Amsterdam (Van Halen song)

1995 single by Van Halen

"Amsterdam"

Single by Van Halen
from the album  Balance
B-side|

* "Finish What Ya Started" (live)
* "When It's Love" (live)

Released| June 26, 1995 (1995-06-26)[1]
Length| 4:45
Label| Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)|

* Michael Anthony
* Sammy Hagar
* Alex Van Halen
* Eddie Van Halen

Producer(s)| Bruce Fairbairn
Van Halen singles chronology
| "Not Enough"
(1995)  | "Amsterdam"
(1995)  | "Humans Being"
(1996)

|
|

"Amsterdam" is a song by American rock band Van Halen from their 10th studio album, Balance (1995). It was released as a single to mainstream rock radio and peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in mid-1995.[2]

## Background

[edit]

According to a 1995 interview on Dutch radio, the song is based upon Sammy's tourist impression of Amsterdam, such as the freedom he felt in the city.

According to Ian Christe's book Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga, Eddie and Alex Van Halen didn't like the lyrics, feeling the song did their birthplace a disservice, due to its explicit references to cannabis use (with lines such as "roll an Amsterdam", clearly it refers to "roll a joint" ) and to its little content. Sammy, however, wouldn't budge, as it was about his tourist impression over the memories of the Van Halen family homeland. About this, Eddie Van Halen said to Guitar World in 1996:

> "Well, I wasn't sober before, and I wasn't even listening to the lyrics! It's not like I suddenly wanted Sammy to be my puppet or anything, but once in a while I would take issue with a specific lyric or line. For example, I always hated the words 'wham, bam, Amsterdam,' from Balance, because they were all about smoking pot – they were just stupid. Lyrics should plant some sort of seed for thought, or at least be a little more metamorphical."[3]

## Music video

[edit]

A music video was shot for "Amsterdam" in January 1995 during the band's promotional tour in Amsterdam. After the finishing touches were completed in April, Warner Bros. sent the video to MTV, who sent it back due to the song's references to marijuana, specifically the lyric "Score me some Panama Red, yeah." They altered the lyrics for the video for airplay, but MTV still refused to play it. The altered video eventually aired on MuchMusic in Canada.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 24, 1995. p. 43.
2. ^ Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks - Chart Listing For The Week Of Jun 24 1995[dead link]
3. ^ "Interviews – Eddie Van Halen". Guitar World. Vhlinks.com. December 1996. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

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* t
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Van Halen

* Eddie Van Halen
* Alex Van Halen
* David Lee Roth
* Michael Anthony
* Sammy Hagar
* Gary Cherone
* Wolfgang Van Halen

Studio albums|

* Van Halen
* Van Halen II
* Women and Children First
* Fair Warning
* Diver Down
* 1984
* 5150
* OU812
* For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
* Balance
* Van Halen III
* A Different Kind of Truth

Compilation albums|

* Best Of – Volume I
* The Best of Both Worlds
* The Japanese Singles 1978–1984

Live albums|

* Live: Right Here, Right Now
* Tokyo Dome Live in Concert

Singles|

* "You Really Got Me"
* "Runnin' with the Devil"
* "Jamie's Cryin'"
* "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love"
* "Dance the Night Away"
* "Somebody Get Me a Doctor"
* "Beautiful Girls"
* "And the Cradle Will Rock..."
* "So This Is Love?"
* "Unchained"
* "(Oh) Pretty Woman"
* "Dancing in the Street"
* "Where Have All the Good Times Gone!"
* "Jump"
* "I'll Wait"
* "Panama"
* "Hot for Teacher"
* "Why Can't This Be Love"
* "Dreams"
* "Love Walks In"
* "Best of Both Worlds"
* "When It's Love"
* "Black and Blue"
* "Finish What Ya Started"
* "Poundcake"
* "Top of the World"
* "Right Now"
* "Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)"
* "Can't Stop Lovin' You"
* "Amsterdam"
* "Humans Being"
* "Me Wise Magic"
* "Can't Get This Stuff No More"
* "Without You"
* "Tattoo"
* "She's the Woman"

Other songs|

* "Eruption"
* "Everybody Wants Some!!"
* "Little Guitars"

Videography|

* Live Without a Net
* Live: Right Here, Right Now
* Video Hits Volume I

Tours|

* 1978 World Tour
* World Vacation Tour
* World Invasion Tour
* Fair Warning Tour
* Hide Your Sheep Tour
* 1984 Tour
* 5150 Tour
* OU812 Tour
* For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour
* Right Here Right Now Tour
* Balance Tour
* III Tour
* Summer Tour 2004
* North America 2007–2008
* A Different Kind of Truth Tour
* North America 2015

Related|

* Discography
* Awards
* Guitar Hero: Van Halen
* 5150 Studios
* Frankenstrat
* Peavey EVH Wolfgang
* EVH Wolfgang
* Planet Us
* Chickenfoot
* Sammy Hagar and the Circle
* Mammoth WVH
* Ted Templeman

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