What if this Johnny Jordaan Bust could sing? It would fill this square with levenslied. That is a Dutch variety of the French chanson. This square is named for Johannes Hendricus van Musscher. However you probably know him as Johnny Jordaan.
Johnny Jordaan was a popular musician. He rose to fame in the mid-1900s. The Johnny Jordaan Bust commemorates his legacy. It stands as a tribute to his impact on Amsterdam.
The Johnny Jordaan Bust sits in Johnny Jordaanplein. It is also known as Johnny Jordaan Square. The square was dedicated in 1991. This was shortly after Johnny Jordaan died in 1989.
Johnny Jordaan was born in 1924. He became known for his songs about Amsterdam. Specifically, he sang about the Jordaan district. His songs were Jordaanliederen. He sang with a hiccuping Mokum vibrato. “Mokum” is a Hebrew nickname for Amsterdam’s inner city.
In the 1950s, Johnny Jordaan became a national celebrity. People called him the “uncrowned king of the Jordaanlied”. His hit song “Geef mij maar Amsterdam” is iconic. Amsterdammers identify with this song deeply.
Johnny Jordaan started singing young. At age eight, he sang in the streets with his cousin Carel Verbrugge. Carel was also known as Willy Alberti. They helped provide for their family. At 14, Johannes Hendricus van Musscher became Johnny Jordaan.
In 1955, Johnny Jordaan won the Jordaan festival. This singing competition was organized by Bovema. Louis Noiret collaborated with them. The aim was to find the best voices from the Jordaan. Tante Leen, his lifelong friend, finished second.
His first single had two Noiret compositions. They were “De Parel van de Jordaan” and “Bij ons in de Jordaan”. After being played on AVRO radio, the single became a hit. Johnny and his Jordaan soared to national fame. The neighborhood became popular.
Cabaret artist Jacques Klöters called 1955 “the year of Johnny Jordaan”. He sold hundreds of thousands of records fast. He performed in the Concertgebouw with Tante Leen. He helped popularize the Jordaan dialect.
In 1956, Johnny Jordaan celebrated his wedding anniversary. He and his wife rode through the Jordaan in a carriage. He sang before 30,000 people.
Johnny Jordaan faced financial ruin due to mismanagement. He left for Antwerp to start a café. Longing for Amsterdam brought him back in 1968.
Johnny Jordaan’s health declined in the 1970s. His farewell show was in 1972. He collaborated with Tante Leen and others. He died at 64 on January 8, 1989. Thousands attended his burial service.
The Johnny Jordaanplein is off the Elandsgracht. It features statues of Johnny Jordaan, Tante Leen, and Johnny Meijer. A 1990 benefit concert paid for this bust. It was placed on a parking lot in 1991. Brewery De Prael brews “Johnny,” a blonde ale. In 2006, the Amsterdam Museum held an exposition to remember him. It was titled Geef mij maar Amsterdam.
So, as you stand before the Johnny Jordaan Bust take a moment. Remember the “uncrowned king of the Jordaanlied”. Feel the spirit of Amsterdam.