Bowie, David - Port Of Amsterdam Lyrics






In the port of Amsterdam
There's a sailor who sings
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 town fight
In the port of Amsterdam
There's a sailor who's born
On a hot muggy morn
By the dawn's early light

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 haul up the sails
That can swallow the moon

And he yells to the cook
With his arms open wide
"Hey, bring me more fish
Throw it down by my side"
And he wants so to belch
But he's too full to try
So he stands up and laughs
And he zips up his fly

In the port of Amsterdam
You can see sailors dance
Paunches bursting their pants
Grinding women to porch
They've forgotten the tune
That their whiskey voice croaked
Splitting the night
With the roar of their jokes
And they turn and they dance
And they laugh and they lust
Till the rancid sound of the accordion bursts
And then out of the night
With their pride in their pants
And the sluts that they tow
Underneath the street lamps

In the port of Amsterdam
There's a sailor who drinks
And he drinks and he drinks
And he drinks once again
He'll drink to the health
Of the whores of Amsterdam
Who've given their bodies
To a thousand other men
Yeah, they've bargained their virtue
Their goodness all gone
For a few dirty coins
Well he just can't go on
Throws his nose to the sky
And he aims it up above
And he pisses like I cry
On the unfaithful love

In the port of Amsterdam
In the port of Amsterdam





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Bowie, David Port Of Amsterdam Comments
  1. R.... E....

    D FOREVER .

  2. B.... B....

    In many ways David's most beautiful song

  3. T.... O....

    My daughter got the same Ziggy stardust poster as the one I had at her age

  4. L.... O....

    Two legends ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  5. T.... B....

    Bowie can outdo Brel any day of the week...perfection ❤️

  6. g.... t....

    Thing I dislike about this is not the performance, but Jacques Brel was a douche. Bowie admired him and honored him with this song. Upon trying to meet Brel, Bowie was rejected and labeled a "f*g."

  7. D.... D....

    The truth. will set you free....

  8. A.... H....

    My favourite song from Mr David Bowie’s fine collection of renditions.

  9. A.... H....

    In the port of Amsterdam there’s a sailor who only eats fishhead & tails who can show you his teeth which have rotted too soon who can haul up the sails who can swallow the moon! & he yells to the Cook with his arms open wide HEY BRING ME MORE FISH THROW IT DOWN BY MY SIDE! & he wants so to belch but he’s too full to try so he stands & laughs & he zips up his fly.

  10. R.... R....

    I want to fuck Abby under the stars while listening to this

  11. l.... ....

    starker song.

  12. D.... D....

    Typical Bowie, Buckleys song, but truth.....

  13. g.... M....

    la chanson parle des beatles ! it speak of beatles! lennon discover rock with sealors ! they go to amsterdam or hamburg it is in french version an "show bigs teeths" for "each moon and get money" or "sleep in the morning" as lennon us to on a recent Klaus Woorman painting! at the end and speak of dismiss men Mc Cartney and Lennon loose their mother soon it speak in french of singer who "shake their head and laugh" fun as can be a young band like beatles playing near sailors and prostitutes IN HAMBURG! Brel record it in 65 ALMOST as a b side but was not sure to do it and a little not proud to be discover for who knows the sence as a men who follow the beatles from belgium to early trips of paul and john in paris or spain hitch hiking! making spy audios? and follow or really meet paul and john in paris Saint Germain Des Pres near 56 with Juliette Greco and maybe Brassens and Brel!! Lennon to the question who is your french women symbol he answer Juliette Greco she was the muse of all paris at this time ! and made discover Boris Vian who first came in st tropez! it is an unknow part of beatles life! ( to the same question he also answer brigitte bardot " we love france in general and Briggitte Bardot especially" Bardot was married to Vadim A RUSSIAN maybe lennon was bisexual and he love verty BBIGS .....errggg.. tall mens! if i could said or very attractivly built mens!!

  14. R.... B....

    Je me rend compte que j’ai plus rien à faire dans ce monde .... peut m’importe ...
    j’ai fait mon temp j’ai réparer ce que j’ai pu alors que je n’avait rien briser enfin ont peut m’accuser de tout .... Plutôt que de souhaiter la mort à mon prochain.... je ne dit qu’une chose <>... a tout c’est enfant de putes qui veulent me faire porter le chapeau des autres si vous voulez savoir qui sont les criminels y a vous et le système que vous avez soutenu même vous flic et politique quand à vous militaires vous êtes les pires de ce monde ... ben Laden , Pablo escobar , el chapo , mesrin , le Hamas même ont fait moins de dégâts dans la société mondial que l’ordre établit par le système.... une belle mort ...
    comment Brel qualifiais cette bande de néon Bourges à son époques <>

  15. k.... ....

    we will never see his like again - missed

  16. E.... B....

    God, this is superb.

  17. k.... ....

    こんなカッコいい終わり方で俺は死にたい。

  18. j.... ....

    Bowie introduced me to jacques Brel scott walker showed me!

  19. N.... C....

    Another wonderful discovery that I instantly love

  20. H.... Z....

    Bowie Brel ❤

  21. R.... M....

    Brilliant but the orignal was better and the cover by goodbye mr mckenzie is truly brilliant

  22. �.... �....

    In the port of Amsterdam
    There's a sailor who sings
    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 town fight
    In the port of Amsterdam
    There's a sailor who's born
    On a hot muggy morn
    By the dawn's early light
    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 haul up the sails
    That can swallow the moon
    And he yells to the cook
    With his arms open wide
    "Hey, bring me more fish
    Throw it down by my side"
    And he wants so to belch
    But he's too full to try
    So he stands up and laughs
    And he zips up his fly
    In the port of Amsterdam
    You can see sailors dance
    Paunches bursting their pants
    Grinding women to porch
    They've forgotten the tune
    That their whiskey voice croaked
    Splitting the night
    With the roar of their jokes
    And they turn and they dance
    And they laugh and they lust
    Till the rancid sound of the accordion bursts
    And then out of the night
    With their pride in their pants
    And the sluts that they tow
    Underneath the street lamp
    In the port of Amsterdam
    There's a sailor who drinks
    And he drinks and he drinks
    And he drinks once again
    He'll drink to the health
    Of the whores of Amsterdam
    Who've given their bodies
    To a thousand other men
    Yeah, they've bargained their virtue
    Their goodness all gone
    For a few dirty coins
    When he just can't go on
    Throws his nose to the sky
    Aims it up above
    And he pisses like I cry
    On the unfaithful love
    In the port of Amsterdam
    In the port of Amsterdam

  23. J.... D....

    I love Bowie. I really do. BUT,come on.

  24. E.... S....

    Le canzoni di Jacques Brel le può cantare solo Jacques Brel, c'è poco da fare.

  25. O.... S....

    A genius just celebrates a genius

  26. �.... �....

    Who knows the same songs, I mean liric and tender,like ballad. Share, please.

  27. M.... D....

    Sublime.

  28. m.... k....

    not a patch on goodbye Mr McKenzie.. check that

  29. R.... L....

    Mais vous devez vous rappeler que c'est une version d'une version de Brel par Scott Walker.

  30. n.... n....

    Why this version is not on spotify??????????????

  31. B.... s....

    Original von Jacques Brel. 🤗

  32. Z.... B....

    Wonderful interpretation from a great musician, however I still prefer the original, the language and the passion.

  33. �.... �....

    Ingenious Song - sang by two Geniuses. There are the Original French one by Jacque Brel, and English Version by David Bowie.

  34. �.... �....

    Гениальная Песня в исполнении обоих Гениев. В оригинале Жака Бреля, отчаянно протестном, и в переводе Дэвида Боуи, меланхоличном, переходящим в не меньшее отчаяние.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ7p1Aqr5Z0
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uPZIG5BHD4

  35. W.... S....

    A musical cover is always intended to be an interpretation and never a copy. This is just great!

  36. R.... R....

    I got drunk and listened to Edith Piath singing this and cried but David Bowie...... no !

  37. A.... D....

    Bowie a aimé la chanson française. Il s'en est inspiré jusqu'au plagiat parfois. Il nous sert ici une reprise d'Amsterdam que Brel n'a pas pu ne pas aimer tant son âme y est présente. Deux géants de la chanson dont il faut bien dire qu'à un tel niveau il n'y a personne aujourd'hui. Pour la petite histoire, cette version figurant sur l'album de reprises Pin Ups était programmée en 1973 dans cette grande boite de Carnon ou Palavas dont j'ai oublié le nom. On pouvait l'y entendre tous les soirs 🙂

  38. A.... P....

    the emotional intensity is shattering

  39. F.... ....

    Brel avait refusé de rencontrer Bowie. Maintenant c'est peut-être fait.

  40. u.... ....

    Really good version but i prefer the scott version, also i hear now a lot of bowie's influence in i want to be a machine by ultravox

  41. w.... ....

    Thanks a lot pardon me

  42. w.... ....

    Last stroke is missing (guitar)

  43. B.... G....

    Monstrueux Bowie merci

  44. m.... j....

    ביצוע מעולה

  45. R.... d....

    HILDEGARD KNEF
    IS NUMBER ONE
    IN THE PORT OF AMSTERDAM

  46. D.... M....

    La version de Bowie semble mièvre par rapport à la rugueuse beauté de celle de Brel. Néanmoins à titre personnel je salue l'effort de cet anglais qui aura su converser avec les étoiles.

  47. S.... ....

    Listening to this on a port in Amsterdam right now.

  48. O.... ....

    289 personnes ont écouté l'original ;)
    Cette version n'as aucunes émotion je suis déçu ..

  49. F.... ....

    Flip side of Sorrow single... I gots

  50. J.... M....

    so bad,,,,,,,

  51. T.... ....

    You know what's wrong with this song? That it ends too fucking early. Somebody's gotta remaster this song. I'm serious it really ends too soon.

  52. C.... T....

    Thank you ever so much for this upload 🙏 I am starting a playlist of Jacques Brel's songs sung in English (August 2018) but I've only got two songs so far, this one and If you go away (Ne me quitte pas). If anyone reading this comment could help me find other ideas, please do 😉

    C.... T....

    Check out My death, there are several live versions by David Bowie and a very good version by Scott Walker..

    C.... T....

    @Ann White Hi, thanks a lot, although I don't know the French version of this song! I listened to both singers and decided on a Bowie version dating from 1995, here's the link to it :
    https://youtu.be/hbSsTbojHPk

  53. L.... Y....

    En français Jacques Brel est la version originale
    Cette version est magnifique !!!!
    RIP David

  54. s.... ....

    Βαγγελάκη αφιερωμενο σε σενα..28-03-2017..εισαι εδω!

  55. A.... B....

    i always thought david's voice suits jacque's songs now i stumbled on this cover

  56. P.... C....

    English adaptation by the great Mortimer Schuman.

  57. a.... k....

    Thanks for learning me how the good music is like...RiP David Bowie!

  58. M.... ....

    You know what's missing? The power of Brel's voice and his conviction and his sadness. Goddamn i love Bowie, the man was a genius, but Brel owns this song.

  59. P.... R....

    A real great interpretation, David made this to his own song...

  60. M.... ....

    Fucking gold.

  61. M.... z....

    Belle version 👍💓

  62. i.... ....

    Ostia. Good version of Brel´s, that´s the only one the one that ridiculizes PA. Ra, go home. Bowie me ha sorprendido. Ezkerra -gran pintor vasco- tenía razón..

  63. M.... H....

    Classic Bowie

  64. P.... O....

    I think even Jacques Brel would approve of this interpretation of his magnificent original, all the rest of us can do is be grateful for two equally beautiful ways of listening to one transcendent moment

  65. �.... �....

    He can not lift up to Jaques Brel...

  66. B.... B....

    <3 Belgium <3

  67. L.... S....

    WTF man. Jacques Brel who wrote "le port d' Amsterdam" is from my country (Belgium) and to here another of my heroes sing this song is illumenating!!

  68. O.... v....

    Very down to life song, that's Amsterdam.

  69. s.... w....

    2018, mon Cherie, edith piaf et bowie

  70. F.... B....

    allez les mecs buvez sur le ventre des femmes !!! Que vous soyez au ciel ou en enfer,; moi je vous suis

  71. P.... ....

    Corto Maltese

  72. P.... T....

    The end has been cut off. shame.

  73. G.... H....

    Langweilig - dünne Stimme. Lieber Jacques Brel oder die Version von Scott Walker.

  74. V.... M....

    Great performance !

  75. T.... F....

    Brel & Bowie - what could be better

  76. �.... �....

    jacques temporte a amsterdam et tu te soul

    ,,,,david te laisse au studio.

  77. l.... a....

    immenso Bowie<3

  78. P.... B....

    Généralement, les adaptations de Brel en Anglais sont nullissimes (manque total de tragique lorsque Brel écrit tragique), mais là, chapeau !!! Le texte garde sa violence et sa force, et David Bowie chipote pas, et "mouille la chemise" comme le faisait le Grand Jacques.
    C'est un grand, un très bel hommage, rendu à Brel. C'est du pur jus.
    S'il existe un endroit où ils ont pu se retrouver (va savoir ???) ils doivent se murger ensemble, dans un troquet blafard sur les quais de l'éternité.
    À un de ces quatre ... si on a cette chance !!!

    P.... B....

    paroles anglaises de Mort Shuman.

    P.... B....

    @Daniel ROURE Beaucoup méprisent Shuman par sa carrière française, mais ignorent son oeuvre pour de rock'n'roll en association avec Doc Pomus.

    P.... B....

    Et pourtant Brel n'a pas voulu rencontrer Bowie. Une erreur de sa part. Comme quoi ...

  79. c.... f....

    je savais pas que jacques brel chantais en anglais !

  80. c.... f....

    purée j'ai envie de mettre un commentaire, mais je sais pas quoi dire !

  81. s.... ....

    Love Bowie in just about all his respective decades -- but this cover is garbage. Try Mort Shuman or Rod McKuen's versions, or, better still, Brel's original.

  82. J.... H....

    THEBsideofSorrow.1973.

  83. B.... D....

    Legend!

  84. E.... e....

    Merde alors ! Quelle horreur ! Je viens de comprendre le choc que peut ressentir un Américain qui écouterait du Johnny, médusé d'entendre à quel point on peut massacrer "House of the rising sun", "Black is black" et autres.

  85. M.... E....

    Trés belle reprise ...!!

  86. i.... s....

    Fave on Jacques Brel’s Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Greaaaaat version by Bowie. He’s so not light and breezy

  87. T.... T....

    love it :)

  88. s.... ....

    j ai decouvert BREL avec cette chanson , merci BOWIE !

  89. d.... ....

    For us Amsterdam is still 'Mokum'

  90. S.... V....

    jacques brel!

  91. P.... G....

    yay, not bad!
    Alot better then Aretha Franklins version of 'ne me quitte pas'
    Maybe she should have translated it aswell :D

  92. J.... T....

    Wau effect Love you David Bowie Rest In Peace from the bottom of my heard.

  93. W.... T....

    Best stick with the definitive version by his hero who inspired Bowie to attempt this version. The peerless Scott Walker.

  94. A.... M....

    Both Wonderful.