The song "Talkin' New York" by Bob Dylan tells the story of his experience as a young musician arriving in New York City from the wild west. He describes the harsh winters and the struggle to make it as a musician in the city. Dylan talks about how he faced rejection from some music venues in Greenwich Village for sounding too much like a "hillbilly" and not fitting in with the folk music scene. Despite the initial challenges, he eventually lands a job playing harmonica for a dollar a day and later secures a better-paying job, joining a union and paying his dues. The song also touches on the reality of poverty and inequality in the city, as Dylan references a quote about how some people "rob you with a fountain pen" and reflects on the disparity between those who have an abundance of cutlery but struggle to put food on the table. In the end, Dylan bids farewell to New York and heads westward, leaving behind the struggles of the city. The song captures the essence of Dylan's early years as a struggling musician in New York and the challenges he faced while trying to make a name for himself in the music industry.
