World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music

It's very infrequent that I borrow an (audio)book from the library and, upon finishing it, rush to buy a hard copy just so I can have such a beautiful thing on my shelves. This has been one of those times. Listening to Tweedy talk about these 50 songs is like the best radio show imaginable, mixing music criticism, broader philosophy, and personal anecdote deftly. (The songs themselves aren't there but the publisher did put out a playlist on at least one of the major streaming services.)

If you know who Jeff Tweedy (the leader of the Generation X band Wilco) is, or if you're of his generation and have perhaps mildly alternative tastes in music, you'll enjoy this book; otherwise, you might not. I'm close enough to his age and Midwestern origins that he and I share a lot of the growing-up-with-the-radio-and-record-stores references, so I liked this book quite a bit. Tweedy surprised me by being a disarmingly expert writer, effortlessly capturing a distinctive voice -- his -- and being charmingly self-deprecatory without being cloying about it. To tell the truth, he seems more evolved than I am. Certainly, if I were writing a book of 50 chapters about the songs that have ruled my life, I wouldn't have been able to wait show more until chapter 31 to talk about how much I loathe "I Will Always Love You." Tweedy does, and then he moves on, having gotten that out of his system, relatively sweetly. I wouldn't have been so sweet, nor would I have been able to stop there.

Like most good-hearted people who've been through the wringer (in his case, substance abuse) and come out the other side, Tweedy prefers to emphasize the positive. He seems to be a kind, broad-minded, and relatively humble man, and he can be extremely funny. (I read the first two pages of his chapter on the Band's "The Weight" to my wife, who loves the song, and she practically fell off the couch laughing.) I'm almost glad I've never met Tweedy, because he can't possibly be this good a companion in real life. I look forward to reading his other books. show less

Jeff Tweedy is always a reassuring voice to me, whether as frontman for Wilco or as an author. His latest book brings together fifty songs that have had some impact on his life, whether as inspiration, a source of joy or amusement, or - in a couple of cases - songs he truly despises, but still was able to extract a life lesson from.

He's charming, self-effacing, and has a deep appreciation of music across many genres. In a year when Bob Dylan released a pretty epic book focusing on a similar expanse of songs, Tweedy takes the more straightfoward approach, speaking from a very personal place. Dylan is all about the myths, the storytelling, and layers of connective history. Tweedy simply shares his own experiences and opinions. There's a show more place for both, and Tweedy's authenticity is refreshing in an artistic landscape where snarkiness and negativity are too often weapons of choice. show less

Not a list of his favorite songs, but rather a reflection on songs that have affected him--mostly for good, but there are some he doens't like--throughout his life. Mostly, though, it's about how songs affect us all, and as we read (or listen to) Tweedy's reflections, we see ourselves time and time again. I didn't discover any new gems here--unlike, say, in Nick Hornsby's book about his favorite songs, where I found "Ain't that Enough" by Teenage Fanclub. But Tweedy is such a likable person (and listening to the audiobook really is a must here) that this is a really joyful read--tinged with the deepest sort of sadness, which shows you something about the depth of the man. Two things stand out in that regard, his inclusion of Randy show more Newman's "In Germany Before the War" and the story he tells of a memorial in Portland that he frequently visited. And, more than anything else, if this book makes people start listening to Lene Lovich and her incredible music, Tweedy will have done a deed worthy of a Nobel Prize. show less

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 show more 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 show less

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.)

3.5/5