Amsterdam by Daughter Lyrics Meaning – A Deep Dive into Emotional Resilience and Rebirth

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Daughter's Amsterdam at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Skin up like lightning
Breathing flames from tourist trade
Your eyes go quite frightening
You lock your gaze on to my face

Heavy eye crawling on the roadside
Swinging from the street lights

I hope by the morning I will have grown back
By the morning I will have grown back
I’ll escape with him
Show him all my skin
Then I’ll go
I’ll go home
Amsterdam

I’m a flying kite in the breeze just
Restlessly seeking images a child needs to help them sleep
I was thinking that I should see someone
Just to find out that I’m alright

By the morning I would’ve grown back
By the morning I would’ve grown back
I’ll escape with him
Showing all my skin
Then I’ll go
I’ll go home
Amsterdam

I used to dream of
Adventure
When I was younger
With lungs miniature
Good night with killing
Our brain cells
Is this called living
Or something else
Or something else

By the morning I would’ve grown back
By the morning I would’ve grown back
By the morning I would’ve grown back
By the morning I would’ve grown back

In the lore of indie music, Daughter has emerged as a beacon of profound lyricism, and ‘Amsterdam’ is a testament to their cryptic yet deeply evocative song-writing approach. The track is a mesmerizing weave of metaphors and plaintive melodies that unravel layers of meaning with each listen.

The song captures vulnerabilities and a visceral quest for personal transformation. It’s a melodic introspection that twins the concepts of self-destruction and regrowth, a theme that is as timeless as it is resonant with the human condition.

The Burning Ephemeral: A Look Into Amsterdam’s Fiery Imagery

Daughter’s use of ‘breathing flames from tourist trade’ and ‘eyes go quite frightening’ isn’t merely for dramatic effect. Instead, these intense visual metaphors parallel the inner turmoil of the character, suggesting a relationship with the external world that is as volatile as a flame. The song’s protagonist seems consumed by their surroundings, like a tourist site—ephemeral and ever-changing.

The vivid imagery of ‘skin up like lightning’ evokes a sense of urgency and transformation. It’s as if the skin, the protective barrier, is being charged with the energy needed to facilitate a metamorphosis. This contrasts with a desire to grow back by morning—a metaphor for healing or returning to one’s essence after exposure or vulnerability.

From Restless Kites to Childlike Needs: The Quest for Comfort

The comparison of the protagonist to ‘a flying kite in the breeze’ conveys a sense of being untethered, driven by the winds of circumstance. This restless seeking feels like a universal human condition—a longing for something that brings peace to one’s inner child, a need to ‘help them sleep’.

This line acknowledges the benefit of reflection and the importance of mental health. It’s not just about being alright but understanding deeper aspects of oneself. This acknowledgment of seeking guidance is a moment of humility and self-care in the midst of chaos.

An Encounter with Nostalgia: Reflecting on Younger Dreams and Current Realities

The introspective turn the song takes when reflecting on youthful aspirations against the sober backdrop of adulthood captures a poignant sense of nostalgia. The character reminisces about a time when dreams were adventures waiting to unfold and implicitly questions the substance of their current life.

The stark contrast with the current self-medication through ‘killing our brain cells’ implies a loss of innocence and a grappling with the definition of living. It’s a contemplative moment that resonates with anyone who has faced the disillusionment of aging and the retreat from their once-limitless dreams.

The Hidden Meaning: A Cycle of Self-Discovery and Release

Beneath the song’s poetic surface lies a maze of emotional resilience. The recurring promise to ‘grow back by the morning’ suggests a cyclical pattern of pain and healing, highlighting the character’s resolve to overcome and renew, akin to nature’s relentless rhythm.

Amsterdam becomes a metaphor for a place of transformation, whether it’s a physical city or a mental state of liberation. The narrative of escaping with ‘him’ and ‘showing all my skin’ symbolizes moments of intimacy and exposure, only to retreat ‘home’—a sanctuary or perhaps the comfort zone of the familiar self.

The Purge and the Pivot: Embracing the Memorable Lines of the Song

Daughter’s ‘Amsterdam’ doesn’t shy away from raw emotion, and its lines are crafted to leave a lingering effect. Sentences like ‘Is this called living or something else’ force the listener to confront their own definitions of life and happiness.

As the lyrics weave through the notion of self-healing and the price of self-exposure, they capture the heart of the song’s message—it’s about the journey of knowing oneself, the oscillation between growth and regression, and ultimately, the quest for self-understanding amid life’s tumultuous landscape.