Rotterdam
Beautiful South And The Housemartins Lyrics
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Like they're trying to prove it won't fall out
And all the men are gargoyles
Dipped long in Irish stout
The whole place is pickled
The people are pickles for sure
And no-one knows if they've done more here
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere
Liverpool or Rome
'Cause Rotterdam is anywhere
Anywhere alone
Anywhere alone
And everyone is blonde
And everyone is beautiful
And when blondes and beautiful are multiple
They become so dull and dutiful
And when faced with dull and dutiful
They fire red warning flares
Battle-khaki personality
With red underwear
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere
Liverpool or Rome
'Cause Rotterdam is anywhere
Anywhere alone
Anywhere alone
The whole place is pickled
The people are pickles for sure
And no-one knows if they've done more here
Than they ever would do in a jar
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere
Liverpool or Rome
'Cause Rotterdam is anywhere
Anywhere alone
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere
Liverpool or Rome
'Cause Rotterdam is anywhere
Anywhere alone
The lyrics of "Rotterdam" by Beautiful South And The Housemartins depict a cynical portrayal of the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The opening lines paint a picture of women nervously tugging their hair, potentially worried about it falling out. On the other hand, the men in the city are described as gargoyles, perhaps suggesting a sense of immovability or stubbornness. The heavy drinking culture is also highlighted with mentions of the people being pickled in alcohol, likening them to pickles in a jar.
The chorus is where the song reveals its central theme - that Rotterdam could be any city in the world, and the people living there would be just as pickled and stuck in their ways. This idea is expanded upon in the second verse where the prevalence of blonde, beautiful people is deemed to be boring and unremarkable. This dullness is contrasted with the idea of "red warning flares" and "red underwear," which implies that there is something fiery and exciting underneath the bland exterior.
Overall, the song seems to be a critique of the homogeneity of modern cities and their inhabitants. Rotterdam is simply a placeholder for any city with its own unique culture and quirks, but ultimately, the people are all the same in their conformity and lack of individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
And the women tug their hair
Women are seen pulling their hair, perhaps to prove it is not falling out.
Like they're trying to prove it won't fall out
It seems like women are struggling to prove that their hair isn't falling out.
And all the men are gargoyles
Men are all like statues on a building.
Dipped long in Irish stout
They are soaked in Irish beer for a long time.
The whole place is pickled
The entire place is soaked in something, perhaps alcohol.
The people are pickles for sure
The people there are completely soaked in something, just like pickles are fully immersed in vinegar.
And no-one knows if they've done more here
No one is certain if anything important is happening here.
Than they ever would do in a jar
The people might be doing more in this place than they ever would be in a closed space like a jar.
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere
The place could be Rotterdam or any other city.
Liverpool or Rome
It could be any city in the world.
'Cause Rotterdam is anywhere
Rotterdam could be anywhere as it is not really unique or special.
Anywhere alone
The place, just like Rotterdam, is alone and not special in any way.
And everyone is blonde
Everyone, both men and women, have blond hair.
And everyone is beautiful
Everyone is incredibly attractive.
And when blondes and beautiful are multiple
When there are many blonde and beautiful people around.
They become so dull and dutiful
They start behaving in a boring and responsible way instead of having fun.
And when faced with dull and dutiful
When confronted with something mundane and boring.
They fire red warning flares
They react with a sense of urgency or danger, as if a warning signal has been sounded.
Battle-khaki personality
An aggressive, militant demeanor.
With red underwear
An unexpected or quirky detail, such as wearing red underwear.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dave Rotheray, Paul Heaton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
punjabi49
Love the group...love this song....thanks for the good quality sound.
Susie
Great Rhythm, lovely guitar, an atmospheric song, I love this.
8mei2002
love this song
Alistair Reed
Splendid piece of music
Irie Ite
You've played in Rotterdam and everywhere,
Liverpool and Rome,
But now you're playing Rotherham
Rotherham at home.
st. legoshi
Breathtaking
Stacey Princess
How has this not got more views????
blanchehermine
The chorus sounds a little like theme song for Raggy Dolls.
Ben Marshall
Boopdaboop 😏