Amsterdam
Peter Bjorn John Lyrics


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Baby went to Amsterdam
She put a little money into travelling
Now it's so slow, so slow
Baby went to Amsterdam
Four, five days for the big canal
Now it's so slow, so slow

And I was heading up north
To a place that I know
Eating well, sleeping well
But still I was way, way out of line
Amsterdam was stuck in my mind

Oh, it's a kind of stupid groove
That you can't ignore
Oh, it's a kind of natural fact
Sometimes you're just left to be alone

Baby went to Amsterdam
She put a little money into traveling
Now it's so slow, so slow
Baby went to Amsterdam
Four, five days for the big canal
Now it's so slow, so slow

And I got to go away
To a place of my own
Working hard, fill my time
From that day on, till I hit the bed
Amsterdam was stuck in my head

Oh, it's a kind of stupid groove
That you can't ignore
Oh, it's a kind of natural fact
Sometimes you're just left to be alone

Baby went to Amsterdam
She put a little money into traveling
Now it's so slow, so slow
Baby went to Amsterdam
Four, five days for the big canal
Now it's so slow, so slow

Baby went to Amsterdam
She put a little money into traveling
Now it's so slow, so slow
Baby went to Amsterdam




Four, five days for the big canal
Now it's so slow, so slow, slow

Overall Meaning

The song "Amsterdam" by Peter Bjorn and John follows the story of two people who have traveled to Amsterdam for different reasons, but end up feeling lost and disconnected from their usual lives. The lyrics suggest that the city has cast a spell on them, as they can't seem to shake thoughts of Amsterdam from their minds.


The first verse introduces a woman who has traveled to Amsterdam and spent a few days exploring the city's canals. However, upon returning home, she finds that time seems to be moving slowly, suggesting a sense of boredom or ennui. The second verse shifts to the perspective of the singer, who is also haunted by memories of the city even though he has returned to his normal routine. He also feels out of place and disconnected, struggling to find a sense of purpose.


The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Oh, it's a kind of stupid groove / That you can't ignore / Oh, it's a kind of natural fact / Sometimes you're just left to be alone," seems to suggest that both characters are struggling with a sense of isolation and dissatisfaction, which they can't seem to escape.


Overall, "Amsterdam" seems to be a commentary on the way that travel, while exciting and stimulating, can also leave us feeling disconnected from our everyday lives. The city of Amsterdam serves as a metaphor for this feeling, a place that has captured their hearts and minds, but ultimately left them feeling lost and alone.


Line by Line Meaning

Baby went to Amsterdam
The subject travels to Amsterdam


She put a little money into travelling
She invested some money into travelling


Now it's so slow, so slow
The pace in Amsterdam is slow


Four, five days for the big canal
The subject spends several days exploring the canal


And I was heading up north
The artist is traveling north


To a place that I know
The singer has prior knowledge of this place


Eating well, sleeping well
The singer is taking care of themselves


But still I was way, way out of line
Despite this, the artist feels out of place


Amsterdam was stuck in my mind
The artist is preoccupied with thoughts of Amsterdam


Oh, it's a kind of stupid groove
The experience of Amsterdam is difficult to forget


That you can't ignore
The effect of Amsterdam cannot be disregarded


Oh, it's a kind of natural fact
The effect of Amsterdam is something that just happens


Sometimes you're just left to be alone
Sometimes experiencing something like Amsterdam leaves you feeling isolated


And I got to go away
The singer has to leave their current location


To a place of my own
The singer is seeking their own personal space


Working hard, fill my time
The artist is being productive to occupy their thoughts


From that day on, till I hit the bed
The artist remains occupied until they go to bed


Amsterdam was stuck in my head
The preoccupation with Amsterdam persists


Baby went to Amsterdam
The subject continues to travel to Amsterdam


She put a little money into travelling
The subject continues to invest money into travel


Now it's so slow, so slow
The pace in Amsterdam continues to be slow


Four, five days for the big canal
The subject continues to explore the canal for several days


Now it's so slow, so slow
The pace in Amsterdam remains slow


Baby went to Amsterdam
The subject continues to travel to Amsterdam


She put a little money into travelling
The subject continues to invest money into travel


Now it's so slow, so slow
The pace in Amsterdam remains slow


Four, five days for the big canal
The subject continues to explore the canal for several days


Now it's so slow, so slow, slow
The pace in Amsterdam slows down even further




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN ERIKSSON, PETER MOREN, BJ�RN YTTLING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@elizabethjeannorman4197

Bought this album by chance on a closing sale, I regret nothing. I absolutely love this album through and through.

@telequacker-9529

I actually found them through Youtube - back around 2006 when this came out, they actually hand-curated videos to feature on the front page. None of that algorithmic shit. One of the videos they chose was "Young Folks".

@MsLemon1971

One of my favorite albums, cheers!

@vicentaalaquinez4629

How did you come to buy an album?

@user-mj8nf2vp7q

...Memories from the scorching hot summer of 2007.
👍🏽💯🤗

@jon8258

How is this song not more popular? Oh wait, it's 2022.

@kristenloveleigh4073

Still jamming to this day!

@kanosig

Sometimes I look up videos from my playlists and genuinely have no idea whether its going to have a billion views or be sitting in unappreciated obscurity like this one.

@1982pencil

an ex got me into this band during college and this song reminds me of that time ... so it makes me sort of sad because he turned out to be a cheating douchebag. but then I found someone way better and now we're married and have an awesome kid, so it's ok!but this song still makes me sad, haha.

@KoKoBipolar

@Gzus Kreist 😮

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