New York City
The Passengers Lyrics

Well, I met him in Minnesota
The singer met a man in Minnesota.

It was dark and overcast
The weather was gloomy when the singer met the man.

With long, grey hair and eyes that stared
The man had long grey hair and piercing eyes that looked through the singer.

Through me like I was glass
The man's eyes looked right through the artist.

I asked "Where are you going to?"
The artist asked the man where he was going.

He said, "I'm the wind I'm just blowing through."
The man replied that he was like the wind, just passing through.

He lit up a cigarette and began to talk
The man started smoking and opened up to the singer.

"See the doctors told me that my body won't hold me
The man revealed that doctors had told him he was dying.

My lungs are turning black
The man's lungs were damaged, likely due to smoking.

Been a lucky strike's fool since I was at school
The man had been smoking Lucky Strike cigarettes since he was a student.

And there ain't no turning back
Despite knowing the damage smoking had caused, the man couldn't turn back the clock.

They can't tell me how long I've got
The doctors couldn't accurately predict how long the man had left to live.

Maybe months but maybe not
The man could die in a matter of months or even sooner.

I'm taking this bike and riding to New York
The man decided to ride his bike to New York.

'Cause I wanna see my grand-daughter one last time
The man's motivation for going to New York was to see his grand-daughter before he died.

Wanna hold her close and feel her tiny heartbeat next to mine
The man wanted to hold his grand-daughter and feel her heartbeat against his.

Wanna see my son and the man he's become
Another reason the man wanted to go to New York was to see his son and how he had grown.

Tell him I'm sorry for the things I've done
The man regretted things he had done and wanted to apologize to his son.

And I'd do it if I had to walk
The man was determined to make the journey to New York, even if he had to walk.

Through the forests of Wisconsin that I knew as a boy
The man reminisced about the forests he knew as a boy in Wisconsin.

Past the sky line of Chicago
The man passed by the skyline of Chicago on his journey.

Round the lakes of Illinois
The man rode around the lakes of Illinois on his bike.

I lay my head in a motel bed where my back is sore and my eyes turn red
The man stayed in a motel where he woke up with a sore back and red eyes.

Listen to the trucks roll past my door
The man heard trucks driving by his motel room.

Through the fields of Ohio as the sunshine paints them gold
The man rode through the fields of Ohio, enjoying the golden sunshine.

I run just like a river runs, rapid, quick and cold
The man rode his bike like a river flows – fast and cold.

And fly through Pennsylvania and the Jersey turnpike tolls
The man rode through Pennsylvania and paid tolls on the Jersey Turnpike.

And I won't stop 'till I get to New York
The man was determined to make it to New York and wouldn't stop until he arrived.

'Cause I wanna see my grand-son one last time
Another reason the man wanted to get to New York was to see his grand-son before he died.

Wanna see his eyes sparkling and stare back into mine
The man wanted to look into his grand-son's eyes as they sparkled.

Now my time is shorter
The man's time was running out.

I wanna see my daughter
The man wanted to see his daughter before he died.

Tell her all the things that I should have taught her
The man wished he had taught his daughter more and wanted to make up for it.

And I'd do it if I had to walk
Again, the man was determined to see his loved ones in New York, even if he had to walk.

Oh, I'm taking this bike I'm riding to New York
The man reiterated his decision to take his bike to New York.

And I'd go up to the churchyard one last time
Another thing the man wanted to do was visit the churchyard one last time.

Lay flowers down for the woman who gave me the best years of my life
The man wanted to lay flowers down for the woman who was the love of his life.

And I'd do it if I had to walk
Once again, the man was determined to complete his journey no matter what.

I'd do it if I had to walk
The man would do whatever it took to make it to New York.

I'm taking this bike and riding to New York
The man's journey to see his loved ones in New York was his top priority.