Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Elvis Costello
Canonical path: /elvis-costello/new-amsterdam
Related lyric paths: 6
Video embedded: yes
Lyric guide
New Amsterdam
Read New Amsterdam lyrics by Elvis Costello on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
New Amsterdam
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
You're sending me tulips mistaken for lilies
You give me your lip after punching me silly
You turned my head till it rolled 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
Till I have the possession of everything she touches
Till I step on the brakes to get out of her clutches
Till I speak double dutch to a real double duchess
Down on the mainspring, listen to the tick tock
Clock all the faces that move in on your block
Twice shy and dog tired because you've been bitten
Everything you say now sounds like it was ghost-written
Chorus
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 of the old days of Liverpool and Rotherhide
The transparent people who live on the other side
Living a life that is almost like suicide
Chorus
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "New Amsterdam"?
Elvis Costello performs "New Amsterdam", and this lyric page sits inside the Elvis Costello catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "New Amsterdam"?
Yes. The related section below points to All This Useless Beauty and Beautiful with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Elvis Costello?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Elvis Costello's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on New Amsterdam yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.