The Passenger
Siouxsie 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 a rip in the sky
And everything looks good tonight

Singin' 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
See the city's ripped insides

We'll see the bright and hollow sky
We'll see the stars that shine so bright
The sky was 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 bright 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

Singin' 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

Singin' 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

Singin' 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

I am the passenger
and I ride and I ride

Singin' 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

I am the passenger
and I ride and I ride

Singin' 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





I am the passenger
and I ride and I ride and I ride...

Overall Meaning

The song "The Passenger" by Siouxsie & The Banshees is an ode to the thrill of being on the road, and the freedom it brings. The first verse, which is repeated throughout the song has the Speaker introducing himself as the passenger, who rides through the city's outskirts, "seeing the stars come out of the sky." The second verse adds a second voice, calling to the singer to "get into the car," and go "riding through the city tonight." Through the singer's window, the city's "ripped backsides" and the "winding ocean drive," the singer sees the beauty of the urban landscape.


The song celebrates the freedom and joy of being able to experience new sights and sounds while on the road. The chorus repeats the lines "Singin' la la la la la-la-la la" and "La la la la la-la-la la" as a way to express a sense of unconstrained joy and excitement. Overall, the song is about the thrill of being alive, and the feeling of freedom that comes with being able to explore new spaces.


Line by Line Meaning

I am the passenger
The singer is the passenger in a car


And I ride and I ride
The singer is continuously riding in the car through the city


I ride through the city's backside
The singer and the car ride through the less desirable areas of the city


I see the stars come out of the sky
Even in the city, the stars are visible at night


Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
The sky appears empty and void, but the stars shine brightly


You know it looks so good tonight
The city looks especially beautiful on this particular night


I stay under glass
The singer remains inside the car, looking out through the window


I look through my window so bright
The car's window is clear and allows a great view outside


Over the city's a rip in the sky
There is a visible break or tear in the sky over the city


Singin' la la la la la-la-la la
The singer is taking pleasure simply in the act of singing


Get into the car
The singer is inviting someone to join them in the car


We'll be the passenger
Both the singer and their passenger(s) will be riding in the car


We'll ride through the city tonight
The singer and passengers will continue to ride through the city during the nighttime


See the city's ripped insides
The car passes areas in the city that are damaged or appear to be broken


The sky was made for us tonight
The beauty of the sky can be fully appreciated by those riding in the car on this particular night


Oh, the passenger
The singer or anyone riding in the car are referred to as 'the passenger'


How how he rides
The singer sings wistfully about the joy that comes from being a passenger


What does he see?
The singer is considering what someone else, another passenger, might see outside the car window


He sees the winding ocean drive
The car drives by the ocean, which has twists and turns in its path


And everything was made for you and me
The beauty of the world is meant to be shared between all people


All of it was made for you and me
The beauty of the world is not reserved for one person or group, it is shared among all of us


'Cause it just belongs to you and me
The beauty of the world belongs equally to everyone


So let's take a ride and see what's mine
The singer invites others to explore the world with them, to find the beauty in things that belong to them.


I ride and I ride
The singer continues to ride through the city, looking out the car window


And I ride and I ride and I ride...
The singer imagines continuing to ride and explore the city indefinitely




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: IGGY POP, 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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