Mandolin Orange’s music radiates a mysterious warmth —their songs feel like whispered secrets, one hand cupped to your ear. The North Carolina duo have built a steady and growing fanbase with this kind of intimacy, and on Tides of A Teardrop, due out February 1, it is more potent than ever. By all accounts, it is the duo’s fullest, richest, and most personal effort. You can hear the air between them—the taut space of shared understanding, as palpable as a magnetic field, that makes their music sound like two halves of an endlessly completing thought. Singer-songwriter Andrew Marlin and multi-instrumentalist Emily Frantz have honed this lamp glow intimacy for years.
In the last three years, the group has toured throughout the U.S and Europe, including appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Rooster Walk, and MerleFest and the Omagh Bluegrass Festival. Mandolin Orange was the featured artist on CBS This Morning's Saturday Morning Sessions on December 7, 2019.
They signed to Yep Roc Records in 2013 and have produced four albums under their umbrella, This Side Of Jordan, Such Jubilee, Blindfaller and Tides of a Teardrop.
Amsterdam
Mandolin Orange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watery eyes
That howling wind, she′s waving hi
Her other hand's in mine
Oh, silhouette
She′s growing tall and fine
She's got my back
No matter what my crime
All inside our Amsterdam she flies
Hoarding the kites
That howling wind, she′ll take everything
She′s easy on the eyes
Well, the churches and trains
Well, they all look the same to me now
They shoot you some place
While we ache to come home somehow
The lyrics to Mandolin Orange's song "Amsterdam" tell the story of two people who are in love and are exploring the city of Amsterdam together. The woman in the song is described as having watery eyes and hiding within the city, while the man's hand is in hers. They are both affected by the howling wind and the beauty of their surroundings.
As the song progresses, their relationship deepens, and they become almost inseparable. The woman grows taller and more beautiful in the man's eyes, and he knows that she will always have his back. They fly kites together and take in the sights of Amsterdam with each other.
However, despite the beauty of the city, the two begin to long for home. They feel out of place in the foreign churches and trains, and they long to return to where they belong. The lyrics suggest that although they are happy in Amsterdam, they know that they ultimately belong somewhere else.
Line by Line Meaning
All inside our Amsterdam she hides
The singer and his partner are in Amsterdam and she is hiding her watery eyes.
Watery eyes
The singer's partner is trying to hide her tears in Amsterdam.
That howling wind, she′s waving hi
The wind in Amsterdam is strong, and the partner is waving at it as a greeting.
Her other hand's in mine
The artist and his partner are holding hands while in Amsterdam.
Oh, silhouette
The artist is admiring his partner's silhouette in Amsterdam.
She′s growing tall and fine
The singer's partner looks beautiful and confident in Amsterdam.
She's got my back
The singer's partner is supportive and protective of him in Amsterdam.
She'll follow me down every street
The artist's partner will go everywhere with him in Amsterdam.
No matter what my crime
The partner will not judge him, no matter what mistakes he makes in Amsterdam.
All inside our Amsterdam she flies
The artist and his partner are still in Amsterdam, and she's playing with kites.
Hoarding the kites
The partner is keeping the kites the singer bought for her in Amsterdam.
That howling wind, she′ll take everything
The strong wind in Amsterdam is capable of taking away everything, including kites.
She′s easy on the eyes
The partner is physically attractive in Amsterdam.
Well, the churches and trains
The singer is reflecting on the fact that the churches and trains in Amsterdam all look similar to him now.
Well, they all look the same to me now
The singer's perception of Amsterdam has changed, and everything looks identical to him now.
They shoot you some place
Amsterdam is not safe, and someone could shoot you in a random place.
While we ache to come home somehow
The artist and his partner are homesick and want to return home from Amsterdam.
Writer(s): Gregory Alan Isakov
Contributed by Lincoln P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Ghggnight
One of my favorite artists covering another favorite artists. Beautiful reminds me of my daughters.............
@joelcramer7411
I sing this to my daughter all the time for the last six years while putting her to bed. It does make me think of her
@jimcatalfamo8034
i came across these guys doing an unbelievable version of the swimming pool songs with the dead tongues and now I'm hooked
@johnmurray5685
The lyrics alone make this amazing
@TheWhalebone
These two make me proud to be carolinian <3
@karlimarie7205
Amazing...the harmony is beautiful✨
@nomadtrails
Should make a note this is a cover of a Gregory Alan Isakov tune!
@phoenixskill5478
Theres always the ONE guy who dislikes everything, no matter how good it is...
@jeanvaljean341
There's a lot of ugliness in the world. Once and awhile, it's nice to hear something pretty😊
@adventuresofbdndoug2856
Love MO, but I think think this is just okay. Starts strong then fades.