Death Cab for Cutie – Passenger Seat

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I roll the window down
And then begin to breathe in
The darkest country road
And the strong scent of evergreen
From the passenger seat as you are driving me home.

Then looking upwards
I strain my eyes and try
To tell the difference between shooting stars and satellites
From the passenger seat as you are driving me home.

"Do they collide?"
I ask and you smile.
With my feet on the dash
The world doesn't matter.

When you feel embarrassed then I'll be your pride
When you need directions then I'll be the guide
For all time.
For all time.

Send "Passenger Seat" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by heartattack

Track duration: 03:42

"Passenger Seat" as written by Benjamin Gibbard

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Passenger Seat song meanings
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189 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation:I'm not saying this is the correct interpretation or anything but this is what I imagine when I listen to this song. A guy is driving his girlfriend home late at night and she's tired. She's been wanting to ask him something and now since they're alone it's the perfect time. She wonders out loud on the lines: "I strain my eyes and try To tell the difference between shooting stars and satellites." I think this is metaphorical and the shooting stars represents love while the satellites represent society. She's wondering whether anyone or anything will get in the way of their love when she asks "do they collide?" He answers her by smiling, assuring her nothing will ever get in the way of them. She feels more comfortable and realizes that the rest of society really doesn't matter and won't ever change their love. He then continues to tell her "when you feel embarrassed then I'll be your pride, when you need directions then I'll be the guide, for all time, for all time." He tells her that he will always be there for her and love her, forever.
    Flag 14fourteenon January 23, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Memory:This song takes me back to when I turned 25. My group of friends decided take me out and get me drunk. They accomplished that goal within an hour. I got drunk and somehow ended up getting into a fight. It was a short fight, but my ass got kicked. This girl I used hang out with a lot ended up picking me up off the floor and dragging me to her car. She decided to take me home. That girl and I haven't spoken to each for years prior to that night. (We stopped hanging out because it was weird after I told her I liked her.) As she was taking me home she decided go through this very dark canyon. It felt like we were the only ones on the road. It was nice. We didn't say a word to each other as this song came on. We just sat there. Her staring out into the dark winding road and me holding onto my busted lip.
    Flag Emoney126on December 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I used this song for my mother/son dance at my wedding.
    It was between this and Simple Man.
    This song had a more personal meaning. My mom driving me home, most of the time it was after getting into trouble. The 'driver' leaves the listener a chance to tie their own personal memory to the song, which i absolutely admire. You can make the driver whoever.
    Flag zerosson May 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When you feel embarrassed then I'll be your pride
    When you need directions then I'll be the guide
    Flag songlikeron February 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My husband and I are planning on moving to Washington in the next year or so, and this reminds me of how it's going to be when we do move up there.

    Washington is the Evergreen state, and from experience, on those dark country roads all you do smell is evergreen trees.

    To put it simply, being in love while driving home on dark Washington roads.
    Flag ohdiscoon December 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Memory:When I first heard this song, my fiance, me, and his family were driving back to the city from out in the country at night. What perfect timing! It was such a nice drive, to be with my fiance and the relaxing atmosphere of the country. Pure bliss.
    Flag AmericanDaydreameron September 14, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:this song is breathtaking. It's simple and yet it brings you to a place you never thought you could go.
    Flag tinylife7on August 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Beautiful song. Youthfulness. Security.
    Flag xmakesherflyxon July 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is hands down my favourite of death cab's
    the way I interpret it is in more of a relationship kind of way
    driving with the person you love or care about so much that it hurts
    opening the window and letting the windd and smell of the outdoors take hold of your emotions
    "do they collide i ask and you smile"
    i think of that more about their relationship because maybe it isnt a run of the mill one and its almost impossible to work out
    overall its hard to explain but I feel it is definitely a love song and a beautiful one at that
    It has an amazing power that makes me love it and a beautiful ability to make me cry
    Flag musicthegreatcommunicator3on July 12, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:So blissfully and perfectly literal. Thank you thank you a thousand times, Death Cab.
    Flag fishwizardon April 16, 2010   Link

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