he was known for incorporating the Nashville sound a ...

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

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American Country music, country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and is well known for his distinctive voice an ...

Ernest Tubb Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 – September 6, 1984), 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" (1941), marked ...

Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The Por ...

Ferlin Husky Ferlin Eugene Husky (December 3, 1925 – March 17, 2011) was an American country music singer who was equally adept at honky-tonk, ballads, spoken recitations, rockabilly and pop tunes. From 1948 to 1953, he recorded under the stage name Terry ...

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

Lynn Anderson Lynn René Anderson (September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015) was an American country singer and television personality. Her crossover signature recording, " Rose Garden", was a number one hit internationally. She also charted five number one ...

Background and writing

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

Bonnie Owens Bonnie Owens (born Bonnie Campbell; October 1, 1929 – April 24, 2006) was an American country music singer who was married to Buck Owens and later to Merle Haggard. Biography She was born Bonnie Campbell in Blanchard, Oklahoma, United Sta ...

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 to record it and planned it for a 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 A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

top ten, the competing records undoubtedly 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.

Chart performance

Merle Haggard

Roy Drusky

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers 1964 singles 1965 singles Songs written by Liz Anderson Merle Haggard songs Roy Drusky songs Song recordings produced by Ken Nelson (American record producer) Song recordings produced by Jerry Kennedy Capitol Records singles Mercury Records singles 1964 songs