Even if the stage was frozen, Jacques would also have sweat as much as here because he had stage anxiety before entering, to the point he was physically sick. But when he started to sing, the animal always ate the man and was roaring and shining like the most ferocious lion. He was a bit like James Brown : a stage monster, but in his own peculiar way. Your hand gestures makes me think about his faithful pianist : Gérard Jouannest. He was the husband of the famous singer and actress Juliette Gréco. She's also a unique artist who deserves some listening.
This guy has more expression in one line of song than a lot of artists have in their entire catalogue. I really love the music of Jacques Brel. I watch a lot of reaction videos, but I was never able to find anyone who reacted to Brel. I guess TH-cam made the connection and recommended this to me, since I have seen some of your Tina S and PMJ reactions. I think I'll have to subscribe now to follow your journey of discovering Brel. I'm so glad someone finally started this.
IN THE 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
This is the translation by Shuman and Blau, which is used in most of English language covers of this song. It's OK, but it isn't a literal translation, and it loses some of the bite of the original. Lets face it 'rubbing their bellies against women's bellies' is a great image, but who says 'paunch' these days? And the last line would translate literally as 'And they piss like I cry over unfaithful women,' but you couldn't say that in the current climate, could you?
@@SakiNaoko same with the last part, the translation also speaks of "one sailor", while the song speaks of many. I'd look for another translation, personnaly.
@@tarquinmidwinter2056 The problem is even worse than that. French language is a feeling/romance language, it has no difficulty to mean many ideas in a single expression, when english is a technical language, simpler and more useful for communication as english has far less hidden meanings... That explains that many english translation don't give justice to french, italian or spanish songs.
Dude, I am impressed. I came here from a Beste Zangers reaction to Floor Jansen (my favorite Soprano/all around music slayer). How the heck did you get turned on to Jacques Brel? Yes - he is a master, but... for someone TODAY to react to him? Call me impressed. Probably the most famous Belgian singer.
As a French speaker, Amsterdam is one of my favorite song by Brel (also love "les Flamandes" which is hilarious). Everything in this song talks about prostitutions, the act and the despair. The act is always hidden. In the first verse, it's only the dreams of some sailor, the newborn who may be from the prostitution and older sailor are dying, crying because their wife couldn't live without selling their body. The seconde verse is about a sailor who's eating but in reality, it's about a man who f*** a woman (who is compare to a fish) in a white bed brutally because he had to bring her back to him before leaving loudly. In the third one, it's a dance. The sailor is really really close to the woman. Their stomac touch, they turn, turn and turn. They both "laught" loudly and when the accordion bursts (obvious picturehere), the man proudly watch what they just have done. In the last vers, a sailor is drinking in the honor of the women that sell the body in Amsterdam, Hambourg or else where and when he drink enought, he piss as the singer cry about those women. I needed a really long time to understand all those allusions so here they are. He couldn't say all those explicitly so he used pictures. In the song "Les Bourgeois", he couldn't swear so the trumpet play when he should use the bad word but everyone knows...
It's among my preferred songs, and I had never envisioned the allusions you list. I don't know if you're correct, but your understanding makes a lot of sense, and at the very least is an interesting take on this song's meaning.
It's not easy to add value when commenting such a master piece. This is simply one of the most impressive singing performance ever recorded of one of the best song ever written.
"It must have been hot in there!" Possible, but also: he had rather big anxiety issues. He didn't want to be a singer, he wanted to be a songwriter, but had to perform himself when he couldn't sell his songs... He even says he was genuinely BAD at it at first, because of how awkward and shy he was. Of course he got better and then GOOD, but even after becoming famous and successful, he's sweating buckets in pretty much every single performance!
Watch an entire concert of him, you'll notice that after every song the lights go out and hee disappears. He used to dry himself, maybe change a shirt quickly and grab another beer... Besides, notice how Brel builds his song, singing with his whole body, faster and faster, almost spitting the words into the audience. This guy is one of very few I would like to see perform live. Unfortunately I do not have a time machine at my disposal.
@@Daffodil31LE he was smoking a cigarette between each song lit by his friend and assistant Jojo . That's the way he became Paul Gauguin's neighbor ...
Jacques Brel is one of the great singers - before media came into force. Him, Edith Piaf, Hell - so many great personalities and voices lost to time...
Jacques Brel avais ce que de nombreux chanteurs actuel n'ont plus, la passion de la musique Le mec chialais en chantant et se donnais tellement a fond qu'il en transpirais
He was Belgian born close to Brussels. The sound of their French is slightly different from the French your hear in films, more harsh, specialy the R. Brussels is on the north border of the French language area. The further south you go the R will change up to the border of Spain and Italy where they use and R made with the tip of the tongue. In the 60s air conditioning was not standard in theaters yet, so thats why is sweating so much. The passion with which he sings/tells his story does the rest.
Very true. I am French. That's why i would like to say to all of you he was Belgian. He was considered as a French "compositer and singer" But the truth is he was Belgian. In some ways, on scene, he was a fucking rock' n' roll singer. Sorry for my dirty english language.
As a Belgian from Brussels that was born a french speaker, the main reason our Rs and some of our dialects are a bit different from our french friends is from flemmish influence. Jacques Brel's overemphasis on the R is a purely conscious and artistic choice that gave it more charm and that old school french feeling. As of today, if I didn't tell people that I was Belgian they'd assume I was french because of the lack fo accent :-(
Nevertheless Brel was both nervous (which he willingly admitted) and passionate about his art and performances, and put everything in every song. The 1966 Olympia show was also his last public appearance.
Actually he 's from Schaerbeek, which is a municipality IN brussels, but it's more of a neighbourhood. I wouldn't say he was born close to Brussels he's a brusseleir!
Jacques Brel was not passionate about song, he was passionate about the human race that he carried in his songs. Not a singer has had more strength or liveliness in his lyrics and in his interpretations. He was one of a kind and no one can compete with him.
I beleive this is the premiere of that song live at the Olympia Hall in Paris ! One of my prefered singer; la diction, l'énergie, la conviction, la passion l'authenticité... Thank you for sharing that treasure !
Ce n'est pas la première : un ami était présent lors de la création (la chanson n'avait encore jamais été entendue par quiconque) et le choc dans le public fut tel que la salle entière s'est levée en silence avant même la fin du morceau.
This guy was and still is HUGE in french speaking countries! Was a friend of my father’s. Was in our home, in Brussels, for diner… 50 years ago before he left for the Marquise Islands…So much emotions… coming back with this video… waoww… 😅🥲 Good for you, man, showing this… 🤗😘
You will get to love the lyrics of this song, combined with the vibe created by Brel. It truly portraits the city from the days of the 17th century. The days when the sailing ships of the WIC & VOC lay in the ports, and the sailors went into town after a year long voyage from all across the world. You still get that feeling when you walk alone on the banks of the old canals, during a dark and wet autumn night. This song has also been reprised in Dutch by Acda & the Munnik, and in English by David Bowie.
This is a song about men…sailors. We don’t hear many songs like it nowadays. He was also an influence for Stromae, lyrics and also Brel’s performance. This song sometimes brings me to tears. I’ve seen a video of this performance with English subtitles.
Jacques Brel - the greatest singer of the 20th century! Thank you for reaction! I'm so glad you do reactions to my favorite artists: Hurts, Jacques Brel🥰🥰🥰 From Russia with love🤍💙❤️
This was from a tv programme called Le Palmarès de la chanson, a usually rather mediocre programme with 60s French music. This was recorded in 1966 when Brel decided to end his singing career. I remember watching it, everybody was stunned, it was so incredibly strong and moving . The stage was lit for a tv show that’s why it was so hot in the hall and Brel was sweating.
Jacques Brel was the best of the best. I invite you to look for the lyrics in French, open your dictionary and ''feel'' his powerful and passionate interpretation. Outstanding !
he's i dare say one of the greatest song composers in the world. He died far too young. I concider him to be a bridging person. He was/is a frech speaking Belgian but when he wrote and song in flemish/dutch called "vlakke Land" about living in the neighbourhoud of the Nortssea he stole the hart of many flemish/dutch speaking persons. Some of his songs where translated in english.
Sorry to say but unless you know French, as I do, being born and raised in France, this song is about the longing of sailors in the port of Amsterdam,... First we know how they sing, then their dreams haunting them as they sleep, dying full of beer and dramas, and being born again in the stifling air of oceanic refluxes, they then eat on too white naps the fish of the day, showing teeth to bite into fortune, and you can smell cod even in French fries that their hands gather in haste and greed, then stand up laughing in a noisy manner zipping up their trousers fly as they go out burping loudly... In the port of Amsterdam the sailors are dancing belly to belly with women, waltzing like the sun spitting from an accordion rant, and they laugh until it hurts when the accordion expires, then come the gestures of gravity and fierce standing as their bring their latest love into full view and shine... In the Port of Amsterdam sailors are drinking and drinking until they fall, they drink to the health of all the whores of Amsterdam, of Hamburg or elsewhere, of all women given up their bodies & virtue for a gold coin, and when they're drunk, steering the sky, blowing their noses in the stars then they go on pissing like others cry on the infidelity of women... in the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam... Hope this makes sense, as this is a very special song, in French !
Jacques Brel was an outstanding, legendary writer and interpret. It is a real shame to not get the words althouth... he conveys. Damn right. David Bowie did a version of this song (same title) that could give you some insight. It's pretty great as well.
Merci 🙏🙏 Brel est bouleversant.... Un grand poète....qui chante des fresques sociales..... Il est très inspirant..... Il y a un musée : Jacques Brel à Bruxelles, c'est sa fille France qui gère son oeuvre .... Peux tu faire une vidéo sur Cabrel, please ....
This guy was called a modern troubadour. He died in oktober 1978 so therefor 'was'. The definition of troubadour in English is: '1 : one of a class of lyric poets and poet-musicians often of knightly rank who flourished from the 11th to the end of the 13th century chiefly in the south of France and the north of Italy and whose major theme was courtly love - compare trouvère. 2 : a singer especially of folk songs.' So yeah, his songs are still spectacularly amazing...
a lot of memories passing by (good and bad ones aswell) during my days in that city as i was stationed in Amsterdam at the navy radio school (verbindingsdienst op Kattenburg) thx for the reaction, and grts from a dutch cheesehead in Germany
Jacques Brel is belgian and I advice you to listen to Loic Nottet, a young incredible belgian singer. His song : Mr/Mme (Bruxelles) is a masterpiece, his interpretation, his voice, his music, his soul, his lyrics, everything is amazing (and you can activate the subtitles). Please, react to him, thank you. Jacques Brel, Loic Nottet and Stromae are my favorite belgian singers.
This was a live performance I think in Amsterdam. Can you imagine you sitting there. It is a song about a harbor, called Amsterdam, where the mariners drink, dance, fight and get drunk. All his many song he wrote and composed. Compared to him, the great Elvis was a machine that made sounds, no human being.
The way he brings a song….he really gives his all. I’m always really impressed with him. I don’t understand much of it, but I love the French language.
I just want to say thank you for a reaction to Jacques Brel. Here in the US most people don't know his music and they really should. He is a wonderful songwriter because he is a wonderful story teller and poet
Yup it is from way back in the day. He died in 1978. He was Belgian and sang in both French and Dutch. A good song to check in this regard is Le Plat Pays which he also sang in Dutch as Mijn vlakke land.
Brel was known to lose a lost of weight at each shows with all the water he sweat ... and to throw up like crazy before going on stage in front of the audience.
There's only the live version: Brel never recorded this for a studio album, and his only version was released on the live album Enregistrement Public à l'Olympia 1964.
I laughed out loud when you talked about it being a Disney song at the first few notes... If Disney EVER use something as harsh as "Amsterdam" in one of their movie, that would be incredible, like Megadeth breaking into some classical music concert...
You should also listen to him sing 'Het vlakke land' and 'Le plat pays', both meaning 'The flat land/country', he sings it in a Dutch version and in a French version, both very beautifully. He sings in this song about his love for his country, Belgium, especially (in this case) Flanders. And watch David Bowie's version of Amsterdam!
He used to intentionally sweat because, in his own words, "When you sweat, they [the public] believe you." He was an incredible performer, and an amazing man :)
Basically everyone has covered "Amsterdam". David Bowie's version is great (it's on the album Bowie at the Beeb). Scott Walker's versions of Brel songs are classic. You should react to "Next".
He was always sweating like crazy in his live 'cause he didn't even want to be a singer, he was scared to death, but he was so good that people around him pushed him into music
It's also a matter of lighting. To this day the lighting on stage is exhausting, making temps rise up to 50°C (122F). And the further back in time you go, the worse it is, lamps not being made in the same way. I played theater for a while, and always ended up drenched in sweat, regardless of what I was wearing. Nevermind wearing a full suit and tie with the lamps of that era and sing at the top of your lungs for an entire show.
Port of Amsterdam, lol😁.... the port of Amsterdam hasn't seen a ship since 1312🤣🤣. The song's pretty great though, love his passion. Love from Rotterdam✌
That's... That's a reaaaallll accurate description of the song. Especially without a translation... it's a story song about Amsterdam and the sailors and their lives and travails and joys and pain and lives and deaths... Either it's a wonderful performance or you got incredible empathy.. or both.. I'm gonna bet both. Salut à toi!!!
A great song and legendary singer. I heard a lot about him but know his songs in Dutch by Liesbeth List, she was the only one who could sing his songs like he could.
This performance was in 1964, in the town of Bergen, where a lot of poets, painters and other artists live. Brel had been told that this select audience had a warm interest in his repertoire and a command of the French language. The café-restaurant quickly filled up. However, the owner of the place had stipulated that the guests were obliged to eat dinner. Against this backdrop, Brel performed fifteen of his famous chansons as only he could. Full of passion, flamboyant and profusely perspiring. After the concert, Brel expressed his displeasure at the crockery clanking and the noise of the dining visitors. The celebrated chansonnier felt like an ordinary bar singer. He vowed never to perform “in one of those provincial shitty places for deaf old tarts” again. He was so furious he threw his fee on the ground. “Those bastards had to stick it in their ass or give it to the Red Cross. His arranger and driver rushed to collect the 12,000 guilders. When Brel left, he was presented with an enormous, flat cheese. So, picture a screaming Brel leaving Bergen with that huge cheese on his lap. Brel only calmed down when the person who had introduced him to the audience this evening, the writer who translated his songs in Dutch, said goodbye to him with the words “Alors Jacques, bon fromage” instead of the usual “bon voyage”.
@@davidderuiter726 you are absolutely right. My mistake. I didn't mean any disrespect. This: th-cam.com/video/HobH7268oOE/w-d-xo.html is the recording of the performance in Bergen.
Hello, I'm sorry, but you are both wrong. Here are the references of the said video. ORTF songs list 11/10/1966 Jacques BREL performs "Amsterdam" on the stage of the Palmarès des Chants in public, he is accompanied by his accordionist and the show's orchestra. Palmarès des Chants is a variety show by Jacques Antoine, Jacques Solness and Jacqueline Duforest, presented by Guy Lux and Anne-Marie Peysson, which was broadcast every week from 1965 to 1967 on the first French television channel. During this program viewers could vote for hit songs, which were performed live by young artists unknown to the general public. The production was by Roger Pradines. The singers were accompanied by an orchestra under the direction of Raymond Lefèvre, who also composed the credits of the show. I could still tell you more, but I think that this will be enough to arouse your curiosity and seek the necessary information. Sorry if my English is not good, but I am Belgian and diligent with Brel and Nottet, two of our best artists. Good evening to you.
Jacques Brel is the master of the Chansons! 🥰 That's so funny, there is a music video you described, about and the Hunchback, Notre Dame and flying over Paris in a cartoon, it's a great song from the French animated film Un monstre à Paris (2011), it's more upbeat, so not a Chanson! It's Vanessa Paradis & -M- "La seine" (Extrait du film "Un Monstre à Paris") 👌🏼 And it's was/is already on your free reaction request list! 😁😉✌🏼
Yes Vanessa Paradis would be interesting for you to comment on. By the way, she was married to Johnny Depp for a long time. She became famous as a child actress in the movie Lolita.
@@Daffodil31LE *actually it is still french music, meaning commonly "in french", even when not from France ! and France was also the epicenter of Brel's career* ;D
"Amsterdam" David Bowie version 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
A écouter avec son cœur. C 'est tellement fort ! On sent ces marins, on les devines, la mer pas loin, ces bars, ces femmes, une certaines détresse . C'est incroyable l’émotion que Brel dégage dans ses chansons
Here are the English lyrics; enjoy one of the most masterful songs of its time: In Amsterdam's port There are sailors singing The dreams that haunt them By Amsterdam's seashore In Amsterdam's port There are sailors sleeping Like banners Along the gloomy seaside In Amsterdam's port There are sailors dying Full of beers and dramas Since the very first gleams But in Amsterdam's port There are sailors getting to life In the thick heat Of the ocean's tiredness In Amsterdam's port There are sailors eating On tableclothes that are too white Off the fishes slithering They're showing you the teeth Biting the luck Till they wane the Moon Just biting the shrouds And it smells cod Far up to the french fries' core That their big hands invite To come up again Then stand up as they laugh In a storm's noises Sliding up their codpiece And go out burping In Amsterdam's port There are sailors dancing Rubbing their belly To the women's bellies And they're turning and dancing Like spitten suns In the deafening sound Of a tasteless accordion They're twirling their necks To hear them laugh better Until all of a sudden The accordion breathes out Then with a rude move Then with a proud look They bring up their flander Up to the bright light In Amsterdam's port There are sailors drinking And drinking and re-drinking And re-drinking again They're drinking for the fortune Of all Amsterdam's whores From Hamburg and elsewhere Finally they drink to the ladies Who give them their nice bodies Who give them their virtue For a golden piece And when they have well drunk And pin their nose to they sky Blowing their nose in the stars And they piss like I cry On the unfaithful women In Amsterdam's port In Amsterdam's port
listen to Bowies version of this - you may realise how anaemic he was, and many 60s, 70s, artists were completely in awe of Brel, rightly so, NOBODY DOES BREL BUT BREL !!!
Back in the 1960's, Mort Shuman and Eric Blau translated several of Brel's songs into English (taking some liberties, but with Brel's approval), and created the show "Jacques Brel Is ALive and Well and Living in Paris". I saw the show in Boston in 1971, dragged by one of my roommates, who was from Montreal. He had been to see it a dozen times already, so this was his thirteenth time, but my first. Well, it was mind blowing, to say the least. The eloquence and power of Brel's lyrics has stuck with me ever since. I know some French, but not enough to fully understand Brel when he is singing them in French, so the show was a great eye opener for me. The English lyrics will certainly help you to appreciate the songs. I believe it was finally made into a film. You might want to check it out. Brel was, first and foremost, a poet. His passionate, take no prisoners stage performances are legendary.
And if you knew some French ( and I barely pass saying "hello" and "how do you do" in French ) you'd realize pretty quickly a disney movie would not do justice to this song and Amsterdam. This is not a fly-over scene. This is very specific, as if on a few narrow streets next to the port. It's a slice of life song, and I love it, and David Bowie did a cover in english, so you can also understand what story is being told.
It might have been hot, but Jacques Brel is why they invented anti perspirant. He would sweat in an iglo. And he sings passionate about EVERYTHING. If you gave him your grocery list or a telephone book as text he would still have made it sound like this.
![Ne me quitte pas (Jacques Brel) - [English subtitles] Reaction!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uTHvKlWxlFE/mqdefault.jpg)
You wouldn't bellieve how good this is when you speak French. Outstanding.
@@MrRiguepeu Prison, peut-être pas. Accuses moi de pas aller au bout du délire, mais j'arrête avant.
I so agree! David Bowie made an attempt of a cover but props to him for trying... this is pure poetry!
Facts
Tellement, Jacques Brel un grand !
Une des meilleurs chanson francaise, I would not say that is a Disney song , you know if you know XD
Even if the stage was frozen, Jacques would also have sweat as much as here because he had stage anxiety before entering, to the point he was physically sick. But when he started to sing, the animal always ate the man and was roaring and shining like the most ferocious lion. He was a bit like James Brown : a stage monster, but in his own peculiar way.
Your hand gestures makes me think about his faithful pianist : Gérard Jouannest. He was the husband of the famous singer and actress Juliette Gréco. She's also a unique artist who deserves some listening.
C est vrai , la traduction est importante , mais la fougue de Brel fait que même sans traduction , cette version live est Fantastique!!!!!!!!!
This guy has more expression in one line of song than a lot of artists have in their entire catalogue.
I really love the music of Jacques Brel. I watch a lot of reaction videos, but I was never able to find anyone who reacted to Brel. I guess TH-cam made the connection and recommended this to me, since I have seen some of your Tina S and PMJ reactions. I think I'll have to subscribe now to follow your journey of discovering Brel. I'm so glad someone finally started this.
Jacques Brel (born in Belgium) is an icon and one of the best French singer songwriter composer. A great poet! (Lydie from France)
Vous devriez dire chanteur francophone, même s'il est né Flamand. Brel est Belge
Pas du tout français. 100% belge. 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪
IN THE 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
This is the translation by Shuman and Blau, which is used in most of English language covers of this song. It's OK, but it isn't a literal translation, and it loses some of the bite of the original. Lets face it 'rubbing their bellies against women's bellies' is a great image, but who says 'paunch' these days? And the last line would translate literally as 'And they piss like I cry over unfaithful women,' but you couldn't say that in the current climate, could you?
@@tarquinmidwinter2056 And in the translation at the start they talk about "a sailor" each times but it is about many sailors for each part
@@SakiNaoko same with the last part, the translation also speaks of "one sailor", while the song speaks of many.
I'd look for another translation, personnaly.
@@tarquinmidwinter2056 The problem is even worse than that. French language is a feeling/romance language, it has no difficulty to mean many ideas in a single expression, when english is a technical language, simpler and more useful for communication as english has far less hidden meanings... That explains that many english translation don't give justice to french, italian or spanish songs.
@@tarquinmidwinter2056 There's always things lost in translation, its unfortunate, buts just how it is
Merci de partager notre culture musical
Dude, I am impressed. I came here from a Beste Zangers reaction to Floor Jansen (my favorite Soprano/all around music slayer). How the heck did you get turned on to Jacques Brel? Yes - he is a master, but... for someone TODAY to react to him? Call me impressed. Probably the most famous Belgian singer.
No one can top Eddy Wally dude
The ultimate belgian singer!
Surely special, I like it to make this travelling through the music history
Who's the cultural barbarian that gave this a thumb down??
As a French speaker, Amsterdam is one of my favorite song by Brel (also love "les Flamandes" which is hilarious). Everything in this song talks about prostitutions, the act and the despair.
The act is always hidden. In the first verse, it's only the dreams of some sailor, the newborn who may be from the prostitution and older sailor are dying, crying because their wife couldn't live without selling their body.
The seconde verse is about a sailor who's eating but in reality, it's about a man who f*** a woman (who is compare to a fish) in a white bed brutally because he had to bring her back to him before leaving loudly.
In the third one, it's a dance. The sailor is really really close to the woman. Their stomac touch, they turn, turn and turn. They both "laught" loudly and when the accordion bursts (obvious picturehere), the man proudly watch what they just have done.
In the last vers, a sailor is drinking in the honor of the women that sell the body in Amsterdam, Hambourg or else where and when he drink enought, he piss as the singer cry about those women.
I needed a really long time to understand all those allusions so here they are. He couldn't say all those explicitly so he used pictures. In the song "Les Bourgeois", he couldn't swear so the trumpet play when he should use the bad word but everyone knows...
It's among my preferred songs, and I had never envisioned the allusions you list. I don't know if you're correct, but your understanding makes a lot of sense, and at the very least is an interesting take on this song's meaning.
Love him. Singer, Songwriter, Actor and Pilot. He only lived to be 49, but he did a lot in those years.
It's not easy to add value when commenting such a master piece. This is simply one of the most impressive singing performance ever recorded of one of the best song ever written.
"It must have been hot in there!" Possible, but also: he had rather big anxiety issues. He didn't want to be a singer, he wanted to be a songwriter, but had to perform himself when he couldn't sell his songs... He even says he was genuinely BAD at it at first, because of how awkward and shy he was. Of course he got better and then GOOD, but even after becoming famous and successful, he's sweating buckets in pretty much every single performance!
Watch an entire concert of him, you'll notice that after every song the lights go out and hee disappears. He used to dry himself, maybe change a shirt quickly and grab another beer...
Besides, notice how Brel builds his song, singing with his whole body, faster and faster, almost spitting the words into the audience.
This guy is one of very few I would like to see perform live. Unfortunately I do not have a time machine at my disposal.
@@Daffodil31LE he was smoking a cigarette between each song lit by his friend and assistant Jojo . That's the way he became Paul Gauguin's neighbor ...
He was so shy that he used to vomit before the concert. Every time. But once he is on the scene he gives all... and much more. Every time.
Jacques Brel is one of the great singers - before media came into force. Him, Edith Piaf, Hell - so many great personalities and voices lost to time...
Songwriter singer. He's an amazing poet
One of the absolute classic french songs. Brel was amazing.
Jacques Brel avais ce que de nombreux chanteurs actuel n'ont plus, la passion de la musique
Le mec chialais en chantant et se donnais tellement a fond qu'il en transpirais
He was Belgian born close to Brussels. The sound of their French is slightly different from the French your hear in films, more harsh, specialy the R. Brussels is on the north border of the French language area. The further south you go the R will change up to the border of Spain and Italy where they use and R made with the tip of the tongue.
In the 60s air conditioning was not standard in theaters yet, so thats why is sweating so much. The passion with which he sings/tells his story does the rest.
Very true. I am French. That's why i would like to say to all of you he was Belgian. He was considered as a French "compositer and singer" But the truth is he was Belgian.
In some ways, on scene, he was a fucking rock' n' roll singer. Sorry for my dirty english language.
As a Belgian from Brussels that was born a french speaker, the main reason our Rs and some of our dialects are a bit different from our french friends is from flemmish influence.
Jacques Brel's overemphasis on the R is a purely conscious and artistic choice that gave it more charm and that old school french feeling.
As of today, if I didn't tell people that I was Belgian they'd assume I was french because of the lack fo accent :-(
Nevertheless Brel was both nervous (which he willingly admitted) and passionate about his art and performances, and put everything in every song. The 1966 Olympia show was also his last public appearance.
Actually he 's from Schaerbeek, which is a municipality IN brussels, but it's more of a neighbourhood. I wouldn't say he was born close to Brussels he's a brusseleir!
Jacques Brel was not passionate about song, he was passionate about the human race that he carried in his songs. Not a singer has had more strength or liveliness in his lyrics and in his interpretations. He was one of a kind and no one can compete with him.
I beleive this is the premiere of that song live at the Olympia Hall in Paris ! One of my prefered singer; la diction, l'énergie, la conviction, la passion l'authenticité... Thank you for sharing that treasure !
Ce n'est pas la première : un ami était présent lors de la création (la chanson n'avait encore jamais été entendue par quiconque) et le choc dans le public fut tel que la salle entière s'est levée en silence avant même la fin du morceau.
This guy was and still is HUGE in french speaking countries! Was a friend of my father’s.
Was in our home, in Brussels, for diner… 50 years ago before he left for the Marquise Islands…So much emotions… coming back with this video… waoww… 😅🥲
Good for you, man, showing this… 🤗😘
CES GENS LA! Please , that’s the best performance ever
This man it's called legend...
you must listen to "ces gens là" , it's for me the best song of Brel from the same archive of INA, thx for the work you do
You will get to love the lyrics of this song, combined with the vibe created by Brel. It truly portraits the city from the days of the 17th century. The days when the sailing ships of the WIC & VOC lay in the ports, and the sailors went into town after a year long voyage from all across the world. You still get that feeling when you walk alone on the banks of the old canals, during a dark and wet autumn night. This song has also been reprised in Dutch by Acda & the Munnik, and in English by David Bowie.
That is what you make of it and that is fine but he only changed it from Antwerp to Amsterdam cause Amsterdam fits the melody more.
This wonderful song is like a painting ! Brueghel could have made such a painting !
Jacques Brel was one of kind very passionate singer. I was a toddler when this was on the radio. I believe I lived in Morocco then.
It is so interesting to see the reaction from someone from another culture and another generation to music I grew up with.
One thing I see, from the interviews he's done, is that he was a punk before punks
Fantastique...un grand homme.. respect !
This is a song about men…sailors. We don’t hear many songs like it nowadays. He was also an influence for Stromae, lyrics and also Brel’s performance. This song sometimes brings me to tears. I’ve seen a video of this performance with English subtitles.
Jacques Brel un grand homme !!!! Il vivait ses chansons.....
😊👍🇫🇷merci monsieur de rendre hommage à brel
Jacques Brel - the greatest singer of the 20th century! Thank you for reaction! I'm so glad you do reactions to my favorite artists: Hurts, Jacques Brel🥰🥰🥰 From Russia with love🤍💙❤️
This was from a tv programme called Le Palmarès de la chanson, a usually rather mediocre programme with 60s French music. This was recorded in 1966 when Brel decided to end his singing career. I remember watching it, everybody was stunned, it was so incredibly strong and moving . The stage was lit for a tv show that’s why it was so hot in the hall and Brel was sweating.
Jacques Brel was the best of the best. I invite you to look for the lyrics in French, open your dictionary and ''feel'' his powerful and passionate interpretation. Outstanding !
he's i dare say one of the greatest song composers in the world. He died far too young. I concider him to be a bridging person. He was/is a frech speaking Belgian but when he wrote and song in flemish/dutch called "vlakke Land" about living in the neighbourhoud of the Nortssea he stole the hart of many flemish/dutch speaking persons. Some of his songs where translated in english.
Sorry to say but unless you know French, as I do, being born and raised in France, this song is about the longing of sailors in the port of Amsterdam,...
First we know how they sing, then their dreams haunting them as they sleep, dying full of beer and dramas, and being born again in the stifling air of oceanic refluxes, they then eat on too white naps the fish of the day, showing teeth to bite into fortune, and you can smell cod even in French fries that their hands gather in haste and greed, then stand up laughing in a noisy manner zipping up their trousers fly as they go out burping loudly...
In the port of Amsterdam the sailors are dancing belly to belly with women, waltzing like the sun spitting from an accordion rant, and they laugh until it hurts when the accordion expires, then come the gestures of gravity and fierce standing as their bring their latest love into full view and shine...
In the Port of Amsterdam sailors are drinking and drinking until they fall, they drink to the health of all the whores of Amsterdam, of Hamburg or elsewhere, of all women given up their bodies & virtue for a gold coin, and when they're drunk, steering the sky, blowing their noses in the stars then they go on pissing like others cry on the infidelity of women... in the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam...
Hope this makes sense, as this is a very special song, in French !
A classic French chanson. Passionate indeed!
In France, Jacques Brel is an absolute legend
🤩🤩🤩Brel : immense artiste
Je peux l’écouter toute la journée
Il est très inspirant 💙💛💜
This is one of the first punk rock recordings
Amsterdam ! Waouh ! Une chanson culte de la chanson française. Merci beaucoup ❤
Jacques Brel was an outstanding, legendary writer and interpret. It is a real shame to not get the words althouth... he conveys. Damn right.
David Bowie did a version of this song (same title) that could give you some insight. It's pretty great as well.
Merci pour votre travail.....cordialement.
Merci 🙏🙏
Brel est bouleversant....
Un grand poète....qui chante des fresques sociales.....
Il est très inspirant.....
Il y a un musée : Jacques Brel à Bruxelles, c'est sa fille France qui gère son oeuvre ....
Peux tu faire une vidéo sur Cabrel, please ....
Haven't heard this song before in French, although i am from Amsterdam myself😊 but i like the song for sure! And a great reaction from you! 😃
I think its the most famous french song ever (sang in french from the Belgian genius)
The sound of my youth. French chansons. Remembering sunday evenings glued to the radio. Not understanding a word, which was good ;-)
This guy was called a modern troubadour. He died in oktober 1978 so therefor 'was'. The definition of troubadour in English is:
'1 : one of a class of lyric poets and poet-musicians often of knightly rank who flourished from the 11th to the end of the 13th century chiefly in the south of France and the north of Italy and whose major theme was courtly love - compare trouvère. 2 : a singer especially of folk songs.'
So yeah, his songs are still spectacularly amazing...
a lot of memories passing by (good and bad ones aswell) during my days in that city as i was stationed in Amsterdam at the navy radio school (verbindingsdienst op Kattenburg) thx for the reaction, and grts from a dutch cheesehead in Germany
Formidable chanson et quel interprète !!
Jacques Brel is belgian and I advice you to listen to Loic Nottet, a young incredible belgian singer. His song : Mr/Mme (Bruxelles) is a masterpiece, his interpretation, his voice, his music, his soul, his lyrics, everything is amazing (and you can activate the subtitles). Please, react to him, thank you. Jacques Brel, Loic Nottet and Stromae are my favorite belgian singers.
This was a live performance I think in Amsterdam. Can you imagine you sitting there. It is a song about a harbor, called Amsterdam, where the mariners drink, dance, fight and get drunk. All his many song he wrote and composed.
Compared to him, the great Elvis was a machine that made sounds, no human being.
The way he brings a song….he really gives his all. I’m always really impressed with him. I don’t understand much of it, but I love the French language.
Le grand jacques quel poete quel chanteur totalement habité sur scene .Amsterdam reprise par Bowie ....
A great actor and a great singer
He pronounces Amsterdam in dutch. Being belgian he spoke the 2 laguages of his country viz. French and flemish, which is belgian dutch...
My favourite sentence is “ils pissent comme je pleure » i just love it.
I just want to say thank you for a reaction to Jacques Brel. Here in the US most people don't know his music and they really should. He is a wonderful songwriter because he is a wonderful story teller and poet
Yup it is from way back in the day. He died in 1978. He was Belgian and sang in both French and Dutch. A good song to check in this regard is Le Plat Pays which he also sang in Dutch as Mijn vlakke land.
really man you have to translate this one it is the most beautiful song ever!! peace from france.
Did they have a medical team to take care of him after this?
Damn, that man pored out his soul in this one.
Much love 💙💛💙
No AC in those times.
The lamps in 1964 were hot as hell. I remember that all the tv shows at that that time (only two hours per day in black and white) had sweaty artist.
Brel was known to lose a lost of weight at each shows with all the water he sweat ... and to throw up like crazy before going on stage in front of the audience.
@@astridhofstra4895 To this day. Theater and concert halls still have temps up to 50 or 60°C (120/140F) on stage. It's exhausting.
There's only the live version: Brel never recorded this for a studio album, and his only version was released on the live album Enregistrement Public à l'Olympia 1964.
he was also an actor, he made some very good french films...notably with Lino Ventura.
I laughed out loud when you talked about it being a Disney song at the first few notes... If Disney EVER use something as harsh as "Amsterdam" in one of their movie, that would be incredible, like Megadeth breaking into some classical music concert...
Dankjewel voor je reactie op Amsterdam van Jacques Brel !
Jacques Brel is a renamed singer in French culture singing the pain like in the famous "Ne me quitte pas".
You should also listen to him sing 'Het vlakke land' and 'Le plat pays', both meaning 'The flat land/country', he sings it in a Dutch version and in a French version, both very beautifully. He sings in this song about his love for his country, Belgium, especially (in this case) Flanders.
And watch David Bowie's version of Amsterdam!
He used to intentionally sweat because, in his own words, "When you sweat, they [the public] believe you." He was an incredible performer, and an amazing man :)
Il me manque tellement.
Also there were not aircon in the theatre....
Johnny Cash pretty much said the same. 'They love it when you sweat'.
Basically everyone has covered "Amsterdam". David Bowie's version is great (it's on the album Bowie at the Beeb). Scott Walker's versions of Brel songs are classic. You should react to "Next".
Also as an extra on the CD-version of Bowie's Pin-Ups
David Bowie's version Port of Amsterdam is amazing too
Marilyn Manson said once that "Next" is the most chocking song of all times ;-)
He was always sweating like crazy in his live 'cause he didn't even want to be a singer, he was scared to death, but he was so good that people around him pushed him into music
It's also a matter of lighting. To this day the lighting on stage is exhausting, making temps rise up to 50°C (122F). And the further back in time you go, the worse it is, lamps not being made in the same way. I played theater for a while, and always ended up drenched in sweat, regardless of what I was wearing. Nevermind wearing a full suit and tie with the lamps of that era and sing at the top of your lungs for an entire show.
You want most of Brel
Please listen " ces gens là " of Jacques brel !
Kiss of France 😉
Brell, l'homme qui incarne ses textes.
Port of Amsterdam, lol😁.... the port of Amsterdam hasn't seen a ship since 1312🤣🤣. The song's pretty great though, love his passion. Love from Rotterdam✌
This is absolutly NOT for a Disney movie lol but yes for a movie, an action movie with a lot of sensuality... ;)
Tous simplement unique 💋🇧🇪merci
Jaques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris - great album. HAPPY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY today.
That's... That's a reaaaallll accurate description of the song. Especially without a translation... it's a story song about Amsterdam and the sailors and their lives and travails and joys and pain and lives and deaths... Either it's a wonderful performance or you got incredible empathy.. or both.. I'm gonna bet both. Salut à toi!!!
I love your reactions I love you
A great song and legendary singer. I heard a lot about him but know his songs in Dutch by Liesbeth List, she was the only one who could sing his songs like he could.
She sang them reasonably well because she was a very good singer, but by far not anything like Brel. No way.
This performance was in 1964, in the town of Bergen, where a lot of poets, painters and other artists live. Brel had been told that this select audience had a warm interest in his repertoire and a command of the French language.
The café-restaurant quickly filled up. However, the owner of the place had stipulated that the guests were obliged to eat dinner. Against this backdrop, Brel performed fifteen of his famous chansons as only he could. Full of passion, flamboyant and profusely perspiring.
After the concert, Brel expressed his displeasure at the crockery clanking and the noise of the dining visitors. The celebrated chansonnier felt like an ordinary bar singer. He vowed never to perform “in one of those provincial shitty places for deaf old tarts” again. He was so furious he threw his fee on the ground. “Those bastards had to stick it in their ass or give it to the Red Cross. His arranger and driver rushed to collect the 12,000 guilders. When Brel left, he was presented with an enormous, flat cheese. So, picture a screaming Brel leaving Bergen with that huge cheese on his lap. Brel only calmed down when the person who had introduced him to the audience this evening, the writer who translated his songs in Dutch, said goodbye to him with the words “Alors Jacques, bon fromage” instead of the usual “bon voyage”.
Interesting and true story but this performance was in Paris
@@davidderuiter726 you are absolutely right. My mistake. I didn't mean any disrespect. This: th-cam.com/video/HobH7268oOE/w-d-xo.html is the recording of the performance in Bergen.
Hello, I'm sorry, but you are both wrong. Here are the references of the said video.
ORTF songs list 11/10/1966
Jacques BREL performs "Amsterdam" on the stage of the Palmarès des Chants in public, he is accompanied by his accordionist and the show's orchestra.
Palmarès des Chants is a variety show by Jacques Antoine, Jacques Solness and Jacqueline Duforest, presented by Guy Lux and Anne-Marie Peysson, which was broadcast every week from 1965 to 1967 on the first French television channel. During this program viewers could vote for hit songs, which were performed live by young artists unknown to the general public. The production was by Roger Pradines. The singers were accompanied by an orchestra under the direction of Raymond Lefèvre, who also composed the credits of the show.
I could still tell you more, but I think that this will be enough to arouse your curiosity and seek the necessary information. Sorry if my English is not good, but I am Belgian and diligent with Brel and Nottet, two of our best artists. Good evening to you.
Really ? I thought the premiere of that song was at the Olympia ?
@@sylvainpicard1223 Hey no! I gave you all the references, as well as the reasons for this registration. Have a good evening.
Jacques Brel is the master of the Chansons! 🥰
That's so funny, there is a music video you described, about and the Hunchback, Notre Dame and flying over Paris in a cartoon, it's a great song from the French animated film Un monstre à Paris (2011), it's more upbeat, so not a Chanson!
It's Vanessa Paradis & -M- "La seine" (Extrait du film "Un Monstre à Paris") 👌🏼
And it's was/is already on your free reaction request list! 😁😉✌🏼
Yes Vanessa Paradis would be interesting for you to comment on. By the way, she was married to Johnny Depp for a long time. She became famous as a child actress in the movie Lolita.
@@Pasunsoprano He is the father of her two kids too!
And don't forget her relationship with Lenny Kravitz, he also wrote her biggest hit back then! ✌🏼
@@pietergreveling did Lenny Kravitz write Joe le taxi?
@@Pasunsoprano No, he wrote Be My Baby! ✌🏼
I'm french and it's really funny to see someone discovered a monument of French music
Actually, Brel was Belgian ;)
@@Daffodil31LE *actually it is still french music, meaning commonly "in french", even when not from France ! and France was also the epicenter of Brel's career* ;D
Jacques Brel, grand Monsieur, grand chanteur, grand acteur, grand artiste.....belge !
"Amsterdam" David Bowie version
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
It is about the mariners in a fictive Amsterdam, as there is no such port. Just for the sound of it : le port d'Amsterdam.
A écouter avec son cœur. C 'est tellement fort ! On sent ces marins, on les devines, la mer pas loin, ces bars, ces femmes, une certaines détresse . C'est incroyable l’émotion que Brel dégage dans ses chansons
Here are the English lyrics; enjoy one of the most masterful songs of its time:
In Amsterdam's port
There are sailors singing
The dreams that haunt them
By Amsterdam's seashore
In Amsterdam's port
There are sailors sleeping
Like banners
Along the gloomy seaside
In Amsterdam's port
There are sailors dying
Full of beers and dramas
Since the very first gleams
But in Amsterdam's port
There are sailors getting to life
In the thick heat
Of the ocean's tiredness
In Amsterdam's port
There are sailors eating
On tableclothes that are too white
Off the fishes slithering
They're showing you the teeth
Biting the luck
Till they wane the Moon
Just biting the shrouds
And it smells cod
Far up to the french fries' core
That their big hands invite
To come up again
Then stand up as they laugh
In a storm's noises
Sliding up their codpiece
And go out burping
In Amsterdam's port
There are sailors dancing
Rubbing their belly
To the women's bellies
And they're turning and dancing
Like spitten suns
In the deafening sound
Of a tasteless accordion
They're twirling their necks
To hear them laugh better
Until all of a sudden
The accordion breathes out
Then with a rude move
Then with a proud look
They bring up their flander
Up to the bright light
In Amsterdam's port
There are sailors drinking
And drinking and re-drinking
And re-drinking again
They're drinking for the fortune
Of all Amsterdam's whores
From Hamburg and elsewhere
Finally they drink to the ladies
Who give them their nice bodies
Who give them their virtue
For a golden piece
And when they have well drunk
And pin their nose to they sky
Blowing their nose in the stars
And they piss like I cry
On the unfaithful women
In Amsterdam's port
In Amsterdam's port
Rock on Jacques !
As i heard it, Brel lived in the US and was so infuriated with our VIET NAM that he left the country and swore never to come back!
i like vert much your reactions and the videos you listen Thanks A french friend
You must read the lyrics , is a trhue poeme and a full description of the port of amsterdam!!!!
listen to Bowies version of this - you may realise how anaemic he was, and many 60s, 70s, artists were completely in awe of Brel, rightly so, NOBODY DOES BREL BUT BREL !!!
Did you watch "Keny Arkana: The Rage" (La Rage). She also uses the French "r" a lot to convey emotion.
Back in the 1960's, Mort Shuman and Eric Blau translated several of Brel's songs into English (taking some liberties, but with Brel's approval), and created the show "Jacques Brel Is ALive and Well and Living in Paris". I saw the show in Boston in 1971, dragged by one of my roommates, who was from Montreal. He had been to see it a dozen times already, so this was his thirteenth time, but my first. Well, it was mind blowing, to say the least. The eloquence and power of Brel's lyrics has stuck with me ever since. I know some French, but not enough to fully understand Brel when he is singing them in French, so the show was a great eye opener for me. The English lyrics will certainly help you to appreciate the songs. I believe it was finally made into a film. You might want to check it out. Brel was, first and foremost, a poet. His passionate, take no prisoners stage performances are legendary.
Legendary.
Boy...only..listen, dont try to understand..BREL IS TOO STRONG..😮😢❤👍👏👊🤜
In the port of Amsterdam there are sailors who sing DREAMS.
The GOAT
I’d love to see you listen to ne me quitte pas, its my favorite song of him he sings it with so much passion
he was one of our best french poets and composeer... he wrote al his songs
And if you knew some French ( and I barely pass saying "hello" and "how do you do" in French ) you'd realize pretty quickly a disney movie would not do justice to this song and Amsterdam.
This is not a fly-over scene. This is very specific, as if on a few narrow streets next to the port. It's a slice of life song, and I love it, and David Bowie did a cover in english, so you can also understand what story is being told.
It might have been hot, but Jacques Brel is why they invented anti perspirant. He would sweat in an iglo. And he sings passionate about EVERYTHING. If you gave him your grocery list or a telephone book as text he would still have made it sound like this.