Lyrics & Translation
Discover the raw energy and poetic depth of Jacques Brel's iconic "Amsterdam." This song offers a unique glimpse into the lives of sailors, using vivid imagery and a powerful musical structure. Learning about "Amsterdam" is a great way to connect with the expressive power of French chanson and Brel's masterful storytelling.
There are sailors singing
Haunted by their dreams
Off the coast of Amsterdam
In the port of Amsterdam
There are sailors sleeping
Like flags in the wind
Along the dull banks
In the port of Amsterdam
There are sailors dying
Drunk on beer and sorrows
At dawn's first light
But in the port of Amsterdam
There are sailors being born
In the thick, heavy heat
Of ocean's languor
In the port of Amsterdam
There are sailors eating
On overly white tablecloths
Glistening fish
Showing their teeth
To snatch up fortune
To chase the moon
To chew on the halyards
And it smells like cod
Right down to the heart of the fries
That their big hands invite
To come back for more, then laugh and rise
With the roar of a storm
They fasten their flies and walk out, farting
In the port of Amsterdam
There are sailors dancing
Rubbing their bellies
On women's curves
They turn, they dance
Like suns being spat out
To the torn sound of a stale accordion
They twist their necks
To hear themselves laugh better
Until suddenly the accordion expires
Then with a serious gesture, proud look
They bring their bastards into the full light
In the port of Amsterdam
There are sailors drinking
And drinking and drinking again
And drinking more
To the health
Of the whores of Amsterdam
Of Hamburg or elsewhere
Finally, they toast the ladies
Who give them their pretty bodies
Who give them their virtue
For a gold coin
And when they've had enough to drink
They point their noses to the sky
Blow their noses into the stars
They pee like I cry
On unfaithful women
In the port of Amsterdam
In the port of Amsterdam
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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marins /maʁɛ̃/ A2 |
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port /pɔʁ/ A2 |
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chantent /ʃɑ̃t/ B1 |
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rêves /ʁɛv/ B1 |
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mangent /mɑ̃ʒe/ B1 |
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mort /mɔʁ/ B2 |
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naissent /nɛs/ B2 |
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dort /dɔʁ/ A2 |
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dents /dɑ̃/ A2 |
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frites /fʁit/ A2 |
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danse /dɑ̃s/ A2 |
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fouettent /fùt/ B2 |
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gueule /ɡœl/ B2 |
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Key Grammar Structures
-
Y'a des marins qui chantent
➔ Use of 'Y'a' as an informal contraction of 'Il y a' to indicate 'there are'.
➔ The phrase 'Y'a' is a colloquial contraction meaning 'there is/there are'.
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Les rêves qui les hantent
➔ Use of relative clause 'qui les hantent' to describe 'les rêves'; 'qui' introduces a clause modifying 'les rêves'.
➔ The relative pronoun 'qui' introduces a clause describing 'les rêves', meaning 'the dreams that haunt them'.
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Ils pissent comme je pleure
➔ Use of 'comme' to compare two actions, 'pissent' (they urinate) and 'je pleure' (I cry).
➔ 'comme' is a comparative conjunction meaning 'like' or 'as', used here to make a vivid comparison between two actions.
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Ils tournent, ils dansent
➔ Repetition of the subject + verb structure for emphasis, with coordinated clauses connected by a comma.
➔ Repeating the subject 'Ils' with different verbs emphasizes the simultaneous actions of turning and dancing.
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Ils ramènent leurs bâtards jusqu'en pleine lumière
➔ Use of the verb 'ramèner' (to bring back) with direct object 'leurs bâtards' and prepositional phrase indicating movement towards 'pleine lumière'.
➔ The verb 'ramèner' indicates bringing the 'bâtards' (bastards) back into the spotlight, emphasizing their return to the presence of 'pleine lumière'.
