Chris Thile’s Song of the Week for March 21, 2020, “Vail Monograph, Version 2” (originally from October 19, 2019). The band: Chris Thile, Aoife O’Donovan, Mike Elizondo, Jeff Babko, Matt Chamberlain, Chris Eldridge, Alex Hargreaves, Noam Pikelny. — Lyrics: “Canst thou send lightnings So that they may go And say unto thee here we are?” A rhetorical question From our Father In Heaven To Job in his suffering Here below To Job in his suffering— As we sent the first lightnings All those years ago I quoted that question by heart Then delivered the answer Full of magnets and wire On behalf of a dreamer Here below On behalf of a dreamer— “Sounds like you did this” I did but— It was the least that I could do —than I would do to serve his genius To serve his— `“Sounds like it’s time to set the record straight Nothing’s wrong with calling a good man great, but a bad man...” No, he’s not a bad man Though it’s true before we met The God of Wire was struggling to connect What he had with what he dreamt Then I applied a method to the madness And the thing began to click We were like a couple little kids ‘Cause it was clear this was it I’d take him by the hand and lead him to whatever future he had seen And pan whatever gold was in his stream Of consciousness that flowed between his heart and anything like love for the doer of his dreams “Sounds like he used you” He did but— Oh how I burned to be of use —to be of use and not be slave to A mind as— As cold and dry and barren as this one is At least when in comparison to one like his “You have a great mind” No, his is the great mind And it will never be at rest Will ever trade this moment for the next And what it has for what it’s dreamt So even if the present is exactly what he wanted it to be He’ll miss his un-manifested destiny And find a better man than me To take him by the hand and lead him to whatever future he’s been seeing And pan whatever gold’s still in his stream Of consciousness that flows between his heart and anything like love for me I send him a lightning Every now and then Saying unto him “here we are I don’t expect you to answer But I miss you dear dreamer And what we did together Here below O what we did together here”

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. (originally from our January 25, 2020 episode) Find Tom’s tour dates and more information about his forthcoming Netflix special You’re Doing Great! at tompapa.com.

Tom Papa reads an essay from his book Your Dad Stole My Rake on the beginnings of relationships, and why it’s important to eat meals with someone as you get to know them. Find more information about the book and Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com. (originally from our September 28, 2019 episode)

Our Out In America correspondent Tom Papa puts on his blue suede shoes and heads to Las Vegas, where he gets a ride from a soon-to-be fan of the Las Vegas Raiders, extols the virtues of the city’s buffets, and chats with an old married couple who aren’t married at a $10 blackjack table. (originally from our September 28, 2019 episode) Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

Download Chris Thile’s Song of the Week from our February 29, 2020 show, “The Sully” (originally from September 14, 2019). The band: Chris Thile, Sarah Jarosz, Mike Elizondo, Eric Doob, Armand Hirsch, Gabriel Kahane, Jeremy Kittel. — Lyrics: This is the Sully— —As fine a ship as you can sail from Le Havre France to New York of a mild October in the year of our lord 1832 Blessed be the quiet mind— —such as wielded by a Sully passenger named Samuel F.B Morse the nearly famous artist coming up for air post years of work and study Quiet be the weary mind That hovers o’er the water— —grateful to be homeward borne by true and perfect boredom Hallowed be its name ‘Cause— —weary be the troubled mind That hovers o’er the water With its lonely sons and daughter On the shore ahead And on the shore behind So much unfinished business But there ain’t a cure for distance Save a long long time Tick tick ticking several decks below in steerage next to less- considered travelers nothing but their fevers running wild from bed to bed To bed Quiet be their weary minds Between the old and new world No more to seek approval From the loved ones wedded to the shore behind Calling “y’all are gonna miss us, Unless you find the cure for distance” —and in that instant There it is A ceaseless current A boundless grid A prayer a potion With form and function To deliver us To each other From each other Racing be the blessed mind To a future long imagined Bright with glory, fame and fortune It had left for dead On the shore behind Jedidiah are you listening Your son has found a cure for distance And blessed be his quiet mind That hears the roaring of an instant God hath wrought the cure for distance And that cure is mine

Download Chris Thile's Song of the Week for February 22, 2020, "Escape from the Tuileries." The band: Chris Thile, Mike Elizondo, Jon Cowherd, Armand Hirsch, Jeremy Kittel, Nate Smith.