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Sodajerker On Songwriting

Episode 230 - Norah Jones

·44 min·4 clips
Norah Jones reveals how a middle-of-the-night guitar session led to her iconic debut album's title track.
The episode begins with hosts Simon and Brian introducing Norah Jones, highlighting her multi-Grammy career and collaborations with artists like Foo Fighters and Dolly Parton. They discuss her background, including being the daughter of Ravi Shankar, growing up in Texas, and attending Booker T. Washington High School. Jones moved to New York in 1999, where she played in bands and was signed to Blue Note Records. The interview focuses on the 20th-anniversary edition of 'Come Away With Me', with Jones explaining the importance of demos and the spontaneous recording of 'Don't Know Why'. She shares memories of working with producer Arif Mardin, who mentored her gently and made 'Mardinis' in the studio. Jones describes her early songwriting, noting she wrote 'Come Away With Me' on guitar due to not having a piano. She talks about her evolution, including collaborations with Danger Mouse on 'Little Broken Hearts', which taught her to write without pressure. Jones discusses working with Jeff Tweedy, referencing his book 'How to Write One Song' and its advice on creativity. She explains her process of using voice memos, finding inspiration in walks and bathtubs, and writing from poems. The conversation touches on her Christmas album and how she balances songwriting with motherhood. The hosts conclude by recommending her later albums and thanking her for the interview.

As heard by us

Nora Jones recalls writing "Come Away With Me" in the middle of the night, without thinking about who might hear it.

Nora Jones remembers writing "Come Away With Me" in the middle of the night, with no thought of where it might go or who might hear it. She tells Simon and Brian that music theory usually comes into play when she has a puzzle to solve, after the first rush of writing.

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Why you'd press play

Hear Norah Jones recall writing "Come Away With Me" in the middle of the night, without thinking about who might hear it.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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