Amsterdam (Jacques Brel song)
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| "Amsterdam" ("Amsterdam") |
|
| Written by | Jacques Brel |
|---|---|
| Published | 1964 |
| Language | French |
| Original artist | Jacques Brel |
| Recorded by | Jacques Brel, Scott Walker, David Bowie, De Dijk, Acda en De Munnik |
| Performed by | The Dresden Dolls |
"Amsterdam" is a song by Jacques Brel. It combines a powerful melancholic crescendo with a rich poetic account of the exploits of sailors on shore leave in Amsterdam.
Brel never recorded this for a studio album, and his only version was released on the live album Enregistrement Public à l'Olympia 1964. Despite this, it has been one of his most enduringly popular works [1]. Mort Shuman translated several of his songs into English for the Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris musical.
Scott Walker recorded several of these translated Brel songs in the late 1960s. This inspired David Bowie to record his own version of "Amsterdam" in 1970. Bowie's version was released as the B-side to his single "Sorrow" in November 1973.
Bowie's version is also found on several other releases:
- The German rerelease of the single "Alabama Song" from July 1982 had "Amsterdam" as the B-side.
- The compilation Rare from 1983.
- It was released as picture discs in both the RCA Life Time picture disc set and the Fashion Picture Disc Set.
- On the Rykodisc CD release of the Bowie album Pin Ups in 1990, "Amsterdam" was released as a bonus track.
- On Bowie at the Beeb released in 2000. A live recording from 1970.
- On Take Me To Tomorrow by John Denver released in 1970.
The Dresden Dolls often play a cover of the song live.
Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie recorded a version for their first album Good Deeds & Dirty Rags
Both Dutch band De Dijk and Dutch artists Acda en De Munnik recorded Dutch versions of the song, called "Amsterdam" and "De stad Amsterdam" (The city Amsterdam) respectively.
Irish cabaret singer Camille O'Sullivan performs a cover of the song as part of her show with the Spiegeltent.
The Polish version of "Amsterdam", with lyrics translated by Wojciech Młynarski, was performed by, among others, Piotr Zadrożny and Katarzyna Groniec.
