Geef mij maar Amsterdam

To conclude this few days of "Amsterdam Specialities", here is probably the best-loved singer of them all... So revered is Johnny Jordaan in Amsterdam that he has a whole Plein named after him, complete with a statue (later joined by those of fellow musical legends Tante Leen, Manke Nelis and Johnny Meyer).



Not really so surprising, as most (if not all) the great man's wonderful sing-a-long numbers are indeed dedicated to our favourite city...

Johnny Jordaan - Geef mij maar Amsterdam

Johnny Jordaan - Amsterdam

Johnny Jordaan - Bij Ons In De Jordaan

"Normal" service will resume next Tuesday...

All I know is that to me, you look like you're havin' fun

In the middle of our countdown to Amsterdam, I just had to wish many happy returns to the singular genius that is Pete Burns who celebrates(?) his 50th birthday today! Heavens... So to mark this significant moment, here are just a few of my personal favourites from his tumultuous career:

I went wild when I first heard this song way back in 1984 (when I was still slowly edging my way out of the closet). Having known of Pete from his early days with his blood red contact lenses as part of "Nightmares in Wax" (thanks to the saintly John Peel), this was a true departure into the world of dance music. Twisted dance music, naturally. It suited my "coming-out" summer perfectly...

Dead or Alive - That's The Way (I Like It)

Evidently, however, I was not alone in getting excited about the fantabulosa image and sound that Mr Burns and the boys had created. A collaboration with Stock Aitken & Waterman was inevitable in the mid-1980s - and this fantastic song launched the notorious megastar we love today upon an unsuspecting world (and on the gay club dancefloor of Cardiff), thank goodness!

Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

Much more recently (after a lot of changes in Pete's eccentric life, including superstardom in Japan and a slow decline into the tabloid gossip columns), there came this collaboration with another pair of musical talents who are always ahead of the game. Another of my favourites!

Pete Burns and Pet Shop Boys - Jack'n'Jill Party

Happy birthday to a true icon.

We like a Dutch Topper

I cannot let a week focussing on Dutch music pass by without mentioning the incredible phenomenon that is De Toppers. Formed in 2005 by established "national treasures" the singers René Froger, Gordon Heuckeroth and Gerard Joling, this three-man extravaganza sold out a series of concerts in the gigantic 70,000-seater Amsterdam Arena stadium (home of AFC Ajax) for four years on the trot.

It's probably equivalent to a teaming of say, Paul Nicholas, Julian Clary and Bruce Forsyth selling out the O2!



With its irresistibly uber-camp combination of outrageous costumes, fireworks, glitter, dancing boys (and girls), and medleys of popular Dutch and English songs (inevitably of the cheesy variety), the Toppers Live! show is certainly nothing if not spectacular.



We always said we would love to go to one of their shows, but our personal favourite Gerard left the "band" last year just before they unsuccessfully entered this year's Eurovision Song Contest, and (despite his being replaced by Jeroen van der Boom) we're not sure whether the magic will be quite the same without his magnificent cape...

Gerard Joling - This is My Life (Toppers Live 2005)

Toppers - Hollandse medley

Toppers and Engelbert Humperdinck - Engelbert Humperdinck medley

De Toppers

Travels with my Aunt

In Amsterdam, the ladies of a certain age are all of a particular breed - big, bold and fearsome. We call them "toilet ladies", basically because no matter where you are, whether it be gay bar, McDonalds or department store, there will always be a stern lady demanding twenty cents before you can even dream of going for a pee.

Occasionally this type of lady even appears in popular music, and top of the list has to be the late, great and formidable Tante Leen! Not only would you not cross this woman, but you will sing along and clap or else... We love her!

Tante Leen - Oh Johnny

Tante Leen - Aan De Amsterdamse Grachten

Tante Leen

Frivool muziek op Maandag

As well as their traditional musicians, a selection of whom I'm posting this week, the Dutch have a particular penchant for Eurovision. We're never quite sure whether this is because they have a similar ironic piss-taking view of this annual spectacle as we (the Brits) have, or whether they genuinely love it, but the punters in certain bars go wild when Eurovision numbers are played.

Anyway, over the years the Dutch have provided some spectacularly tacky entries. Especially this one from 1975 (which won!)...

Teach-In - Ding-a-Dong - Eurovision 75 - Netherlands

And one dedicated Eurovision fan has done a compilation of his/her own Top Ten... Enjoy!

Top Ten Netherlands Eurovision songs until 2009

Van je pingelepingelepingelepingelepong

Continuing this mini-series on Dutch singers we know and love, today it's the turn of the vivacious and energetic cabaret and musical star Jasperina de Jong, whose De Wandelclub is an enduring Amsterdam sing-a-long classic, and a great favourite of ours....

Jasperina de Jong - De Wandelclub

And here's a wonderful selection of clips from her one-woman show:

Jasperina de Jong - De Gekkin van de Gracht

Jasperina de Jong on Discogs

Dansende paarden, de draaimolen draait

As the countdown to our annual pilgrimage to Amsterdam for my birthday begins in earnest, I thought I'd share some of the music of the Netherlands.

As well as the obvious pleasures of the flesh and senses for which Amsterdam is notorious, there are a couple of bars that we particularly love going to - notably Montmartre and Cafe Rouge [no relation to the bistro chain over here!] - for the music. Their playlist is traditional Dutch and Eurovision oompah, sing-along stuff - combine that with daily two-for-one Happy Hours, and you'd be hard pushed to find a more enjoyable way to spend an evening. I can't wait!

The first of our best-loved Dutch singers is the wonderful Liesbeth List, the Netherlands' top chanteuse, with a triptych of her greatest hits, beginning with our very favourite Kinderen een Kwartje - all together, now!

Liesbeth List - Kinderen een Kwartje

Here, she's in a more mellow mood:

Liesbeth List - In Oktober

And finally, in a far more sinister frame of mind, a dramatic number from 1985:

Liesbeth List on Wikipedia