How to write one song (according to Jeff Tweedy)

Welcome to The Songwriter’s Workshop. This is the series where I attempt to write songs based on the process and techniques of famous songwriters. Each video looks at a different songwriter’s writing habits, musical inspirations, and creative process while also including an original song written using those techniques.
This video looks at Wilco songwriter Jeff Tweedy and the songwriting techniques found in his books How To Write One Song and Let's Go (So We Can Get Back). I use his lyric writing exercises and musical recommendations to write my new song Apollo G.
Twitter: / songwritersws
Instagram: / thesongwritersworkshopyt
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#songwriting #howtowriteasong #jefftweedy

[@DocBoon]

I have been a songwriter for over 50 years. I've written hundreds of songs. The tips in this video are brilliant. I wish I'd heard them 50 years ago.

[@chapmanure]

Skip to 11:56 in the clip. If this doesn’t convince you watch this video daily to motivate your writing….you have no hope. Seriously dude. This is an epic video. I appreciate the time and effort you put in to cut this. May god bless you. ❤

[@franksatya5680]

You wrote a beautiful strange original song. A song that didn't exist 'til you did the work. And it does that peculiar thing that songs can do. It distilled something in our collective experience. It felt familiar and fresh simultaneously. I loved it. I look forward to hearing more.

[@arranone]

Very well said. I couldn’t agree more. Great job showing us your writing process and sharing this beautiful work. Thank you. 😊

[@nicoledelcastillo8443]

Absolutely fantastic. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your demo. It really gives others inspiration and permission to do the same!

[@kellieq7957]

I really love these lyrics. Great song, it really makes me feel connected to it in some way. I also thought the idea of "climb aboard the apology" as an interpretation of your song.

[@viciousdope66]

“A Ghost is Born” is one of my all-time favorites. Handshake Drugs is a classic.

[@nelsonnichols922]

That was really good. always good to see how other people create. And your result was really fabulous, great song!

[@isaaccarter9566]

I really like this video format, thanks for making these!

[@TheDailySongwriter]

Love seeing the process, and really love how you step into the shoes of other artists! When we do this with enough artists, we really find our own voice. Keep them coming, please!

[@jimijames27]

Dude Jeff's quote that you want to be the mantra of the channel is so dead on. That quote completely embodies how I have been feeling this last week.

[@bryansmith6865]

I love your channel and plan on frequenting it, great work!

[@dominickdagostino469]

This was awesome, dude! Loved the result.

[@smallships]

This is excellent! Love the process and the finished product! Have subscribed.

[@nexusnostalgia]

Dude i really dig the instrumental going on throughout this. This video has been very helpful information. Thank you!

[@landerosproductions6806]

This is amazing. Great Job!!! love the lyric's and chord progression.

[@haydenmerrick274]

fantastic end result - love it

[@RussellBobel]

Well done 👍 really looked the well written narration. Really interesting concept of diving into different songwriters techniques. I always feel like I learn a lot when diving deep into a specific song!

[@winstonsmith8236]

This is a very cool idea, can't wait to watch a few.

[@zenrobotninja]

What a wonderful quote. Very happy I found this channel and looking forward to more!

[@charlesnevsimal9235]

Incredible. Absolutely incredible. So glad I found your channel. Subscribed within the first 30 seconds of viewing this video. Can't wait to dig into your other videos! Keep up the great work!

[@zoda5898]

This is great content for curing writer's block! Also, the idea of the Appolo G is so on-the-nose, and I love it.

[@hautevirgo]

I love this thank you for being vulnerable this is super helpful. I love the melody and the abstract nature of your song, keep writing and creating.

[@SKITAHOOD]

Great song and premise, hope you will continue to make these!

[@cfeliz70]

Hey man, that song you created is terrific. Thank you for creating this channel. It’s a great service.

[@WolfieMusic70]

Really enjoyed this and some beautiful lines came out of this process. Very inspiring! Jeff’s take on songwriting has really changed my own process for the better.

[@travishall5154]

Really helped with my writing process brother...song sounds great. Much love brother!

[@crosstalkclub]

Just finished writing his book...very casual, conversational, and enjoyable. Thanks for posting this.

[@AndrewColyerMusic]

Great job! Fantastic job on the video, the exercises, the writing sessions, and the poetic demo! Keep up the good work and keep these videos coming! It makes me want to do the same thing with every book on songwriting that I own. Thank you so much for the inspiration and all of the work that you put into creating this video for your Channel.😀🎹🎵🎸🤟🎉

[@dumafuji]

Great stuff. The song is cool and you did a great job demonstrating the concepts Tweedy wrote.

[@bumfitmusic101]

Wow! Just stumbled across your channel, thankfully. Really like the song you created, great imagery! I read this book as soon as it was released. Loved the book but never took the time to do the exercises. I'm dusting off the cover, gonna crack it open, and write one song! Thank you, looking forward to your other videos as well!

[@HansTwite]

This is an amazing walkthrough and I love the condensed practical takeaways from Tweedy’s book. Subscribed! Cheers

[@Funkybassuk]

Really enjoyed your video and song exercise. Some helpful advice there!

[@mrsunshine2204]

Great song and very much liked to see the process. Amazing video! Keep sharing your songwriting journey please.

[@scottgeyer684]

I am a longtime Tweedy fan (being from Chicago, & lucky enough to have been “in on it” from the start), & have read his books. I still found your “take”, & following your process helpful - thanks!

[@Rich2base]

You're really on to something here. Both your video approach and your songwriting. Thank you for sharing. I bought Jeff's book. lol Please keep going.

[@JackDalycre8tive]

Thanks for this! Got me inspired to try some new methods and pick up this book.

[@Abellardsnazz]

Being a bit of a Wilco fan, this video caught my eye and I watched with fascination at the processes used but couldn't help but think 'this is never going to work'. But the finished song I really enjoyed a lot. One of those that creeps up on you and I found the chorus sticking in my head. The lyrics were great, interesting and cryptic but knowing the premise, made sense. Definitely some very interesting ideas in these methods and you explained it very well and clearly. Thanks!

[@TrapNerdMusic]

I didn't know who Jeff Tweedy was and had only heard the name Wilko thrown around at festivals. Watched this video, stumbled upon "How to Fight Loneliness" and I'm absolutely hooked. Thanks.

[@budfox58103]

Smile all the time

[@michele21auntiem]

That is my favorite song of his.

[@the.fresh.bananas]

Nicely done song and a very instructive video. Really like the word ladder exercises, in particular. Thanks for sharing.

[@milojones138]

Yo I just found this video as I’m starting to get into Wilco after having seen them in London recently (my brother has been a massive fan for a while so I’ve always been intrigued by them and Tweedy himself). This video is absolutely brilliant!!!! You’re sick man and I really can’t wait to watch more of these please keep going.

[@thelocalprotocols8073]

Good job man. Really mind blowing, cause, to be honest, I never had writting guidelines like Mr. Tweedy offers, and the song, I think you did a hell of a job. Thanks for the education! and the great song to listen too. #The Songwriter's Workshop, .

[@ryanpotter1105]

Love Jeff Tweedy. This was a really amazing video and I love the song you made. Thanks for posting this. It's hard to get out of your own way while writing lyrics.

[@michaelreddington658]

You’ve helped me move towards climbing out of a hole I’ve been in for the last 6 years. Thank you truly

[@richholoch8230]

Thanks - lots of great ideas, fun process, and your song is great and I love how you can hear the influence, but how it morphed to your song. A great example for me is how The Feelies sound like they are influenced by Lou Reed but that they are their own band.

[@just.ronrishad]

Great song man, and thank you for your contribution.

[@DocJJohnson]

Well done...way to go for "IT"..!!

[@timothyconti286]

This is the first video in the series ive watched. I love this and I'm not sure I thought I'd be receptive to it. I'm trying to improve my songs and song writing techniques and tools, and while I'm a pretty unconventional songwriter, I want to improve, so I love that these videos exist. Your song was great. I look forward to checking out the rest of these videos and taking what I can from them. One of my songwriting techniques is when I finally come up with a recording I love that feels like it will work for a song idea I already have based on an event person or thing, I will play the song on repeat all day for days literally and listen to it from all kinds of different areas and rooms, in the bathroom, under the covers in bed, in the tub under water. Usually, I'll hear a ringing forming a pattern pointing to the flow of the general lyrical patterns I can work with and where words should go. Then I start to just say jibberish in those patterns while still talking about the target topic. I try to use those word excersizes where I'll have a list of words and ideas I want in the song, and I'll try to feel out where certain sounds work best resonance wise and just flow wise. The hook and bridge ideas always come because if you want yo write a song about something, you'll have enought elements you want to incorporate that they'll fight it out in your head for placment. Anywhoo, I am very open to adopting some new strategies and ideas here, most of mine come naturally but I certainly like to write songs inspired by the feeling or intention of other songs I love, so its just cool to hear the process of successful songwriters. I'm sure these videos aren't easy to put together so thanks in advance!

[@sethfisher6469]

This series is genius. Thank you.

[@k0hl]

Great video. Very thoughtful! Watching this draws me to create :)

[@tommarko9983]

keep up this sort of process and you'll probably start the next "Wilco" :) you're right, the poetry is rich! Great work!

[@stacyperrone-petta3326]

Great song and imagery! Keep up the great work!

[@lm8404]

So good, and informative, and inspiring! And the song ends, on G minor.. haha. Nice! 1st time watcher! Just subscribed. thanks for your work.

[@ghoststalkermusic]

Great video and song. This book is on my reading list. Enjoyed your take on it!

[@JLeppert]

Just found this channel. I love it. Thanks! Oh, Uncle Tupelo is in my top five favorite bands of all time.

[@PatrickNorris10]

Following this and other’s advice is my New Year’s resolution

[@heroforest]

Wow... He puts it so nicely. That's *exactly* my feeling. I listen to music and then I love it so much and then at some point I can't take it anymore, I *need* to at least attempt to make something. It's a pressure that's built up. If I don't go and make something creative (preferably music), I go crazy.

[@alwayskateellen]

Right on. Cool concept, like how the guitar sounded like a rocket launching and the using a different POV for the protagonist- it allowed you to say things that are super interesting. “I’ll be here for eternity” is pretty scary statement in this context. Nice.

[@thejmz]

What a great video. Thanks for this good sir.

[@ericmichaelandrews]

Excellent! Sounds like something Jeff would write!

[@williamt9025]

You are going to be successful on this platform, great content.

[@jesh119]

Great song! Thank you for this video

[@ghostrider2664]

A brilliant way to write a song that anybody can do. Many thanks for this.

[@OneHandedGuitar]

Excellent video! I subscribed and look forward to seeing your next one!

[@BrazosP]

Great song! Thanks!! Liked more than I thought I would! Congrats! Now wrote one album! Hehe

[@dustinnulf5638]

Apollo G = apology. Love this video! Great exercises for lyrics. I'll have to get Jeff's book now!

[@chapmanure]

A little grit and a driving lead instead of the horn….this has Tom Petty all over it. Great song dude!!

[@Adamjmckay]

Really like what you are doing here. Great work.

[@jppj101vids]

Great demonstration of the songwriting process from start to finish!

[@robertwynkoop7112]

This is about the act of creation, not performance….

[@jppj101vids]

@@robertwynkoop7112 ?

[@0000song0000]

5:00 wow, i also thought of Silvia Plath when you said it. I guess it's because her poems are so descriptive. BTW I loved this video, I had never felt instructions were so specific on other "how to write songs/lyrics" books

[@dustinalker972]

"I shudder when I hear the applause, cause I know they have me in their claws." Nice!

[@RandomVelocity]

Great ideas and you came up with some pretty interesting lyrics for sure. I subscribed a minute into your video.

[@michele21auntiem]

Loved it. Thank you.

[@izaksmith538]

Im not a Wilco fan but I appreciate the songwriting skills (I can’t listen to Dylan or Cash either but again total respect for the talent and skill). I do love the quotes you extracted from Tweedy’s book- the one about throwing a party and not inviting the self critical parts is going on my fridge! I liked the distorted part in the bridge- very much like a rocket launch- shades of Bowie. Also, and no insult at all, it very much sounded like getting a thorough yet succinct writing lesson from Bird Man!

[@iamuniverse9492]

Sounds Amazing Brother ! 🔥 ⚡️

[@hodown74]

Great breakdown. Your song sounds like Duncan Sheik--awesome job, man!

[@LindaLeyble]

I thought this was great! I bought Jeff’s book during the pandemic…yes, it really helped write some different kinds of songs that I had never tried before. I have to go back to the book again ‘cause I’m in another songwriting time when feelings and struggles are trying to escape from my pores. My husband passed away last year - so I’ ve been trying to write about my feeling about this. It’s been very hard - every time I write something that’s too close to my emotions…I start crying my eyes out. So, I’m thinking I should write some other songs that I can finish without too many tears. Thanks so much for this video - I’m getting the book out again. Your song was great! I subscribed!❤

[@jaykizzyofficialchannel]

I enjoyed watching this, thanks

[@andrewtea]

Love your song!!

[@thecoopstr]

I liked the process and how you approached it. The song is definitely viable. I would replaced the half step chord modulation in the chorus with something sampled from your instrumental slide up the neck fashioned to sound like awkward attempts to launch a rocket to get to the desired modulation pitch. Maybe even change it up with each new iteration of the chorus. Great effort. I have read both Jeff's books, but I want to go back and dig in now that you have so graphically and musically illustrated his technique. Thanks!

[@kevinmcfarland8305]

this was really interesting ! thank you

[@christopherwallace374]

great song!!!!! keep going mate!!!!!

[@TheHarmonicaBarge]

great video, very interesting thanks! I'll try some of these exercises :)

[@ModernKaveman]

I liked the song! You can use some refinement in my opinion, but I think you are on to something really good here. You just might have inspired me to get to working on my own stuff. I really appreciate your willingness to take this brave journey with us all.

[@millennialanimal]

This was really interesting! Great video, all I would say is the lyrics didn’t feel deliberate for lack of a better word, also I think a play on the idea of “the Apollo G” being an “apology” to humanity based on your idea of millionaire escaping into space would have been something worth exploring. But that being said, I really liked the video and the song, the process of writing is just as important as the end product and you showed that. Keep writing! And keep the videos coming, you earned a subscriber.

[@reganovich]

as people have said, looked like a process that wouldn't deliver anything much at all BUT actually it's pretty cool. Nice to see what was thrown up from you working the process through to the end. Great job. It's a strange song alright, and good lyrics were gotten out of the process..Nice !

[@dtschuor459]

I’m not a songwriter. No talent in that area…barely able to play a couple of musical instruments. However, this process and the result are amazing. Wonderful song. Really. Really, really super product. Thanks for sharing your process and experience ❤☮️💜

[@macaroon147]

Quality content right here.

[@denisnetto_2024]

You should send this to Susie! She will invite you as a special guest on the Tweedy Show.

[@Zaxxon95]

Fantastic video.

[@aquaartistcat5835]

this technique is very cool and that song went hard

[@caddisking]

Lyrically it's stellar. Sonically I would have liked to see more grit and volume. Thanks for the lesson!

[@jonpenney1702]

I really liked the finished song and the take-off at 16 minutes was a great touch, I could just imagine the billionaires taking off on their Apollo G rocket and leaving us all behind. I'm going to have a go with these techniques. I wonder what I'll come up with.

[@LP-dt4sq]

great stuff!

[@stevenfudge2055]

Great job! These are good exercises. I love the line "swallow your teeth".

[@clayteasouth]

Lyrically catching and meaningful.

[@michaelmccann5061]

awesome song!!!

[@guitarcookbook]

nice video ! thank you for sharing, your song is 👌🏻

[@leegarforth4189]

Great video! Would love to see one on Matt Berninger.

[@billhawkins5376]

Good job. Thank you

[@thomasbarchen]

Sounds pretty good!

[@alice-yl6gs]

Just found your channel and your videos are incredible! If you did a Bob Dylan one that would be really interesting