From the 1977 album, Lust for Life, it was released as a B-side for the single “Success”.
In a chat with Josh Homme, Iggy talked about the song’s main inspiration:
Yeah. The Passenger was partly written about the fact I’d been riding around North America and Europe in David’s car ad infinitum. I d...
[Verse 1]
I am a passenger
And I ride and I ride
I ride through the city's backsides
I see the stars come out of the sky
Yeah, they're bright in a hollow sky
You know it looks so good tonight
[Verse 2]
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 ripping sky
And everything looks good tonight
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
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
The sky was made for us tonight
[Verse 4]
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 sight of 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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 5]
Oh, the passenger
He rides and he rides
He sees things from under glass
He looks through his window's eye
He sees the things he knows are his
He sees the bright and hollow sky
He sees the city asleep 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
[Chorus]
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
The Passenger was written by Iggy Pop & Ricky Gardiner.
The Passenger was produced by Iggy Pop & David Bowie.
Iggy Pop released The Passenger on Mon Aug 29 1977.