Steffin Merritt - NPR "Project Song"

This clip is from NPR's, "Project Song: All Things Considered," the challenge: Write and record a song — in two days. (They provide the studio and the inspiration.) On this edition of Project Song, songwriter Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields).

Stephin Merritt says he learned a crucial lesson from a group many musicians might sneer at. "I read an interview with ABBA a long time ago," says Merritt, the creative force behind the cult-phenom band the Magnetic Fields." They said they never write down the music — because they figure if they cannot remember it, then other people will not remember it."

The provided inspirations is six vivid images, along with six words or phrases printed on white cards. The instructions: Choose one photo to inspire the subject of the song; choose a word or phrase that will inspire the style.

Phil Toledano

Steffin Merritt on Two Days with Project Song.