"A Windmill In Old Amsterdam" is a 1965

novelty song A novelty song is a type of song built upon some form of novel concept, such as a gimmick, a piece of humor, or a sample of popular culture. Novelty songs partially overlap with comedy songs, which are more explicitly based on humor, and w ...

written by Ted Dicks and Myles Rudge. The song, about a mouse that wears

clogs Clogs are a type of footwear that has a thick, rigid sole typically made of wood, although in American English, shoes with rigid soles made of other materials are also called clogs. Traditional clogs remain in use as protective footwear in a ...

, and arranged in waltz time, was notably recorded by

Ronnie Hilton Ronnie Hilton (born Adrian Hill; 26 January 1926 – 21 February 2001) was an English singer. According to his obituary in ''The Guardian'' newspaper, "For a time Hilton was a star – strictly for home consumption – with nine Top 20 hits be ...

in 1965 and issued on the

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

label. The regular writing team of Dicks and Rudge also wrote novelty songs for

Bernard Cribbins Bernard Joseph Cribbins (29 December 1928 – 27 July 2022) was an English actor and singer whose career spanned over eight decades. During the 1960s, Cribbins became known in the UK for his successful novelty records " The Hole in the Ground" ...

. The song is said to have been inspired by the sound of

street organ A street organ ( or ) played by an organ grinder is a French automatic mechanical pneumatic organ designed to be mobile enough to play its music in the street. The two most commonly seen types are the smaller German and the larger Dutch street or ...

s which Dicks heard on a visit to the city. Backed by "

Dear Heart ''Dear Heart'' is a 1964 American romantic-comedy film starring Glenn Ford and Geraldine Page as lonely middle-aged people who fall in love at a hotel convention. It was directed by Delbert Mann, from a screenplay by Tad Mosel. Its theme song " ...

", it was released originally on His Master's Voice in January 1965. Hilton was backed by the Michael Sammes Singers and Orchestra. The song spent a total of 13 weeks on the UK Singles Chart peaking at No. 23 in the chart of 17 February 1965.

Reception

Hilton was probably best known for the song, which contains the memorable chorus line "I saw a mouse. Where? There on the stair!". The song was more of a children's favourite than Hilton's earlier records and became his last hit; it would come to overshadow his career and his 16 other chart hits. It has been claimed that the single sold more than a million copies in 1965. The song's composers were granted an

Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and Musical composition, composing. They have been presented annually in London by the The Ivors Academy, Ivors Academy, formerly called the Britis ...

in 1966 for the Year's Outstanding Novelty Composition. Dutch TV personality and crooner

Rudi Carrell Rudi Carrell (born Rudolf Wijbrand Kesselaar; 19 December 1934 – 7 July 2006) was a Dutch entertainer. Along with famous entertainers such as Johannes Heesters and Linda de Mol, he was one of the most successful Dutch personalities active ...

hastened to release a Dutch translation of the song, titled "Een Muis In Een Molen In Mooi Amsterdam", which was released the same year "with astonishing results", according to ''Billboard''. A version by

Freddie and the Dreamers Freddie and the Dreamers were an English beat band that had a number of hit records between 1962 and 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying ...

reached No. 27 in the

Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian music charts are a collection of record charts reflecting the music consumption of people in Canada. '' RPM'' and '' Billboard'' are the biggest publications to have published Canada's official charts for decades. However, the first ...

, in November 1965.

Rolf Harris Rolf Harris (30 March 1930 – 10 May 2023) was an Australian musician, television personality, painter, and actor. He used a variety of instruments in his performances, notably the didgeridoo and the Stylophone, and is credited with the inventi ...

recorded a version which appears on his 1979 album ''Rolf on Saturday Ok!''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Windmill in Old Amsterdam, A 1965 songs Novelty songs 1965 singles Songs about Amsterdam Songs about mice and rats Songs written by Myles Rudge Songs written by Ted Dicks His Master's Voice singles Works about windmills