Music Video

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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Vocals
Ed Harcourt
Ed Harcourt
Piano
Rob Ellis
Rob Ellis
Drums
Rob McVey
Rob McVey
Guitar
Dan O'Sullivan
Dan O'Sullivan
Double Bass
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Composer
Larry Klein
Larry Klein
Arranger
Mort Shuman
Mort Shuman
Adapter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Larry Klein
Larry Klein
Producer
Denis Caribaux
Denis Caribaux
Recording Engineer
Tim Palmer
Tim Palmer
Mixing Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
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
[Verse 2]
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
"Ay, 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
[Verse 3]
In the port of Amsterdam
You can see sailors dance
Paunches bursting their pants
Grinding women to port
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
To the rancid sound
Of the accordion bursts
And out of the night
With their pride in their pants
And the sluts that they tow
Underneath the street lamps
[Verse 4]
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
[Verse 5]
In the port of Amsterdam
In the port of Amsterdam
Written by: J.R.Brel, Jacques Brel, Mort Shuman
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