Sing a Song of Amsterdam

February 4, 2009 6:29 PM

Are there any songs about the city of Amsterdam?

Either using the name "Amsterdam" or references to things in the city? The only ones I know are Guster and Coldplays "Amsterdam".

posted by Unred to media & arts (39 comments total)

Have you tried typing the word Amsterdam into the iTunes music store? You'll find many, many more.
posted by 2oh1 at 6:33 PM on February 4

Amsterdam by Jacques Brel.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:33 PM on February 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

Van Halen has a song called "Amsterdam" on their album Balance.

Elvis Costello has one entitled "New Amsterdam," which at first glance might seem to be a reference to New York City, but given the lyrics is probably referring to the Dutch one.
posted by valkyryn at 6:34 PM on February 4

5AM in Amsterdam by Michelle Shocked.
posted by valleys at 6:34 PM on February 4

There's "In the Port of Amsterdam" by Jacques Brel. And apparently "Girls of Amsterdam" by Sailor.
posted by phoenixy at 6:39 PM on February 4

John Denver has a song by that name
posted by canoehead at 6:39 PM on February 4

A mouse lived in a windmill in old Am-ster-dam...
posted by springbound at 6:39 PM on February 4

Oh, and how could I forget, Three Jolly Fishermen although it really has nothing to do with Amsterdam.
posted by phoenixy at 6:42 PM on February 4

David Bowie did a great cover on the Beeb of "Port of Amsterdam".
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 6:44 PM on February 4

Here's a list of all the songs that include the word "Amsterdam" at Leo's Lyrics database.
posted by amyms at 6:45 PM on February 4

Another easy way to find songs is to type the following search into Google: amsterdam lyrics.
posted by Hildegarde at 6:46 PM on February 4

These are all pretty good, and thank you! - but also are there songs that may NOT be named "Amsterdam" but still be about Amsterdam?
posted by Unred at 6:49 PM on February 4

"Amsterdam" by Alejandro Escovedo [warning: auto-play music!] is worth searching out. It's on his wonderful "Bourbonitis Blues" album.
posted by elmer benson at 6:50 PM on February 4

Aside from a few above, I have in my collection:

"Hello Amsterdam" by Doug Sahm & the Sir Douglas Quintet
"Down In Amsterdam" by Paul Revere & the Raiders
"Amsterdam" by the UK psych group Circus
"Amsterdam" by the legendary Kevin Coyne
"Amsterdam" by John Cale
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 6:52 PM on February 4

Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton,
Talking in our beds for a week.
The newspaper said, "Say what you doing in bed?"
I said, "We're only trying to get us some peace"

Christ you know it ain't easy . . .

The Ballad of John and Yoko, of course.
posted by Ironmouth at 6:54 PM on February 4

Heh, there's the old King Crimson tune "The Night Watch," which is about the painting and also about the city of Amsterdam in the seventeenth century. I'm almost embarrassed to recommend it, but it's a cute song.
posted by nasreddin at 7:01 PM on February 4

"Fort Worth Blues' by Steve Earle references Amsterdam...

"Amsterdam is always good for greivin'"
posted by notsnot at 7:04 PM on February 4

but also are there songs that may NOT be named "Amsterdam" but still be about Amsterdam?

Yes, the Leo's Lyrics list that I linked to above includes songs that have the word "Amsterdam" in the lyrics but not the title. They're mixed in with the ones that have "Amsterdam" in the title.
posted by amyms at 7:09 PM on February 4

Amsterdam by Peter Bjorn & John is one of their best songs.
"Amsterdam...is stuck in my mind."
posted by j1950 at 7:11 PM on February 4

I'll add three more:

Hello Amsterdam, by America Music Club
Amsterdam, by Dirty Martini
On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago, by Counting Crows
posted by 2oh1 at 7:11 PM on February 4

It's not really "about" Amsterdam, but it's set therein: The Dutchman.
posted by Flunkie at 7:15 PM on February 4

The Streets has a song called "The Irony of it All" where one of the "characters," a habitual pot smoker, mentions "going to Amsterdam in the New Year." Nothing else in the song has anything to do with Amsterdam, though.
posted by rebel_rebel at 7:23 PM on February 4

"Amsterdam" from the musical "Passing Strange".
posted by Evangeline at 7:28 PM on February 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

The Port Of Amsterdam, as mentioned before, has been covered many, many times.

You could argue that the most Dutch expression are the Street Organ Songs
posted by The Whelk at 7:36 PM on February 4

An obscure local band from Dallas called I Love Math had a song called Amsterdam. I doubt you'll find it online, but I could send it to you if you're compiling these for a mix CD or something.
posted by MadamM at 8:09 PM on February 4

Just as an aside -- if you are looking for the songs cited above, your search may be stymied if you look for "Port of Amsterdam" or "In The Port of Amsterdam" or any such thing: the iconic Brel tune is called simply "Amsterdam."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:34 PM on February 4

David Wilcox "Chet Baker's Unsung Swan Song"
Marillion "The Space..."
Marillion "The Invisible Man"
Mojo Nixon's "Amsterdam Dogshit Blues"
The Streets "Too Much Brandy"
posted by kbibb at 9:57 PM on February 4

Gorgeous song: Amsterdam, by Janis Ian, covered by Joan Baez. (The original Janis Ian version is pretty good too.)
posted by kalapierson at 11:16 PM on February 4

"Carey" by Joni Mitchell: Maybe I'll go to Amsterdam, maybe I'll go to Rome, and rent me a grand piano and put some flowers round my room...
posted by eixmi at 11:49 PM on February 4

Regina Spektor's 'Dusseldorf' has a line about Amsterdam in it.
posted by Emilyisnow at 12:39 AM on February 5

Fallen Angel of Amsterdam by Dogbowl and Kramer
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:04 AM on February 5

I can't pick the best, because they're all good answers. All fantastic! Thank you so much!
posted by Unred at 5:33 AM on February 5

Con Boland, Amsterdam Canals
posted by ptm at 5:40 AM on February 5

A lot of the musical Passing Strange is about Amsterdam, in addition to the one song titled Amsterdam.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 6:37 AM on February 5

Five A.M. in Amsterdam by Michelle Shocked
posted by deejay jaydee at 8:34 AM on February 5

"Amsterdam" by Al Stewart.
Lyrics here. (!Annoying sounds from banner ad!)
posted by JtJ at 8:37 AM on February 5

I have always thought that the Kings of Convenience were singing about Amsterdam in their song "Cayman Islands" (lyrics).
posted by hellopanda at 8:58 AM on February 5

Tulips from Amsterdam

A Windmill In Old Amsterdam
posted by essexjan at 4:03 PM on February 5

I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet: Amsterdam by Kris De Bruyne, a beautiful song!
posted by lioness at 11:57 AM on February 20