Live From Here

Tom Papa explains why you should never let anyone tell you that you don’t work hard enough and offers a few more life lessons, in an excerpt from his forthcoming book, You’re Doing Great! Find Tom’s tour dates and more about his new Netflix special at tompapa.com.

Our Out. In. America. correspondent Tom Papa stays warm in Cleveland by eating his way across the city — sampling the corned-beef-hash-centric menu at Slyman’s, accompanying a group of police officers to a pierogi restaurant, and celebrating a friend’s birthday with dim sum. Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

Download Chris Thile’s Song of the Week for February 8, 2020, “Circular Mistake.” The band: Chris Thile, Sarah Jarosz, Mike Elizondo, Armand Hirsch, Jeremy Kittel, Abe Rounds, Brett Williams. — Lyrics: Chris: Tell me beloved Why is there a tear in your eye? Tell me beloved Why is there a tear in your eye? Sarah: It’s a trick of the winter light Love everything is fine C: Then tell me beloved Why are you now clenching your teeth? S: I didn’t dress for the winter air Should’ve worn another layer Whereas you’ve got your coat and wool underneath C: Then tell me beloved Why won’t you let me give you that coat? S: ‘Cause it’s good to be cold in the wintertime Love everything is— Fine it’s because you make me tell you And I don’t wanna have to tell you That I have nothing to tell you ‘Cause I’ve said it all said it all said it all before And you can’t make it all ok Make me say it all say it all again And darling we’ll be further from the end And closer to the forming of another circular mistake C: Tell me beloved Why are you angry with me? S: Well well well look who’s taking on The role of the hurting one Who can’t keep his heart off his sleeve C: Tell me beloved if I could where would we be now S: Some sweet place where it’s understood A girl doesn’t have to— C: Look I thought you wanted me to ask you And didn’t know what I should ask you S: I don’t wanna have to tell you That I have nothing to tell you ‘Cause I’ve said it all said it all said it all before And you can’t make it all ok Make me say it all say it all again And darling we’ll be further from the end C&S: Cause we’ve said it all said it all said it all before And we can’t make it all ok S: Make me say it all C: If we C&S: Say it all again And darling we’ll be further from the end And closer to the forming of another circular mistake C: Tell me beloved Why is there a tear in your eye?

Chris Thile's Song of the Week, "First Kiss," from our February 1, 2020 rebroadcast (originally from April 13, 2019) featuring Holly Laurent reading Jessica Greenbaum’s poem “I Love You More Than All the Windows in New York City.” The band: Chris Thile, Madison Cunningham, Mike Elizondo, Chris Eldridge, Brittany Haas, Philip Krohnengold, and Ted Poor. Find "I Love You More Than All the Windows in New York City" in Jessica’s book Spilled and Gone. — Lyrics: We float above the recycling And the catcalls A prelude to the hardest We will ever fall No bar is too loud No bar is too loud No sidewalk’s too crowded No stoop too well-lit No head is too cloudy For an East Village first kiss Text me Text me Text me Text me Don’t forget Don’t forget me I will take out the recycling And pick up the take out While you stir a pair of Manhattans And a mocktail No child is too loud No dinner’s too hurried No morning too big No future’s too blurry For a South Brooklyn next kiss So text me Text me Text me Text me Don’t forget Don’t forget me

Our Out In America correspondent Tom Papa spends a rare day off at home in Los Angeles stretching out his morning rituals as far as they’ll go, pondering the dawn of a new decade, and rejecting diet advice from his friends and family. Find Tom’s tour dates and more information about his forthcoming Netflix special You’re Doing Great! at tompapa.com.