Internationally, the band is perhaps best known for popular rock hits such as "Oliver's Army" and "Pump It Up", both featuring expressive yet sardonic vocals from Costello. He reconvened the band for one-off albums and tours over the following decade, particularly from 1994 through 1996. He has also enlisted Nieve, and to a lesser extent Pete Thomas, for other recordings and performances, and this continues to the present day. Costello and Bruce Thomas have had a notoriously stormy relationship, documented in Thomas' 1990 autobiographical novel 'The Big Wheel'. The original Attractions reunited for the 'Brutal Youth & All This Useless Beauty' sessions despite Costello and Thomas' differences. Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve, along with Bruce Thomas' replacement Davey Faragher, have been a part of Costello's other most well known backing band, The Imposters.
Together, Costello and the Attractions, based out of London, England, recorded ten albums. Most of which are critically regarded as among Costello's finest. They are: 'This Year's Model' (1978); 'Armed Forces' (1979); 'Get Happy' (1980); 'Trust' (1981); 'Almost Blue' (1981); 'Imperial Bedroom' (1982); 'Punch The Clock' (1983); 'Goodbye Cruel World' (1984); 'Blood and Chocolate' (1986), and 'All This Useless Beauty' (1996). The full band plays on some, but not all, tracks on the 1994 release 'Brutal Youth', which is credited to Costello alone. In addition, The Attractions also recorded an album without Costello, titled 'Mad About the Wrong Boy', which they released in 1980.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions most recently appeared together, although they didn't play, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. The band's work has continued to receive much airplay and sell quite well over the years. 'Mad About the Wrong Boy', while obscure, has been a collectors item for many new wave and power pop fans.
New Amsterdam
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You give me your lip after punching me silly
You turned my head till it rolled down the brain drain
If I had any sense now I wouldn't want it back again
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
Till I have the possession of everything she touches
Till I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
Down on the mainspring, listen to the tick tock
Clock all the faces that move in on your block
Twice shy and dog tired because you've been bitten
Everything you say now sounds like it was ghost-written
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
Till I have the possession of everything she touches
Till I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
Till I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
Back in London they'll take you to heart after a little while
Though I look right at home I still feel like an exile
Somehow I found myself down at the dockside
Thinking about the old days of Liverpool and Rotherhithe
The transparent people who live on the other side
Living a life that is almost like suicide
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
Till I have the possession of everything she touches
Till I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
Till I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
The lyrics of Elvis Costello & The Attraction's song New Amsterdam deal with the confusion and disorientation of a person trying to navigate a new city and a new relationship. The first stanza describes the confusion of the character being sent tulips mistaken for lilies, and then being punched by their lover but still receiving a kiss. The metaphorical "head-turning" that occurred as a result of the relationship has left the character feeling adrift and wishing to reclaim their senses.
The song then shifts to a discussion of the city, with the character stating that New Amsterdam has become too much for them to handle. They feel as though their lover possesses everything they touch, and they cannot escape their influence. They feel as if they are speaking "double Dutch" to a "real double duchess," a metaphor for feeling out of place and unable to communicate effectively.
Finally, the song ends with the character reminiscing about their hometown of London while standing on the docks in New Amsterdam. The people they see around them seem to be living a life akin to "suicide," and the character feels like an exile.
Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of a person struggling with disorientation and dislocation, both within a relationship and in a new city.
Line by Line Meaning
You're sending me tulips mistaken for lilies
You're giving me things I don't want or need, confusing them for something else entirely.
You give me your lip after punching me silly
You insult me after causing me physical harm.
You turned my head till it rolled down the brain drain
You made me lose my mind and my sense of self.
If I had any sense now I wouldn't want it back again
If I were smart, I wouldn't want to go back to the way things were with you.
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
The city of New Amsterdam has become overwhelming.
Till I have the possession of everything she touches
Until I have complete control over everything in this city.
Till I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
Until I can escape from the grasp of this city's influence.
Till I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
Until I can speak a language that even a high-class woman from the Netherlands wouldn't understand.
Down on the mainspring, listen to the tick tock
Examining the inner workings of a clock, hearing each second pass.
Clock all the faces that move in on your block
Take note of every person who comes into your space.
Twice shy and dog tired because you've been bitten
You're cautious and exhausted because you've been hurt before.
Everything you say now sounds like it was ghost-written
Your words lack sincerity and seem like they were written by someone else.
Back in London they'll take you to heart after a little while
People in London will grow to love you eventually.
Though I look right at home I still feel like an exile
Even though I fit in, I still feel like an outsider.
Somehow I found myself down at the dockside
For some reason, I ended up at the docks.
Thinking about the old days of Liverpool and Rotherhithe
I'm reminiscing about my past in Liverpool and Rotherhithe.
The transparent people who live on the other side
The people who live across the water are easy to read and predict.
Living a life that is almost like suicide
They're living a dangerous, reckless life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oolongoolong789
His best song. Possibly.
@tallan9698
That is a hard row to hoe.
@gontierfrancois8115
Certainly. My favorite
@Meme_Lor
Elvis Costello is one of the greatest pop musicians of all time
@theunwantedcritic
Respectfully, I disagree. He was never that popular. But he was one of the most prolific songwriters in the last 75 years. I’ve heard this song dozens of times in the last 35 years but I haven’t heard it recently. He said he was listening to TikTok.
@cafinario
In 1980, when I was getting bored of the music out there, I listened to this and I had faith again.
@bumpasaurus487
Elvis Costello, the clash, and the talking heads were the best things to happen to music in the late 70s, exactly what was needed to get out of the played out self-indulgent cliche music rock had turned into.
@puite68
one of my all time favorite songs.
@tallan9698
It is a good one from a great record! P.S. I saw him do it live in New York City. 1981!
@stephencopps1561
Ever since I heard this l'm fascinated by the mention of Rotherhithe