Early: Baltimore

Tori Amos: Baltimore

Tori Amos would probably be none too pleased that I was giving this song any air time at all considering she doesn't consider it one of her finest moments (she's been quoted as calling this song "fucking horrible" and "disgusting"), and it came from a time before she had found her own voice. In fact, it was written before she was even Tori Amos, it was back when she was still going by Ellen Amos (her given name being Myra Ellen Amos). "Baltimore" was written for a contest. She and her brother Mike wrote the song for a contest the Baltimore Orioles baseball team had commissioned for a theme song for the city back in 1980, when Tori was about 14 years old. Tori grew up in Maryland and was a sports fan, so it seemed natural, with her musical talents, to give it a go.

It was her first recording. There were 500 copies of the 7" printed, she won the contest, which included a citation from the mayor and a cash prize. The song is nothing of what we know of the long-standing, grammy-nominated songwriter now, other than her voice. She went on to perform in clubs and hotel bars throughout high school in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area before turning 18 and making her way out to Los Angeles.