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Upon its release, "Passenger" was hailed as one of the songs on ''[[Internationalist (album)|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.<ref>{{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=[[July 23]] [[1999]]|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-10-25}}</ref> [[Juice (magazine)|''Juice'']]'s Simon Wooldridge agreed with Fanning, stating that "Passenger" "demonstrated their flair for the big hook was no longer being suppressed
Upon its release, "Passenger" was hailed as one of the songs on ''[[Internationalist (album)|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.<ref>{{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=[[July 23]] [[1999]]|publisher=Powderfinger Central|accessdate=2007-10-25}}</ref> [[Juice (magazine)|''Juice'']]'s Simon Wooldridge agreed with Fanning, stating that "Passenger" "demonstrated their flair for the big hook was no longer being suppressed
.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
.<ref>{{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}}</ref> In August 2007, Australian television station [[Max (channel)|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]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maxtv.com.au/Max/Article.aspx?id=1282|title=Top 100: MAX's Top 90s Songs|publisher=maxtv.com.au|date=[[2 August]], [[2007]]|accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref>


===Charts===
===Charts===

Revision as of 04:11, 12 January 2008

"Passenger"
Song

"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on August 9, 1999,[1] 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.[2]

Single 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.[3] "Passenger" was released on August 9, 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.[4][5]

Song 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.[6]

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.[7]

"Passenger" featured Brisbane trio Tiddas for the first time, providing backing vocals.[8] Tiddas also accompanied Powderfinger live, although some of the elements of "Passenger", such as the brass sections, were replicated using a keyboard.[9] 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."[4]

Music video

A scene from the video for "Passenger", showing the suitcases containing the band members before they are eaten by the whale-like creature.

Powderfinger decided to enlist Brisbane based production company Fifty Fifty Films to direct and produce the music video for "Passenger".[10] 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.[11]

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".[4]

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.

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.[12] Juice's Simon Wooldridge agreed with Fanning, stating that "Passenger" "demonstrated their flair for the big hook was no longer being suppressed .[13] In 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".[14]

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.[15] The single failed to chart outside of Australia.

Chart Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[15] 30

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.[16] 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.[17] The song also achieved the 100th position on the 1999 Triple J Hottest 100.[18]

Year Organisation Ceremony Award Result
1999 Triple J Hottest 100 N/A #100[18]
2000 APRA APRA Awards Song of the Year Won[17]
ARIA ARIA Music Awards Best Cover Art Nominated[16]
Best Group Nominated[16]
Single of the Year Nominated[16]

Track listing

Template:Sound sample box align right

Powderfinger "Passenger"
20 second sample from Powderfinger's "Passenger"
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Template:Sample box end

All tracks written and performed by Powderfinger.[19]

  1. "Passenger" – 4:09
  2. "These Days" – 4:59
  3. "Passenger (Live)" – 4:41
  4. "Pick You Up (Live)" – 4:47
  5. "Maxwell's Great Mistake" – 2:58
  6. "That Ol' Track" – 3:47

References

  1. ^ "Passenger by Powderfinger". Rate your music. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  2. ^ "Albums - Internationalist". Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  3. ^ "Passenger - Powderfinger". Releases. Australian Music Online. Retrieved 2007-11-01.
  4. ^ a b c Pascuzzi, Carmine (1999). "Primed for the P2K tour". Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Shedden, Iain (10/11 July, 1999). "Up Close (and not too) Personal". Orbit - The Weekend Australian. Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Kelsey, Munro (February 2001). "The Odyssey Continues". Esky Magazine. Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Kirkland, Phil (17 November, 1999). "Passenger by Powderfinger - guitar tabs, guitar chords and lyrics - chordie". Passenger. Retrieved 2007-11-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Clode, Samantha (October 1998). "Taking Flight". Juice. Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Teresa, Bolster (December 1998). "Finger on the Pulse". HIT. Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "www.fiftyfifty.tv". Fifty Fifty films. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
  11. ^ "Passenger - Powderfinger" (Adobe Flash). YouTube. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  12. ^ Mathieson, Craig (July 23 1999). "Powder and the Glory". Metro - Sydney Morning Herald. Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Wooldridge, Simon (September 2000). "This Sporting Life". Juice. Powderfinger Central. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "Top 100: MAX's Top 90s Songs". maxtv.com.au. 2 August, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b "australian-charts.com - Powderfinger - Passenger". POWDERFINGER - PASSENGER (SONG). australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  16. ^ a b c d "History: Winners by Artist: Powderfinger". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  17. ^ a b "APRA Music Awards 2000". Winners. Australasian Performing Right Association. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  18. ^ a b "Hottest 100 History 1999". Triple J. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  19. ^ "Passenger - Powderfinger". Last.fm. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
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