Steve captivates audiences in a way that very few can. When performing, it’s not long before his charm, honesty, self - depreciating humour and excellent musicianship has audiences totally absorbed.
A former street kid, Steve found faith in Jesus Christ, graduated as a social worker, and then returned to the same streets, working with the Anglican City Mission to reach out to people in need. Steve’s life and experiences have been a perfect grounding for a style of communication that doesn’t threaten but dares to be honest.
Amsterdam
Steve Apirana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
City of a thousand contradictions
Amsterdam
A place where light and darkness grow together
A beautiful masquerade performing before your very eyes
Oh, the masters paint a pretty face
But can't erase the desolation inside
Oh, what I would give you Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Remember when we used to dance together
Amsterdam
I had intended going on forever
What was it that turned your head
As if I didn't already know
All the guarantees were made to you
Of sunny days and rooms of silver and gold
Just remember when it starts to rain and turns to stone
The covenant we both hold
Amsterdam
There's something calling out for your attention
Amsterdam
A matter that nobody cares to mention
You walked from me long ago promising never to return
Oh, but now and then you look my way
And I can see a little spark still remains
Even as you carry out your plans
Your reckless dance
I promise you I will wait
I will wait for your return
I will wait for your return
I will wait for you, Amsterdam
I will wait for your return
I will wait for your return
I will wait
I will wait for you Amsterdam, Amsterdam
The song "Amsterdam" by Steve Apirana is a lamentation about the city of Amsterdam, a place of intriguing contradictions where light and darkness coexist in perfect harmony. The lyrics evoke the love that the singer has for Amsterdam, but at the same time, they hint at the sadness and pain that he feels about the city's struggles. Amsterdam is portrayed as a beautiful masquerade, with people painted and dressed up to perform for the world, hiding their inner desolation and loneliness. The masters, who are the people who run the city, are unable to erase the struggles of the city's residents, and the singer longs to help alleviate their pain.
The lyrics also explore the story of the singer's relationship with Amsterdam. He reminisces about the time when they used to dance together and he had intended to stay forever. However, something turned Amsterdam's head, and she walked away from him, making promises never to return. Despite this, the singer still waits for her, and he sees a little spark still remains, even as she carries out her reckless dance. He promises to wait for her return, acknowledging that there is something calling out for her attention, a matter that nobody cares to mention.
Overall, the song "Amsterdam" is a heartfelt tribute to the complexity and beauty of the city, tinged with sadness and longing for a better future for its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Amsterdam,
Referring to the city of Amsterdam
City of a thousand contradictions
Amsterdam is a place that has many contradictory elements
A place where light and darkness grow together
Amsterdam is a place where good and bad coexist
A beautiful masquerade performing before your very eyes
Amsterdam is a place that has a beautiful outward appearance
Oh, the masters paint a pretty face
The people in charge of Amsterdam present an attractive image of the city
But can't erase the desolation inside
Despite the outward beauty, there is an underlying sense of sadness and emptiness in Amsterdam
Oh, what I would give you Amsterdam
The singer wishes to help Amsterdam overcome its problems
To ease the strain and sadness you're failing to hide
The city is struggling to conceal the difficulties it is facing
Remember when we used to dance together
The singer reminisces about a time when they were happy in Amsterdam
I had intended going on forever
The singer had planned to stay in Amsterdam indefinitely
What was it that turned your head
The singer is questioning what caused their relationship with Amsterdam to change
As if I didn't already know
The singer is aware of the reasons why their relationship with Amsterdam ended
All the guarantees were made to you
People made promises to Amsterdam
Of sunny days and rooms of silver and gold
Promises of a bright future and prosperity were made to Amsterdam
Just remember when it starts to rain and turns to stone
Despite the promises, Amsterdam is facing difficult times
The covenant we both hold
The singer and Amsterdam still retain a sense of loyalty to each other
There's something calling out for your attention
There are issues in Amsterdam that require urgent attention
A matter that nobody cares to mention
Despite the urgency, many people are choosing to ignore the problems Amsterdam is facing
You walked from me long ago promising never to return
Amsterdam broke ties with the singer and vowed not to return
Oh, but now and then you look my way
Despite the vow, Amsterdam still shows signs of interest in the singer
And I can see a little spark still remains
The connection between Amsterdam and the singer is not completely lost
Even as you carry out your plans
Amsterdam is moving forward with its own goals and agenda
Your reckless dance
Amsterdam's progress may be characterized by a sense of recklessness and lack of caution
I promise you I will wait
The singer is still loyal to Amsterdam
I will wait for your return
The singer is waiting for Amsterdam to make a comeback
I will wait for you, Amsterdam
The singer is addressing the city directly
I will wait for your return
The singer is waiting for Amsterdam to recover from its difficulties
I will wait for your return
The singer is committed to waiting for Amsterdam to turn things around
I will wait
The singer is determined to remain loyal to Amsterdam
I will wait for you Amsterdam, Amsterdam
The song ends with a repeat of the singer's commitment to Amsterdam
Contributed by Aiden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Julian
on Postscript
Beautiful song