Amsterdam
View chords used in this chart
Am Em
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who sings
F E
Of the dreams that he brings from the wide open sea
Am Em
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who sleeps
Dm E Am
While the river bank weeps to the old willow tree
C G E
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who dies
Am Em E
Full of beer, full of cries in a drunken town fight
F E
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who's born
Dm E Am
On a hot muggy morn by the dawn's early light
ACOUSTIC: Am
Am Em
In the port of Amsterdam where the sailors all meet
F E
There's a sailor who eats only fish heads and tails
Am Em
And he'll show you his teeth that have rotted too soon
Dm E Am
That can haul up the sails that can swallow the moon
C G E
And he yells to the cook with his arms open wide
Am Em E
Hey, bring me more fish throw it down by my side
F E
And he wants so to belch but he's too full to try
Dm E Am
So he stands up and laughs and he zips up his fly
Am Em
In the port of Amsterdam you can see sailors dance
F E
Paunches bursting their pants grinding women to porch
Am Em
They've forgotten the tune that their whiskey voice croaked
Dm E Am
Splitting the night with the roar of their jokes
C G E
And they turn and they dance and they laugh and they lust
Am Em E
Till the rancid sound of the accordion bursts
F E
And then out of the night with their pride in their pants
Dm E Am
And the sluts that they tow underneath the street lamps
Am Em
In the port of Amsterdam there's a sailor who drinks
F E
And he drinks and he drinks and he drinks once again
Am Em
He'll drink to the health of the whores of Amsterdam
Dm E Am
Who've given their bodies to a thousand other men
C G E
Yeah, they've bargained their virtue their goodness all gone
Am Em E
For a few dirty coins well he just can't go on
F E
Throws his nose to the sky and he aims it up above
Dm E Am
And he pisses like I cry on the unfaithful love
Am Em F E Am E Am
In the port of Amsterdam, in the port of Amsterdam
How to play Amsterdam
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is Am. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.