Lyrics: Peter Monk
Music: Phil Lesh
Music by Phil Lesh but sung by Bob Weir and Donna Godchaux.
FireflyOut-takes from the Terrapin Station album sessions reveal that when the song was being developed, the lyrics after the first chorus were sung in a different order and included additional verses:
Can you see me?
Shine on, glowing
Brief and brightly
Could you imagine (note 1)
One summer day
That same night
Be on your way
Do you remember?
Hearts were too cold
Seasons had frozen us (note 2)
Into our souls
People were saying
The whole world is burning
Ashes were scattered
Too hard to turn (note 3)
Chorus
Upside out
Or inside down
False alarm, the only game in town
No man's land, the only game in town (note 4)
Terrible, the only game in town
Passenger
Don't you hear me?
Destination
Seen unclearly
What is a man
Deep down inside
But a raging beast
With nothing to hide
[chorus]
Jet plane shadowsWhen Dead & Company played this at Bonnaroo on 12 June 2016 they included the two additional verses above, though with some variations in the second one. This is also what Bob Weir sang in 2017 with the Campfire Band (thanks to Kerry for pointing this out):
Under the sky
Just like the elephant
Planning to die
What is a man
Deep down inside
But a raging beast
With nothing to hide
[chorus]
Passenger
Don't you hear me?
Destination
Seen unclearly
Ask me no questions
Sing you no names
No more mysteries
Simple games
Jet plane shadowsNotes
Under the sky
Just like an elephant
Planning to die (note 5)
Ask me no questions
Sing you no lies
One more whiskey
Or a kiss is goodbye
"What's weird about that song is I sort of did it as a joke. It's a take on a Fleetwood Mac tune called "Station Man." I just sort of sped it up and put some different chord changes in there..."Fleetwood Mac's "Station Man" was included on their 1970 album "Kiln House" and it's certainly possible to hear the links to Passenger.
Station man
I've been waiting
Can you tell me
When we're leaving
Midnight train
Now is leaving
Engine screaming
Where I'm going I don't know
But you tell me I must go
When we're leaving I don't know
But you tell me now
I see it's coming
And bringing something
This train of loving
I see it's coming
I feel it's running
This train of loving
From ages past
Station man
I've been waiting
Can you tell me
When we're leaving