Sing a Song of Amsterdam
February 4, 2009 6:29 PM Subscribe
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".
Either using the name "Amsterdam" or references to things in the city? The only ones I know are Guster and Coldplays "Amsterdam".
Best answer: Amsterdam by Jacques Brel.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:33 PM on February 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Daily Alice at 6:33 PM on February 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: 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, 2009
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, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by phoenixy at 6:39 PM on February 4, 2009
A mouse lived in a windmill in old Am-ster-dam...
posted by springbound at 6:39 PM on February 4, 2009
posted by springbound at 6:39 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by phoenixy at 6:42 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: David Bowie did a great cover on the Beeb of "Port of Amsterdam".
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 6:44 PM on February 4, 2009
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 6:44 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by amyms at 6:45 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by Hildegarde at 6:46 PM on February 4, 2009
Response by poster: 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, 2009
posted by Unred at 6:49 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: "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, 2009
posted by elmer benson at 6:50 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
"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, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
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, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by nasreddin at 7:01 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: "Fort Worth Blues' by Steve Earle references Amsterdam...
"Amsterdam is always good for greivin'"
posted by notsnot at 7:04 PM on February 4, 2009
"Amsterdam is always good for greivin'"
posted by notsnot at 7:04 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
"Amsterdam...is stuck in my mind."
posted by j1950 at 7:11 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
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, 2009
Best answer: It's not really "about" Amsterdam, but it's set therein: The Dutchman.
posted by Flunkie at 7:15 PM on February 4, 2009
posted by Flunkie at 7:15 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by rebel_rebel at 7:23 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: "Amsterdam" from the musical "Passing Strange".
posted by Evangeline at 7:28 PM on February 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Evangeline at 7:28 PM on February 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: 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, 2009
You could argue that the most Dutch expression are the Street Organ Songs
posted by The Whelk at 7:36 PM on February 4, 2009
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, 2009
posted by MadamM at 8:09 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: 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, 2009
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:34 PM on February 4, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
posted by kalapierson at 11:16 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: "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, 2009
posted by eixmi at 11:49 PM on February 4, 2009
Best answer: Regina Spektor's 'Dusseldorf' has a line about Amsterdam in it.
posted by Emilyisnow at 12:39 AM on February 5, 2009
posted by Emilyisnow at 12:39 AM on February 5, 2009
Fallen Angel of Amsterdam by Dogbowl and Kramer
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:04 AM on February 5, 2009
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:04 AM on February 5, 2009
Response by poster: 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, 2009
posted by Unred at 5:33 AM on February 5, 2009
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, 2009
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 6:37 AM on February 5, 2009
Five A.M. in Amsterdam by Michelle Shocked
posted by deejay jaydee at 8:34 AM on February 5, 2009
posted by deejay jaydee at 8:34 AM on February 5, 2009
"Amsterdam" by Al Stewart.
Lyrics here. (!Annoying sounds from banner ad!)
posted by JtJ at 8:37 AM on February 5, 2009
Lyrics here. (!Annoying sounds from banner ad!)
posted by JtJ at 8:37 AM on February 5, 2009
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, 2009
posted by hellopanda at 8:58 AM on February 5, 2009
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, 2009
posted by lioness at 11:57 AM on February 20, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by 2oh1 at 6:33 PM on February 4, 2009