De Stad Amsterdam – Christmas Stream Live

De Stad Amsterdam – Christmas Stream Live

De stad Amsterdam, this is the absolute number 1 of Dieb, his favorite song. In our version it starts slowly and goes faster and faster. The song is about sailors, but it could be musicians…

Anecdote: We have played it once or twice “only live” as de Stad Rotterdam, for fans from Rotterdam. And of course in the north of the Netherlands we spoke about Stad Appingedam in our own “Gronings” “de stad Ap’ge’ Dam ”and we are not talking about onions but“ Siepels ”and hanging kitchens, but normally we play the original version of De Stad Amsterdam.

Hangende keukens van Appingedam
Hangende keukens van Appingedam

Background info

Amsterdam, also known as Dans le port d’Amsterdam is a song by the Belgian singer Jacques Brel, the song takes the form of a crescendo and describes the experiences of sailors during their leave in the red light district in Amsterdam. The melody is taken from the English anthem Greensleeves. Brel never released this song on a studio record. Despite this, Amsterdam became one of Brel’s most popular songs.

De Stad Amsterdam Lyrics

1.

In de stad Amsterdam, waar de zeelieden lallen
Tot hun nachtmerries schallen over oud Amsterdam
In de stad Amsterdam, waar de zeelieden, dronken
Als een wimpel zo lam, in de dokken gaan ronken
In de stad Amsterdam, waar de zeeman verzuipt
Vol van bier en van gram, als de morgen ontluikt
In de stad Amsterdam, waar de zeeman ontwaakt
Als de warmte weer blaakt over Damrak en Dam

2.

In de stad Amsterdam, waar de zeelieden bikken
Zilv’ren haringen slikken, bij de staart uit de hand
Van de hand in de tand, smijten zij met hun knaken
En ze zullen hem raken als een kat in het want
En ze stinken naar aal, in hun grof blauwe truien
En ze stinken naar uien, daarmee doen zij hun maal
Na hun maal staan zij op om hun broek dicht te knopen
En dan gaan ze weer lopen en het boert in hun krop

3.

In de stad Amsterdam, waar de zeelieden zwieren
En de meiden versieren, buik aan buik, lekker klam
En ze draaien hun wals als een wentelende zon
Op de klank, dun en vals, van een accordeon
En zo rood als een kreeft happen zij naar wat lucht
Tot opeens met een zucht de muziek het begeeft
Met een air van gewicht voeren zij met wat spijt
Dan hun Mokumse meid weer terug in het licht

4.

In de stad Amsterdam waar de zeelieden zuipen
En maar zuipen en maar zuipen en daarop nog eens zuipen
Zuipen op het geluk van een hoer van de Wallen
Op een Hamburgse hoer, nou ja, van een goed stuk
Van een slet die zichzelf in haar deugd heeft geschonken
Voor een gulden of elf en dan zijn ze goed dronken
Met hun wankelende lijven lozen zij dan hun drank
En ze pissen zoals ik jank om de ontrouw der wijven

In de stad Amsterdam
In de stad Amsterdam
In de stad Amsterdam
In de stad Amsterdam

De Stad Amsterdam - Rakkish Paddies
Rakkish Paddies album cover

 

Rakkish Paddies  is available on CD

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Our new album “Scotland’s Story” finally arrived! – Rapalje Show 85

This is the edit from the facebook livestream at a very special place.
A very quiet place. We drove around with our van until we found internet.

Finally, finally, finally! It’s there! The album is called “Scotland’s Story”

One of the most famous stories of Scotland is the escape of Bonnie Prince Charly From Scotland. When he lost the war agains the English.

We thought we make a nice over-romantic painting of it. But actually it’s a photo with the atmosphere of a painting.

On the other side is a very old picture of complete idiotic men..

NEW ALBUM “SCOTLANDS STORY”

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Video: Scotland’s Story at Castlefest

Two thousand years ago the Celts were driven off of mainland Europe.

All Celts? No, one band bravely resisted the influx of modern pop and rock and found their own place in the world of music.

Armed with nothing but their voices and instruments, Rapalje is raiding clubs and halls far and wide, looking for victims to carry away on a musical journey through Scottish Highlands, Irish valleys, taverns and inns.

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s dance…

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Video: Never Mind the Strangers @ Castlefest

A tribute to all the people who’ve helped and stuck with us along the way

It takes two to get together
It takes time to make it last
We’ll all end up in some way
Like the drink in last night’s glass
But we’ll take this chance together
Lets not think about the end
Never mind the strangers
‘Cos I’ll always be your friend
Until the end

We’ve crossed the sea together
We’ve had our ups and downs
We’ve gone further than we’ve ever dreamed
From our county Galway home
If we’re up on top tomorrow
Or if it all just ends
Never mind the strangers
‘Cos I’ll always be your friend
Until the end

It has’nt all been easy
But sure that’s the way it is
We’ve been shaken, rocked and rattled
Taken jabs and body blows
There’s a strenght in being together
Like a steel bar that won’t bend
Never mind the strangers
‘Cos I’ll always be your friend
Until the end

Even now it’s hard to think back
When did it all begin
Was it some night drinking in Gay Brownes pub
Every soul is welcomed in
On this fine summers evening
As the blue of night descends
Never mind the strangers
‘Cos I’ll always be your friend
Until the end

We’ve seen the other side of life
And no been too impressed
It does’nt beat a day at home
If you put it to the test
But at least we took the challenge
We did’nt just pretend
Never mind the strangers
‘Cos I’ll always
Always be your friend
Until the end

Continue reading “Video: Never Mind the Strangers @ Castlefest”

Video: Caledonia at Castlefest – Celtic Folk Music from Scotland

Caledonia is the Latin name given by the Romans to the land in today’s Scotland,

north of their province of Britannia, beyond the frontier of their empire. The etymology of the name is probably from a P-Celtic source. Its modern usage is as a romantic or poetic name for Scotland as a whole, comparable with Hibernia for Ireland and Cambria for Wales.

The exact location of what the Romans called Caledonia in the early stages of Britannia is uncertain, and the boundaries are unlikely to have been fixed until the building of Hadrian’s Wall. From then onwards, Caledonia stood to the north of the wall, and to the south was the Roman province of Britannia (consisting of most of what is now England and Wales).During the brief Roman military incursions into central and northern Scotland, the Scottish Lowlands were indeed absorbed into the province of Britannia, and the name was also used by the Romans, prior to their conquest of the southern and central parts of the island, to refer to the whole island of Great Britain.

The modern use of “Caledonia” in English and Scots is either as a historical description of northern Britain during the Roman era or as a romantic or poetic name for Scotland as a whole.

In music, “Caledonia” is a popular folk ballad written by Dougie MacLean in 1977 and published in 1979 on an album of the same name; it has since been covered by various other artists, including Amy Macdonald

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Video: The Craic was 90 in the Isle of Man @ Castlefest – Rapalje Celtic Folk Music

“The craic was 90”: A fantastic, brilliant time.

The craic, pronounced crack, refers to the laughter and banter that goes with having a good night out with friends. If the craic was 90 it means it was exceptionally good and you were having the time of your life!

The phrase became well known from the late sixties onwards because of the song, The Craic was 90 in the Isle of Man..

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Video: The Skye Boat Song – Outlander Theme Song

The Skye Boat Song” is a modern Scottish song which has entered into the folk canon in recent times.

It can be played as a waltz, recalling the escape of Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) from Uist to the Isle of Skye after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

The text of the song gives an account of how Bonnie Prince Charlie, disguised as a serving maid, escaped in a small boat after the defeat of his Jacobite rising of 1745, with the aid of Flora MacDonald. The song draws on the motifs of Jacobitism although it was composed nearly a century and a half after the episode it describes.It is often supposed that it describes Charles’s flight from the mainland, but this is unhistorical. The only time Charles was in Skye was when he left Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides to avoid the increasingly thorough Government searches.

(Wikipedia)

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Video: Glen Coe – Johnnie Cope @ Castlefest

Imagine yourself in a completely different world at Castlefest world music festival

The Fantasy festival of light in the Netherlands. A fest for young and old, where, as soon as you enter the gates, you find yourself in the Other World. Castlefest is a total experience with lots of music, fantasy writers, themed catering, medieval crafts and a large market which offers everything a fantasy fan is looking for.

Castlefest characterizes itself by a unique ambiance. This makes that regular visitors are looking forward to the next edition a year in advance. It creates a feeling where you find yourself in a completely different world, causing a daze and homesickness for weeks after the event took place.

Continue reading “Video: Glen Coe – Johnnie Cope @ Castlefest”

Video: The Encore at Castlefest – Loch Lomond – Kweenie Set – Flatlands

Imagine yourself in a completely different world at Castlefest world music festival

The Fantasy festival of light in the Netherlands. A fest for young and old, where, as soon as you enter the gates, you find yourself in the Other World. Castlefest is a total experience with lots of music, fantasy writers, themed catering, medieval crafts and a large market which offers everything a fantasy fan is looking for.

Castlefest characterizes itself by a unique ambiance. This makes that regular visitors are looking forward to the next edition a year in advance. It creates a feeling where you find yourself in a completely different world, causing a daze and homesickness for weeks after the event took place.

Continue reading “Video: The Encore at Castlefest – Loch Lomond – Kweenie Set – Flatlands”

Video: “I’m Into Folk” from Bart Peeters, The Radios

Bart Peeters komt op de proppen met I’m into folk.

Tijdens een optreden van The Pogues op Pinkpop had Bart Peeters gezien hoe een duidelijk door de folk geïnspireerde groep als The Pogues het publiek kon begeesteren, beter nog dan de Red Hot Chili Peppers. Als het mij nu eens zou lukken, dacht Bart, al die folkclichés in één liedje te vatten. Hij ging op zoek naar een geschikt doordeweeks riedeltje op zijn gitaar, zo eentje, of het nu folk is, of flamenco of wat dan ook, dat vlot in het gehoor ligt. Daarmee zou de song moeten beginnen en dan zouden de clichés de revue mogen passeren. I’m into folk moest , dat wou Bart , cabaretesk klinken, grotesk zelfs. Het nummer werd uiteindelijk een pastiche, een doelbewuste slechte nabootsing van de oerdegelijke Ierse folkmuziek. Begin 1989 geraakten The Radios met I’m into folk tot in de staart van de BRT Top 30

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