Songs that hit hard in 2025

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered – "Songs that Hit Hard in 2025"

Host: Robin Hilton (with Dora Levitt & Mitra Arthur)
Date: December 16, 2025

---

Overview

This annual All Songs Considered episode is devoted to songs that "hit hard" in 2025, as chosen by both the hosts and the NPR Music audience. Submissions included songs that listeners couldn’t stop playing, found cathartic, or emotionally resonant during a challenging year. The central theme running through most picks is gratitude—gratitude for the journey, memories, family, friendships, and fleeting moments that make up life.

The hosts share several moving listener stories and three of their own personal picks, exploring the emotional weight and beauty of 2025's standout tracks.

---

Key Discussion Points & Song Highlights

Setting the Tone: Looking Back on 2025

• The hosts groan and reflect humorously on the rapid, emotionally intense passage of the year.
  • Robin Hilton (00:53): "I'm just grateful to be here with you two. Gratitude is actually, for the most part, at the heart of this week's episode..."
• Three years into this series, listeners are once again asked: What song hit you hardest in 2025, and why?

---

Listener Picks: Impactful Songs & Stories

1. Back in Town – Annie Derusso

• Submitted by: Annie from Miami, FL [Voice Memo @ 02:19]
• Story: As the mother of a toddler, Annie uses this song for morning reflection—reconnecting with her pre-parent identity, blending nostalgia and gratitude for her present.
• Quote (Annie from Miami, 02:19): "I don't want to change my life for from what it is right now at all, but... I remember, like, a different version of who I am, who is still in me and has shaped me today."
• Hosts’ Take:
  • Dora: "I love how much Miami Annie was talking about appreciating who you used to be..." (04:28)
  • Mitra: Ties the theme to the phrase “spinning the block” and learning from returning to old patterns.
• Song Clip: 03:15

2. Drop – Tunde Adibimpe

• Submitted by: Deborah, Provo, UT
• Story: This track soundtracks spring bike rides—embodying both angst and joy post long winter.
• Host Insights:
  • Robin: "Gratitude seemed to be the most often recurring theme...And that's what this song really is ultimately about." (07:21)
  • Mitra: Loves the rejuvenating phrase "a spark of revival" and the cyclical nature of rediscovering energy.
• Song Clip: 06:24

3. You Without Me – Brandi Carlile

• Submitted by: Julie, Kansas City, MO [Voice Memo @ 09:04]
• Story: For parents witnessing their child’s independence, the song is “amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time.”
• Quote (Julie, 09:04): "I never heard that voice before. Today I remind myself to breathe. There you are. It's just you without me."
• Hosts’ Reactions:
  • Mitra: "I got beef with Brandi Carlile because I have shed more tears listening to her music..." (11:25)
  • Robin: "You can see it from both perspectives as both the parent and the child." (11:52)
  • Dora: "It's such a gift to see someone you love grow separate from you." (12:10)
• Song Clip: 10:02
• Notable: Described as the single most nominated song from listeners.

4. DTMF – Bad Bunny

• Submitted by: Barbie, North Carolina
• Story: A song about cherishing time with loved ones—especially those now distant or gone.
• Quote (Barbie, via Mitra, 15:44): "As I grow older and the distance...the song reminds me of the good times I did get to share with my family. I should have relished those times more..."
• Hosts’ Take:
  • Robin: "The idea of time passing and you missing things..." (16:58)
  • Mitra: Shares the importance of meaningful, lasting photos and memories.
  • Robin shares friend's wisdom: "...after you're gone, your kids get no more new words from you." (19:38)
• Memorable Moment: Emotional discussion about preserving journals, photos, and memories for future generations. (19:10)

5. The End – Of Monsters and Men

• Submitted by: Beth, St. Louis Park, MN [Voice Memo @ 20:20]
• Story: Chilling harmonies about "the end of the world" and pressing on.
• Quote (Beth, 20:47): "It just felt a little relatable in 2025...it is beautiful, it is stunning, and it just feels very topical."
• Hosts’ Reactions:
  • Dora: "Everything is falling from the sky...it's just gravity. It's out of our control. And that lets me breathe a little bit easier." (22:26)
  • Mitra: "Pushing through, despite all of the madness..." (23:04)
• Song Clip: 21:04

---

Hosts’ Picks: The Songs That Moved Them Most

6. Malachi the Uber Driver – FC

• Robin’s pick
• Story: A true-life inspired chance encounter with an Uber driver who is also an artist.
• Quote (Robin, 26:25): "It just reminds you of your humanity...how important and rewarding it is to just be with your fellow human being and be kind..."
• Dora: Calls it "one of the biggest moral philosophy questions of what we owe to each other just in this one interaction..." (27:16)
• Memorable Lyric (cited by Robin, 27:42): "Malachi the Uber driver, I think we changed each other's lives in the span of a ride, a moment in time I remember what it could all be like."
• Song Clip: 24:02

7. Rose's Turn (from Gypsy, Audra McDonald version)

• Mitra’s pick
• Story: Iconic Broadway song, newly interpreted by Audra McDonald, marking the first black woman to play Rose on Broadway.
• Mitra (29:25): "What really speaks to me is the way she really punches in and leaves you in my turn and for myself, because nothing in her life has been for herself."
• Reflection: Honors the generations of women who “lived in the background of their own lives.”
• Dora: "She does it in such a new, refreshing, incredibly passionate way..." (30:45)
• Song Clip: 28:35

8. Los Angeles – Big Thief

• Dora’s pick
• Story: Dora cried listening on a flight home from California; song invokes nostalgia, familial distance, and the metaphysical power of connection.
• Quote (Dora, 34:07): "This whole song is about feeling comfort in the ones that you love and your community... Adrianne here, I really love how she talks about how even when we're separated from one another, we all feel the same things..."
• Key Lyric (Dora, 35:34): "'We dream our dreams together without lying in the same bed,' which I just. I believe so much in the power of our dreams."
• Robin: Draws attention to the importance of joyful, communal moments—“the metaphysical is a great word to describe Big Thief." (35:04)
• Song Clip: 33:04

---

Closing Listener Selections

9. Afraid – Flock of Dimes

• Submitted by: Caitlin, Gaithersburg, MD
• Story: Processing the death of a mother; the importance of courage and resilience in facing inevitable change and loss.
• Quote (Caitlin, 36:44): "I did not enter the world afraid, and I refused to leave it that way..."
• Host Insight:
  • Robin: “Just embracing the inevitable with courage... what a great mantra.” (38:49)
  • Mitra: "We learn the fear. We learn to be afraid..." (38:26)
• Song Clip: 37:00

10. Forever Doesn't Seem Quite Long Enough – Ben Rector

• Submitted by: David, Cincinnati, OH [Voice Memo @ 40:00]
• Story: A father’s gratitude for fleeting family time; reflective and upbeat, “the days seem long and the years seem short.”
• Quote (David, 40:00): "Forever doesn't quite seem long enough. And that's kind of how I feel. I'm still in the years of my family when the days seem long and the years seem short."
• Song Clip: 41:20

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Robin Hilton on memories and legacy:
  "After you're gone, your kids get no more new words from you. Those journals, when they go through those, those will be the way they have new words from you after you're gone." (19:38)

• Mitra Arthur on Brandi Carlile:
  "I got beef with Brandi Carlile because I have shed more tears listening to her music...And I do not like to cry that much." (11:25)

• Dora Levitt on Big Thief:
  "We dream our dreams together without lying in the same bed, which I just. I believe so much in the power of our dreams. And that line really stuck with me." (35:34)

---

Major Themes

• Gratitude: A thread in almost every submission—whether for the past, for loved ones, or simply for surviving another year.
• Fleeting Time and Memory: Many songs and stories dwell on moments gone by, family, and the desire to capture life before it fades.
• Emotional Resilience & Change: Listeners and hosts alike are drawn to songs that help them process personal growth, grief, loss, transformation, and the acceptance of change.
• Connection—Family, Friends, Strangers: From family separations to chance encounters with Uber drivers, human connection is deeply felt and central to the year’s most powerful music.

---

Timestamps for Key Songs & Stories

| Song / Segment | Speaker/Submitter | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------| | Back in Town (Annie Derusso) | Annie, Miami (+ hosts) | 02:19 | | Drop (Tunde Adibimpe) | Deborah, Provo | 05:47 | | You Without Me (Brandi Carlile) | Julie, KC (+ hosts) | 09:04 | | DTMF (Bad Bunny) | Barbie, NC | 15:44 | | The End (Of Monsters and Men) | Beth, MN | 20:13 | | Malachi the Uber Driver (FC) | Robin (host pick) | 24:02 | | Rose's Turn (Audra McDonald) | Mitra (host pick) | 28:22 | | Los Angeles (Big Thief) | Dora (host pick) | 31:57 | | Afraid (Flock of Dimes) | Caitlin, MD | 36:44 | | Forever Doesn’t Seem Quite Long Enough | David, Cincinnati | 40:00 |

---

Closing Notes

The episode concludes with hosts reflecting on the power of music to crystallize gratitude, loss, growth, and connection—reminders to "keep your journals, keep all your stuff" (Robin, 20:01) and cherish even the fleeting moments. A full playlist with listeners’ picks is available under “Songs That Hit Hard” on major streaming platforms via NPR Music.

---

This episode, steeped in gratitude and open-hearted nostalgia, is a rich reminder of how music both marks and shapes our emotional lives year after year.

Transcript

[Sponsor/Announcer]

This message comes from Progressive Insurance. Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, we're about to stick a fork in 2025. Can't come soon enough. How are we all feeling, Mitra?

[Mitra Arthur]

It's been a year.

[Robin Hilton]

I thought the heavy sigh said it all.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah, Dora, this was the fastest year of my life.

[Robin Hilton]

Oh, come on.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

No.

[Dora Levitt]

Uh huh.

[Robin Hilton]

Was it really top two?

[Dora Levitt]

Not two.

[Robin Hilton]

Really?

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

This didn't just like January doesn't feel like it was 10 years ago.

[Mitra Arthur]

I don't know.

[Dora Levitt]

I moved to DC this year, so I can't believe I've been in DC for one year.

[Robin Hilton]

Okay.

[Dora Levitt]

It feels like I've just moved here and it's been a month.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, the bar for what is great or amazing has gotten significantly lower for me over the course of this year. I'm just grateful to be here with you two. Gratitude is actually, for the most part, at the heart of this week's episode. I think it's our third annual look at the songs that hit hard. It's All Songs Considered. I'm Robin Hilton, Dora Levitt and Mitra Arthur of NPR Music here. So each year for the past few years, and it all started with you, Mitra. This was an idea I got from you. We have been asking listeners to tell us about a song that hit them hard, specifically new songs that came out this year, songs that they couldn't stop listening to they were obsessed with, that made them openly weep, or songs that just made them feel something more than any other song. We each brought our own picks, but really we want to get to as many listener picks as possible. Listeners wrote in. They sent us voice memos, notes telling us about the songs that hit them really hard and why, and some amazing stories behind them. I thought we should start with one of the voicemails we got.

[Mitra Arthur]

So our first voice note is from Annie from Miami, Florida. Her song was Back in Town by Annie Derusso from the album Super Pedestrian. Annie is a mom with an almost toddler and often overwhelmed by early parenthood. And this is a song that really helped her keep things in perspective this year.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

I listen to this song I don't even know how many mornings at like first thing in the morning at like 6am in my earphones, really, really loudly. And it like transports me back to a version of myself, a younger version of myself that made a lot of stupid decisions that was. It was in a lot of really unrewarding, like, relationships, but also had a certain amount of freedom at that time. And I don't want to change my life for from what it is right now at all, but it does something. It was the biggest gift for me to every single morning for. I'm not kidding, like, maybe a month straight. Start my morning with that song and remember, like, a different version of who I am, who is still in me and has shaped me today, but who doesn't get as much time to just hang around and make really stupid decisions anymore.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Now you're somewhere in Idaho Letting me down again yeah, I know I should know by now I heard from a friend you're still sleeping around but give me a call when you're back in town I wanna give you my all when you're back in town when you're back, you're back when you're back, you're back when you're back, you're back when you're back, you're. You don't think I'm just waiting around but give me a call when you're back in town.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah, I got. I got to be honest, I. I would not have peg this song as one that hit hard. I love this song and this whole album. But then when I heard Annie, Annie in Miami intro it, like, I got kind of emotional hearing this.

[Dora Levitt]

I agree. Like, I listened to this song so much this year just because I'm the biggest Annie DeRusso fan. But I love how much Miami Annie was talking about appreciating who you used to be and how that version of yourself is still in there. And Amy DeRusso leans into that so much. She's so authentically and unapologetically herself all the time.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Right.

[Dora Levitt]

And it's a great way to view your life.

[Mitra Arthur]

It reminded me of the embarrassing part of the phrase spinning the block.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

I don't know if you're either of you.

[Robin Hilton]

I know that. I know. Spinning the block.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

So spinning the block.

[Mitra Arthur]

It's very much what the song was. She's talking about of, like, you had this person who you were with, and they are terrible, they're trash, but you can't help but to go right back around.

[Robin Hilton]

I gotcha and spin that block.

[Mitra Arthur]

And you hopefully learn things from that. And I am. It seems as though Annie from Miami is reflecting on those times.

[Robin Hilton]

It helped her see how life can be many things. It can be like, you can love the life you have now and miss the life that you had both at the same time. Oh, yeah, yeah. No, it's a great pick. Again, Annie from Miami picking Annie Derusso is Back in Town from the album Super Pedestrian. Let's go to another listener. Let's do one of the notes that we got from somebody.

[Dora Levitt]

This is Deborah in Provo, Utah. Her song is Drop by Tunde Adibimpe from the album the Black Bolts. Deborah says, I found this album in the spring when I was doing a lot of bike riding after a long winter. And this song enhanced both the angst and, oh, so much angst there's been since January. That gets me on my bike in the first place and also the joy I feel when I'm riding it. It's both vulnerable and bouncy, which is a beautiful soundtrack. As I ride up and down the canyon near my home.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Look, will I feel it when I drop. Rest as now where's the ticking of a clock on my life in my life Just a dot on the timeline and my soul is fading tonight. Then from the ceiling Came a night. Lightning strikes and my mind receives a shock and my heart and my heart beats A spark of revival.

[Robin Hilton]

I said at the top of the show that gratitude seemed to be the most often recurring theme in all of the submissions we got from listeners this year. And that's what this song really is ultimately about. Just appreciating your life and just the simple pleasures.

[Mitra Arthur]

I love the phrase a spark of revival. That return, that rejuvenation. I mean, I love how Deborah talks about riding the bike because I could. I can see that imagery and listening to this song and using it to.

[Robin Hilton]

Sort of push you, keep you going. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you. Do you do that? I used to ride my bike all the time and listen to music.

[Mitra Arthur]

It's been a minute all the time.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah, yeah. I so relate to that. In. When I was in college and I was being, like, restless and anxious, I would just get on my bike and ride as, like, hard and fast as possible with a really good song with a great beat, just like this song. And it was just the best way to process, like Deborah said, all of the angst in the world.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. This song is kind of about just what a blip your life is in the vast timeline of life, you know, of the universe. It goes by pretty quickly, and if you're not paying attention, you. You're just going to miss it all. And, yeah, so that pick from Deborah and Provo, the song drop. Let's go to another voice memo. We got. This one is from Julie in Kansas City. And the Song that she picked is you without me by Brandy Carlile. And let me tell you, this was the single most mentioned song in all the voice memos and notes and letters and emails we got from people. This. I completely lost track how many times this song was mentioned. Could have gone with any of the stories we got. But again, this is Julie from Kansas City.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

To me, it's all about a child growing up and figuring out who they are as an individual and how hard yet rewarding it is for a parent to watch that happen. It reminds me of when my daughter, who's now 34, went off to kindergarten and came home each day with the influences of people outside of our family. She would have a new phrase or action that I know did not come from me. It was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time. I especially connected with the line in the song that goes. I never heard that voice before. Today I remind myself to breathe. There you are. It's just you without me. Ugh, I'm tearing up right now just thinking about it. I've got to go listen to it again.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Was your smile always crooked? Is the freedom ever free? Do you kick the rocks between your feet? After all this time with me? You can listen to your own records now. Decide what you believe. You can pray on stars and skip the gods like stones across the sea But I would know you anywhere I lost myself in you heavy over the hands Then you are free to slip right through do what you have to do. There you are, my morning star I wondered when you'd show. Give me just a quick thumbs up a week before you go. I never heard that voice before today I remind myself to breathe There you are. It's just you without me.

[Robin Hilton]

One of you is gonna have to go first.

[Mitra Arthur]

I got beef with Brandi Carlisle because I have shed more tears listening to her music.

[Robin Hilton]

When you started with I've got beef.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

I was like, oh, God, what are you gonna say?

[Robin Hilton]

You've got a very different take on this song.

[Mitra Arthur]

No, my beef is she has made me cry more than probably any artist than I can ever think of listening to her music. And I do not like to cry that much. So I got beef with you, Brady Carlisle, for making me cry all the time.

[Robin Hilton]

I was maybe, what, 15 seconds into it before I started blubbering. And I think for me, it certainly makes me think of my own kids, But I don't think you have to have kids to because you can read this both ways. You can see it from both perspectives as both the parent and the child. In this, I think completely.

[Dora Levitt]

And this just hearing Julie talk about viewing your daughter as a person beyond you even. I mean, I started crying listening to the voice memo before I even cried more listening to the song. It's such a gift to be able to see someone you love grow separate from you.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah. And that's it. You know, the thing I think that Julie was saying was that, you know, when you realize, and I had this moment too, when you realize that they're at school or wherever and they're away from you all day long and they'll come home and they're, they'll tell you about their day and you're like, wow, you were having this life that I am simply not a part of at all. And it's not that they're becoming someone you don't want them to become. It's that you're missing everything. You're missing everything.

[Mitra Arthur]

But I also love there's a line I showed up with a broken name and handed it to you. And just thinking of I'm not a parent, but just thinking of, you know, any parent kind of comes into that situation of parenting with their own baggage and complications and a child has to find their way through that and make their own sort of personhood.

[Robin Hilton]

Well, like I said, you Without Me, the most mentioned song of any song that we got in this call out. There were others from the album that people mentioned. The album is Returning to Myself from Brandi Carlisle. There were actually several songs from that whole album that people mentioned, but. But yeah, you Without Me.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

By far the most mentioned this message comes from Schwab. At Schwab, how you invest is your choice, not theirs. That's why when it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices. You can invest and trade on your own. Plus get advice and more comprehensive wealth solutions to help meet your unique needs. With award winning service, low costs and transparent advice, you can manage your wealth your way at Schwab. Visit schwab.com to learn more support for.

This podcast and the following message come from Indeed. Hiring isn't just about finding someone willing to take the job. You need a person with the right background who can move your business forward. Spend more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes with Indeed Sponsored jobs. Receive a $75 sponsored job credit with Indeed sponsored jobs@ Indeed.com songs, terms and conditions apply. Hiring do it the Right Way with Indeed. This message comes from Saatva, the official mattress and restorative sleep provider for the U.S. olympic and Paralympic teams. U.S. olympic cross country skiing athlete and Saatva brand ambassador Jesse Diggins talks about how sleep affects performance.

[Dora Levitt]

When it comes to my athletic performance, sleep is everything. It is the most important factor in getting the most out of my training.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

And being ready to race as fast as possible.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Saatva believes you deserve that kind of restorative sleep, too. Visit saatva.com NPR to save $200 on $1,000 or more.

This message is sponsored by DSW, the birthplace of the humble brag, full of all kinds of shoes that get you at prices that get your budget. And when there are never ending options for every style, mood, occasion and budget, there is unlimited freedom to play. And that's something to brag about. So go ahead, stock up on fresh sneakers from your favorite brands or try those boots you always secretly knew you could pull off. Find the shoes that get you at prices that get your budget. Dsw. Let them surprise you.

[Robin Hilton]

All right, let's go to another one of the notes that we got from a listener.

[Mitra Arthur]

So Barbie from North Carolina picked the song DTMF by Bad Bunny from Debitar Mas Photos. She told us that the song is about enjoying time with your loved ones. As I grow older and the distance between us seems to expand, whether physically or as some are now in the great beyond, the song reminds me of the good times I did get to share with my family. I should have relished those times more when I was in it.

[Robin Hilton]

This actually might be the second most mentioned song of all the ones that we got in. I think people just, you know, the title means I think I should have taken more photos. I think it just the idea of time passing and you missing things and realizing. Well, it actually ties very much in with the Brandi Carlisle song in a lot of ways. Yeah. That you're missing a lot of it if you're not paying attention and how fleeting it is and just to appreciate it.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah, I also feel like this song gets at we're gonna always wish that we spent more time too. And so I feel like Barbie says I should have relished in those times when I was in it. But also I did get to have those times in the first place, which is such a beautiful sentiment and goes along with the gratitude that we're seeing all across this year.

[Mitra Arthur]

In my own personal life, I have started taking more photos. I've started sort of trying to capture those memories a lot more physically because it is fleeting.

[Robin Hilton]

Do you feel like you don't take enough photos or you weren't taking enough.

[Mitra Arthur]

Photos or not meaningful photos Some of them were just sort of throwaways. But realizing the people that we've lost, the parts of our home that we've lost. You know, every time I go home, it's a very different place. So just having those moments to really. Yeah, okay. I remember these places. I remember these moments.

[Robin Hilton]

I love the idea of I should have taken more photos. As a way of summing up how fleeting life is and how you need to appreciate it. The truth is, I've got way too many photos. I just. I think all the time, like, my poor kids. This is the most documented generation of all time. It's thousands and thousands and thousands of photos that they're gonna drag into the trash bin when I kick it. And it's up to them to sort through it all.

[Mitra Arthur]

But you never. I think about a photo of my mother and I that is very precious to me, and it was taken by a dear friend of mine who passed away during COVID And so there's a couple of different layers of. When I look at that photo, I look at this picture I love of my mom and I. But I also think about my friend who I've lost.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Dora Levitt]

I love sitting with people and looking through their camera rolls and the photos that are meaningful to them. Even those throwaway photos, it's. Don't get rid of any of them, Robin.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

I won't.

[Robin Hilton]

I won't. You know, I had all these journals that I was gonna get rid of. I had. I had. It must have been 20, 30. Oh, over 30 years of journals. And I thought, my kids don't want to go through this. They probably won't even be able to read cursive by the time these end up in their hands. And I was about to throw them out, and a friend of mine called me up because I texted him and said. He's like, don't do it. Don't do it. And he said the most powerful thing. He said, after you're gone, your kids get no more new words from you. That's it. They get no more new words from you. Those journals, when they go through those, those will be the. The way they have new words from you after you're gone. And I thought, oh, God, what was. I was so close to just throwing them in the trash bin.

[Dora Levitt]

That's so beautiful.

[Robin Hilton]

Yeah.

[Dora Levitt]

Wow.

[Robin Hilton]

Keep your journals. Keep all your stuff. Yeah.

[Dora Levitt]

I never get rid of anything.

[Robin Hilton]

So that was from Barbie in North Carolina. The song she picked again was DTMF by Bad Bunny. Let's go to another voice memo.

[Dora Levitt]

So Beth in St. Louis Park, Minnesota picked the end by Of Monsters and Men from All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

The first time I heard it, I just instantly had chills because it is a beautiful, gorgeous song. The harmonies are unbelievable. And as I listened more and listened to the lyrics, I was struck by how haunting the song was. It's a song about kind of the end of the world and just continuing to go about your life because there's.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Really nothing you can do.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

And that just felt a little relatable in 2025. So this song just brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it because it is beautiful, it is stunning, and it just feels very topical.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Waking up just before the moon.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Someone.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Said the world is ending Something's kind of falling from the sky well, that's all right with me Such is gravity Everything around here must come down eventually Come on darling, come on back to me Somehow. Something shiny sticking through the mud I guess it's kind of funny how the world revolves around a dying sun it's alright to be stuck in gravity Mama put the kettle on me coffee and then said Come on darling where's your mind so far from me now.

[Dora Levitt]

Ever since I heard the song, per Beth's suggestion, I haven't stopped thinking about the line, everything is falling from the sky. But that's all right, because it's just gravity. And that line, even in the past week, has given me a new type of reflection on this year. Because this year has really felt like everything is falling down and there's so much chaos and there's not much explanation for it. But here we're just saying it's bound to happen. It's gravity. It's out of our control. And that lets me breathe a little bit easier. And sometimes it's okay to just sit with that.

[Mitra Arthur]

Pushing through, pushing through despite all of the madness, the sky falling, everything, it really does make you sort of think about, okay, how do I just find the best way through? Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

So, yeah, I will say that I also Dora had not listened to the song until Beth in St. Louis Park, Minnesota recommended it, and I'm so glad she did. I actually discovered a lot of songs that I had missed this year, going through all these listener picks. Should we do our own picks now? Should we do our personal picks?

[Mitra Arthur]

Let's do it.

[Robin Hilton]

This is one I know, Dora, you really, really love as well. In fact, I wouldn't even know about this song if you hadn't picked it for the Tiny Desk contest entry. It's a song called Malachi The Uber driver can't tell you how many times I audibly sobbed me too. To this song. The audio that I have for it is the audio from the actual Tiny Desk contest entry that FC sent in. And we can talk a little bit more about it after we hear some of it.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Hello, Tiny desk. My name is FC. And this song is called Malachi the Uber Driver. Inspired by Malachi the Uber driver who inspired me.

[Mitra Arthur]

One night.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Malachi the Uber driver picks me up half past midnight. I just had the time of my life and he just spent the whole night cutting, ignored. It made me think of what we're fighting for. Malachi, the Uber driver jokes and says he's worldwide. He only drives to pass the time and I believe him. He calls me polite, but I know artists who strive but don't make a dime. If they do, that's fine. They're still into pay. Not to mention the hatred. It's in your face. I guess what I'm saying is, Malachite Uber driver, we're not so different. You and I both had tough times in grades four and five and took to our to ease our minds. You told me about your grandma and how she would send you art supplies to try out.

[Robin Hilton]

I had to get to the part where they know how the driver got art supplies from their grandmother and how they realized that they weren't that different in grades four and five. They both went through hard times and it's not a sad song, it's. It just reminds you of your humanity and such a potent reminder of how important it is and rewarding it is to just be with your fellow human being and be kind and share with one another and have moments like this.

[Mitra Arthur]

I just love this sort of chance encounter. Sort of gives them this revelation, this sort of life changing revelation as it were. But I also just love that the artists in them saw the artist in him even as they weren't doing their art.

[Dora Levitt]

FC answers one of the biggest moral philosophy questions of what we owe to each other just in this one interaction, like you said, with another artist. And it's. I was thinking about how the first time I heard this song was like a year ago. And how I haven't stopped thinking about this encounter that they had. This. This song feels like it's been ingrained in me all year.

[Robin Hilton]

The best line, I think actually comes at the very end when I really lose it. It's when FC says malachi the Uber driver, I think we changed each other's lives.

[Mitra Arthur]

Yes. Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

In the span of a ride, a moment in time I remember what it could all be like.

[Dora Levitt]

Oh my gosh.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

So this is again the audio version of the song and performance that FC sent in for their Tiny Desk contest entry. But they hit me up recently and said that they're going to give the song a proper release, the studio recording early next year, I think. Look for that in January. Mitra.

[Mitra Arthur]

Yes.

[Robin Hilton]

Let's do your pick.

[Mitra Arthur]

When I was thinking about my song, I just could not stop going back to the rendition of Rose's Turn from this most recent production of Gypsy sang by Audra McDonald.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Why did I do it?

[Mitra Arthur]

Why did it get me.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Scrapbooks full of me in the background?

Give em love and what does it get you?

What does it get you?

[Mitra Arthur]

One quick look as each of them.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Leaves you.

All your life and what.

[Mitra Arthur]

Does it get you?

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Thanks a lot. And up with the garbage they take bowels and you're betting zero. I had a dream I dreamed it for you June. It wasn't for me Happy and if it wasn't for me then where would.

[Mitra Arthur]

You be Miss Gypsy Rosalie. I get very emotional every time I listen to the cast album of this performance. Every time I think about the times I saw her perform it. Every time I look at a clip from her performing it on the Tony Awards, which is where most people will probably be familiar with this performance who aren't already familiar with the musical that's been out since. Since 1959. And so because it's been out for so long and there have been so many iconic voices that have done this song. Ethel Berman, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters. What really speaks to me is the way she really punches in and leaves you in my turn and for myself, because nothing in her life has been for herself. And so every time I listen to it, I get emotional. I also, because of the fact that I just can't even ignore it, the fact that this is the very first time that this character was portrayed by a black woman on Broadway. I think of in that time period that this still takes place. And I can't help but to think about the elders, the women in my life who would have been of that generation, who lived in the background of their own lives. So I just get emotional whenever I think about it.

[Dora Levitt]

This is such a Broadway classic standard. And the first time I listened to this version, I kind of forgot that because she does it in such a new, refreshing, incredibly passionate way, in a way that I feel like Rose's turn I've heard so many times in so many different iterations and audra knocks all of those other versions out of the park just by her her passion alone.

[Robin Hilton]

And again, that's from a Broadway cast recording of Gypsy that just came out earlier this year.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

This message comes from Progressive Insurance and the name your price tool. It helps you find car insurance options in your budget. Try it [e-mail], progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match, limited by state law. Not available in all states.

This message comes from NPR sponsor ebay, who is home to millions of parts for your next project and free returns if it doesn't fit or it isn't what you expected. Ebay has your back. Eligible items only exclusions apply. Ebay Things people love Dora we should do your pick.

[Dora Levitt]

My pick is Los Angeles by Big Thief from their new album Double Infinity. And when I first heard this song, I was on the plane back from California and I was just sobbing audibly on the plane on the plane and the person next to me was like should I do something? And my sister a few weeks ago actually texted me and I'd never told her the story and said that the laugh at the beginning of the song sounded like my laugh. Which was funny cause I never even heard the laugh at the beginning of this song. But I liked that it reminded her of me because when I was crying to the song, it was because I was thinking about my family as well.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Los Angeles 3:33 Nothing on the stereo Dirty tear like Mona Lisa smiling in the half life mysteriously but seriously I'd follow you forever even without looking you call we come together even without speaking you.

You sang for me.

You sang for me. The picture box is full and we are kissing in a fistful of fragments falling down I throw them up and I watch them hit the ground like snow amputated dimension of the physical melting image without sound.

[Robin Hilton]

It's funny you say that about the laugh because that was the first thing that I clock when I was listening to this because it's such a joyful. It's the kind of laugh that you have when you're just hanging out with friends as opposed to like being told a joke or whatever or seeing something funny. It is just pure joy and joy from the company of others.

[Dora Levitt]

Absolutely. This whole song is about feeling comfort in the ones that you love and your community. And like I said, I moved away from my family this year. Oh my God, now I'm gonna cry.

[Robin Hilton]

You're doing great.

[Dora Levitt]

I moved away from my family this year and my family also has moved across the country. We used to all live in New York, and I've really felt the distance. But Adrianne here, I really love how she talks about how even when we're separated from one another, we all feel the same things, and we all feel the beauty and the weight of the world around us and the metaphysical. And that is what connects us even across all of this distance.

[Robin Hilton]

I mean, that's what she does in her music so. Well, all the time.

[Dora Levitt]

All the time.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Robin Hilton]

Just even as epic as it gets and. Or as intimate, it's. There's always. The metaphysical is a great word to use to try. Describe the music of Adrienne Lanker and Big Thief.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah.

[Mitra Arthur]

There is so often where I go to call my mom and the first thing out of her mouth is, I was just thinking about you. Those moments where the connection is so strong with people we love in our lives that you don't have to. You can hear somebody and be like, I think I need to put my eyes on them. I need to see them, to just sort of make sure everything is good to go.

[Dora Levitt]

She says, we dream our dreams together without lying in the same bed, which I just. I believe so much in the power of our dreams. And that line really stuck with me.

[Robin Hilton]

What a beautiful pick. Yeah, there's a great, sort of euphoric hey Jude sort of breakdown at the end of the song that could go on for another 10 minutes, but, yeah, really beautiful. All right, just a couple more picks that we want to play, and they're both from listeners. The first one comes from Caitlin in Gaithersburg, and the song she picked is called Afraid by Flock of Dimes. And this is one of the notes we got. Caitlin wrote. I've done a lot of soul searching since my mother died of endometrial cancer in 2022. And this song really spoke to my experience with loss, grief, and learning to accept the inevitability of change, transformation, and death. The lyrics, I did not enter the world afraid, and I refused to leave it that way, made me think of how courageously my mother lived despite a very challenging life, how bravely she fought to stay with us and when it was time to go, how fearless she was. And taking that last step, even though it meant leaving all she left behind. The lyrics, I had to grow, so I grew. I didn't mean for it to take me so far gone from you. Sort of spoke to the idea that growing up, growing old and dying takes us away from our old selves and our loved ones, but it's an important and inevitable part of. Of life to be embraced and met.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

With courage I nodded.

I.

Refuse to leave it that way I did not enter this world alone A guest made in the silence crying essence and bone I had to grow that's how I grew I didn't mean for it to take me so far gone from you I'm lying. When I cried All I wanted was a witness But I know that you tried.

[Robin Hilton]

I want to thank Caitlin for writing in and sharing this story. It was really moving and very powerful. And I love, love, love the takeaway from Caitlin's note and from the song, just embracing the inevitable with courage, fearlessness, the importance of staying resilient all through life. And there's a kind of magical wonder in this song. You can even hear it. It sounds like a playground, children playing on a playground off in the distance.

[Mitra Arthur]

It's interesting you mention that, because I think when we are younger, we have a lot of abandon and fearlessness and we learn the fear. We learn to be afraid of what is possible. We learn to be afraid of finding who we are, of finding our joy. And as the song says, I didn't come in here afraid. I had to learn that.

[Robin Hilton]

Really, that line, I did not enter this world afraid, and I refused to leave it that way. That's been rattling around in my head ever since this listener, Caitlin in Gaithersburg, flagged it for me. And it's like, what a great mantra.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

Oh, completely.

[Robin Hilton]

So many stories and songs that we got way, way more than we could fit on a single, single show. So we'll do this. We'll make a playlist in Spotify and Apple if you search for songs that hit hard and NPR or All Songs Considered, you'll find it. And we'll put full versions of all the songs that we played here on the show in there, along with a bunch of the other picks that we got. We'll go out on a voice memo. This is from David in Cincinnati. The song you picked is Forever Doesn't Seem Quite Long Enough. It's from an album called the Richest man in the World by the singer Ben Rector. I'm just going to let David set it up and we'll go straight to the song. We'll go out on this. But Dora Levitt, Mitra Arthur, thanks so much.

[Mitra Arthur]

Thank you.

[Dora Levitt]

Thanks for having us.

[Mitra Arthur]

Making us cry.

[Dora Levitt]

Yeah. Crying.

[Robin Hilton]

You're welcome. I'm Robin Hilton for NPR Music. It's All Songs Considered. Again, here's David in Ohio with the song Forever Doesn't Seem Quite Long Enough by Ben Rector.

[Listener Voice Memo Speaker]

It speaks to my heart and my emotions about what it's like to have a young family. My kids are getting older, my wife and I have been together for 23 plus years now and just realizing there's a lot of things that we take for granted in our lives and I'm really grateful for them. But a lot of things could happen and we don't know when or what could happen in the future. But the refrain of the song says over and over again forever doesn't quite seem long enough. And that's kind of how I feel. I'm still in the years of my family when the days seem long and the years seem short. So yeah, it's a really moving song. It's got a really upbeat tempo and it speaks to me deeply about the phase of life I'm in and especially as I think about the years to come. So thanks for this assignment. This was really neat to reflect on.

[Song Lyrics/Performance]

When I was 5 years old. Couldn't imagine these when I was in high school, 40 meant that you said whoa, maybe everybody feels this way when they start getting old. I love you so much I'm scared you won't always be here what a ticket sick and you leave me when you're 38 what if I get wrecked driving on the interstate? Well, it doesn't quite seem long enough I wish I had known when we were in second grade Draw your stupid pictures. Eli's with you every day.

[Sponsor/Announcer]

This message comes from Vanguard Capturing value in the bond market is not easy. That's why Vanguard offers a suite of over 80 institutional quality bond funds actively managed by a 200 person global team of sector specialists, analysts and traders. They're designed for financial advisors looking to give their clients consistent results year in and year out. See the [e-mail] audio that's vanguard.com audio all investing is subject to risk. Vanguard Marketing Corporation Distributor this message comes from NPR sponsor Capella University. With Capella's flexpath Learning format, you can set your own deadlines and learn on your schedule. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn [e-mail].

This message comes from NPR sponsor Viori, featuring the performance jogger. Visit viori.com NPR for 20% off your first purchase on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions.