Passenger (Powderfinger song)

Infobox Single
Name = Passenger
from Album = Internationalist
Format = Single
Artist = Powderfinger


Released = flagicon|Australia 9 August 1999
Recorded = Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne
Genre = Rock
Length = 4:09
Label = Universal
Producer =
Last single = "Already Gone"
(1999)
This single = "Passenger"
(1999)
Next single = "My Happiness"
(2000)"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album "Internationalist". It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, [cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/powderfinger/passenger/|title=Passenger by Powderfinger|publisher=Rate your music|accessdate=2007-11-01] and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for "Single of the year" in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards. "Passenger" was also featured as the opening song performed by Powderfinger while supporting Crowded House's "Farewell to the World" charity concert in November 1996. The recording of that performance was available in early pressings of "Internationalist" on a bonus disc entitled "P2K". [cite web|url=http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/discog/inter.htm|title=Albums - Internationalist|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-11-02]

ingle release and history

The single for "Passenger" included five companion tracks, including two live tracks. These were "Passenger" and "Pick You Up", both performed on 11 October 1998 at Sydney Opera House. A version of "These Days" was also included, and this was the first time the song was released.cite web|url=http://www.amo.org.au/release.asp?id=1249|title=Passenger - Powderfinger|publisher=Australian Music Online|work=Releases|accessdate=2007-11-01] "Passenger" was released on 9 August 1999 in Australia, and was one of two Powderfinger songs that were actively being played on commercial radio at the time; the other being "These Days", which also appeared on the soundtrack for "Two Hands". At the time, Powderfinger were performing in clubs and universities around Australia on their P2K tour, and the release of the single resulted in a large boost in ticket sales.cite web|url= http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl22.htm|title=Primed for the P2K tour|last=Pascuzzi|first=Carmine|date=1999|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-10-25] [cite web|url= http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl17.htm|title=Up Close (and not too) Personal |last=Shedden|first=Iain|work=Orbit - The Weekend Australian|date=10/11 July 1999|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-10-25]

ong structure

In "Passenger", a recurring theme in Bernard Fanning’s song writing emerged; "a fascination with the banality of routine". Esky Magazine’s Kelsy Munro cited the lines "So many places you’d prefer to be / Than framed by a picket fence and salary" as an example of this, as well as examples from future songs "These Days" and "My Kind of Scene". When asked about this, Fanning offered no direct explanation, saying it wasn’t a conscious theme, but did suggest that it could be a "part guilt-complex" because of his relatively care-free lifestyle. [cite web|url= http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl28.htm|title=The Odyssey Continues|first=Munro|last=Kelsey|date=February 2001|work=Esky Magazine|publisher=Powderfinger Central| accessdate=2007-10-25]

In "Passenger", the key signature is D major, however the verses begin with the G chord, while the choruses and outro are in the D major's relative minor key, B minor. The song is a completely straight rock feel in the time signature of 4/4. [cite web|url=http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.ultimate-guitar.com/print.php?what=tab&id=5355|author=Kirkland, Phil|title=Passenger by Powderfinger - guitar tabs, guitar chords and lyrics - chordie|work=Passenger|date=17 November 1999|accessdate=2007-11-03]

"Passenger" featured Brisbane trio Tiddas for the first time, providing backing vocals. [cite web|url=http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl38.htm|title=Taking Flight|first=Samantha|last=Clode|date=October 1998|work=Juice|publisher=Powderfinger Central| accessdate=2007-10-25] Tiddas also accompanied Powderfinger live, although some of the elements of "Passenger", such as the brass sections, were replicated using a keyboard. [cite web|url=http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl13.htm|title=Finger on the Pulse|first=Bolster|last=Teresa|date=December 1998|work=HIT|publisher=Powderfinger Central| accessdate=2007-10-25] Powderfinger's Drummer Jon Coghill described some elements of "Passenger", including the horn section, as being based on the work of Elvis Presley, and his big band. Coghill said "We tried to do it like Elvis would, in a big band arrangement. There are backing vocals, horns and a la la sound."

Music video

Powderfinger decided to enlist Brisbane based production company Fifty Fifty Films to direct and produce the music video for "Passenger".cite web|url=http://www.fiftyfifty.tv/cgi-bin/CMS.pl?T=1&P=0|title=www.fiftyfifty.tv|publisher=Fifty Fifty films|accessdate=2007-10-18] This was the group's first experience with Fifty Fifty, and it proved successful, leading to the group having most of their future videos directed by the firm.

The music video for "Passenger" begins with the band members packing themselves and their instruments, into suitcases. They are then transported to an airport while the first verse is played. During the first chorus, they are loaded onto a baggage carousel, as is a bomb, whilst security personnel are distracted. The suitcases and bomb are then loaded on an aeroplane. During the second verse, the bomb explodes, and the suitcases containing the band members fall out of it, only to be swallowed by an unnamed creature resembling a whale. They are later ejected from the blowhole of the creature into zero-gravity, at which stage the second chorus commences. At the end of the chorus, the suitcases re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere, and the video ends with the suitcases floating in the ocean. [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwgdN687SU0|title=Passenger - Powderfinger|publisher=YouTube|format=Adobe Flash|accessdate=2007-11-02]

Carmine Pascuzzi alluded to "Passenger’s" video in an article about the band’s P2K tour, saying the single was "accompanied by an excellent video".

Response

Powderfinger’s bass guitarist, John Collins, jokingly noted in an interview with Rod Yates of Massive Magazines that "the guitars are out of tune at the start of Passenger", whilst guitarist Darren Middleton explained that "there are not regrets with any of that sort of stuff, it’s part of who we are and what we’ve done", in reference to the out of tune guitars. [cite web|url=http://www.hindleysite.com/media/mag/Powderfinger_massive_trustyoldjackets.htm |title=Trusty Old Jackets|publisher=Hindley Site|work=Massive|last=Yates|first=Rod|accessdate=2008-01-12]

Upon its release, "Passenger" was hailed as one of the songs on "Internationalist" to come close to "the big FM radio hits of "Double Allergic", according to lead singer Bernard Fanning. Not that it mattered to him - he still believed "Internationalist" was a better record, but was probably not as "likable" as its predecessor. [cite web|url= http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl20.htm |title=Powder and the Glory |last=Mathieson|first=Craig|work=Metro - Sydney Morning Herald|date=23 July 1999|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-10-25] "Juice"'s Simon Wooldridge agreed with Fanning, stating that "Passenger" "demonstrated their flair for the big hook was no longer being suppressed. [cite web|url= http://www.ozmusic-central.com.au/powderfinger/text/articl39.htm |title=This Sporting Life |last=Wooldridge|first=Simon|work=Juice|date=September 2000|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-10-25] On 2 August 2007, Australian television station Max published the "Top 500 90s Songs", placing "Passenger" as the only Powderfinger song in the top 100, at #48, just ahead of Fatboy Slim's "Praise You". [cite web|url=http://maxtv.com.au/Max/Article.aspx?id=1282|title=Top 100: MAX's Top 90s Songs|publisher=Max|date=2 August 2007|accessdate=2008-01-12]

Charts

The single for "Passenger" achieved a peak position of #30 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart in 1999. The single reached #33 in its first week, then reached its #30 peak in the second week and remained on the singles chart for eleven weeks.cite web|url=http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Powderfinger&titel=Passenger&cat=s|publisher=australian-charts.com|work=POWDERFINGER - PASSENGER (SONG)|title=australian-charts.com - Powderfinger - Passenger|accessdate=2007-11-02] The single failed to chart outside of Australia.

Awards

As the final single from "Internationalist", "Passenger" received nominations and awards from various institutions Australia-wide. Most notably, it was nominated three times by the Australian Recording Industry Association in 2000 for the ARIA Music Awards for "Best Cover Art", "Single of the Year" and earned Powderfinger the nomination for "Best Group", though won none of these awards.cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-artist.php?letter=P&artist=Powderfinger|title=History: Winners by Artist: Powderfinger|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|accessdate=2007-09-18] The song was also nominated and did win the award for "Song of the Year" from the Australasian Performing Right Association for their annual APRA Awards. The song also achieved the 100th position on the 1999 Triple J Hottest 100.

Track listing

"All tracks written and performed by Powderfinger". [cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Powderfinger/Passenger|title=Passenger - Powderfinger|publisher=Last.fm|accessdate=2007-11-02]
# "Passenger" – 4:09
# "These Days" – 4:59
# "Passenger (Live)" – 4:41
# "Pick You Up (Live)" – 4:47
# "Maxwell's Great Mistake" – 2:58
# "That Ol' Track" – 3:47

References