Nina Simone - Baltimore / Song of the day #101

Song of the day #101

This morning I felt the need for some soothing soul. So throughout the morning, I enjoyed the groovy sounds of soul. One track stood out: Baltimore by Nina Simone. This minimalist track with a reggae arrangement dives into the hardships of living in a big city. At first, Baltimore sounds like a calm song, but when you listen closely, the unease slips through. Baltimore is sung from the viewpoint of a narrator who tells the listener about the declining standards of living melancholy.

Throughout writing this song of the day, my view of Baltimore - the song, not the city - shifted. The track has become more than just a catchy song. It tells a story. It is a beautiful way of shaping a city. As Dylan Jones writes in the Independent: ‘Melancholy lyrics, a hypnotic piano riff and a plaintive vocal make for one extraordinarily maudlin travelogue, one that could easily be called Chicago, or The Bronx.’ This universality might also be why Baltimore became a hit, as the lyrics fit any city going through hardship. People connect to the feeling created by the song.

Baltimore is the title track of Nina Simone’s 1978 album of the same name. It was her 14th studio album. Although Baltimore as an album did not do well, the song did.

That’s all for now. See you tomorrow.
Cheers!
Martijn