Amsterdam
Herman Kleinhans Lyrics
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Ek loop deur die strate van Amsterdam stoksielalleen
Ek dink aan al die dinge wat ek het om te deel
Maar langs die kanale word die vrae weer 'n paar te veel
Dalk is dit tyd vir iemand om my in te kleur
Toe was daar Hester en sy het gespeel
Van daardie legkaart waaraan ek so bou
En die prentjie wat oorbly
Is een sonder jou
Ek loop deur die strate van Mechelen en dit reen
En al wat ek soek is 'n nuwe hart om te steel
Maar die aand is te skaam
En die foto in die raam is te bleek
Dis dalk nou 'n goeie tyd om hom op te skeur.
Ek loop deur die strate van Parys en ek moet se dis vreemd
Koppe omhoog na 'n toring met liggies bedeel
Maar aan die eenkant van die straat
Staan daar mense op mekaar en skrees
Dan wonder ek of almal dan nou werklik
Dieselfde siening deel
In Herman Kleinhans's song Amsterdam, the singer walks alone through the streets of Amsterdam, feeling introspective and reflecting on his life. He considers sharing his thoughts with someone, but the questions in his mind become overwhelming as he walks along the canals. He thinks back to Hester, who once played with his jigsaw puzzle pieces but eventually took a piece of his heart with her when she left. He remembers the puzzle he once built and realizes that the picture without her is incomplete. He then travels to Mechelen in the rain, seeking a new heart to steal. He looks at the photo of him and Hester in his window and realizes that it's time to tear it up. Finally, he ends up in Paris, looking up at the lights on a tower, but feeling strange and disconnected from the people around him who are screaming at each other. He wonders if everyone else shares his fragmented perspective on life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ek loop deur die strate van Amsterdam stoksielalleen
I wander the streets of Amsterdam in complete solitude
Ek dink aan al die dinge wat ek het om te deel
I contemplate all the things I have to share
Maar langs die kanale word die vrae weer 'n paar te veel
But by the canals, questions arise, one too many to feel
Dalk is dit tyd vir iemand om my in te kleur
Maybe it's time for someone to brighten me up, make me feel less obscure
Toe was daar Hester en sy het gespeel
Then came Hester, and she played like no other
Met elke oomblik, sy het stukke gesteel
With every moment, she stole pieces of my heart, like a lover
Van daardie legkaart waaraan ek so bou
From that puzzle I tried to piece together, with all that I knew
En die prentjie wat oorbly
And the picture that remains
Is een sonder jou
Is one without you
Ek loop deur die strate van Mechelen en dit reen
I walk through the streets of Mechelen and it's raining
En al wat ek soek is 'n nuwe hart om te steel
All that I seek is a new heart to steal
Maar die aand is te skaam
But the night feels too shy
En die foto in die raam is te bleek
And the photo in the window looks too meek
Dis dalk nou 'n goeie tyd om hom op te skeur.
Maybe now's a good time to tear it apart and end this spyre
Ek loop deur die strate van Parys en ek moet se dis vreemd
I walk through the streets of Paris and must say, it feels strange
Koppe omhoog na 'n toring met liggies bedeel
Heads up, towards a tower lit up in lights, the crowd is ranged
Maar aan die eenkant van die straat
But on the other side of the street
Staan daar mense op mekaar en skrees
People are standing on top of each other, afraid and disheveled
Dan wonder ek of almal dan nou werklik
Then I wonder if everyone truly sees
Dieselfde siening deel
The same vision, or is it just a facade, a mere appeal
Contributed by Nathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.