Fanspot
Port of Amsterdam
“He never did an encore and never did an encore either, except once, during the tour of Russia, in 1965: I don’t know what got into him, he did an Amsterdam encore.”
Jean Corti, Jacques Brel’s accordionist
While taking a leisurely stroll through the port of Zeebrugge, a Belgian city near Bruges, Jacques Brel had the idea of talking about the sailors in the port who sing, sleep, die and indulge in some not very catholic practices. The artist having decided to celebrate in some way the incredible and whimsical life of these workers.
Zeebrugge is a place that Jacques Brel is particularly fond of. In his song Mon père disait, later released in 1967 on the album Jacques Brel 67, the singer recounts how his father used to repeat: “C’est le vent du Nord, Qu’a fait craquer la terre, Entre Zeebruges et l’Angleterre”. Nearby, in Blankenberge, the artist bought the sails of his boat Askoy II, with which he sailed for several months between 1974 and 1976 with his partner Maddly Bamy. A ship rightly restored in the same port by the merchant’s descendant and his brother.
But why go from Zeebrugge to Amsterdam? The reason is very simple, explained by Brel himself: “Do you know any rhymes in ugge?” Amsterdam sounded better to the ear and for the composition of the lyrics of this song which is now remembered.
There is no studio recording of Amsterdam. His main version is the one recorded during the first performance of the song at the Olympia on October 16, 1964.
Port of Amsterdam
The second largest port in the Netherlands after Rotterdam and the fourth largest in Europe, Amsterdam is also ranked 39th worldwide.
Closely linked to the city of Amsterdam since the 13th century, the port of the Dutch city covers 600 hectares of waterways and 1,900 hectares of land. The site specializes in the supply, storage and transportation of fuels such as gasoline. Without direct access to the sea, the canal through which the huge liners transit was opened in 1825 by King William I, as the old passageway was becoming increasingly silted up. In addition to its international maritime traffic, Amsterdam is also known for its cruise and yachting terminal.
The Fantrippers Buying Board
Cult! music: 100 mythical music places [French Edition]
Embark immediately on an exhilarating world tour with some of music’s most iconic bands and artists!
Head to Melbourne, Australia for a stroll along AC/DC Lane before crossing the iconic Abbey Road pedestrian crossing in the company of The Beatles. Visit Janis Joplin‘s home in San Francisco and find out how Johnny Cash ended up playing his greatest hits to a crowd of prisoners in San Quentin. Travel the winding roads of Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and stop in Japan to catch up with Deep Purple, Phil Collins and Daft Punk. Drive down the Tina Turner Highway before entering some of the most legendary studios in music history. Go back to the troubled origins of Billie Holiday and make a pact with Robert Johnson at the famous crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Embark immediately on an exhilarating world tour with some of music’s most iconic bands and artists! Relive the Jimi Hendrix concert on the Isle of Wight before paying tribute to Bob Marley in Jamaica.
Produced by a team of pop-culture specialists and enhanced by numerous anecdotes, Cult! musictells the secrets of the places that made the history of music.
Content quality
Interest for fans
Value for money
Discover all the places Amsterdam on our map
By Damien Duarte
Passionné par la culture pop depuis son enfance, ses références vont de Donald Duck à Batman en passant par Marty McFly. Fantripper dans l'âme, voyager sur les traces de Ghostbusters, James Bond ou des héros de romans comme Cotton Malone fait partie d'un séjour idéal et réussi !