Baltimore
Hard Times by the Sea: Unveiling the Soul of Baltimore in Nina Simone's Melody
Lyrics
Beat up little seagull
Symbolizes a struggling and battered seagull, reflecting hardship.
On a marble stair
Describes the seagull's location on a marble stair, emphasizing an urban setting.
Tryin' to find the ocean
Expresses the seagull's quest to find the ocean, possibly representing a search for freedom or escape.
Lookin' everywhere
Highlights the difficulty of finding the ocean despite searching everywhere.
Hard times in the city
Portrays tough times in the city, particularly a city by the sea.
In a hard town by the sea
Emphasizes the challenges of urban life with nowhere to escape.
Ain't nowhere to run to
Suggests a lack of refuge or options in the city.
There ain't nothin' here for free
Stresses that nothing comes without a cost in this environment.
Hooker on the corner
Introduces a hooker on the corner, illustrating societal struggles.
Waiting for a train
Depicts someone waiting for a train, possibly symbolizing hope for change or escape.
Drunk lying on the sidewalk
Describes a drunk person on the sidewalk, highlighting the harsh reality of life.
Sleeping in the rain
Emphasizes the vulnerability of individuals forced to sleep in the rain.
And the people hide their faces
Describes people hiding their faces and eyes, possibly out of shame or despair.
And they hide their eyes
Continues to depict a sense of collective denial or avoidance.
'Cause the city's dyin'
Suggests the city's decline or decay.
And they don't know why
Addresses the confusion about the city's deterioration.
Oh, Baltimore
Directly references Baltimore, posing a rhetorical question about the difficulty of living there.
Ain't it hard just to live?
Reiterates the challenges and hardships of life in Baltimore.
Oh, Baltimore
Repeats the question about the difficulty of living in Baltimore.
Ain't it hard just to live?
Reiterates the challenges and hardships of life in Baltimore.
Just to live
Emphasizes the overarching theme of the song: the struggle to live.
Get my sister Sandy
Introduces family members, Sandy and Ray, possibly indicating a desire for a better life for them.
And my little brother Ray
Highlights the intention to buy a wagon, possibly for relocation.
Buy a big old wagon
Suggests a plan to escape the city by hauling the family away.
To haul us all away
Reflects the determination to secure a better life outside the urban environment.
Live out in the country
Expresses the desire to live in the countryside, away from urban struggles.
Where the mountain's high
Describes the ideal location with high mountains, symbolizing a peaceful and elevated life.
Never gonna come back here
Declares the commitment to never return to the city until death.
'Til the day I die
Reiterates the resolve to remain in the countryside permanently.
Oh, Baltimore
Recalls the challenges of living in Baltimore.
Ain't it hard just to live?
Reiterates the hardships and difficulties faced in Baltimore.
Oh, Baltimore
Repeats the question about the difficulty of living in Baltimore.
Ain't it hard just to live?
Reiterates the challenges and hardships of life in Baltimore.
Just to live
Reaffirms the overarching theme of the song: the struggle to live.
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