Stranger in My House (Ronnie Milsap song)
Encyclopedia
"Stranger in My House" is a hit song from 1983, recorded by country music
artist Ronnie Milsap
. The song tells of a man who suspects his wife is fantasizing about being with a secret lover.
, the song immediately became a major hit as it peaked at No. 5 on the country charts
, and at No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary
. The song also went as high as No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop charts
.
In 1983, the song won writer Mike Reid for "Best New Country Song."
The song features a rock
guitar solo from Bruce Dees. Some stations edited this solo out of the song, and a station in Denver, Colorado
refused to play the song, because personnel at the station thought that the song sounded like a Led Zeppelin
song. The airplay lost from the Denver station kept the song from going to number one.
for the single, directed by David Hogan, was also released. During the beginning of the video, a man is shown literally breaking into the narrator's house as the blind singer plays his piano. During the climax
, it shows his wife's imaginary lover playing an electric guitar as she performs an erotic dance
to the solo. In the end, it shows investigators searching the house. White tape is laid down in the shape of an electric guitar.
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 Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
. The song tells of a man who suspects his wife is fantasizing about being with a secret lover.
Success & Reception
His 35th single to be released and the first song from the album Keyed UpKeyed Up
Keyed Up is the Fifthteenth studio album by country music star Ronnie Milsap, released in 1983 under the RCA Records Label.It featured the #5 country chart hit "Stranger In my House", plus the #1 country hits "Don't You Know How Much I Love You" and "Show Her."-Track listing:#"Stranger In My House"...
, the song immediately became a major hit as it peaked at No. 5 on the country charts
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
, and at No. 8 on the Adult Contemporary
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
. The song also went as high as No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop charts
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
In 1983, the song won writer Mike Reid for "Best New Country Song."
The song features a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
guitar solo from Bruce Dees. Some stations edited this solo out of the song, and a station in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
refused to play the song, because personnel at the station thought that the song sounded like a Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
song. The airplay lost from the Denver station kept the song from going to number one.
Music video
A black-and-white music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the single, directed by David Hogan, was also released. During the beginning of the video, a man is shown literally breaking into the narrator's house as the blind singer plays his piano. During the climax
Climax (narrative)
The Climax is the point in the story where the main character's point of view changes, or the most exciting/action filled part of the story. It also known has the main turning point in the story...
, it shows his wife's imaginary lover playing an electric guitar as she performs an erotic dance
Erotic dancing
Erotic dance is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where the purpose is the stimulation or arousal of erotic or sexual thoughts or actions....
to the solo. In the end, it shows investigators searching the house. White tape is laid down in the shape of an electric guitar.
Chart performance
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 42 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 23 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 8 |