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Baltimore Knot Lyrics
What's wrong, what's right, who cares?
Not when you're living in strange nights
And sleeping through strange days
Plot lines and motives twist up
It's hard to navigate streets
When signs are pointing in new ways
Odds are rough, but still you pick your dog
If he gets turned around you bet again
That corner's tough, sometimes you play the game
Sometimes the game you play plays you
Watch me rust
Can't read this compass I used to trust
It's all broken, it's all corrupt.
This baltimore knot's got me all tied up
Spark combust
And sift for something in ash and dust
It's all broken, it's all corrupt
This baltimore knot's got me all tied up
When you're all tied up you let go
Down by tracks, outside the county line
Sit on our hoods
And stare up at the sky for signs
Drink until there's nothing left to say
Licking black and blues
Most efforts end confused
You do too
Not when you're living in strange nights
And sleeping through strange days
It's hard to navigate streets
When signs are pointing in new ways
If he gets turned around you bet again
That corner's tough, sometimes you play the game
Sometimes the game you play plays you
Can't read this compass I used to trust
It's all broken, it's all corrupt.
This baltimore knot's got me all tied up
And sift for something in ash and dust
It's all broken, it's all corrupt
This baltimore knot's got me all tied up
When you're all tied up you let go
Sit on our hoods
And stare up at the sky for signs
Drink until there's nothing left to say
Most efforts end confused
You do too
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I think this comes from The Wire (TV show) where Mcnulty mentions the Baltimore Knot when he's working in the maritime fleet. IT encapsulates what the show is about, but BP have used it to explain a troubled and confused life.
The lyrics resonate with both Mcnulty and Bunk's late night drinking down by the rail yards (Down by tracks, outside the county line/ Sit on our hoods and stare up at the sky for signs); the Corner boys, who are drug slingers, are referred to ("That corner's tough; sometimes you play the game, sometimes the game you play plays you".); how frustrating the petty-politics of Baltimore' police is ("It's all broken, It's all corrupt./ This Baltimore knot's got me all tied up"); and how the gangs mess up the street signs to confuse cops (It's hard to navigate streets when signs are pointing in new ways).
Of course, the song is allegorical and refers to our own personal dilemmas. Excellent song nonetheless