☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about Woody Guthrie's experiences and observations in the New York subway.
- He describes how he came to the city to find work and how he moves around the subway.
- Guthrie observes how people try to chase a rat out of a hole.
- He also describes how he rides in an elevator and spends his last coins while feeling trapped like in a cage.
- Overall, the song lyrics reflect the hustle and bustle of the city as well as the interactions of people in the subway.
Interpretation
The song lyrics "Talking Subway" by
Woody Guthrie are about his experience and observations in the New York subway. He describes how he arrived in the city to find work and how he moves through the subway.
Guthrie first describes how he arrives in New York and experiences the hustle and bustle of the city. He says, "I shot for old New York, thought I'd find a job. One leg up and the other leg down, I came through a hole in the ground. Holland Tunnel. Three miles of tube. I hopped through the morning dew of the Hudson River."
When he's in the subway, Guthrie notices that everyone is running towards a hole in the ground. He follows them and learns that they're trying to lure a rat out of its hiding place. He says, "Ran after them. Seeing where they're going. The newsboy said they're trying to drive a rat out of a hole."
Guthrie also describes riding in an elevator and spending his last coins. He feels trapped like in a cage and goes through various obstacles. He says, "So many people down there, I couldn't even fall. I swung my old guitar and the train rumbled on the tracks. I got pushed into the wrong car, with three grass widows on my back."
Overall, the song lyrics of Woody Guthrie's "Talking Subway" are about his experience in the New York subway and the different obstacles and observations he made there. The text reflects the hustle and bustle of the city and shows how people interact in the subway.