"Strange Things" is a song in the 1995Disney/Pixar animated film, Toy Storywhich was written and performed by Randy Newman. The song is lyrically told from the perspective of Woody and how he feels about being replaced shortly after his owner, Andy Davis, gets his new favorite toy: Buzz Lightyear.
When the song starts, Andy, wearing his cowboy hat and cowboy pajamas, is jumping on the bed, holding Woody, and plays around with him, but then he sets Woody on a floor next to a box labeled "Bank", brings out Buzz, "fires" his laser at Woody, and smacks Woody on the floor as if he has been blown away by Buzz's laser. Woody then watches as Andy runs into the closet, then emerges out wearing Buzz Lightyear pajamas and homemade spaceman's helmet, declaring "Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!" Woody then watches in horror as posters and drawings of him get replaced by those of Buzz, as well as a Buzz Lightyear blanket now on Andy's bed. Buzz is later seen teaching Rex (who is making a wimpy roar) how to roar better, and when Rex makes a Jurassic Park roar, he blasts Mr. Potato Head's parts out of his potato body.
Woody then spots a portrait of Buzz on Etch A Sketch, looks across the room to see Buzz combing the Troll doll's head, then he angrily shakes Etch, removing Buzz's image. Buzz is later seen working out on the upside-down Robot (using his feet as a treadmill) as Rocky Gibraltar, Snake, Troll, Rex, and Mr. Potato Head lift tinker-toys as weights, with Mr. Potato Head leaving his arms connected to the barbell as he tumbles backwards. Woody looks for Slinky under the bed to play checkers with him, but sees Slinky and Robot, under Buzz's direction, setting Buzz's "ship" up on top of alphabet blocks for repair, then kicks the checkerboard in frustration, causing one of the pieces to ricochet off the dresser and boomerang back into Woody's mouth.
On the bed, Buzz is seen petting Slinky, whose back end is at the other side of the bed where Woody is sitting, with his wagging tail repeatedly whacking Woody's face, which makes Woody shove Slinky's back end off the bed, causing Slinky's front end to fall off as well. Finally, at bedtime, Andy puts his toys away in his toy box, until Buzz and Woody are left. Andy sleeps in his bed with Buzz, with Woody watching in depression before he sinks back into the box, resigning to the fact that Andy does not seem to love him anymore as the song ends.
Lyrics[]
I was on top of the world, living high
It was right in my pocket
I was living the life
Things were just the way they should be
When from out of the sky like a bomb
Comes some little punk in a rocket
Now all of a sudden
Some strange things are happening to me
I had friends
I had lots of friends
Now all my friends are gone
And I'm doing the best I can to carry on
I had power (power)
I was respected (respected)
But not any more
And I've lost the love to the one whom I adored
[Chorus]
Let me tell you about the strange things are happening to me
Strange things
Strange things are happening to me...
Ain't no doubt about it
You got someone you think you know well
It turns out a stranger
The minute you turn your back
You're in it all by yourself
They laugh at your jokes
You think you're doing quite well
But you're in danger, boy
You end up alone, forgotten, way up on the shelf
[Repeat chorus and fade out]
Versions[]
Other versions[]
Performer(s)
Title(s)
Translations(s)
Language
Zé da Viola
"Coisas Estranhas"
"Strange Things"
Portuguese (Brazil)
Albanian
Michel Comeau
"Tout à Coup"
"All at Once"
French (Canada)
Chinese (Cantonese)
Pavel Bobek
"Zvláštní se Věci Začli Dít"
"Special Things Have Been a Child"
Czech
Otto Brandenburg
"Alt er Forandret og Sært"
"Everything is Changed and Strange"
Denmark
Huub Van Der Lubbe
"Vreemd Spel"
"Strange Game"
Dutch (Netherlands)
Pepe Ahlqvist
"Ei Kay"
"No can do"
Finnish
Arno Hintjen
"Vreemde Dingen"
"Strange Things"
Flemish (Belgium)
Charlélie Couture
"Étrange, Bazar / Étrange, Impossible à Prévoir (a.k.a. "Étrange, Bizarre")"
"Strange, Bazaar / Strange, Unable to Predict (a.k.a." Strange, Bizarre")"
The version used in the first film is a lot different than the soundtrack version. The bridge comes after the first chorus, as well as missing the second verse.
Deleted:The Fool • Plastic Spaceman Miscellaneous:Midway Mania • Hot Potato • My Unexpected Friend
See Also
A113 • Black Friday reel • Toy Story (Original Treatment) • Toy Story 3 (Circle 7 Screenplay) • The Science Behind Pixar • Pixar in a Box • Astro Blasters Robots • Star Command
