Baltimore Prince single

NPG Records

single

Nobody got in nobody’s way.

Baltimore is a protest song written by Prince and recorded as a live demo at Paisley Park Studios on 29 April 2015, backed by 3rdEyeGirl.

The track is an ode to Freddie Gray, a black 25-year-old black male whom died from injuries sustained whilst under police custody in Baltimore on 19 April. The song was inspired by the protests that ensued across the city led by the newly created Black Lives Matter movement. The protests escalated into widespread rioting on 25 April which continued for two days. The city remained under a state of emergency until 6 May.

Baltimore was recorded live at Paisley Park with Prince backed by 3rdEyeGirl. Prince rerecorded the song solo in Studio A on 30 April. Flying in to Minneapolis at Prince’s invitation, Eryn Allen Kane dubbed her vocals onto the track on 2 May. The final mixing was carried out that day by Grammy award winning audio mixer Dylan Dresdow, completing the release version of the track, and was premiered that night at Paisley Park as part of Prince’s Dance Rally 4 Peace. The attending audience was requested to wear grey clothing for the event. The song’s closing portion mimics a news broadcast “a developing situation in Los Angeles” is in reference to the similar LA race riots which happened in 1992.

Baltimore was first streamed on Soundcloud.com on 9 May 2015 on the eve of the Rally 4 Peace benefit concert Prince headlined to help local causes in the city. Tickets for this one off event ranged from $22 to $497 and was staged at the Baltimore Royal Farm Arena. Prince performed a two and a half hour set accompanied by 3rdEyeGirl. Horns and orchestration were subsequently added, recorded in Minneapolis at The Brewhouse Studios for the commercial release, available exclusively to iTunes from 26 May. A lyric video was produced and was released on 21 July. Prince additionally participated in the Tidal X:10 concert staged in support of Black Lives Matter, on 20 October 2015. Initially a stand-alone track to support the community of Baltimore, the commercial version was re-released on 12 December 2015 as the opening track for what became Prince’s final LP HITNRUN Phase Two.

Performers

Vocals/Guitar

Prince

Backing vocals

Eryn Allen Kane

Trombone

Michael B. Nelson

Trumpet

Steve Strand

Dave Jensen

Saxaphone

Kenni Holmen

Kathy Jensen

Orchestration

Adi Yeshaya (STRINGenius)

Data

Producer

Prince

Label

NPG Records

Distribution

NPG Records

Cover/Design

Martin Homent

Released

11 years ago on 26 May 2015

Running Time

4:33

US Chart Peak

Did not chart

UK Chart Peak

Did not chart

Orig. Format

Tracklist

1. Baltimore [feat. Eryn Allen Kane] (4:33)

Baltimore single review

Premiered live at Prince’s Dance Rally 4 Peace, Baltimore is a very difference breed of protest song. Upbeat in tone, it is a funky song, calling out “Enough is enough”. Prince is no stranger to creating songs in response to events: LiveAid (1985) and the Katrina Hurricane Relief Fund (2005) and like those Baltimore is a simplistic track. Baltimore was later reworked into the configuration of what would be the final LP of his lifetime HITNRUN Phase Two.

Baltimore is rated 3 out of 5 by Goldies Parade.

Related release

HITNRUN Phase Two

NPG Records • 2015

About this release and review