Pushkin

Wilcoz Jeff Tweedy has written hundreds of songs over his 30 year career.

For some artists, that would be an impossible feat,

but Tweedy's cracked his own songwriting code, and he's ready to share.

With Tweedy's work ethic, it's no surprise that eight months into the pandemic,

he has a new solo album to share.

This song, guess again, is from his new project Love Is The King.

More surprising though, is that he's found the time to document the creative process behind his prodigious output.

In a book titled How to Write One Song, Tweedy lays out his own workmen-like approach to songwriting.

The book reveals how he comes up with melodies, lyrics, and chords,

and even more importantly, how he finds the inspiration and the time to write.

Jeff Tweedy spoke to Malcolm Gladwell about his new book, explaining why he believes songwriting isn't a mystical endeavor,

but something that can be honed with practice.

In the end of the episode, he plays us through the writing of one of his new songs, Step by Step.

This is Broken Record, liner notes for the digital age. I'm Justin Richmond.

Here's Malcolm Gladwell with Jeff Tweedy.

Can I start with this tantalizing little anecdote you tell in your book that when your dad got mad,

he would go into the basement and write poems.

And all I could think of is this is the Jeff Tweedy origin story.

Pretty much. I think so.

Was your father musical?

My father was a frustrated entertainer.

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