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World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music
An exciting and heartening mix of memories, music, and inspiration from Wilco front man and New York Times bestselling author Jeff Tweedy, sharing fifty-plus songs that changed his life, the real-life experiences behind each one, as well as what he's learned about how music and life intertwine and enhance each other
What makes us fall in love with a song? What makes us want to write our own songs? Do songs help? Do songs help us live better lives? And do the lives we live help us write better songs?
After two New York Times bestsellers that cemented and expanded his legacy as one of America’s best-loved performers and songwriters, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) and How To Write One Song , Jeff Tweedy is back with another disarming, beautiful, and inspirational book about why we listen to music, why we love songs, and how music can connect us to each other and to ourselves. Featuring fifty-plus songs that have both changed Jeff's life and influenced his music—including songs by The Replacements, Mavis Staples, The Velvet Underground, Joni Mitchell, Otis Redding, Dolly Parton, and Billie Eilish—as well as thoughts on Jeff's own songs and his “Rememories,” which have been such a hit on his popular Substack, Starship Casual , this book is a mix of the musical, the emotional, and the inspirational in the best possible way.
What makes us fall in love with a song? What makes us want to write our own songs? Do songs help? Do songs help us live better lives? And do the lives we live help us write better songs?
After two New York Times bestsellers that cemented and expanded his legacy as one of America’s best-loved performers and songwriters, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) and How To Write One Song , Jeff Tweedy is back with another disarming, beautiful, and inspirational book about why we listen to music, why we love songs, and how music can connect us to each other and to ourselves. Featuring fifty-plus songs that have both changed Jeff's life and influenced his music—including songs by The Replacements, Mavis Staples, The Velvet Underground, Joni Mitchell, Otis Redding, Dolly Parton, and Billie Eilish—as well as thoughts on Jeff's own songs and his “Rememories,” which have been such a hit on his popular Substack, Starship Casual , this book is a mix of the musical, the emotional, and the inspirational in the best possible way.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2023
364 people are currently reading
6332 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 430 reviews
November 30, 2023
What a fun companion this was for a few days, and such an interesting way to look at music. This is a memoir told through music. Rather than picking favorite songs, Tweedy chooses songs that had great impact on him and/or are meaningful because of the moment he heard them. The stories and explanations are quite brief. I listened to this, read by Jeff, at 1.5x which was a totally comfortable speed, not fast at all. The whole took 3 hours, and it was time very well spent. A must for Wilco fans (and I am definitely one.)
March 16, 2025
I'm a huge Wilco fan and found solace in Jeff Tweedy during the pandemic. And yet, I wasn't expecting to get much of anything from this book except a few deep cut discoveries that only a musical genius could pass along. I was thinking something akin to a Nick Hornsby book. Anyway, no, it wasn't a music nerd's musings on iconic tracks, and I didn't discover any new artists - not even a song - but it was enough to be allowed into Tweedy's surprisingly ordinary brain and "hear" his inner workings. He is, as he admits, just a normal, flawed human, a low-key rock star, and a little odd, but also honest and genuine and very conversational. He comes across as someone I'd hang out with on a regular basis and genuinely like. So, though his little vignettes were hard to get at first (when would this music phenom talk about the songs more? Was he conveying deep meanings that I was too obtuse to get? Is this book as boring as I think it is?), after a couple "songs," I began to relax and finally go with it. Once I stopped looking for a perfect list of songs, I was able to hear the stories he was stringing together. Stories that are both endearing and pretty damn wise. By the end, I felt just like the mom I am, proud of Jeff, proud he landed on his feet (fame be dammed), and reminded once again that it's always worth it to dig a little deeper.
(FYI, he sneaks in just the tiniest amount of music gossip so as not to disappoint - who's nice, who's not, and who he might have been a jerk to.)
(FYI, he sneaks in just the tiniest amount of music gossip so as not to disappoint - who's nice, who's not, and who he might have been a jerk to.)
January 26, 2025
"It'd be cool if we could see the world within the songs inside each other's heads. But I also love how impenetrable it all is. I love that what's mine can't be yours and we still get to call it ours. Songs are the essence of this condition. And in my opinion, they're the best way I know to make peace with our lack of shared consciousness."
I think it's fair to start with review by disclosing that I am not actually a Wilco fan. I tried, y'all! All my music nerd friends were like: "You have to check out 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot!'". I did. It's a nice record. It didn't reach me the way I was led to believe it would, that's all. But Jeff Tweedy's writing in this book? Now THAT punched it's way through my rib cage and grabbed my heart. I think he'd forgive me for not totally getting his music (at least according to his own philosophy outlined within this very book) because deep down, we are still kindred spirits: people who live, think and breathe music and who can't separate it from the rest of our lives.
I think every obsessive music fan has an embryonic draft of a book like this one tucked away in a drawer somewhere, or at least a elaborate and constantly evolving playlist that captures what Tweedy is talking about here: the landmark songs, the ones that got under our skin for good or bad reasons and became a part our DNA. I'm always curious to know what those songs are for people I'm getting to know. I think that's why as a younger, less jaded girl, I used to make mix-tapes and mix-CDs (and eventually playlists, since laptops don't come with CD burners anymore, what the fuck) for people I was getting to know: because I could think of no better road map to explain who I am than to tell them: "listen to this, it's basically the soundtrack to my inner world, enjoy and please don't freak out!".
This is what Tweedy did with this book. He shared his inner road map, with the perfect bite-sized stories explaining why they made the list. But this is more than a self-indulgent little exercise (which I was afraid it would be when I first picked it up). This book was written with the same spirit that made me spend ages making all those mix-tapes and mix-CDs: this is a genuine attempt to connect with other people by bonding over something meaningful and precious.
I highlighted a lot of stuff in this book. I won't copy it all here, you'll have to go read the book for yourself. But reading this book made me very happy. It made me feel like I was having my favorite kind of conversation with a new friend. Or an old friend I'd never met before. That's a thing, right?
I didn't always agree with his selection, obviously (that would have been a little freaky), but I always understood his reasoning. Shitty songs can store really beautiful memories by accident, and that's a perfectly good reason to make the list; other songs open up our minds to things that had never occurred to us before, or make us feel seen in a way we hadn't experienced ("I was born alienated, I think. And when I heard this song, it was maybe the first time I heard that hurt sung to a melody I could understand."). Sometimes it makes no sense why that song touched you so deeply at that time, but the fact that Tweedy insists on is that it doesn't have to make sense ("I don't think you should ever override what your body is telling you about a song"). He's right. He's also right that our tastes change as we age, and that the meaning songs have can morph in unexpected ways, and that it's important to embrace that honestly, to give stuff we hated in our youth another listen, just to see if maybe a little experience and a few grey hairs have made it clearer.
What I am trying to say is that this is a fantastic fucking book. And that obviously, you don't need to like Tweedy's music to enjoy it. He's a phenomenal writer, I'm going to go look for his other books. All you need to enjoy this book is a love of the power of a good song, the flexibility to admit your relationship with art will never be static, and the desire to connect with people through art. It's not a book for musicians, though they'll find themselves right at home here, because this is a book for listeners.
You might be wondering, after this pre-caffeinated, gushy review, why I only gave the book 4 stars? Simple reason: I needed this book, this one-sided conversation, to go on for fucking EVER. The book ended and that's it's biggest flaw. Thank you, Jeff.
"Songs are our companions. Some become friends for life, but any song in the air has the potential to keep you company for a while."
I think it's fair to start with review by disclosing that I am not actually a Wilco fan. I tried, y'all! All my music nerd friends were like: "You have to check out 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot!'". I did. It's a nice record. It didn't reach me the way I was led to believe it would, that's all. But Jeff Tweedy's writing in this book? Now THAT punched it's way through my rib cage and grabbed my heart. I think he'd forgive me for not totally getting his music (at least according to his own philosophy outlined within this very book) because deep down, we are still kindred spirits: people who live, think and breathe music and who can't separate it from the rest of our lives.
I think every obsessive music fan has an embryonic draft of a book like this one tucked away in a drawer somewhere, or at least a elaborate and constantly evolving playlist that captures what Tweedy is talking about here: the landmark songs, the ones that got under our skin for good or bad reasons and became a part our DNA. I'm always curious to know what those songs are for people I'm getting to know. I think that's why as a younger, less jaded girl, I used to make mix-tapes and mix-CDs (and eventually playlists, since laptops don't come with CD burners anymore, what the fuck) for people I was getting to know: because I could think of no better road map to explain who I am than to tell them: "listen to this, it's basically the soundtrack to my inner world, enjoy and please don't freak out!".
This is what Tweedy did with this book. He shared his inner road map, with the perfect bite-sized stories explaining why they made the list. But this is more than a self-indulgent little exercise (which I was afraid it would be when I first picked it up). This book was written with the same spirit that made me spend ages making all those mix-tapes and mix-CDs: this is a genuine attempt to connect with other people by bonding over something meaningful and precious.
I highlighted a lot of stuff in this book. I won't copy it all here, you'll have to go read the book for yourself. But reading this book made me very happy. It made me feel like I was having my favorite kind of conversation with a new friend. Or an old friend I'd never met before. That's a thing, right?
I didn't always agree with his selection, obviously (that would have been a little freaky), but I always understood his reasoning. Shitty songs can store really beautiful memories by accident, and that's a perfectly good reason to make the list; other songs open up our minds to things that had never occurred to us before, or make us feel seen in a way we hadn't experienced ("I was born alienated, I think. And when I heard this song, it was maybe the first time I heard that hurt sung to a melody I could understand."). Sometimes it makes no sense why that song touched you so deeply at that time, but the fact that Tweedy insists on is that it doesn't have to make sense ("I don't think you should ever override what your body is telling you about a song"). He's right. He's also right that our tastes change as we age, and that the meaning songs have can morph in unexpected ways, and that it's important to embrace that honestly, to give stuff we hated in our youth another listen, just to see if maybe a little experience and a few grey hairs have made it clearer.
What I am trying to say is that this is a fantastic fucking book. And that obviously, you don't need to like Tweedy's music to enjoy it. He's a phenomenal writer, I'm going to go look for his other books. All you need to enjoy this book is a love of the power of a good song, the flexibility to admit your relationship with art will never be static, and the desire to connect with people through art. It's not a book for musicians, though they'll find themselves right at home here, because this is a book for listeners.
You might be wondering, after this pre-caffeinated, gushy review, why I only gave the book 4 stars? Simple reason: I needed this book, this one-sided conversation, to go on for fucking EVER. The book ended and that's it's biggest flaw. Thank you, Jeff.
"Songs are our companions. Some become friends for life, but any song in the air has the potential to keep you company for a while."
November 16, 2023
If you don’t love Jeff Tweedy’s writing, you’re wrong.
November 9, 2023
New York Times bestselling author and Wilco front man, Jeff Tweedy is back with another fun music inspired journey. Tweedy shares the fifty songs that have impacted his life the most, for better or for worse. He’s very clear that these aren’t what he considers the best fifty songs of all time, that is too daunting of a list to try. Rather this compilation of songs represents moments in his life where the song is crucial to the memory. From childhood to his wedding, music has been involved in every aspect of his life and these fifty songs highlight some important and unforgettable moments. Fantastically narrated by the legend himself, Tweedy’ s charisma shines throughout the recording. He shares the experiences behind each song and how it impacted his own relationship with music and song-writing. Featuring an eclectic list of songs by Otis Redding, Billie Eilish, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, and many others; this list is fresh and surprising. Part memoir, part music appreciation, and all-around joy; World Within a Song is a fantastic listen, that will have listeners pausing the audiobook to listen to the many songs referenced. – Erin Cataldi
November 12, 2024
Jeff Tweedy’s writing is like Wilco: intelligent, witty, warming, and sometimes a bit too maudlin for me. This book veered into the latter a little too much, but that’s fine - it’s a book where a dude writes about his favourite songs, after all.
In the spirit of this self-indulgent song-based memoir, here is a note for future Sam: I read this book between 9pm and 5am, in excruciating neck pane, oscillating between discomfort, sleep, codeine highs, and the sort of misery that only exists at 3 in the morning. Handily, someone else had made this book into a playlist, so i got to listen along to the music without having to mess with my phone too much, which was nice for my neck. A lot of these songs are not my sort of thing, some extremely were, and some were new to me and I will hear again because they were great.
This night is very similar to another night, a long time ago, where I sat through a fire alarm, unable to move, and found all sorts of insane possibilities of sound in the pain of the looping siren, which seemed to last an eternity. And in this book, Jeff describes going through the exact same thing with the same outcome.
I don’t know that I have anything particularly profound to say about that, but it made my spine tingle, that sort of realisation that hits sometimes, of how the human experience is very broad but also exceptionally narrow, sometimes eerily, specifically so. It was just a nice moment in a pretty horrible few hours, so cheers for that, Jeff.
In the spirit of this self-indulgent song-based memoir, here is a note for future Sam: I read this book between 9pm and 5am, in excruciating neck pane, oscillating between discomfort, sleep, codeine highs, and the sort of misery that only exists at 3 in the morning. Handily, someone else had made this book into a playlist, so i got to listen along to the music without having to mess with my phone too much, which was nice for my neck. A lot of these songs are not my sort of thing, some extremely were, and some were new to me and I will hear again because they were great.
This night is very similar to another night, a long time ago, where I sat through a fire alarm, unable to move, and found all sorts of insane possibilities of sound in the pain of the looping siren, which seemed to last an eternity. And in this book, Jeff describes going through the exact same thing with the same outcome.
I don’t know that I have anything particularly profound to say about that, but it made my spine tingle, that sort of realisation that hits sometimes, of how the human experience is very broad but also exceptionally narrow, sometimes eerily, specifically so. It was just a nice moment in a pretty horrible few hours, so cheers for that, Jeff.
December 8, 2024
Nice to spend some time in the parlour chatting with my old pal Uncle Jeff.
Tweedy claims that like 5 different bands are his favourite band of all time at different points in this book. This is no criticism - true love of music confounds any ranking or rating or listing. If you can say consistently that one particular band is your favourite then I think you’re a phony.
Tweedy claims that like 5 different bands are his favourite band of all time at different points in this book. This is no criticism - true love of music confounds any ranking or rating or listing. If you can say consistently that one particular band is your favourite then I think you’re a phony.
February 11, 2024
The parasocial relationship I have with this guy is kind of intense.
January 17, 2024
I only discovered Wilco, Jeff Tweedy and the wonderful album “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” (2002) on a road trip through Texas at the beginning of this year. (Thank you, Mark.) How timely, though, was the nearly simultaneous discovery of this, Tweedy’s recently published musical memoir.
I was immediately charmed by Tweedy’s voice and writing style, and in his Introduction, he made a claim for music that I, too, have long believed: “songs absorb and enhance our own experiences and store our own memories.” I didn’t love, or even know, all of Tweedy’s own choices - it was nice to utilise Spotify as I read this book - but I did identify with all of the underlying ideas and enthusiasm. I laughed out loud on a number of occasions, and I felt exceptionally moved as well.
Here’s an example, for a bit of flavour. In this excerpt, Tweedy nominates ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” as a song that he sneered at for many years before realising that it is a song of joy and genius.
“I truly recommend spending some time looking for a song you might have unfairly maligned. It feels good to stop hating something. Music is a good place to start if you’re interested in forgiveness. For yourself, mostly, I assume. Because records can’t really change much over time, but we sure can, and do. Better late than never.”
Probably my favourite entry in the book, though, is the one where Tweedy links a long-lost friendship with Michelle Shocked’s song “Anchorage.” Perhaps it helps that I also love this song, but even if it was unknown to me entirely, I think that I would have still responded to Tweedy’s insight about its lyrics and messages.
“I think it’s the profound air of forgiveness that gets me - the relief of having ‘walked across that burning bridge’ and instead of being met with judgment and resentment, as feared, finding a warm embrace on the other side.”
Such a lovely book - what a nice start to the reading year.
I was immediately charmed by Tweedy’s voice and writing style, and in his Introduction, he made a claim for music that I, too, have long believed: “songs absorb and enhance our own experiences and store our own memories.” I didn’t love, or even know, all of Tweedy’s own choices - it was nice to utilise Spotify as I read this book - but I did identify with all of the underlying ideas and enthusiasm. I laughed out loud on a number of occasions, and I felt exceptionally moved as well.
Here’s an example, for a bit of flavour. In this excerpt, Tweedy nominates ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” as a song that he sneered at for many years before realising that it is a song of joy and genius.
“I truly recommend spending some time looking for a song you might have unfairly maligned. It feels good to stop hating something. Music is a good place to start if you’re interested in forgiveness. For yourself, mostly, I assume. Because records can’t really change much over time, but we sure can, and do. Better late than never.”
Probably my favourite entry in the book, though, is the one where Tweedy links a long-lost friendship with Michelle Shocked’s song “Anchorage.” Perhaps it helps that I also love this song, but even if it was unknown to me entirely, I think that I would have still responded to Tweedy’s insight about its lyrics and messages.
“I think it’s the profound air of forgiveness that gets me - the relief of having ‘walked across that burning bridge’ and instead of being met with judgment and resentment, as feared, finding a warm embrace on the other side.”
Such a lovely book - what a nice start to the reading year.
January 3, 2024
A love letter to kindness, humanity and good tunes
December 31, 2023
Boy, I want this to be good, but it isn’t. I enjoyed Tweedy’s first two books very much, but it just doesn’t feel like he tried very hard on this one. It reads more like a set of short blog posts rather than a fully formed book. A lot of chapters feel half assed. They’re over before really getting started. But then you read chapters like “Anchorage” and “Portland story,” and you can see what this book COULD have been. These are two exquisite chapters in an overall mediocre effort.
January 17, 2024
Loved this! It's below-freezing here and we don't have school because of the weather, so I've been keeping warm working on some yarny crafts and listening to audiobooks. I love a good narrator, and listening to memoirists read their own work. This fits both. Tweedy is a generous, gifted storyteller, both in song and in his books. Listening to this, interspersed with searching for and listening to the songs he writes about, was a wonderful audio experience. It has me thinking about which songs I have a deep relationship with- some blissful, some heartbreaking, some silly.
Now I must return my freezing hands to the warm yarn. Cheers!
Now I must return my freezing hands to the warm yarn. Cheers!
January 10, 2024
This was a really nice read. Wouldn’t it be great if you could read about all your favorite musician’s favorite songs? Short but sweet ❤️
January 12, 2024
I love Tweedy and Wilco’s music but the book didn’t really hold my attention. It would be better with fewer songs and chapters and more depth per song.
March 5, 2024
this book spoke to me and i’m gonna listen!! perfect for music lovers musicians singers and anyone who cares
January 29, 2024
As a music lover, I have always been fascinated by what musicians say about other people's songs. That means this book by Jeff Tweedy, formally of Uncle Tupelo (one of my favorite bands) and currently in Wilco, is the perfect book. Tweedy writes short chapters on his favorite songs, not by way of scrutinizing analysis, but by connecting the songs to his own life experience and demonstrating how his favorite songs remind him that he is not alone in this world.
Tweedy seems like a genuinely good dude – a guy who loves his family, who makes a point to encourage all of the his warm-up acts, who even regrets lost opportunities to show "grace and acknowledgment" to others (p.116). And his song choices throughout the book demonstrate an eclectic range of tastes -- everything from the Undertones to BTO's "Takin Care of Business" to the Minutemen's "History Lesson Part II" to "Free Bird" and "You Are My Sunshine."
The chapter on Abba's "Dancing Queen" hit close to home. Being roughly Tweedy's age, I remember the pressure in the late 70s to hate disco, especially if you were into hard rock, and "Dancing Queen" definitely qualified as disco. So did I really hate this song, or did I just convince myself that I hated it? I can't imagine how, because it is so clearly an irresistible pop tune. Abba taught Tweedy (and me too, I guess) a lesson: "It taught me that I can't ever completely trust my negative reactions . . . I truly recommend spending some time looking for a song you might have unfairly maligned. It feels good to stop hating something." (p.71)
Sometimes, however, the idealism of the artistic mentality can be a little frustrating. Tweedy dismisses the existence of Satan, calls religion a "delusion," and yet acknowledges the regrettable existence of everything "in the world that sucks, all of the evil, all of the greed, all of the phoniness..." (p.99). So is there any hope that evil might be overcome in this world? Tweedy says it's the teenager in his bedroom listening to music. (p.100). Really? What do we do about drug cartels, pornography, genocide and corporate greed? Don't worry, everyone – the teenager down the street is listening to his favorite song on Spotify! Just seems really naive to me.
But I'm probably overthinking things here. In most cases, Tweedy with great sincerity and heartfelt prose reminds us how powerful music is -- that it can function for many as a "consciousness filling the void of isolation." (p.106). He is absolutely right, and I am grateful for the ways this book has reinvigorated my love for my own favorite music. But I'm not expecting my favorite songs to save me. They might change my life, but they won't save it.
Tweedy seems like a genuinely good dude – a guy who loves his family, who makes a point to encourage all of the his warm-up acts, who even regrets lost opportunities to show "grace and acknowledgment" to others (p.116). And his song choices throughout the book demonstrate an eclectic range of tastes -- everything from the Undertones to BTO's "Takin Care of Business" to the Minutemen's "History Lesson Part II" to "Free Bird" and "You Are My Sunshine."
The chapter on Abba's "Dancing Queen" hit close to home. Being roughly Tweedy's age, I remember the pressure in the late 70s to hate disco, especially if you were into hard rock, and "Dancing Queen" definitely qualified as disco. So did I really hate this song, or did I just convince myself that I hated it? I can't imagine how, because it is so clearly an irresistible pop tune. Abba taught Tweedy (and me too, I guess) a lesson: "It taught me that I can't ever completely trust my negative reactions . . . I truly recommend spending some time looking for a song you might have unfairly maligned. It feels good to stop hating something." (p.71)
Sometimes, however, the idealism of the artistic mentality can be a little frustrating. Tweedy dismisses the existence of Satan, calls religion a "delusion," and yet acknowledges the regrettable existence of everything "in the world that sucks, all of the evil, all of the greed, all of the phoniness..." (p.99). So is there any hope that evil might be overcome in this world? Tweedy says it's the teenager in his bedroom listening to music. (p.100). Really? What do we do about drug cartels, pornography, genocide and corporate greed? Don't worry, everyone – the teenager down the street is listening to his favorite song on Spotify! Just seems really naive to me.
But I'm probably overthinking things here. In most cases, Tweedy with great sincerity and heartfelt prose reminds us how powerful music is -- that it can function for many as a "consciousness filling the void of isolation." (p.106). He is absolutely right, and I am grateful for the ways this book has reinvigorated my love for my own favorite music. But I'm not expecting my favorite songs to save me. They might change my life, but they won't save it.
October 5, 2024
If there's one thing Jeff Tweedy excels at - beyond his songwriting prowess - it's the ability to tap into the heart of what music means. In "World Within a Song", Tweedy delivers something far more intriguing than a list of his favourite tracks. Instead, we are treated to an evocative memoir where fifty songs become the framework for reflecting on moments that shaped him. These are not necessarily the best songs, as he's quick to note. Rather, these songs are the ones that accompanied him through pivotal points in his life, where memory and music became intertwined in ways that feel ineffable.
For any ardent fan of Tweedy - that would be me - the book is an intimate conversation with the man behind Wilco. Tweedy's reflections have that trademark wit and humility and offer an intensely personal glimpse into the music that has moved him, bewildered him, and, in some instances, comforted him. I
The book is, at its core, a tribute not only to great music but also to kindness and humanity. Tweedy approaches each song with a genuine curiosity, a love for its peculiarities and imperfections. As a reader, it prompted me to do the same. I found myself drifting back to the songs that shaped me at various stages of life, contemplating not only how they touched me then but how I've reshaped my understanding of them with time. The real magic of Tweedy's narrative lies here, in the quiet yet profound reminder of how music evolves alongside us, becoming a reflection of who we are and who we've been.
The book also takes some detours into some autobiographical stories, which are as entertaining as you'd expect. Tweedy's sharp sense of humour and self-awareness makes these passages shine, particularly when he pokes fun at his own youthful pretensions or later realisations.
If you love music, "World Within a Song" is a must-read. It's not just for the die-hard Wilco fans (though we love it), it's for anyone who finds themselves tethered to certain melodies, who remembers where they were when that song played. Tweedy's reflection on the transformative power of music is a resonant ode to those invisible threads that connect sound to our souls. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2
For any ardent fan of Tweedy - that would be me - the book is an intimate conversation with the man behind Wilco. Tweedy's reflections have that trademark wit and humility and offer an intensely personal glimpse into the music that has moved him, bewildered him, and, in some instances, comforted him. I
The book is, at its core, a tribute not only to great music but also to kindness and humanity. Tweedy approaches each song with a genuine curiosity, a love for its peculiarities and imperfections. As a reader, it prompted me to do the same. I found myself drifting back to the songs that shaped me at various stages of life, contemplating not only how they touched me then but how I've reshaped my understanding of them with time. The real magic of Tweedy's narrative lies here, in the quiet yet profound reminder of how music evolves alongside us, becoming a reflection of who we are and who we've been.
The book also takes some detours into some autobiographical stories, which are as entertaining as you'd expect. Tweedy's sharp sense of humour and self-awareness makes these passages shine, particularly when he pokes fun at his own youthful pretensions or later realisations.
If you love music, "World Within a Song" is a must-read. It's not just for the die-hard Wilco fans (though we love it), it's for anyone who finds themselves tethered to certain melodies, who remembers where they were when that song played. Tweedy's reflection on the transformative power of music is a resonant ode to those invisible threads that connect sound to our souls. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2
February 1, 2024
"One of the amazing things songs can do in the mind of a single listener is to transform, over time, from something, reviled and loathed to the point of avoidance--an instant radio-dial-lunge type of track--to something breathtakingly beautiful and essential."
I love Jeff Tweedy. I have for what feels like forever. My best friend, who also loves Jeff, bought me this book (a SIGNED copy, no less!) for Christmas this year and it was just a perfect little read.
To have Jeff, with all his signature humor, insight, deprecation AND bravado, outline for us the fifty or so songs that affected his life the most, either as a kid, a young punk, an aspiring musician, a husband, a father, or a mature musician inspiring younger musicians, is a pure delight. We have some beloved songs in common. There are also some artists on this list I have never heard of. There are also some songs by artists I have heard of, but this particular song is new to me. All that makes for a fun journey through Jeff's mind.
Be sure you listen to the songs as you read to make for a true sensory experience. There are quite a few playlists already curated on Apple Music if you search the book title.
One more thing: Jeff talks about how he turned the song I'm Beginning to See the Light, a jazz standard meant to be sung from lover to lover, into a lullaby for his children and this struck me deep in my soul because I have been singing the song The Very Thought of You, a jazz standard meant to be sung from lover to lover, as a lullaby to my daughter since she was born. We both understand that as Jeff says, "A great song works even when repurposed for familial love."
His song about familial love:
"I never cared much for moonlit skies
I never wink back at fireflies
But now that the stars are in your eyes
I'm beginning to see the light."
Mine:
"I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love."
If you have kids, do you have a special lullaby you sing to them?
I love Jeff Tweedy. I have for what feels like forever. My best friend, who also loves Jeff, bought me this book (a SIGNED copy, no less!) for Christmas this year and it was just a perfect little read.
To have Jeff, with all his signature humor, insight, deprecation AND bravado, outline for us the fifty or so songs that affected his life the most, either as a kid, a young punk, an aspiring musician, a husband, a father, or a mature musician inspiring younger musicians, is a pure delight. We have some beloved songs in common. There are also some artists on this list I have never heard of. There are also some songs by artists I have heard of, but this particular song is new to me. All that makes for a fun journey through Jeff's mind.
Be sure you listen to the songs as you read to make for a true sensory experience. There are quite a few playlists already curated on Apple Music if you search the book title.
One more thing: Jeff talks about how he turned the song I'm Beginning to See the Light, a jazz standard meant to be sung from lover to lover, into a lullaby for his children and this struck me deep in my soul because I have been singing the song The Very Thought of You, a jazz standard meant to be sung from lover to lover, as a lullaby to my daughter since she was born. We both understand that as Jeff says, "A great song works even when repurposed for familial love."
His song about familial love:
"I never cared much for moonlit skies
I never wink back at fireflies
But now that the stars are in your eyes
I'm beginning to see the light."
Mine:
"I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love."
If you have kids, do you have a special lullaby you sing to them?
November 30, 2023
Jeff Tweedy writes about how different songs have affected his life and he tells some more stories about traveling with his band. He is a kind, generous, and thoughtful soul and he tells touching stories. I love the one about seeing The Replacements do “God Damn Job.” Being in the room with them must have been cathartic. “The self-liberating promise of punk rock. It said to me this above all else: job or not, I am free- school or not, I am free- as long as this exists - this feeling - this moment where nothing else in the world matters - I will survive - this is where I will choose to live. This is where you will find me.”
Tweedy also goes way back to the Anthology of American Folk Music for “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down,” a song his old band, Uncle Tupelo, did. We don’t believe in the old idea of Satan but we can agree there is a lot of bad stuff in the world. The dream here and the dream of punk music is still for good to conquer evil. Art is powerful.
Tweedy also goes way back to the Anthology of American Folk Music for “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down,” a song his old band, Uncle Tupelo, did. We don’t believe in the old idea of Satan but we can agree there is a lot of bad stuff in the world. The dream here and the dream of punk music is still for good to conquer evil. Art is powerful.
December 29, 2023
“As ridiculous as that all sounds, it's a true revelation of an internal dialogue that is always happening just below the surface of any song I'm singing. Singing ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ back in the day was my effort to come clean. I'm in love with you people out there listening. Please don't hurt me.”
August 8, 2024
Jeff confronts us as music listeners to inform us that there's more to it than just the sound waves. The listeners perspective holds a lot of importance, which he uses his own catalog of moments to demonstrate. As always he's funny and insightful and magnificent. I could live by his words. Thank you father.
April 10, 2024
I loved this book so much, even if I had to listen to it twice to hear the chapter, then the song, then the chapter again. I’d read a book like this by any musician
June 15, 2024
Another fun Jeff Tweedy book
January 7, 2025
I saw Wilco in concert a few summers ago and liked their music. I also enjoyed reading another Jeff Tweedy book. Some of the songs he writes about here struck a chord in me. His writing is energetic and fun.
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January 3, 2024Thanks Mom!
April 7, 2024
Fun read. Especially the Dolly Parton pages.
November 11, 2023
This book was just an incredible experience!! I listened on audio with Jeff reading, I felt like he was telling me these wonderful, sometimes sad memories. These songs he chose also brought back my own memories of these songs. Mull of Kintyre brought me back to the days of listening to nothing else but Wings greatest! Thank you for sharing your life with us, I will cherish this book always.
February 10, 2024
I love jeff tweedy so much. Full circle moment to have someone who has written so many songs that have made me feel so deeply to be writing about songs that make him feel that same way.
January 19, 2024
Going out of 2023 with a high note. Listened to the audiobook because I LOVE YOU JEFF!
September 3, 2025
Una gozada de lectura. Ya desde el inicio deja claro que no se trata de un ensayo sino de su experiencia íntima con la música que lo ha forjado, o con la que se ha cruzado, o que le ha influido de una forma u otra (incluso para saber de qué huir). Pero, sobre todo, me encanta la voz narrativa, personal e inconfundible. Y kudos desde aquí para la traducción, que ha conseguido mantenerla en castellano :)
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