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How to Write One Song
A ROUGH TRADE and PITCHORK BOOK OF THE YEAR
'A guide to rediscovering the joys of creating that we all felt as children.'
NEW YORK TIMES
One of the century's most feted singer-songwriters, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, digs deep into his own creative process to share his unique perspective about song-writing and offers a warm, accessible guide to writing your first song, championing the importance of making creativity part of your everyday life and experiencing the hope, inspiration and joy that accompanies it.
'Fascinating.' ROUGH TRADE
'Eloquent.' INDEPENDENT
'Nourishing.' PITCHFORK
'A proselytiser for the act of songcraft.' FINANCIAL TIMES
'A smart, funny, relentlessly practical guide.' GQ
'Delightful.' ESQUIRE
'Incisigve.' VULTURE
'A book written by a musician that doesn't relay autobiographical details in some form of (even loose) chronology is unusual; they typically have their own story to tell and that's it, good or bad. Writing a book that goes some way to explaining the process behind their songwriting is something else altogether. Jeff Tweedy, in How to Write One Song, achieves this.'
IRISH TIMES
'A guide to rediscovering the joys of creating that we all felt as children.'
NEW YORK TIMES
One of the century's most feted singer-songwriters, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, digs deep into his own creative process to share his unique perspective about song-writing and offers a warm, accessible guide to writing your first song, championing the importance of making creativity part of your everyday life and experiencing the hope, inspiration and joy that accompanies it.
'Fascinating.' ROUGH TRADE
'Eloquent.' INDEPENDENT
'Nourishing.' PITCHFORK
'A proselytiser for the act of songcraft.' FINANCIAL TIMES
'A smart, funny, relentlessly practical guide.' GQ
'Delightful.' ESQUIRE
'Incisigve.' VULTURE
'A book written by a musician that doesn't relay autobiographical details in some form of (even loose) chronology is unusual; they typically have their own story to tell and that's it, good or bad. Writing a book that goes some way to explaining the process behind their songwriting is something else altogether. Jeff Tweedy, in How to Write One Song, achieves this.'
IRISH TIMES
158 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2020
1199 people are currently reading
7021 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 832 reviews
October 23, 2022
I think what I love the most about this book is the fact that a musician with so much experience had the impulse to write it. I have been writing songs for years, but I learned something from his way of writing and his tips. Every way of composing songs is personal and everyone has a way to do it. But the fact that he defends most of all the fact that we should all be creative, and that maybe it is our egos that are not letting us do some writing is something which I found pretty great. I also think everyone should be creative, and I will definetly experiment with these great tips. And I wish everyone would get their insecurities out of the way and just write, to be on this side of life, the creative life. It is much more vulnerable and real, so let´s do this!.
October 20, 2020
I've written many songs, so I didn't go into this to necessarily learn anything, but rather compare notes with how one of my favorite songwriters puts his songs together. The good news is that we have very similar processes! The bad news is that my songs suck.
August 29, 2021
"Keep things simple. You want to be heard - listened to. We all do. So as stupid as it sounds, that only means you have to make a sound . . . I write a song and I sing it. At the very least, I hear myself . . . you'll be surprised how good it feels to hear yourself sing your own song." -- page 10
Ex-Uncle Tupelo and current Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy presents a triple-threat - although 'threat' is a much too harsh sounding word in this instance - of a book with this pleasant and compact entry that cross-dabbles in memoir, self-help, and instructional guide genres. Want to write a rock, pop, or country song? The award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist with 30+ years of industry experience presents some of his wisdom and a number of various ideas that have worked for him, my favorite of which was detailed in chapter 8's 'Word Ladder - Verbs and Nouns.' The angle: by selecting random words from two loosely organized word columns, it could ultimately result (just in my opinion) in the type of song akin to the late 60's Lennon/McCartney catalogue or recall the whimsy of a mid-70's Paul Simon single. Even if poetry or creative writing is more your speed, Tweedy's easygoing and straightforward style of content could provide some food for thought or even spur a little creativity.
Ex-Uncle Tupelo and current Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy presents a triple-threat - although 'threat' is a much too harsh sounding word in this instance - of a book with this pleasant and compact entry that cross-dabbles in memoir, self-help, and instructional guide genres. Want to write a rock, pop, or country song? The award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist with 30+ years of industry experience presents some of his wisdom and a number of various ideas that have worked for him, my favorite of which was detailed in chapter 8's 'Word Ladder - Verbs and Nouns.' The angle: by selecting random words from two loosely organized word columns, it could ultimately result (just in my opinion) in the type of song akin to the late 60's Lennon/McCartney catalogue or recall the whimsy of a mid-70's Paul Simon single. Even if poetry or creative writing is more your speed, Tweedy's easygoing and straightforward style of content could provide some food for thought or even spur a little creativity.
October 16, 2020
“You have to stop thinking about anything other than what happened when you were a little kid, and you laid on the floor, and you drew. And you lost yourself in that drawing. And in the end, you absolutely loved that drawing because you made it yourself.”
An extremely charming and inspiring read.
The book lays out some amazing tips and insights that are genuinely helpful for writing music, but it’s message goes beyond music. In this book, Jeff Tweedy is mainly trying to convince you to allow yourself to be creative every day (or at least as often as possible). There’s pages upon pages of wonderful advice on how to stop holding yourself back from creativity and imagination.
“What’s more curious is how he gave himself permission to do it. I think a lot of people write poems in their heads but don’t give themselves permission to write them down or share them—
—I want to be a person who encourages more humans to do that, to have some private moments of creativity, whether they share their creations or not.”
It comes off as a bit unfocused and rambly at times, but I had no problem following it (seeing as I, myself, am a generally unfocused and rambly person).
If you’re a fan of Wilco, the book also has the added bonus of giving you a glimpse into the headspace and processes of Jeff when he writes his own music.
All in all, a lovely little book. Glad I picked it up!
An extremely charming and inspiring read.
The book lays out some amazing tips and insights that are genuinely helpful for writing music, but it’s message goes beyond music. In this book, Jeff Tweedy is mainly trying to convince you to allow yourself to be creative every day (or at least as often as possible). There’s pages upon pages of wonderful advice on how to stop holding yourself back from creativity and imagination.
“What’s more curious is how he gave himself permission to do it. I think a lot of people write poems in their heads but don’t give themselves permission to write them down or share them—
—I want to be a person who encourages more humans to do that, to have some private moments of creativity, whether they share their creations or not.”
It comes off as a bit unfocused and rambly at times, but I had no problem following it (seeing as I, myself, am a generally unfocused and rambly person).
If you’re a fan of Wilco, the book also has the added bonus of giving you a glimpse into the headspace and processes of Jeff when he writes his own music.
All in all, a lovely little book. Glad I picked it up!
December 2, 2020
Jeff Tweedy of Wilco teaches us how to write one song. By focusing on only one song, he ensures that we do not bite off more than we can chew. It's a trick of the mind, so that one does not become overwhelmed into inaction. And true to this book, which contains many tricks of the mind--exercises to tease out creativity almost by chance and hard work rather than waiting for divine inspiration. These exercises allow you to get out of your own way, putting your ego aside in service of the song.
I've read many books on being creative before, but never one specifically on songwriting. Jeff's specificity: writing songs... and just ONE song... even going as far as outlining a daily schedule of songwriting which probably only works for him. It's an interesting take, but personally I will probably never write songs so I kept substituting "song" with "poem" and I found that it MOSTLY worked.
If you've followed Tweedy like I have, then you're probably a superfan and there's probably not much in this book that will surprise you. But there are still some gems here that I found useful and/or illuminating either to the creative process, or (as a Wilco fan) to the story behind some of Tweedy's songs, including:
1. writing right before going to bed, then waking up and continuing to tackle that same song (or poem, in my case). He finds that going to bed with a problem will help you solve it in your sleep and magically make it work in the morning. I haven't tried this myself, but I do have the same experience with waking up and being able to really get into a flow, since my brain is still in that semi-conscious loose state.
2. matching unexpected verbs or adjectives to nouns, then trying to write a series of them into a song/poem. this is not new for me but I haven't tried it in a while and is a good reminder. he talks about words that are almost always paired together like "smattering of applause" (and how we should aim to pair them with something else instead). it's funny because I've been keeping a list of word pairs just like that! One example from my list is "bated breath", it's never bated anything else.
3. if you only have a few minutes, set a timer and try to complete a song within that time. use that time constraint to make yourself write something that you wouldn't have been able to write with all the time in the world.
4. recording your conversations, especially very personal and or passionate ones, and trying to write a song/poem from extracts of that, pulling out phrases here and there. this is very smart and I've thought about similar ideas before, but i've never gone as far as this.
5. his story about writing "Company in My Back" from the viewpoint of a bug at a picnic!
6. starting from the wrong place (different tuning) or approaching it from an unfamiliar instrument. for writing, it could be using pen and paper instead of the computer, or even with your left hand, or with a crayon?
7. stealing. it's harder to steal only an element of something in writing like this but I have done something similar where I steal the structure of a poem, replacing all the words one by one.
8. re-order what you've written. start with your strongest most striking line ("the ashtray says you were up all night"), and let it propel the rest of the song forward. I've often found the same in my writing. If my first line is strong enough, sometimes the rest of the poem writes itself.
9. don't doubt what comes easy, as it might be hard for someone else. accept it and embrace it (and also difficulty is not a sign of good-ness). I've come to this same realization in my own writing, so it was nice to see it echoed here by Tweedy.
Overall, a pretty good book. I'd also recommend the accompanying album he made "Love is the King".
I've read many books on being creative before, but never one specifically on songwriting. Jeff's specificity: writing songs... and just ONE song... even going as far as outlining a daily schedule of songwriting which probably only works for him. It's an interesting take, but personally I will probably never write songs so I kept substituting "song" with "poem" and I found that it MOSTLY worked.
If you've followed Tweedy like I have, then you're probably a superfan and there's probably not much in this book that will surprise you. But there are still some gems here that I found useful and/or illuminating either to the creative process, or (as a Wilco fan) to the story behind some of Tweedy's songs, including:
1. writing right before going to bed, then waking up and continuing to tackle that same song (or poem, in my case). He finds that going to bed with a problem will help you solve it in your sleep and magically make it work in the morning. I haven't tried this myself, but I do have the same experience with waking up and being able to really get into a flow, since my brain is still in that semi-conscious loose state.
2. matching unexpected verbs or adjectives to nouns, then trying to write a series of them into a song/poem. this is not new for me but I haven't tried it in a while and is a good reminder. he talks about words that are almost always paired together like "smattering of applause" (and how we should aim to pair them with something else instead). it's funny because I've been keeping a list of word pairs just like that! One example from my list is "bated breath", it's never bated anything else.
3. if you only have a few minutes, set a timer and try to complete a song within that time. use that time constraint to make yourself write something that you wouldn't have been able to write with all the time in the world.
4. recording your conversations, especially very personal and or passionate ones, and trying to write a song/poem from extracts of that, pulling out phrases here and there. this is very smart and I've thought about similar ideas before, but i've never gone as far as this.
5. his story about writing "Company in My Back" from the viewpoint of a bug at a picnic!
6. starting from the wrong place (different tuning) or approaching it from an unfamiliar instrument. for writing, it could be using pen and paper instead of the computer, or even with your left hand, or with a crayon?
7. stealing. it's harder to steal only an element of something in writing like this but I have done something similar where I steal the structure of a poem, replacing all the words one by one.
8. re-order what you've written. start with your strongest most striking line ("the ashtray says you were up all night"), and let it propel the rest of the song forward. I've often found the same in my writing. If my first line is strong enough, sometimes the rest of the poem writes itself.
9. don't doubt what comes easy, as it might be hard for someone else. accept it and embrace it (and also difficulty is not a sign of good-ness). I've come to this same realization in my own writing, so it was nice to see it echoed here by Tweedy.
Overall, a pretty good book. I'd also recommend the accompanying album he made "Love is the King".
June 19, 2023
I suppose the best best way to respond to a book called How to Write One Song would be to go off the internet and attempt to write one song.
March 30, 2021
I don't usually write reviews for books I didn't like as I don't want to be mean, but as a songwriter who loves books about songwriting, I feel obligated to steer would-be songwriters to better books. I'll put my recommendations at the very end of my review just to be fair.
This is basically a book for fans of Tweedy's, creatively inclined or not. If you are one, and you like his writing style and personality, I expect you will not be disappointed in this book. It requires no knowledge of or interest in songwriting per se. For my own enjoyment/interest I would have rated it 2 stars, but I'll give it 3 just because I know I'm not the target audience -- if I were a big fan of his I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.
If you are a current or aspiring songwriter who's not a big Tweedy fan, skip it. *Especially* if you're experienced because there are absolutely no advanced ideas in this book at all, but to be fair it was intended that way. But beyond that, the vast majority of the book just entails him waxing poetic about the meaning of art and music and his own talent. I don't like his writing style. It's self-indulgent; he goes off on tangents and then inexplicably (since it's an edited book after all) apologizes for them. He sometimes goes back and forth between different ideas within each chapter as though he just sat and wrote the whole thing in one go and didn't even proofread for clarity. He sometimes contradicts himself about what a song should and shouldn't be and how one should arise. Some of what he said was just opinions I disagreed with -- like the notion that true art should be made mostly subsconsciously, with little strict intention -- but he often gave those opinions in an unnecessarily authoritative tone. A couple of times he did offer an exercise I found useful or an insight I agreed with, but none of those were anything I hadn't read somewhere else before, and so the book is not really worth reading.
Alternate recommendations: For lyric writing I recommend Pat Pattison. Much of it is the same kind of exercises in this book, but much more detailed, delving into advanced topics, and without any filler. For music (guitar and/or piano) I recommend Rikky Rooksby; he's likely to take you as far as you need to go. And additionally for both music and lyrics, there's a somewhat outdated book called Tunesmith by Jimmy Webb -- it includes outdated business information and his writing can also be self-indulgent at times, BUT it's also a much longer book and chock full of valuable songwriting instruction that I haven't seen anywhere else, walking you through the detailed process of writing an actual song from start to finish.
Also, if you're trying to push through psychological barriers and just get down to songwriting, check out the FAWM (February) and 50/90 (July 4-October 1) songwriting challenges and community. Through that community, you will find WAY more valuable insights and exercise ideas but also collaboration opportunities and positive feedback/encouragement on all your songs, no matter how amateurish. And it won't cost you anything either.
This is basically a book for fans of Tweedy's, creatively inclined or not. If you are one, and you like his writing style and personality, I expect you will not be disappointed in this book. It requires no knowledge of or interest in songwriting per se. For my own enjoyment/interest I would have rated it 2 stars, but I'll give it 3 just because I know I'm not the target audience -- if I were a big fan of his I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.
If you are a current or aspiring songwriter who's not a big Tweedy fan, skip it. *Especially* if you're experienced because there are absolutely no advanced ideas in this book at all, but to be fair it was intended that way. But beyond that, the vast majority of the book just entails him waxing poetic about the meaning of art and music and his own talent. I don't like his writing style. It's self-indulgent; he goes off on tangents and then inexplicably (since it's an edited book after all) apologizes for them. He sometimes goes back and forth between different ideas within each chapter as though he just sat and wrote the whole thing in one go and didn't even proofread for clarity. He sometimes contradicts himself about what a song should and shouldn't be and how one should arise. Some of what he said was just opinions I disagreed with -- like the notion that true art should be made mostly subsconsciously, with little strict intention -- but he often gave those opinions in an unnecessarily authoritative tone. A couple of times he did offer an exercise I found useful or an insight I agreed with, but none of those were anything I hadn't read somewhere else before, and so the book is not really worth reading.
Alternate recommendations: For lyric writing I recommend Pat Pattison. Much of it is the same kind of exercises in this book, but much more detailed, delving into advanced topics, and without any filler. For music (guitar and/or piano) I recommend Rikky Rooksby; he's likely to take you as far as you need to go. And additionally for both music and lyrics, there's a somewhat outdated book called Tunesmith by Jimmy Webb -- it includes outdated business information and his writing can also be self-indulgent at times, BUT it's also a much longer book and chock full of valuable songwriting instruction that I haven't seen anywhere else, walking you through the detailed process of writing an actual song from start to finish.
Also, if you're trying to push through psychological barriers and just get down to songwriting, check out the FAWM (February) and 50/90 (July 4-October 1) songwriting challenges and community. Through that community, you will find WAY more valuable insights and exercise ideas but also collaboration opportunities and positive feedback/encouragement on all your songs, no matter how amateurish. And it won't cost you anything either.
April 26, 2021
Jeff Tweedy, frontman and songwriter for Wilco, demonstrates to readers in this wonderful, short book just how the process of songwriting works—or can work, for you see, nothing is quite so simple.
Tweedy does indeed offer practices and tips including practical exercises and mind-expanding techniques to unwiring your brain to allow for creative expression to flow. This book is much less about the physical task of writing a song (though it does hit that topic well) and much more so about allowing yourself and your mind to enter a state conducive to creation, music, and spirit.
Readers can easily come away with one song under Tweedy's instructions, but much more importantly, this book helps readers understand their impulse to create, how to harness it effectively, and understanding the role of art and creation in our every day lives.
A fantastic book for musical personalities and non-musical personalities alike!
Tweedy does indeed offer practices and tips including practical exercises and mind-expanding techniques to unwiring your brain to allow for creative expression to flow. This book is much less about the physical task of writing a song (though it does hit that topic well) and much more so about allowing yourself and your mind to enter a state conducive to creation, music, and spirit.
Readers can easily come away with one song under Tweedy's instructions, but much more importantly, this book helps readers understand their impulse to create, how to harness it effectively, and understanding the role of art and creation in our every day lives.
A fantastic book for musical personalities and non-musical personalities alike!
July 6, 2022
A short and cute book on songwriting by one of the best indie rock songwriters. I love Wilco alot and I liked this book. It did inspire me to take songwriting a little more serious and find more joy in it, but I'm not sure how helpful this book is for people who have never written a song before or for seasoned songwriters. Some of the writing was also a little confused and the structure wasn't great, but it had heart.
July 10, 2023
5 Stars for How to Write One Song (audiobook) by Jeff Tweedy read by the author.
I picked up this title because I’m curious about the creative process. I was more musically inclined about twenty years ago but my wife is a musician. She plays and teaches violin, so music is always coming up in our conversation.
Many of the techniques that the author mentions in the book remind me of techniques that I’ve heard fiction writers use to be more creative. I think that this is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in creating music. The author gives us an amazing look into how he keeps his creative ideas flowing.
I picked up this title because I’m curious about the creative process. I was more musically inclined about twenty years ago but my wife is a musician. She plays and teaches violin, so music is always coming up in our conversation.
Many of the techniques that the author mentions in the book remind me of techniques that I’ve heard fiction writers use to be more creative. I think that this is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in creating music. The author gives us an amazing look into how he keeps his creative ideas flowing.
December 21, 2024
“We have thousands of years of evidence that songs help us live and cope, and they teach us how to be human.”Jeff Tweedy is one of America’s premier songwriters. As the leader of the group Wilco, before that co-leader of Uncle Tupelo, and as a collaborator and producer, his career ranks in the very top of American music in the past three decades. Yankee Foxtrot Hotel belongs in the conversation as being one of the more interesting albums of that time. The song Impossible Germany remains, in my opinion, one of the most beguiling combinations of lyrics and music, regardless of genre. So when I came across this short book, never having the intention of writing a song, but interested in writing, the creative process, and having seen him in concert a few times, the book seemed like a no-brainer.
Tweedy focuses on one song because that is really all we can do, one thing at a time. His process of word associations and finding interesting combinations of words (like “Impossible Germany, Unlikely Japan” above) is a fun exercise. He also has great tips on finding your inner voice and how good ideas come in the strangest of places, like a good walk or in the middle of sleep. Writers can also learn from Tweedy. Be prepared. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to write too much, you can always edit. Often a great verse or sentence begins as a lousy one.
I’m glad I read this, his writing is surprisingly engaging and sympathetic. I think anyone who loves language for language’s sake and art for art’s sake would probably like it as well, especially if his music resonates with you. Some good songs to get an introduction to figure out where you might stand on his music are Forget the Flowers , California Stars [lyrics by Woody Guthrie, music by Tweedy], and Handshake Drugs .
November 9, 2020
Confession: I love everything Wilco. Phew. Now that we got that out of the way, and you know that everything I’m writing at this moment is biased, I can tell you that I enjoyed this book. It is Jeff Tweedy’s Master Class on song writing. The only negative I might add is that before reading this book, I thought Tweedy’s lyrics were magical, and now that I’ve seen a few of the tricks he uses to come up with those subconscious beauties, I must admit that I felt a little like I pulled the curtain back on Oz. That being said, I really appreciate his demystifying his song writing. I still think he’s magical.
November 14, 2020
"No work of art is ever finished; it can only be abandoned in an interesting place."
August 16, 2024
Although I am very familiar with Jeff Tweedy, I've never been a huge fan of his music - but I've always respected him. Liking artists' work, and respecting them as artists are two completely different things. Unless you are still in high school, of course. /sarcasm
Anyway, this book is absolutely amazing. To me, it is the "writing music" equivalent to Stephen King's "On Writing". Absolutely insightful to learn how true artists ply their crafts.
While there are obviously differences between this book and King's "On Writing", one aspect of each that is similar is that they treat their art as a job. They set regular hours to do their work. While certainly there will be random times where they produce magic outside of those "set" hours, what appears to be true is that if you want to be an artist - as a career - you have to treat it like it's your job. You can't just "do it on the side".
Worth noting, I "read" this book in audiobook form. Given that it's a book about writing songs, I would recommend that medium be used although I'm sure the "written" book could be enjoyed as well.
Anyway, this book is absolutely amazing. To me, it is the "writing music" equivalent to Stephen King's "On Writing". Absolutely insightful to learn how true artists ply their crafts.
While there are obviously differences between this book and King's "On Writing", one aspect of each that is similar is that they treat their art as a job. They set regular hours to do their work. While certainly there will be random times where they produce magic outside of those "set" hours, what appears to be true is that if you want to be an artist - as a career - you have to treat it like it's your job. You can't just "do it on the side".
Worth noting, I "read" this book in audiobook form. Given that it's a book about writing songs, I would recommend that medium be used although I'm sure the "written" book could be enjoyed as well.
November 1, 2020
Anyone who knows me knows that Wilco is my favorite rock band and The Tweedy Show on Instagram is getting me through the pandemic. Jeff Tweedy is one of the kindest humans on earth and he really wants everyone to participate with him in a creative endeavor for the purpose mainly of saving ourselves. The back of the book says, "I'd like to dedicate this hopeful little book to all of the songs to come. Yours and mine. To all of those moments yet to unfold, where we find ourselves awake to a possibility we hadn't anticipated. To all of the songs like windows, open just enough for us to make our escape, and to all of the songs like windows, closed and clear enough in a dim light to see our own reflection and be reminded of who we are." It's a beautiful little read.
January 4, 2024
A breezy read from start to finish. While it may not be the most in-depth book out there about songwriting, it’s certainly one of the most encouraging ones I’ve read. Tweedy writes as if an older brother is cheering you on. In nearly every chapter, he seems to want you to get out your instrument of choice and just create something of your own. I thoroughly enjoyed Part II of the book that features seven different writing exercises. It was both practical and entertaining.
One slight downside is there isn’t very much detail when it comes to certain songwriting aspects such has rhyme scheme and phrasing. This book isn’t trying to be a technical textbook for songwriting though. Tweedy just wants you to get out there and write a song - no matter what it may sound like in the end.
One slight downside is there isn’t very much detail when it comes to certain songwriting aspects such has rhyme scheme and phrasing. This book isn’t trying to be a technical textbook for songwriting though. Tweedy just wants you to get out there and write a song - no matter what it may sound like in the end.
December 9, 2020
I love learning about process. The process of song writing fascinates me, just from the aspect of there being so many moving parts. You have both the music and the lyrics. Tweedy does an excellent job of demystifying the experience and makes the reader feel like they actually have the ability to make this happen. It has always been my contention that each person has a great song in them. This will help people get that out.
January 20, 2024
This book came at the exact right time for me. I shed a lot of self judgement and inner critic through reading these pages and I am grateful.
January 25, 2021
I'm an increasingly doughy white man who's lived in Chicago for over a decade and yet I remain mostly Wilco-ambivalent. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot blew open my little eighth-grade head when I heard it in 2002, and it still sounds like nothing else Wilco, or any other band, did before or after - a true achievement. I'll also always be very fond of Being There, their not-actually-that-sprawling post-grunge Big Pink update, which I bought when I was 14 because it was the only other Wilco CD in stock at my local Hastings (R.I.P.). Beyond that, I haven't really connected with any of their albums. This is all to say that I read this book not as a Tweedy devotee but because I thought it might help me get back in the mindset of actively creating again after a year of pandemic and new parenthood - what this book calls "a generalized atmosphere of making things." What I got from it was a serene and reassuring read, with the indelible takeaway that you must "invite inspiration in" and a strong dose of Richard Linklater vibes (not a bad thing). In my head, I heard Ethan Hawke in full Before _____ mode reading this book aloud. It's got the same open-eyed, open-hearted, dude-born-in-the-'60s who's all like "wow man, just think about like, all these different consciousnesses out there trying to connect with one another, isn't that something holy?" type of tone. It can sound ponderous or corny, sure, but that doesn't mean it isn't genuine, and isn't that what matters? It's like at the end of Boyhood, when the kid stares off at a desert sunset and says, "It's always. . . right now." Both times I saw that movie, people in the audience laughed at that, which is fair, because you're watching a stoned 18-yr-old having Deep Thoughts - but also, y'know, he's not exactly, like, wrong. Anyway, this book sorta felt like that.
June 5, 2021
This is a great book for anyone, and it works for just about any artistic endeavor. It's great for writers, visual artists, and of course, aspiring songwriters.
The one song I want to write is a parody of Nelly's "Hot in Herre." About farts.
Here are the lyrics I have so far:
I was like
good gracious
ass is loquacious
stink tracers flying in their faces
Lookin' for the right time to shoot my steam, you know (this is an original lyric, BTW)
Lookin' to vent farts from my seam
Then bum, stink squeezin', stink is leaving oh
Me freeing my bean buns
[then I need more lyrics, but here's the chorus]
I'm blastin' farts in here
shootin' them through my clothes
(I am farting so much
I'm gonna blow my clothes off)
That's as far as I got. Don't thank me, thank Jeff Tweedy.
The one song I want to write is a parody of Nelly's "Hot in Herre." About farts.
Here are the lyrics I have so far:
I was like
good gracious
ass is loquacious
stink tracers flying in their faces
Lookin' for the right time to shoot my steam, you know (this is an original lyric, BTW)
Lookin' to vent farts from my seam
Then bum, stink squeezin', stink is leaving oh
Me freeing my bean buns
[then I need more lyrics, but here's the chorus]
I'm blastin' farts in here
shootin' them through my clothes
(I am farting so much
I'm gonna blow my clothes off)
That's as far as I got. Don't thank me, thank Jeff Tweedy.
June 19, 2021
It’s… fine. I studied music theory in college and this book is about the same in length and content as my first day of Songwriting 1. The most salient point is about discipline. If you want to be a thing or make a thing, you have to do the thing. I’m the kind of person who spends too much time thinking and not enough time creating, so while this isn’t new advice, it’s something I need to hear repeatedly. Anyway, Tweedy is obviously talented and it’s always good to hear from masters of their craft. His tone as a writer is easy and conversational and this book ended up feeling like a two-hour chat.
February 28, 2021
A long walk for a short drink of water. Must be nice to turn a couple pages of standard issue writing exercises into a book that sells for north of ten bucks. I see most people love this, but I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s enough just having Tweedy say, over and over and over again, You too can write one song! But encouragement and a few anecdotes (some repeated from Let’s Go So We Can Get Back) are all on offer here, as the so-called writing exercises are of the sort you’d get in any junior high writing class. Still! Start somewhere.
October 13, 2021
This is the kind of book I will always keep close by. Tweedy is profound in his simplicity. He stays true to his voice, which is honest yet encouraging using language not meant to confuse or exclude but welcome in and explain. Celebrating the creative capabilities of the unknown individual to which he is speaking to, tweedy is refreshingly modest, not protective of his process and eager to share. Whether or not you want to write a song or pursue a musical career, this book is a brilliant reflection on the creative process and offers wisdom that is applicable to all facets of life.
November 23, 2021
A sweet little book, full of the kind of tasks, tricks, and admonishments that are valuable to any creative process. It’s the perfect length for someone trying to get into — or back into — that state of flow that comes from working on and working with the ideas that bring you joy. I think its brevity contributes to its greatness. Tweedy alternates between specific pragmatic ideas and life coaching that is very aware of egos, judgment, and ridiculous expectations. Any writer, of any thing, would enjoy and benefit from this quick read.
December 2, 2020
I'm pretty sure this is the best book I've read about writing songs. It's clear cut, great suggestions, and doesn't drag on and on. Excellent work, Mr. Tweedy!
February 13, 2021
The only self-help book I've ever read (or probably will read). Some interesting writing exercises, not really revelatory, but Tweedy's love for the act of writing is infectious.
May 11, 2022
A gift not only to Wilco and Jeff Tweedy fans, but to every aspiring (and working) artist out there. Music is the primary means through which Jeff imparts his specific brand of wisdom, but it's not just about songwriting. These tips and tools can be applied to other creative outlets, whether you're writing a screenplay or a novel, sketching out a poem, working on a painting, etc. Extremely encouraging and well-worth the read. (Sidenote: I highly recommend the audiobook. Not only does Jeff read it, but he includes special guests such as his wife Susie, as well as some song performances.)
November 22, 2023
I guess I would've liked this book if I was a Wilco/Tweedy fan but I didn't realize that was a prerequisite to know any of his references. Also I didn't need 1/3 of the book trying to inspire me to get started writing; I decided to read a book called How To Write One Song so I think I'm already motivated enough to want to write a song at this point.
December 16, 2020
This is superb. Great read for anyone who writes anything at all.
The only reason it's not 5 stars is because I'm not a songwriter and don't plan to be one — but this book actually convinced me that I could. That's how great it is.
The only reason it's not 5 stars is because I'm not a songwriter and don't plan to be one — but this book actually convinced me that I could. That's how great it is.
January 27, 2024
“When I feel like I’m stuck, I try to put myself back in touch with the reality of the situation. There are no rules AND I make them!”
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