Amsterdam
Robert Cuccioli & The Company Lyrics
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Of the dreams that he brings from the wide open sea
In the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who sleeps
While the river-bank weeps to the old willow tree
In the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who dies
Full of beer, full of cries, in a drunken down fight
But in the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who's born
In the port of Amsterdam, where the sailors all meet
There's a sailor who eats only fish-heads and -tails
And he'll show you his teeth that have rotted too soon
That can drink down the moon, that can haul up the sails
And he turns to the cook, with his arms open wide
"Bring me more fish, put it down by my side"
And he wants so to belch, but he's too full to try
So he gets up and he laughs, and he zips up his fly
In the port of Amsterdam, you can see sailors dance
Paunches bursting their pants, grinding women to paunch
They've forgotten the tune that their whiskey-voice croaks
Splitting the night with the roar of their jokes
And they turn and they dance and they laugh and they lust
Til the rancid sound of the accordion bursts
And it's into the night with their pride in their pants
And the slut that they tow underneath the streetlamps
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who drinks
And he drinks, and he drinks, and he drinks once again
He drinks to the health of the whores of Amsterdam
Who have promised their love to a thousand other men
They have bargained their bodies, their virtues all gone
For a few dirty coins, and when he can't go on
He puts his nose in the air, and he wipes it up above
And he pisses like I cry for an unfaithful love
In the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam
In the port of Amsterdam
The song “Amsterdam” by Jacques Brel, as interpreted by Robert Cuccioli & The Company, tells a story of life in the port of Amsterdam. The sailor is the singer of the story, and we see him in different stages of life: singing of dreams and adventures at sea, sleeping under an old willow tree, fighting drunkenly and even dying. The song portrays a darker, more chaotic side of life in Amsterdam, with sailors drinking, dancing, and engaging in lustful behavior.
The chorus of the song repeats the name of Amsterdam, emphasizing the setting of the story, and reminding us that this is a city of seafarers who come and go. We see the depravity of some of the sailors, who have turned to drinking and prostitution as a way of life. The music itself is slow and melancholic, adding to the somber feel of the piece, but at the same time, it has a sense of beauty and depth.
Line by Line Meaning
In the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who sings
A sailor in Amsterdam sings about his dreams that come from sailing the seas.
Of the dreams that he brings from the wide open sea
The sailor brings his dreams and aspirations from his experiences on the sea.
In the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who sleeps
Amsterdam has a sailor who sleeps, while the riverbank weeps for him underneath the old willow tree.
While the river-bank weeps to the old willow tree
The riverbank mourns the sleeping sailor, shedding tears like the drooping branches of an old willow tree.
In the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who dies
Amsterdam has a sailor who succumbs to death after getting into a drunken brawl.
Full of beer, full of cries, in a drunken down fight
The sailor who dies was engaged in a drunken fight, fueled by alcohol and despair.
But in the port of Amsterdam, there's a sailor who's born
Even amongst the death and despair in Amsterdam, a sailor is born into the world in the early morning light.
On a muggy hot morn, by the dawn's early light
The sailor is born into the world on a hot morning, illuminated by the dawn's early light.
In the port of Amsterdam, where the sailors all meet
Amsterdam is a meeting place for sailors from all around the world.
There's a sailor who eats only fish-heads and -tails
One of the sailors sustains himself by eating only the parts of the fish that others discard.
And he'll show you his teeth that have rotted too soon
The sailor's teeth have decayed at a young age due to his poor diet.
That can drink down the moon, that can haul up the sails
Despite his poor diet, the sailor is still able to drink and sail with great skill.
And he turns to the cook, with his arms open wide
The sailor asks the cook for more fish, eagerly receiving it with open arms.
"Bring me more fish, put it down by my side"
The sailor asks for more fish, requesting that it be placed beside him for easy access.
And he wants so to belch, but he's too full to try
The sailor wants to burp after eating so much, but he is too full to do so.
So he gets up and he laughs, and he zips up his fly
The sailor gets up and laughs after finishing his meal, zipping up his pants as he goes.
In the port of Amsterdam, you can see sailors dance
Sailors in Amsterdam are known to dance, showcasing their exuberance and lust for life.
Paunches bursting their pants, grinding women to paunch
The sailors' bellies protrude from their pants, as they grind with women and show their primal desires.
They've forgotten the tune that their whiskey-voice croaks
The sailors have lost their faculties due to excessive drinking, making their drunken voices unrecognizable.
Splitting the night with the roar of their jokes
Despite their drunkenness, the sailors continue to laugh loudly and joke around all night.
And they turn and they dance and they laugh and they lust
The sailors turn, dance, laugh and engage in physical desire as they enjoy their time in Amsterdam.
Til the rancid sound of the accordion bursts
The sound of the accordion permeates the air, emphasizing the quality of the moment.
And it's into the night with their pride in their pants
The sailors continue their revelry into the night, proudly flaunting their physical appearances.
And the slut that they tow underneath the streetlamps
The sailors lead a prostitute under the streetlamps, taking advantage of her in their drunken state.
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who drinks
Amsterdam has a sailor who drinks excessively.
And he drinks, and he drinks, and he drinks once again
The sailor continues to drink, satisfying his thirst for alcohol.
He drinks to the health of the whores of Amsterdam
The sailor drinks to honor the prostitutes that he frequents.
Who have promised their love to a thousand other men
The prostitutes of Amsterdam have promised their love to many other men besides the sailor.
They have bargained their bodies, their virtues all gone
The prostitutes have exchanged their physical bodies in return for money, losing their morals and values.
For a few dirty coins, and when he can't go on
The sailors find these prostitutes for cheap, and when he finally becomes too drunk to continue, he turns elsewhere for entertainment.
He puts his nose in the air, and he wipes it up above
The sailor arrogantly lifts his nose in the air, wiping it as if to ignore the presence of the prostitutes.
And he pisses like I cry for an unfaithful love
The sailor lacks genuine affection, instead opting for superficial and temporary pleasures.
In the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam
Throughout this entire song, each verse emphasizes the culture and characteristics of sailors in the port of Amsterdam.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACQUES ROMAN BREL, MORT SHUMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind