Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: jazz
Song Meaning of “Baby Plays Around” by Brad Mehldau
This track is a melancholic exploration of the timeless human experience of relationships. Through a series of tight piano chords, Brad Meldhau paints a picture of a partner whose past love experience still wells up in his current relationship. In the chorus, Meldhau laments, “we both know that baby plays around.” The phrase “plays around” can be interpreted in different ways – perhaps the couple’s partner is being unfaithful or is testing the boundaries of the relationship beyond what is acceptable. Whatever it is, there is an unmistakable sense of loss and sadness in the song and an awareness of the inevitable reality that love can sometimes not be enough to save a relationship. This haunting track serves as a powerful reminder of the vulnerability and pain of love as well as its potential to bring pleasure and joy.