Siouxsie & The Banshees - The Passenger

1987. 'Through the Looking Glass.' Siouxsie and the Banshees. 'The Passenger' - cover of Iggy Pop's 1977 original. Iggy Pop's version (1977):Raw. Driving. Berlin era. Produced by Ricky Gardiner, who wrote the music. About riding the S-Bahn through West Berlin at night. Observing. Detached. Free. Simple. Hypnotic. Punk minimalism. Siouxsie's version (1987):Transformed it completely. Made it gothic. Atmospheric. Haunting. Siouxsie Sioux's voice - icy, commanding, otherworldly. The production - layered, dark, cinematic. John Carruthers on guitar creating textures Iggy never imagined. Became bigger than Iggy's original in the UK. #41 on UK charts. Why it matters: 'Through the Looking Glass' was all covers. Siouxsie reimagining classics. 'The Passenger' stood out because she didn't just cover it. She possessed it. Iggy's version: freedom through observation. Siouxsie's version: darkness through observation. Same words. Completely different meaning. Siouxsie and the Banshees: 1976-1996. Post-punk pioneers. Goth godfathers—godmothers. Influenced everyone: The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, PJ Harvey. Siouxsie Sioux: one of the most important female voices in alternative music. Ever. 'The Passenger' cover proved you could take a punk classic and make it your own without disrespecting the original. Iggy Pop approved. That's all that matters. Two versions. Both essential. Both perfect for different reasons. Iggy: liberation. Siouxsie: mystery. That's how you cover a classic.

Eternally coolest Siouxsie.

Love this version with John Valentine Carruthers still in the band.

Love this version @asummerghost

@Shannon20311795 so damn good

Good cover

🖤🔥🖤🔥🖤🔥🖤🔥

Is that Portmeirion?

She was my girl in other life.

Marvelous Dude 🍻🙌🤪

siouxsie <3

🤍🙏🖤🐇

This song was made for that voice 🖤

Peek A Boo💯🔥🔥🔥🐍

Love this version.