Monday, November 6, 2023

Opinion Today: It feels good to stop hating something

Wilco's Jeff Tweedy reflects on revisiting Abba.
Author Headshot

By Cornelia Channing

Editorial Assistant, Sunday Opinion


Not all celebrity memoirs are made equal. There are great ones, of course, but too many read like long-form news releases.

So this summer, when I received a copy of Jeff Tweedy's new book "World Within a Song: The Music That Changed My Life That Changed My Music," I cracked it open with a certain amount of wariness, unsure what to expect.

Tweedy, the frontman for the alt-rock band Wilco, is a legend in some circles, and his memoir, it turns out, is one of the great ones. Thoughtful and full of gritty humor, each chapter in the slim book sees him riffing on a different song, what it means to him and how it relates to his own music. Woven throughout are musings, reflections and anecdotes from his career.

I tore through it and jumped at the chance to work with him on an excerpt. In the resulting guest essay, published last week, Tweedy reflects on his youthful dislike of the Swedish pop band Abba and, in particular, its 1976 hit "Dancing Queen."

"As a kid who liked punk rock," writes Tweedy, "this tune was situated deep in enemy territory, at the intersection of pop and disco." And for that reason, Tweedy reflects, he never gave the music a chance. Only later in life did he realize how "colossally wrong" he had been. "Looking back," he writes, "the weirdest part is that I ever felt I had to hate something so clearly irresistible."

Many of us, I think, have experienced some version of this. For me, it is — I am ashamed to say — Sinead O'Connor, whose music, until recently, I had never really paid attention to.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ad

Of course, I had heard "Nothing Compares 2 U" (I don't think it's possible to be a conscious English-speaking adult and not know that song), but I was probably more familiar with Prince's version than with hers. And to be honest, I found it sort of annoying and over the top. Desperate. Whiny, even. Like something tailor made to be belted by drunken karaoke singers.

Wow, was I wrong. So, so wrong.

After reading news of O'Connor's death in July, I revisited "Nothing Compares 2 U" from a more thoughtful place and found it haunting. For days, I listened to it on repeat. The very things that had once bothered me about it — its melodrama — are, I now see, what makes it so good. How had I not seen that before?

In the months since, I have listened through the rest of O'Connor's discography, reveling in its surprises and strange delights. It is astonishing to me that I went nearly 27 years without appreciating her genius, and I relate deeply to Tweedy's line "I mourn every single moment I missed loving this song."

ADVERTISEMENT

Ad

Both O'Connor's music and Tweedy's essay make me excited to be alive, because both offer the promise that a great bounty of artistic genius and sensory enjoyment exists all around us, if only we'd get over ourselves and pay attention.

Tweedy writes, "I try to never listen to music now without first examining my own mind and politely asking whatever blind spots I'm afflicted with to move aside." And even then, if he thinks he doesn't like something, he makes "a mental note to try it again in 10 years."

May we all aspire to listen with such generosity. It's a lofty aspiration.

But if nothing else, I hope Tweedy's essay will inspire you — as it did me — to go home, pour a glass of something, turn the lights down low and listen to "Dancing Queen" at the maximum responsible volume. You won't regret it.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ad

Here's what we're focusing on today:

More From Opinion

THE CONVERSATION

Trump May Not Need a Coup This Time

The new Times/Siena poll is to Biden's second-term ambitions what sunlight is to morning fog.

By Gail Collins and Bret Stephens

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

Donald Trump Has Closed the Republican Mind

Nihilism is a choice — it is forced on no one — and conservatives must somehow find a way to turn back toward their original ideals.

By Peter Wehner

Article Image

DAVID FRENCH

'MAGA Mike Johnson' and Our Broken Christian Politics

The speaker needs to consult his Bible more carefully.

By David French

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

The U.S. Can Counter China's Control of Minerals for the Energy Transition

America needs to invest in mining and build resilient supply chains for the building blocks of electric batteries.

By James Morton Turner

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

Will the Supreme Court Toss Out a Gun Law Meant to Protect Women?

Even pro-firearms politicians are absent in the briefs supporting a lawsuit to make it harder to keep weapons out of abusers' hands.

By Linda Greenhouse

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

Abortion Rights Have Been Winning. Ohio Leaders Are Trying to Change That.

Tuesday's election on an abortion-related ballot initiative could have consequences beyond the state.

By David N. Hackney

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

Six Members of My Family Are Hostages in Gaza. Does Anyone Care?

It seems the left has a hard time holding space for both Jewish and Palestinian civilians.

By Alana Zeitchik

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

What I Read to My Son When the World Is on Fire

Children's literature, in its simplicity, brevity and empathy, can make it a singularly effective way to understand the chaos of the world.

By Miriam Udel

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

How We Mourn Matthew Perry Matters

Few people can relate to a life of fame and excess like Matthew Perry's. But many of us can recognize a struggle with shame.

By Heather Havrilesky

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

'Now and Then, I Miss You': The Love Story at the Heart of the Last Beatles Song

Almost everything John Lennon and Paul McCartney felt — and they felt a lot — was poured into their music.

By Ian Leslie

Article Image

GUEST ESSAY

Space Billionaires Should Spend More Time Thinking About Sex

It's time to talk about the extraterrestrial birds and the bees.

By Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith

Article Image

LETTERS

Student and Teacher, Moving Up Together

Readers respond to an essay by Adam Grant. Also: Trump lackeys; not true "conservatives"; saving the New York skyline.

Article Image

Subscribe Today

New York Times Opinion curates a wide range of views, inviting rich discussion and debate that help readers analyze the world. This work is made possible with the support of subscribers. Please consider subscribing to The Times with this special offer.

Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here.

Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com.

If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times.

Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance.

You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times.

To stop receiving Opinion Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request.

Subscribe to The Times

Connect with us on:

facebooktwitterinstagram

Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices

LiveIntent LogoAdChoices Logo

The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

No comments:

Post a Comment