"nɔːɹθwˈɛst pˈæsɪdʒ" kəmpˈɛɹz ðə sˈɪŋɚz ˈoʊn tɹˈævəlz əkɹˌɑːs ðə pɹˈɛɹi pɹˈɑːvɪnsᵻz tə ðɪ ɛksplˈoːɹətˌoːɹi ɐdvˈɛntʃɚz ʌv sˌɜː dʒˈɑːn fɹˈæŋklɪn, ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ məkˈɛnzi, dˈeɪvɪd tˈɑːmpsən, ænd hˈɛnɹi kˈɛlsi.
"Northwest Passage" compares the singer's own travels across the prairie provinces to the exploratory adventures of Sir John Franklin, Alexander Mackenzie, David Thompson, and Henry Kelsey.