Originally from June 1, 2019: our comedian correspondent Tom Papa lands in Washington D.C. in the middle of a spring heat wave, cools off with a classic ice cream treat, joins a class trip that’s visiting the Jefferson Memorial, and encounters a potential spy near the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Tom’s book Your Dad Stole My Rake is available in paperback now. Find his tour dates and more at tompapa.com.

Chris Thile's Song of the Week, "Failure Isn’t Forever," from our August 31, 2019 show (originally from June 1, 2019). The band: Madison Cunningham, Mike Elizondo, Marcus Gilmore, Brittany Haas, Shaun Martin, and Ryan Scott.

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Lyrics:

In a sunburnt park

Eating greenhouse tomatoes

I warm to my work

As worse comes to worst

Singing heave ho

‘Cause failure isn’t forever

Oh failures aren’t forever

Unless they never try to do better

We’ve left too big a mark

Casted too long a shadow

But failure won’t be forever

Oh failures aren’t forever

Unless they never try to do better

We’re gonna need some believers

To believe that failure isn’t forever

It’s just a point in time to get better

We welcome the dark

That pours through unlit windows

As worst recedes to worse

And we warm to the work

Singing heave ho

Failure isn’t forever

Oh failures aren’t forever

Unless they never try to do better

We’re gonna need some believers

To believe that failure isn’t forever

It’s just a point in time to get better

This week: Tom Papa heads to Dallas, where he visits Adair’s Saloon in Deep Ellum, shares a few beers with a large emotional cowboy, and talks donuts and marriage with the owner of a cupcake shop (originally from our April 6, 2019 show). Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

Download Chris Thile's Song of the Week, "Attention: The Universe," originally from our April 6, 2019 show. The band: Madison Cunningham, Mike Elizondo, Chris Eldridge, Brittany Haas, Trevor Lawrence Jr., and Shaun Martin.

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Lyrics:

Dit dah

Dit dah

Dit dah

As in

Alfred asks a bit of advice from his father

And anxiously for another few hundred dollars

(Dit dah) Dit dah (Dit dah)

“Well son I believe a patient waiter is no loser

And America believes in cash why disabuse her

AKA yes here son good luck

When you fall

Fall hard

Fall forward

When you fail

Fail out

On and up

Now go fill

That wire

With this message

Attention:

The Universe”

Thus the future hangs on Vail iron and copper

Thus the distance possible grows ever greater

From father’s heart to Morses code’s lip’s

"When you fall

Fall hard

Fall forward

When you fall

Fall hard

Fall forward

When you fail

Fail out

On and up

Now go fill

That wire

With this message

Attention:

The Universe"

Dit dah

Dit dah

As in

Attention:

The universe

Originally from our March 16 show: Our traveling correspondent Tom Papa visits St. Paul — a city in the midst of a sudden transition from brutal winter to muddy spring — meets a woman who’s running away from home, and eats breakfast at Mickey’s Diner. Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com.

Download Chris Thile's Song of the Week, "Plaguey Hill" (originally from our March 9, 2019 show), with lyrics from Paul Muldoon's new poem of the same title. The band: Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Aoife O'Donovan, Mike Elizondo, Chris Eldridge, Brittany Haas, Shaun Martin, and Ted Poor.

Originally from March 2: Tom Papa explores Minneapolis, where he battles frigid temperatures, talks with an ersatz airline pilot, and samples a Jucy Lucy burger at Matt’s Bar. Find Tom’s tour dates at tompapa.com

Chris Thile's Song of the Week, "Turn to the Water," from our August 3, 2019 show (originally from our March 2 broadcast). The band: Joey Dosik, Madison Cunningham, Mike Elizondo, Chris Eldridge, Alex Hargreaves, and Trevor Lawrence Jr.

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Lyrics:

Out the front door

The melting snow

Would turn our creek into a river

Now from the airplane

I catch a glimpse

Of the Mississippi

And my young self asks me

If we’re doing all right

When the pressure of living

Is too much for the wine

I turn to the water

‘Cause none of our failings

Can worry my mind

To the point where a river can’t soothe me

Out the front door

The melting snow

Would turn our creek into a river

And brave explorers

Could sail the globe

And still be home in time for dinner

Now from the hotel

I hear the song

Of the mighty frozen Mississippi

“Under ice and trouble

We will roll along

Bring me your burdens

For all that you’ve earned them

There are no shoulders broader than mine

When the pressure of living

Is too much for your wine

Turn to my water

‘Cause none of y’all’s failings

Should worry your mind

To the point where this river can’t soothe you”

When the pressure of living

Is too much for the wine

I turn to the water and choose

To believe that no failing

Can worry my mind

To the point where this river can’t soothe me

Tom Papa talks about the process behind the Out In America segment and reads a few of his favorite “I have” moments sent in by listeners. Hear more from our July 20 Behind the Scenes episode at livefromhere.org.

This week: our Out In America correspondent Tom Papa sent us a summer report from the Jersey Shore, where he pondered the mysterious appeal of fudge and taffy, chatted with a retired NYC policeman named Pat, and fought for beach space with a large Italian family. Head to livefromhere.org to check out our special June 29 compilation featuring highlights from our warmups and encores!