Eco-Jam of the Day: Nina Simone's Baltimore

Did you used to love catching all the grit and crime drama on HBO's the Wire? In our introduction to Checktheweather.net's Gritty City Series, we mentioned we would highlight the top ten cities with the highest homicide and crime rates. Baltimore is number THREE on the list provided by the City Crime Rankings Report. The Wire showcased the complexities of Gritty City politics from the hood to the city council building. Neo Natal Penguin offers this musical journey through the Wire's last two seasons. The video features the classic 1978 hit, and Checktheweather.net's Eco-jam of the day Baltimore by Nina Simone.



More on the song:
Baltimore was originally written by Randy Newman in 1977 and was featured on his album "Little Criminals". Newman practiced the art of storytelling throughout the album; weaving tales of quirky, yet often times cynical characters. Legendary rock group, The Eagles also played a role in creating the original track, adding background vocals and instrumentals.

Take a listen to Randy Newman's version:

Baltimore - Randy Newman

For more in-depth reporting on Baltimore City and Environmental justice issues read the article below by Reginald Larkin and check out this article "The Reek Goes On" from Van Smith of the Baltimore City Paper.