Talkin' New York
Encyclopedia
Talkin' New York is the second song on Bob Dylan
's eponymous first album
. It describes his feelings on arriving in New York
, his time playing coffee houses in Greenwich Village
and his life up to getting a record deal. The lyrics express the difficulty he had finding gigs as a result of his unique sound, "You sound like a hillbilly; We want folk singers here."
The song is the first of the two Dylan penned songs to be heard on the album, the other being Song To Woody
. This early example of Dylan's songwriting exhibits many traits which later became synonymous with his work. For example, the line A lot of people don't have much food on their table/But they got a lot of forks n' knives/And they gotta cut somethin'. has been cited by many as an early example of Dylan's lyrical wit.
The lines Now, a very great man once said/That some people rob you with a fountain pen. make specific reference to Woody Guthrie's
"Pretty Boy Floyd".
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's eponymous first album
Bob Dylan (album)
Bob Dylan is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in March 1962 on Columbia Records. It features two original compositions, the rest being old folk standards, and was produced by Columbia's legendary talent scout John H...
. It describes his feelings on arriving in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, his time playing coffee houses in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
and his life up to getting a record deal. The lyrics express the difficulty he had finding gigs as a result of his unique sound, "You sound like a hillbilly; We want folk singers here."
The song is the first of the two Dylan penned songs to be heard on the album, the other being Song To Woody
Song to Woody
"Song to Woody" is one of the first ever songs written by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on his eponymous debut album Bob Dylan in 1962. The song conveys Dylan's appreciation of folk legend Woody Guthrie. The tune is based on Guthrie's song "1913 Massacre"...
. This early example of Dylan's songwriting exhibits many traits which later became synonymous with his work. For example, the line A lot of people don't have much food on their table/But they got a lot of forks n' knives/And they gotta cut somethin'. has been cited by many as an early example of Dylan's lyrical wit.
The lines Now, a very great man once said/That some people rob you with a fountain pen. make specific reference to Woody Guthrie's
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
"Pretty Boy Floyd".