Kit Sebastian – People Are Strange [Pluribus Episode 6 Ending Song]

Kit Sebastian – People Are Strange | Pluribus (Apple Original Series Soundtrack)

The closing moments of Pluribus Episode 6 leave viewers with a lingering sense of unease, a feeling perfectly encapsulated by the choice of the ending track. As the screen fades, the familiar, carnival-esque melody of The Doors’ classic “People Are Strange” begins—but with a distinct, psychedelic twist. Performed by the duo Kit Sebastian, this cover reimagines the 1967 staple not just sonically, but linguistically, delivering the verses in Turkish. Released on the official soundtrack on November 28, 2025, this rendition bridges the gap between 1960s counterculture isolation and the modern, dystopian themes of the Apple Original Series.

The lyrics and the English translation

From “strange” to “garip”

Kit Sebastian’s version retains the Kurt Weill-inspired cabaret swing of the original but drapes it in the textures of Anatolian rock. The most striking departure, however, is the translation. The shift from English to Turkish alters the lyrical atmosphere, trading Jim Morrison’s direct observations for words that carry slightly different, heavier emotional weights.

In the original, Morrison sings, “Faces look ugly when you’re alone.” In Kit Sebastian’s Turkish translation, this becomes “Yüzler biçimsiz eğer yalnızsan.” The word biçimsiz translates closer to “shapeless” or “deformed” rather than simply “ugly.” It suggests that isolation doesn’t just make the world unattractive; it fundamentally distorts reality, stripping features and humanity from the faces in the crowd.

Similarly, the line “Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted” is rendered as “Kadınlar insafsız sen istenmediysen.” Here, insafsız means “merciless” or “without conscience.” The shift transforms the perceived wickedness from a moral judgment into a lack of pity—a cold indifference that arguably cuts deeper than the original English phrasing. The refrain “People are strange” becomes “Alem ne garip,” which can be interpreted as “The world is so strange,” expanding the scope of alienation from the people themselves to the entire state of existence.

The 1967 origin: A sunset in Laurel Canyon

To understand the power of the cover, one must look back to the song’s inception. In early 1967, The Doors were poised for stardom, yet their frontman, Jim Morrison, was spiraling. Suffering from depression and deeply immersed in substance use, Morrison was in a fragile state. It was guitarist Robby Krieger who suggested a hike up Laurel Canyon to watch the sunset—a simple act that would birth one of rock’s most enduring anthems.

As they sat on the ridge looking out over Los Angeles, the lyrics came to Morrison “in a flash.” The song was a direct report on his own mental state: the feeling of being an outsider looking in on a society he could no longer relate to. Drummer John Densmore, in his 1991 biography Riders on the Storm, vividly recalled Morrison’s return from the canyon. He described Morrison’s eyes as “wild with excitement,” holding a crumpled paper with the scribbled lyrics. “It felt great to be writing again,” Morrison told him, before singing the chorus in his haunting blues voice.

A timeless anthem for the outsider

The genius of “People Are Strange” lies in its juxtaposition: it pairs dark, neurotic lyrics with a jaunty, upbeat rhythm. It is a song about depression that masquerades as a cabaret tune.

Kit Sebastian’s 2025 cover for Pluribus honors this dichotomy while adding a layer of cross-cultural mystique. By translating the lyrics into Turkish, they heighten the sense of “strangeness” for English-speaking audiences, placing them in the shoes of the outsider who cannot quite understand the language of the crowd. It is a fitting tribute to Morrison’s original vision: whether in 1967 Los Angeles or the fictional world of Pluribus, when you are strange, the streets are always uneven.

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The Doors – People Are Strange

[Verse 1]
People are strange when you’re a stranger
Faces look ugly when you’re alone
Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted
Streets are uneven when you’re down

[Refrain]
When you’re strange, faces come out of the rain
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name
When you’re strange, when you’re strange
When you’re strange

[Verse 1]
People are strange when you’re a stranger
Faces look ugly when you’re alone
Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted
Streets are uneven when you’re down

[Instrumental Break]

[Refrain]
When you’re strange, faces come out of the rain
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name
When you’re strange, when you’re strange
When you’re strange
All right, yeah

[Instrumental Break]

[Outro]
When you’re strange, faces come out of the rain
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name
When you’re strange, when you’re strange
When you’re strange