The Passenger
Siouxsie A The Banshees Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am the passenger
And I ride and I ride
I ride through the city's backside
I see the stars come out of the sky

Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight
I am the passenger
I stay under glass

I look through my window so bright
I see the stars come out tonight
I see the bright and hollow sky
Over the city's ripped backsides
And everything looks good tonight

Singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Get into the car
We'll be the passenger
We'll ride through the city tonight
We'll see the city's ripped backsides

We'll see the bright and hollow sky
We'll see the stars that shine so bright
Stars made for us tonight

Oh, the passenger
How, how he rides
Oh, the passenger
He rides and he rides

He looks through his window
What does he see?
He sees the sign and hollow sky
He see the stars come out tonight
He sees the city's ripped backsides
He sees the winding Ocean Drive

And everything was made for you and me
All of it was made for you and me
'Cause it just belongs to you and me
So let's take a ride and see what's mine

Singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Oh, the passenger
He rides and he rides
He sees things from under glass
He looks through his window inside
He sees things he knows are his
He sees the bright and hollow sky
He sees the city sleep at night
He sees the stars are out tonight
And all of it is yours and mine
And all of it is yours and mine
So let's ride and ride and ride and ride

Singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (I am the passenger)
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (and I ride and I ride)
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (I am the passenger)




La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (and I ride and I ride)
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Overall Meaning

Siouxsie and the Banshees's song The Passenger is a song that captures the essence of cruising through a city, and the feelings that come with it. The song describes the journey of the passenger, who is sitting inside a car or a bus, and is watching the city pass by. The passenger sees the city's backsides, bright and hollow skies, and stars come out of the sky. However, there is an air of detachment in the passenger's account of the sights. The passenger is an observer, looking through the window, but not actively participating in anything. He is an outsider looking in, watching the city and its people without really being part of them.


The song's repetitive lyrics seem to speak to a sense of restlessness and lack of direction. The passenger seems lost and searching for something, anything to give him a sense of purpose or meaning. While he can see the beauty in the world around him, he is unable to connect with it in a meaningful way. The song's final lines suggest that perhaps everything is made for the passenger, but he is not quite sure how to make sense of it all.


Line by Line Meaning

I am the passenger
The singer identifies themselves as the passenger who is present in the car that is travelling through the city.


And I ride and I ride
The singer continues to ride and travel through the city in the car.


I ride through the city's backside
The passenger travels through the less glamorous and developed areas of the city.


I see the stars come out of the sky
The passenger observes the sky changing as the stars become visible.


Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
Despite the apparent emptiness of the sky, the stars are still clearly visible.


You know it looks so good tonight
The passenger is appreciating the beauty of the city and its sky during their ride.


I stay under glass
The passenger is positioned inside the car, viewing the city through the glass windows.


I look through my window so bright
The passenger is looking through the bright window of the car.


We'll be the passenger
The singer invites the listener to join them as a fellow passenger.


We'll see the city's ripped backsides
Together, the passengers will see and experience the less developed and glamorous parts of the city.


Stars made for us tonight
The singer believes that the stars have made a special appearance for them on this particular night.


He looks through his window
The passenger continues their observations from the vantage point inside the car.


What does he see?
The singer asks the listener to consider what the passenger is observing through the window.


And everything was made for you and me
The singer suggests that the city and its beauty were made for everyone to enjoy, including the passengers travelling through it.


All of it was made for you and me
The singer reiterates that everything the passenger is seeing belongs to them and everyone else in the city.


So let's take a ride and see what's mine
The singer encourages the listener to explore and find their own connections to the city and its surroundings.


He sees things he knows are his
The passenger finds meaning and belonging in the things they observe during their ride through the city.


He sees the city's ripped backsides
The passenger continues to observe and appreciate the less developed and glamorous parts of the city.


He sees the winding Ocean Drive
The passenger observes and appreciates the distinctive, winding roads of Ocean Drive.


And all of it is yours and mine
The artist emphasizes that every part of the city and its surroundings belong to everyone who experiences them.


So let's ride and ride and ride and ride
The singer encourages the listener to continue exploring the city and appreciating its beauty.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Newell Osterberg, Ricky Gardiner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@christianschunke4469

I am the passenger
And I ride, and I ride
I ride through the city's backsides
I see the stars come out of the sky
Yeah, the bright and hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight
I am the passenger
I stay under glass
I look through my window so bright
I see the stars come out tonight
I see the bright and hollow sky
Over the city's ripped backsides
And everything looks good tonight
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la
Get into the car
We'll be the passenger
We'll ride through the city tonight
We'll see the city's ripped backsides
We'll see the bright and hollow sky
We'll see the stars that shine so bright
Stars made for us tonight
Oh, the passenger
How, how he rides?
Oh, the passenger
He rides and he rides
He looks through his window
What does he see?
He sees the sign and hollow sky
He sees the stars come out tonight
He sees the city's ripped backsides
He sees the winding ocean drive
And everything was made for you and me
All of it was made for you and me
'Cause it just belongs to you and me
So let's take a ride and see what's mine
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la
Oh, the passenger
He rides and he rides
He sees things from under glass
He looks through his window side
He sees things he knows are his
He sees the bright and hollow sky
He sees the city sleep at night
He sees the stars are out tonight
And all of it is yours and mine
And all of it is yours and mine
So let's ride and ride and ride and ride
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la (I am the passenger)
La la, la la, la la la la (And I ride, and I ride)
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la (I am the passenger)
La la, la la, la la la la (And I ride, and I ride)
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la
Singing
La la, la la, la la la la (I am the passenger)
La la, la la, la la la la (And I ride, and I ride)
La la, la la, la la la la, la la la



All comments from YouTube:

@alankirkby465

love the way this lady uses her voice. Just by chance came across this track ( Serendipity perhaps) lm 81 years of age.
Peace to all ! !

@woobaby79

The body ages Alan, the mind does not... You have great taste in music!

@burymeinjhenny918

Glad you were able to find some new great music to listen to! Take care I hope you are doing all good.

@biosrep

Keep rockin' Alan!

@elenamcryer4473

Actually i hear this song on Dexter and i love it.

@cospinanyc

Same, was just looking up music I enjoy and this popped up, sad I just discovered this version lol

27 More Replies...

@UncleT-wo2ny

You can't get more alternative than siouxie and the banshees. Still sounds fresh and crisp after all these years.

@deadinthebed963

If you like her alternative or not thats all

@mnrodsnreelstivis6606

S😅

@darthvader822

This was actually pretty mainstream and got in the top 10. Siouxsie always had one eye on the charts.

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