The first verse describes sailors who sing, sleep, die, and are "born" in the port, setting a cycle of human existence.
The lyrics present a vivid, gritty, and often grotesque portrait of maritime life through four distinct stages: jacques_brel_dans_le_port_damsterdam
The final verse depicts the sailors drinking to the "health of the whores" and "unfaithful women" until they are completely drunk, ending with a cynical, tearful roar. The first verse describes sailors who sing, sleep,
The version widely known today was recorded live during his historic performance at the Olympia in Paris on October 16, 1964 . and are "born" in the port