New Amsterdam Lyrics
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Lyrics
You're sending me tulips mistaken for lilies
You give me your lip after punching me silly
You turn my head till it roll down the brain-drain
If I had any sense now I wouldn't want it back again
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
'Til I have the possession of everything she touches
'Til I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
'Til I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
Down on the main spring listen to the tick-tock
Collect all the faces that move in your lot
Twice-shy and dog-tied because you've been bitten
Everything you say now sounds like it was ghost-written
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
'Til I have the possession of everything she touches
'Til I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
'Til I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
Back in london they'll take you to heart after a little while
Though I look right at home I still feel like an exile
Somehow I found myself down at the dockside
Thinking about the old days of Liverpool and Rotherhide
Transparent people who live on the other side
Living a life that is almost like suicide
New Amsterdam it's become much too much
'Til I have the possession of everything she touches
'Til I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
'Til I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
Song & Lyrics Facts
Elvis Costello & The Attractions' song "New Amsterdam" was released in 1980 on their album Get Happy!!. Written by Elvis Costello, the song features Steve Nieve on keyboards and Bruce Thomas on bass guitar.
The band also included drummer Pete Thomas at the time. The lyrics of the song tell a story about a man who is trying to escape his past and start anew in New Amsterdam. He finds himself alone and struggling with loneliness as he searches for a new place to call home. The song paints a vivid picture of the struggles of a man searching for a fresh start in life.