The narrator reflects on a past memory where a dying woman begged him not to go to Baltimore, warning that he would die if he did. Despite the warning, the narrator goes to Baltimore and the woman dies, leading him to believe he is cursed. Now, on his deathbed, he is visited by faces from his past and is told by a woman's voice to warn his children not to go to Baltimore to avoid the same fate.

Meaning of "Baltimore" by Lyle Lovett

The lyrics of "Baltimore" delve into themes of mortality, loss, and the cyclical nature of life. The narrator's recollection of a traumatic event from his past serves as a warning of the inevitability of death and the consequences of one's actions. The mention of Baltimore as a place of death echoes the symbolism of it being associated with a cursed fate, underlying the idea that one's decisions can have lasting repercussions. The idea of generations repeating the same mistakes, with the narrator being urged to warn his children, highlights the cyclical nature of human behavior and the passage of time. Overall, the song serves as a contemplation on life's fragility and the interconnectedness of actions across generations.