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

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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