Kings of Convenience are a music duo formed in Bergen, Norway, playing a st… Read Full Bio ↴Kings of Convenience are a music duo formed in Bergen, Norway, playing a style that features acoustic instrumental playing and their two voices. The band consists of Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe. They met as children at a geography competition. They are known for their delicate tunes, calming voices, and intricately subtle guitar melodies.

After first earning notice thanks to a series of acclaimed European festival appearances during the summer of 1999, the twosome signed to American label Kindercore to issue their lovely eponymous debut the following spring. Quiet Is the New Loud was issued in early 2001 on Astralwerks. The album used many of the same tracks from the Kindercore release but re-ordered them and replaced a few with newer songs. The remix album Versus followed later in the year and featured remixes by artists as diverse as Ladytron, avid Whitaker and Four Tet. After a three year layoff during which Øye recorded a solo album, 2003's Unrest, and gained some reknown as an electronica DJ while Bøe worked on finishing up his psychology degree, the pair teamed up again for the recording and release of 2004's Riot on an Empty Street.

After a 5 year layoff, the band released Declaration Of Dependence on October 20, 2009 on Astralwerks in the US and Virgin Records in the UK.

Erlend Øye has released some solo material and is also a member of The Whitest Boy Alive.
Eirik Glambek Bøe is also a member of a second band, Kommode. The Whitest Boy Alive and Kommode toured together this year for a short period.

The Passenger
Kings of Convenience Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I didn't know you were there
Until you said "hello"
You had been watching me
For I don't know how long
I hit my head against the lamp
As by surprise I stood up
"Don't be afraid" you said
"It's only me, the door wasn't locked"

The voice I'd heard in the hall
Was hard to recognise
But now we know he's onboard
Wearing our disguise
If only you and I could trust
Each other through this

Then together we could
Work out who the enemy is

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kings of Convenience's song The Passenger tell a story of two unknown characters who meet unexpectedly. The first lines reveal the surprise of the singer upon realizing that someone has been watching them for some time without their knowledge. As the stranger introduces themselves, the singer accidentally hits their head, indicating their vulnerability and confusion in the situation. However, the stranger reassures them that there is no need to be afraid as the door was not locked, suggesting that the meeting was not entirely coincidental.

The second verse highlights the difficulty of recognizing the stranger's voice, hinting at the potential danger of the situation. The two characters seem to share a secret as they are both "wearing our disguise." The singer expresses the hope that they can trust each other through whatever challenge they are facing, even though they do not know who the enemy is. The overall tone of the song is mysterious and suspenseful, leaving the listener curious about the identities and motives of the characters.

Overall, The Passenger is a contemplative and cryptic track that showcases Kings of Convenience's ability to tell a story through poetic and introspective lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

I didn't know you were there
I was not aware of your presence

Until you said "hello"
It wasn't until you spoke that I realized you were there

You had been watching me
You had been observing me for some time

For I don't know how long
I am uncertain about the duration of your observation

I hit my head against the lamp
I accidentally struck my head on the lamp

As by surprise I stood up
I abruptly rose from my seated position due to the shock

"Don't be afraid" you said
You consoled me by assuring me of my safety

"It's only me, the door wasn't locked"
You reassured me that you were harmless and had entered through an unlocked door

The voice I'd heard in the hall
The voice I had previously heard in the hallway

Was hard to recognise
It was difficult to identify the artist of the voice

But now we know he's onboard
We are now aware that the singer is present