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 respectable person – a guy who loves his family, who makes a point to encourage all of 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 musical tastes – everything from the Undertones to BTO's "Takin Care of Business" to the Minutemen's "History Lesson Part II" to "Free Bird" and even "You Are My Sunshine."
The chapter on Abba's "Dancing Queen" hit close to home. Being roughly Tweedy's age, I remember the pressure when I was a teenager 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? That seems really naïve to me. Music might give that teenager a lift, and even inspire him/her to start a band, and maybe even make a lot of money, but we need something supernatural to overcome all of the evil and all of the greed in the world. Tweedy makes the mistake that Paul talks about in Rom. 1:24-25 – looking for something in creation to worship, rather than to the Creator.
But maybe I’m being too critical. In most cases, Tweedy with great sincerity and heartfelt prose reminds us how powerful music can be – 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 in some ways, but they won't save it. Only Jesus can do that.