"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, 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. 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. "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. 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. 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. "Passenger" featured Victorian trio Tiddas for the first time, providing backing vocals. Tiddas also accompanied Powderfinger live, although some of the elements of "Passenger", such as the brass sections, were replicated using a keyboard. 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