A Thanksgiving playlist: songs of joy and gratitude

Summary

All Songs Considered

Episode Summary: A Thanksgiving Playlist—Songs of Joy and Gratitude

NPR | Host: Robin Hilton | Guest: Stephen Thompson | Date: November 25, 2025

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Episode Overview

This special Thanksgiving episode of All Songs Considered explores the music that brings listeners joy, gratitude, comfort, and connection. Hosts Robin Hilton and Stephen Thompson share song selections and stories submitted by listeners detailing the songs for which they are most thankful. The discussion traces the role of music in marking significant life moments, fostering togetherness, and reminding us of hope, resilience, and kindness—making it the perfect soundtrack for Thanksgiving.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thanksgiving and Musical Traditions

• [00:15] Robin Hilton opens with a humorous observation about the lack of Thanksgiving songs compared to Christmas:

  "When you think of music written for specific holidays, nothing really... comes even remotely close to Christmas, right? No, I mean, that's where all the money is."

• The hosts riff on the absence of “Thanksgiving caroling” but note the holiday’s natural tie to reflection and gratitude.

2. Listener Song Picks—Stories and Emotions

a. “Simple Gifts” (Yo-Yo Ma & Alison Krauss)

• [01:36] Listener Tracy (West Hartford, CT): Picks this Shaker hymn for its beauty and message about finding yourself "in the place just right."
• Tracy reflects:

  "It's spiritual, it's artistic... everybody turns, turns and lands in the place that they need to be." [02:20]

• Robin emphasizes the power of simplicity:

  "To keep life simple is to be unburdened by the baloney of it all in some ways." [05:14]

b. “Lean On Me” (Bill Withers)

• [06:36] Listener Heather (Seattle): Shares how “Lean On Me” became the emotional centerpiece of a Friendsgiving after her battle with breast cancer.

  "There wasn't a dry eye in the room. And as we all sing the song together..."

• Stephen reflects on found family and community:

  "It's such a tribute to found family. It's such a tribute to community and surrounding yourself with people who nourish you." [07:50]

c. “This Year” (The Mountain Goats)

• [08:48] Listener Grace (Colorado Springs): Finds resilience in the song’s mantra,

  "I am going to make it through this year if it kills me." [09:41]

• The hosts praise its cathartic power, with Stephen sharing:

  "This song has really given people a mantra, a way of pushing through some hardship in their life." [11:59]

d. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” (Crosby, Stills & Nash)

• [13:56] Listener Shannon (Arizona): Recalls car rides with her father, tapping along to the beat change—a cherished memory.

  “He would wait for this one part... And I'll always have that part, even when he’s gone.” [14:08]

• Robin shares his own association:

  “My mom's name was Judy and she had blue eyes. It’s the unofficial anthem for her.” [16:03]

e. “What a Wonderful World” (Louis Armstrong)

• [18:56] Listener Adrienne (Holtsville, NY):

  "I love the imagery of the beautiful colors in a rainbow… I am thankful for this wonderful world and pray for peace and love." [19:21]

• Stephen notes its eternal optimism:

  "We spend all day... thinking about the many things that are wrong with the world... but there is also beauty everywhere you look." [21:09]

• Robin draws a parallel to Ben Folds’ “Christine from the Seventh Grade.” [21:35]

f. Robin’s Own Pick: The Works of John Williams (“End Credits” from E.T.)

• Robin expresses profound gratitude for John Williams’ film scores, citing their formative role in his life:

  “John Williams... cannot even come close to overstating how important... his music has been to me my entire life.” [23:02]

• He describes the “sense of magic and wonder” evoked by the E.T. end credits. [25:13]
• Stephen adds:

  “It’s not just a sense of wonder, it’s a sense of mystery… you could talk about some of his more serious scores.” [25:47]

g. Stephen’s Pick: “Make You Feel That Way” (Blackalicious)

• Stephen selects this hip-hop anthem for gratitude and everyday joys:

  “It’s just taking stock of all the things that make life worth living… the spirit of Thanksgiving.” [27:58]

• He highlights a memorable lyric:

  “Find a hundred-dollar bill. Wow, man, that’s great.” [29:55]

• Robin agrees:

  “It’s all those little memories and details of life that are so easy to miss.” [29:18]

h. “Space and Time” (Tyler Childers)

• [31:45] Listener J. Shakespeare English (Texas): Finds comfort and connection in this song amidst feeling displaced and alone:

  “Every lonely night, every mistake or misstep led me to this place and the people I’m fortunate to know.” [31:59]

• Robin notes music as a companion and validation, especially in lonely times. [33:56]
• Stephen adds:

  “Music has this incredible power to fortify things you didn’t realize you knew. And music is just such an empathetic art.” [34:41]

i. “Isn’t It a Pity” (Nina Simone, written by George Harrison)

• [35:26] Listener Sarah (Philadelphia): Moved by the song’s meditation on regret and human failings:

  "No explanation I can give will do it justice. Go listen for yourself." [35:26]

• Robin laments “the self-inflicted pain” the song describes, and Stephen adds:

  "There's enough unhappiness in the world. I don’t need to be making my own." [37:44]

j. “Three Little Birds” (Bob Marley)

• [38:41] Listener Willie (Philadelphia): Credits the song’s “positive vibration” for spreading joy over decades:

  "Brings instant joy. You can't help but move to it when it's played." [38:41]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On simplicity:

  "To keep life simple is to be unburdened by the baloney of it all in some ways." – Robin Hilton [05:14]

• On chosen family:

  "It’s such a tribute to found family. It’s such a tribute to community and surrounding yourself with people who nourish you." – Stephen Thompson [07:50]

• On resilience:

  "I am going to make it through this year if it kills me." – Listener Grace & The Mountain Goats [09:41]

• On forming memories:

  “After their kids were born, they realized that... they were basically there to be memories for their children.” – Paraphrased by Robin Hilton from Interstellar [16:32]

• On shared joy:

  "I will be nourished by your list of things that make you happy." – Stephen Thompson [30:13]

• On self-inflicted pain:

  "There's enough unhappiness in the world. I don't need to be making my own." – Stephen Thompson [37:44]

• On gratitude:

  "Music has this incredible power to fortify things you didn’t realize you knew. And music is just such an empathetic art." – Stephen Thompson [34:41]

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Timestamps for Essential Segments

• 00:15–01:10 — Thanksgiving vs. Christmas music
• 01:36–05:14 — “Simple Gifts” (Listener Tracy)
• 06:36–08:32 — “Lean On Me” (Listener Heather)
• 08:48–12:10 — “This Year” (Listener Grace)
• 13:56–18:52 — “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” (Listener Shannon)
• 18:56–22:36 — “What a Wonderful World” (Listener Adrienne)
• 23:02–26:44 — John Williams and E.T. “End Credits” (Robin’s pick)
• 26:47–30:36 — “Make You Feel That Way” (Stephen’s pick)
• 31:45–34:57 — “Space and Time” (Listener J. Shakespeare English)
• 35:26–38:41 — “Isn’t It a Pity” (Listener Sarah)
• 38:41–end — “Three Little Birds” (Listener Willie) & outro

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Recurring Themes

• Gratitude and Reflection: Most listener picks center on recognizing simple pleasures, resilience, and emotional connections.
• Music as Memory Keeper: Songs often serve as vessels for powerful personal and familial memories.
• Community & Companionship: Whether through “found family,” friendship, or the universal human experience, music brings people together.
• Resilience and Hope: Listeners and hosts lean on music in difficult times for comfort, inspiration, and reassurance.

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Playlist & Further Listening

Robin and Stephen encourage listeners to find the expanded Thanksgiving playlist on Spotify and Apple by searching for NPR Music.

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In summary, this episode reminds us of music’s power to connect, heal, inspire, and bring gratitude to even the most challenging of years. A perfect listen for anyone seeking comfort or community this Thanksgiving.

Transcript

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[Robin Hilton]

Well, you know, when you think of music written for specific holidays, nothing really, you know, comes even remotely close to Christmas, right? No, I mean, that's where all the money is.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's where so much money is. I mean, that's around the Christmas season. The Billboard charts for an entire month are like almost nothing but Andy Williams, Right, Right. Mariah Carey.

[Robin Hilton]

Not a ton of music really written for Thanksgiving. You know, you don't think of Thanksgiving and think time to go Thanksgiving caroling.

[Stephen Thompson]

Or gather round the cornucopia and sing Thanksgiving carols.

[Robin Hilton]

Exactly right. But it is a time for reflection, obviously, and a time to get together with the people that you love. And since it is a time for thanks, I mean, it's right there in the name. It's literally in the name of it.

[Stephen Thompson]

If you parse the root words.

[Robin Hilton]

Since it is a time for thanks, we decided that we would ask listeners to tell us about a song that they're thankful for. A song, you know, maybe one that lifts them up or just reminds them of what's important in life or just, you know, makes them feel grateful for what they have. And so on this episode, we're gonna share some of those stories and song picks that we got from listeners. We have a couple of our own. Let's just start with one of the voice memos we got and we'll get right to it.

[Stephen Thompson]

All right. Well, our first pick from a listener is from Tracy in West Hartford, Connecticut. She picks Simple Gifts, which is a Shaker hymn. It's a folk song written by Joseph Brackett in the 1800s. There are a lot of versions out there. I actually know this as the music that plays in the background of the ColecoVision game the Smok.

[Robin Hilton]

First thing anyone thinks about.

[Stephen Thompson]

Of course, I would imagine most people are having the same reaction. You just think of the song in like harsh 8 bit tones repeated in like a 3 second loop as you play this video game. Aaron Copeland used a variation of it for Appalachian Spring. The version that Tracy picked is one by Yo Yo Ma and Allison Krauss.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, here's Tracy.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

This song speaks to me as. It's spiritual, it's artistic, it's easy for people to sing, but it speaks in both a instrumental and a vocal way. And the basic thing is everybody turns, turns and lands in the place that they need to be.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Sam. Tis the gift to be simple Tis the gift to be free Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be and when we find ourselves in the place just right Twill begin the valley of love and delight when true simplicity is gained to bow and to bend we will not be ashamed to turn, turn will be our delight Till by turning, turning we come round Right.

[Robin Hilton]

I actually thought about playing the version from the Smurf video game, but I thought, I can't punk our listener Tracy like that with what is just such a beautiful song. I couldn't strike a more perfect tone for now. Whatever now is. I mean, this feels like the right. Particularly this version.

[Stephen Thompson]

A lot of people picked songs about gratitude and perspective and giving thanks. And I think, you know, it actually adjusted it, my own thinking about this assignment, because my original thought was, like, what's a song I'm grateful for? All right, I'm just gonna pick a song I love, right? But it's like, oh, I want to pick a song I love about finding that perspective on what matters to us.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. A friend once told me that he thought I was very simple but happy. And I took great offense at this. I am a very.

[Stephen Thompson]

I contain multitudes.

[Robin Hilton]

I am very complex. Over the years, I've come to realize, well, he was totally right. But, you know, to keep life simple is to be unburdened by the baloney of it all in some ways. So I thought this was a great pick. Simple Gifts, the version by Yo Yo Ma and Allison Krauss. I want to go to a listener named Heather in Seattle in the song that she wrote to us about. I'm quoting from Heather's note here. She says, we host a friendsgiving every year, and after taking a break for me to fight breast cancer, we brought it back. Last year, our giving thanks activity was to pick a song for someone at the table. My friend Julie picked Lean On Me, the Bill Withers song Lean on Me for me because of how I helped others. But all I could see was a room full of friends that got me through the toughest year of my life. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. And as we all sing the song together.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain we all have sorrow but if we are wise we know that there always tomorrow Lean on me when you're not strong and I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on for it won't be long Till I'm gonna need.

[Robin Hilton]

Somebody to lean on so many people Picked this song. Another Bill Withers track that came up a lot was Lovely Day, sure. But I wanted to play Lean On Me particularly because I really loved the whole scene that Heather set. You know what she shared in her note? The image of friends coming together and just being wonderful to each other.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. It's such a tribute to found family. It's such a tribute to community and surrounding yourself with people who nourish you. There's nothing better you can do when no matter what you're going through, there's nothing better you can do than lean.

[Robin Hilton]

On your friends and be there for them if they need to be there for them.

[Stephen Thompson]

Exactly.

[Robin Hilton]

Exactly. I mean, that was the universal theme that people spoke about. All the people who picked this song in the hundreds of submissions that we got. It was just how critical companionship is now. And it's something that has gotten so hard in recent years to maintain those friendships and everything.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Long for it won't be long till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.

[Robin Hilton]

Let's get to another written one that we got from one of our listeners.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, boy, this one's a big one for me. This is one of my favorite songs and this song has gotten me through some hard times and I too. I will co sign everything that Grace in Colorado Springs says about this song she wrote to about the song this year by the Mountain Goats. This is a song I've returned to time and time again over the years because even though it's about surviving, being a teenager and I'm about to be 40, the chorus's refrain is such a centering mantra in times of stress. I am going to make it through this year if it kills me Every year I hope I won't need such self empowerment. And every year so far I have instead been deeply grateful that it exists to bolster me through. For maximum catharsis, she writes, I recommend screaming the lyrics at your steering wheel and I will tell you Grace in Colorado Springs I have done this.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

I broke free on a Saturday morning I put the pedal to the floor Headed north on Mills Avenue and listened to the engine roar. My broken house behind me and good things ahead A girl named Kathy wants a little of my time Six cylinders underneath the hood crashing and kicking I listen to the engine whine I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me I am gonna make it through this year if it kills.

[Robin Hilton]

Me I can't imagine the song striking a more perfect balance between sort of a kiss off to everything that you want to leave behind and, you know, Marching towards the future and putting it all behind you. But it's not like too angry. Right. Or unforgiving.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. Well, in the sense that wherever you flee, something is chasing you.

[Robin Hilton]

Right.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's this incredible line in the song where he's talking about this relationship, you know, him and Kathy. And he yells out, twin high maintenance machines. Like he's talking about vehicles, but like they are twin high maintenance machines. And so it's like it has this, this note of self awareness to it and kind of this sense of like, oh man, I'm such a literary cliche at the same time as like I am deep in pain.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I really think, honest to God, I mean, I think I know that this song has really helped people.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

This song has really given people a mantra, a way of pushing through some hardship in their life. And just this sense of like, I'm gonna get through this.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, this is one that I have actually seen come up a number of times, not just in this call out, but other call out. Basically, anytime we ask listeners for something that makes them feel good or reassures them or pulls them out of whatever funk they're in, this song inevitably comes up as one of the choices. So I was not surprised to see it in this mix and very happy to as well.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, let's get to another one of the voice memos we got One of the audio clips that people sent in this is one from a listener named Shannon in Arizona. And the song that they picked is called Sweet Judy Blue Eyes.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

Whenever my dad and I would hear it on the radio in the car, he would wait for this one part where the beat changes. It's kind of like right before they start the. Right before that part, there's two beats. And he would wait for it, wait, wait, and then tap his hands on the steering wheel. And I always wait for that part. And I'll always have that part, even when he's gone.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

It's getting to the point where I'm no fun anymore. I am sorry. Sometimes it hurts so badly I must cry out loud, high and low.

[Stephen Thompson]

Me.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

I am yours, you are mine. You are what you are. Give me part. Remember what we've said and done and felt about each other. Faith, have mercy. Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now. I am not dreaming. I am yours, you are mine. You are what you are. You make it hard.

[Robin Hilton]

I love this song so much, and it is one that I am thankful for, too. My mom's name was Judy and she had blue eyes. And every time this song came on when I was a little kid, it was sort of like the oh, it's mom song. It's the unofficial anthem for her. But did you ever see the movie Interstellar or. Yeah, there's. I love that movie. It's all about sort of the vastness of time and life and love and, you know, all the mysteries of life and the universe.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's this moment told in a neat four and a half hour package, very.

[Robin Hilton]

Tidy, very easy to follow. It's probably one of the reasons why I've watched it so many times. As you get something, you begin to understand something new each time. But there's this moment that is not difficult to understand. When one of the characters observes that after their kids were born, they realized that from that moment on, they were basically there to be memories for their children. And I think of that all the time because, you know, I want my kids to have good memories of me. And it's why, you know, whenever I'm woken up in the middle of the night or something like that, for something.

[Stephen Thompson]

Don'T throw the lamp.

[Robin Hilton]

It's like, hey, buddy, okay? You know. Cause I want to have. I want them to have good memories of me. But I guess I'm thinking of that because I love the memory that Shannon shared about her dad and this song. It's clear that it is A massively important memory to her. And, you know, I wonder if he was even ever even aware that it.

[Stephen Thompson]

Even daughter even knew that he did it. I mean, a little parenting advice for people who want to imprint positive memories on their kids. Sit them down, kind of gather around with some recording equipment and record a podcast together.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, interesting. That's a great idea.

[Stephen Thompson]

Like, don't, you know, you don't need to publish it, you don't need to share it with the world, but just.

[Robin Hilton]

What market are we looking at here? Let's talk metrics, get some ears on it.

[Stephen Thompson]

Get just like, make a document of a conversation. We called ours Thompson Family. Happy half hour.

[Robin Hilton]

Half hour.

[Stephen Thompson]

And the first episode we ever recorded together was 70 minutes long. And the only topic was ways we irritate each other.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, wow. And, well, is there anything more appropriate for the holidays than reflecting on all the ways you're on grievances? Yeah, all your little grievances.

[Stephen Thompson]

So I, you know, so I think that is a lovely way of kind of engineering some of those memories. But as Shannon illustrated, sometimes it's going to be something you didn't even know you were doing.

[Robin Hilton]

Really, really lovely. And so glad to play that song as well. What do you got?

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, I've got Adrienne in Holtsville, New York. Adrienne writes in about the song what a Wonderful World by. By Louis Armstrong. This is a song a lot of people pick. This song has been giving comfort to people for generations and generations. It is, like, resurfaced and resurged onto the pop charts as it's appeared in movies like Good Morning Vietnam.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

This song never goes away. And rightfully, rightfully so. Adrienne writes, I love the lyrics and reminding us how wonderful the world is. I love the imagery of the beautiful colors in a rainbow and the beautiful scenery all around us. I especially love the lyric of seeing people shaking hands saying, how do you do? I am thankful for this wonderful world and pray for peace and love.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

I see trees of green Red roses jeans I see them bloom for me and you and I think to myself what a wonderful world. I I see skies of blue and clouds of white the bright blessed day the dark say good night and I think to myself what a wonderful world.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I mean, this is one of those songs, like you said, it's been resurfaced so many times over the many, many decades that you forget how remarkable it is. Right. Just how perfect and beautiful it is. But I love how Adrian, the listener who wrote in about it, I love that they pointed out that part in the song about people shaking hands and saying, how do you do? How do you do the simple little acts of kindness that hold us all together.

[Stephen Thompson]

We spend all day, every day, thinking about the many, many things that are wrong with the world. And there are a great many things wrong with the world, but there is also beauty everywhere you look, and there's kindness everywhere you look. And there are good people everywhere you look. And it doesn't mean that all the bad stuff ceases to exist or that you're ignoring it or that you're, you know, deluded in some ways. It just means remember to seek joy and beauty because it's out there.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, well said. It's a sentiment in this song that reminds me a little bit of what's going on in that song by Ben Folds that I love so much, Christine from the seventh grade, when he says, you know, there's a break in the rain, a perfect time for a walk, the smell of wet leaves, warm smiles and hellos. These things exist in the real world, you know, just those acts of kindness like that. Just a simple little gesture like that. So was not surprised to see this one as well. And again, like you said, so many people picked it. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. You know, we each brought our own picks. And when I was coming to this whole theme of what's a song you're thankful for? One of the ways that I looked at it was, what is a song that I can't imagine my life without not just thankful for, but, you know, I am thankful for it, but a song that is so a part of my DNA that I just would not be whole or who I am without it. Right.

[Stephen Thompson]

I would still be me. I would just be less me.

[Robin Hilton]

Less me. And I realized that I could not limit it to just one song or one.

[Stephen Thompson]

Robin, you told us we had to limit this to one song. No, I have to pick the following 14 songs.

[Robin Hilton]

I have to go with the entire body of work by this one artist, and that artist is John Williams.

[Stephen Thompson]

Okay?

[Robin Hilton]

The composer John Williams cannot even come close to overstating how important John Williams and his music has been to me my entire life. The very first album I bought when I was in, I think first or second grade was the soundtrack to Jaws. I mean, I bought it on eight track. I was obsessed with it. And I hadn't even seen the movie. All I had seen was because I was too young, right? I had only seen the movie poster. And I was like, I want to listen. But his, you know, that's the thing about his scores is they take you into the movie whether you've seen it or not. Whether you've seen it or not, or let's say you've seen it and you want to relive it. Just listen to the music. He scored essentially my entire childhood.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, it was the soundtrack of my life, but the one that I still listen to just for pleasure, even now, I'm telling you, I listen to this on a walk, maybe within the last couple of weeks, is the soundtrack to E.T. it is what I listen to when I need to feel good. And it is just an extraordinary score. This is the final cut that appears on the album. It's called simply the end credits.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Sa.

[Robin Hilton]

This is a song. The moment those first piano notes play, my heart just explodes out of my chest. I don't know if you can tell, but this is an incredibly difficult piece to play.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, yes.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Incredibly difficult. That melody, that's John Williams. His melodies are everything. And his music is just full of so much magic and wonder. And when I listen, even now, all these years later, I am filled with that sense of magic and wonder. And it takes me away in a way that makes me believe in the world that I want to live in.

[Stephen Thompson]

This piece from ET Is such a great reminder of his brilliance because there's a playfulness to it, but it's a little unsettled.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, definitely.

[Stephen Thompson]

The pattern is a little bit of a jumble of notes, and it's constantly pulling you out of this sense of. It's not just a sense of wonder, it's a sense of mystery. And, my God, I mean, you could talk about some of his more serious scores.

[Robin Hilton]

He did Jurassic Park.

[Stephen Thompson]

Talk about Jurassic park and then Schindler's List.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Same year.

[Stephen Thompson]

The Schindler's List score, it's devastating, and it's kind of impossible to divorce it from the movie, but if you somehow can, it's also just a beautiful piece of music. Gorgeous news flash. John Williams, really good at writing movie score.

[Robin Hilton]

I hear that guy writes pretty good music.

[Stephen Thompson]

I hear he's pretty good.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, I could talk for hours, obviously, about John Williams, but it did not take long for me when I started thinking about it, like, well, what is music that I am not who I am without, or, you know, I could not look. And he was the first thing that popped into mind.

[Stephen Thompson]

I kind of went a little bit more toward the theme.

[Robin Hilton]

Do you know the song Cherry Pie? Just bear with me. There's a story to it. Let me tell you the story.

[Stephen Thompson]

I decided to go in the direction of gratitude a little bit and to talk a little bit more about, like a song that really conveys. Conveys the spirit of a lot of the songs that we've been talking about and that convey the spirit of Thanksgiving. It's a song from 2002 by a duo called Blackalicious and Blackalicious, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful hip hop group led by very, very sadly, now no longer with us. Gift of Gab, who was extremely appropriately named because Gift of Gab is. Was one of the best rappers in the business, just could do these extremely tongue twisty, long, you know, extremely detailed raps, but also infused them with such humanity.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And this song, it's called make youe Feel that Way, sums up so much of just the joy of living.

[G]

Christmas day when your mama got your first bite type of feeling when you went and won your first fight how your team felt winning championship games Celebrate in a huddle Dancing in this rain have a thought See a shooting star across your screen Put in hard work finally you're living your dream Deaf man get his hearing now Income vibes Blind man gaining sight See his first sunrise Dumb man speaking out now he's loud and clear Birthing your child Smile so proud you wear Going in your third eye for nostalgia here Making music that'll bump for a thousand years Eating right, feeling conscious like health is first said A prayer that's sincere when you felt it worked Times I feel I wanna shout man, it's real that way When I'm thinking things that make you feel that way. All up in her vibe Something coming over me Summer days more likely that you notice breezes Winter day is more likely that you notice heat When I'm going more likely that you notice me in the dark it's more likely that you notice light in the light More likely that you notice night Hungry More appreciation for that meal Dead broke More appreciation for that squirrel A bad day of making you really notice once it's good and that'll make things a little better Understood Times I still want to shout man, it's real that way When I think of things that make you feel that way Feel that way Feel.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

That way Feel that way Feel that way feel that way feel that way.

[Robin Hilton]

It'S all those little memories and details of life that are so easy to miss.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And it's just. It's just taking stock of all the things that make life worth living. And I think that's certainly what you hope Thanksgiving is about. Thanksgiving, in many ways, is my favorite holiday in part because I love taking stock of things that make me happy. That's a fun thing to do. And I love my family. And so like, there's a way that he bends the lyrics slightly where he's kind of listing his own joys, right? Like the hip hop music that he fell in love with and dates that he's been on and the joy of getting like a perfect haircut and stuff. But then there's. There's just that one line. Find a hundred dollar bill. Wow, man, that's great.

[Robin Hilton]

Wow. Hey, that's great.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I think that's such a. There's something really sweet about that line because all of a sudden it's like, you found a hundred dollar bill. That's great.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I think that's part of where the warmth of this song comes from is like, I will be nourished by your list of things that make you happy.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. Great pick. When you told me you I didn't know what you were going to pick, but you just said it was from 2002. I started racking my brain what was happening in 2002. I would not have guessed that you were going to pick this one. But it's a great pick. Great pick.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it's a great song.

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[Robin Hilton]

All right, we've got another audio voice memo clip that we got from someone. This is from a listener named J. Shakespeare English. J. Shakespeare English in North Richland Hills, Texas. And the song that they picked is called Space and Time by Tyler Childers.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

As a displaced young adult, I struggled through mental illness and the wandering brought about by feeling as if I didn't belong anywhere. Growing up areligious in the south, without a family or a church, it was tough. I now have my own children, and I'm a teacher, and this song really taps into that essence that Tennyson spoke about in Ulysses. I'm a part of all I've met Every lonely night Every mistake or misstep led me to this place and the people I'm fortunate to know. I just want my babies and my students and all the others that I come across to know how proud I am of them and how infinitely thankful I am to be a small part of their space and time.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

I never wanna leave this world without saying I love you without saying what you mean.

[Robin Hilton]

Me.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

You know you, you make me happy oh, when we share this space in time Won't you know we shape this heart of mine and I never want.

[Robin Hilton]

You know. We had Jason Manzoukas on the show earlier this year, the comedian and the actor, and we were talking about how much we love records and vinyl. And I said, you know, they're kind of like family, and. And Jason was like family. He said, some of my best friends are 45. But listening to Jay, the listener who sent us in the voicemail, listening to Jay talk about why this song is so important to them, it's just such a great reminder of how music can be your best companion, sometimes your closest companion, especially when you feel like there's no one else there for you and you're looking for some sort of recognition and acknowledgement and validation and comfort, and it can come to you in music like this.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I think music has this incredible power to fortify things. You didn't realize that you knew. And music is just such an empathetic art. And I love knowing that there are teachers like Jay in the world, because you can tell Jay is a hell of a teacher. Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

This song in particular, you know, it's about making sure, I think, anyway, at least in part about making sure that you don't live with any regret, particularly when it comes to letting the people in your life know that you love them and how important they are to you. I guess gratitude is sort of implicit in all of that. So the song Space and Time by Tyler Childers, that's from the album Rustin in the Rain. Let's go to another one of the written comments that we got from a listener.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, this is from Sarah in South Philly Sarah picks the song Isn't It a Pity, which was written by George Harrison and covered by Nina Simone. Sarah writes its brilliance gobsmacked me when I first heard it randomly on a college radio station. I think it captures the current zeitgeist. Well, no explanation I can give will do it justice. Go listen for yourself.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Isn't it a shame?

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

Yes.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

How we break each other's heart and cause each other pain. How we take each other's love. Without thinking anymore. Forgetting to give back Forgetting to remember Just forgetting. No, to thank you. Isn't it a pity. Some things take so long. But how do I explain. When not too many people can. I can see. That we all just the same.

[Robin Hilton]

You know, we talk about the regret kind of wrapped up in that Tyler Childers song. That's what this one is about, really. You know, it's about regret and disappointment over the ways that we mistreat each other. I've always struggled with whenever things are bad and they don't have to be, you know, when it's like self inflicted stuff. Oh, that just. The self inflicted pain, it just drives me crazy. Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's enough unhappiness in the world. I don't need to be making my own.

[Robin Hilton]

And I'm sure I'm guilty of it too. But whenever I see it in the world, I'm just like, oh my God, people. And you can feel in Nina Simone's version, like all that painful regret and disappointment just over our kind of our worst impulses and behavior, you know? Yeah.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

How we take each other's love. The most precious thing without thinking anymore. Forgetting to give back. Forgetting to keep open our door. Isn't it a pity we got.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh my gosh, so many songs. Obviously way more than we could ever fit on a single show. So we'll do a playlist, a Thanksgiving playlist for all songs considered. If you search for NPR Music in Spotify and Apple, you'll find it there. And we'll do an expanded playlist. We'll put all these songs, full versions of all these songs, and then, you know, a bunch of the others that we. We got from listeners. But I want to do one more before we go. Another song that a whole bunch of people picked. And maybe it will seem obvious when I tell you what it is. It's Three Little Birds by Bob Marley. And I'll just pick a listener named Willie in Philadelphia who writes this song. Brings instant joy. You can't help but move to it when it's played. We've been grooving to this positive vibration since the 19 thankful to Bob Marley and that I, too, now have my three little birds. All right, that'll do it for this special Thanksgiving edition of the show. For NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'm Stephen Thompson.

[Robin Hilton]

It's ALL SONGS Considered.

[Listener Singing or Reading Lyrics]

Don't worry about a thing? Cause every little gonna be all right. Singing don't worry about a thing? Cause every little thing gonna be all right. Rise up this morning? Smile with the rising sun? Three living birds? It's by my doorstep? Singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true. Singing this is my message to you. Singing don't worry about a thing. I'll never live.

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