How to Write One Song

by Jeff Tweedy

In the end, learning how to disappear is the best way I’ve found to make my true self visible to myself and others.

But also I’ve been enlightened by spending time listening to music with my musician friends and hearing it through their ears—by feeling the subtle shifts in breathing and body language as the sounds in the room cast a spell. What this has led me to understand and believe is that the best musicians are invariably the best listeners, and that they spend as much time maintaining their focus on other people’s music as they do on their own.

When I come across a good line, I almost always put it first. In fact, I’d say a good first line is the most determining factor in whether a song I’ve written sees the light of day. “The ashtray says / You were up all night,” “When you’re back in your old neighborhood / The cigarettes taste so good,” “I’m surprised staring at the knives / Lying silent in the drawer.” All of those lines, to me, carried enough imagery and intrigue to propel me into the rest of the song. So, lose the restraint. Songs aren’t generally paced like novels or short stories, even. They’re often more like bumper stickers. If you have a lyric that feels great to sing and grabs your attention, see what happens when you open up with that line. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s startling how transformative it can be. At the very least, it’s a great way to dismantle whatever barrier is tormenting you.