Live From Here

Tom Papa reads an excerpt on grandparents from his book Your Dad Stole My Rake during our December 7, 2019 show. Find more about the book and Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

This week: our Out In America correspondent Tom Papa heads to San Diego, where he visits an oceanfront bar, ponders ways to live a stress-free life, and chats with a business traveler from Queens named Gladys. Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

Download Chris Thile’s Song of the Week for December 7, 2019: “How’s the Weather Where You Are?” The band: Chris Thile, Aoife O’Donovan, Mike Elizondo, Chris Eldridge, Marcus Gilmore, Brittany Haas, Brett Williams — Lyrics: 1. Morse: A nibble! Lincoln: A bite! A reason to be thankful— M: —for another sleepless night But how best to set the hook? L: How best to reel him in? M: Hmm...what to send? L: Hmm...what to send? M + L: Not my name L: He’ll know it M: Rendering this another unclean slate L: Another couple hours answering for these Divided States M: And being the amplifier of this rift between Americans Won’t help me make a friend L: What to send? M + L: Hmm...what to send? L: What are the chances of this meeting? I won’t let it get away M: Who else will dance me through the dead of night unto the break of day? L: If I believed in God I’d ask him M: Father, tell me M + L: what to say To make a friend out of this stranger on the wire L: How’s the weather where you are? 2. M: It’s hot as stock in Western Union The air’s as thick as the brow of a grim patent judge L: Is that your field of law? M: Nice try. How’s the weather where YOU are? L: Hot as the barrel of a freshly fired cannon Air as thick as the skull of McDowell at Bull Run And the smoke rising up to the sky Over sons that were loved as much as mine was M: I’m sorry for your loss. L: I’m grateful for your ear I hope I haven’t scared you off M: Fellow stranger au contraire Any night you feel like hopping On this wire I’ll be here Waiting to ask you how’s the weather where you are L + M: How’s the weather where you are? M: Cold as the sweat I woke up in an hour ago L: Cold as each toe in each boot marching south through the snow M: Exactly further yet from their hearths and our peace Were I Abe I would bid each brave toe retreat* L: What of the war for freedom lost? M: I don’t believe it’s ours I hope that doesn’t scare you off L: Fellow stranger au contraire Any night you feel like hopping On this wire I’ll be here Waiting to ask you how’s the weather where you are ‘Cause you can learn a lot about someone from asking how they feel about the weather where they are

Tom Papa spends some time in Chicago’s depressingly festive O’Hare airport, talks with a pair of Green Bay Packers fans, and commiserates with a gate agent who’s beset by frustrated travelers. (Originally from our December 8, 2018 broadcast.) Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

Download Chris Thile’s Song of the Week for November 23, 2019: “You’re Just Doing Your Job.” The band: Chris Thile, Anaïs Mitchell, Jon Cowherd, Eric Doob, Alex Hargreaves, Armand Hirsch, Chris Morrissey. — Lyrics: Here’s a song For the good folks who We pay to look for bombs In each other’s boots Sure this line is long Longer than my fuse But you’re just doing your job And what a job you’re doing For the put-upon Bearers of bad news Now and forever caught here Between us and our due As platinums golds and silvers Singing the Delta blues “I can’t believe it’s not in your Power to move me To the seat I want And just forgot to choose I know you’re doing your job But what a job to do” And for the mom Running stoically through Each kid-unfriendly gauntlet Doing the work of two ‘Til the boarding process Drops her off next to A childless man of business Whose cares are few Enough to voice his problems with Her toddler on fumes I heard her tell him off like “Who the hell are you To assess this job That you could never do Just put your headphones on” Then away we flew Then away we flew