I’ve followed Jeff Tweedy’s musical world for a long time. Ever since he pulled off his balaclava to sing “Pecan Pie” three songs into a Golden Smog show at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, I was hooked.

Anne Lamott talks about how honesty is the common denominator of all good writing, and that’s what attracts me to Tweedy. Whether it’s the post-rehab emotional honesty of A Ghost is Born, or the more straightforward prose of his books, you get the sense that Tweedy’s not putting one over on you. He’s telling the truth.

World within A Song is a meditation on fifty of the songs that impacted Tweedy’s life, interspersed with random (sometimes hilarious) reflections on random past events. This isn’t a carefully curated list of songs meant to boost Tweedy’s indie cred. This is where the honesty comes in. After a passionate defense of Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” Tweedy writes:

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. (71)

There’s some depth, there.

Tweedy, Jeff. World within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music. Dutton, 2023.