Songs that hit you hard

Summary

All Songs Considered: "Songs That Hit You Hard" – Detailed Summary

Release Date: April 22, 2025
Host: Robin Hilton with Mitra and Stephen Thompson
Podcast: NPR's All Songs Considered

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Songs That Hit You Hard", NPR's flagship music discovery program, All Songs Considered, delves into tracks that have profoundly impacted listeners. Hosts Robin Hilton, Mitra, and Stephen Thompson explore a collection of emotionally charged songs submitted by their audience, sharing personal stories and insightful discussions about each piece's resonance and significance.

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1. SZA’s "Saturn"

Listener's Story: Mona from San Antonio
Mona shares her struggles in 2024, coping with two significant losses and chronic illnesses. She finds solace in SZA’s "Saturn," which mirrors her emotional turmoil while providing a soothing melodic backdrop.

Notable Quotes:

• Mitra [00:37]: “We’re going to share some of those songs and the stories and the song picks and everything.”
• Mona [02:00]: "How can things get any worse? How much more can a person take?"
• Stephen Thompson [03:09]: “It just really makes you reflect on why am I going through these things and is there a way to get out of this?”

Host Discussion:
The hosts discuss how "Saturn" encapsulates feelings of despair and hope. Mitra highlights SZA’s ability to pose profound existential questions through her lyrics, while Stephen appreciates the song's production for its "otherworldly connection" that reassures listeners.

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2. Laura Marling’s "Child of Mine"

Listener's Story: Josh from Dayton, Ohio
Josh celebrates the birth of his first child, expressing how Laura Marling’s "Child of Mine" beautifully captures the transformative experience of parenthood. The song serves as a poignant reminder to cherish every moment with his daughter.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh [04:58]: “I always end up crying hard during the bridge... I don't want to miss any moment.”
• Mitra [07:14]: “This song made me remember the first time I fell hard for someone in college.”

Host Discussion:
Mitra and Stephen reflect on how the album "Patterns" by Laura Marling deeply influenced listeners, especially with Marling recording alongside her daughter. They emphasize the universal themes of love, growth, and the fleeting nature of time conveyed through the song.

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3. Beyoncé’s "Two Hands to Heaven"

Listener's Story: Michelle from Philadelphia
At 45, Michelle shares her joy in finally finding true love after enduring numerous hardships. Beyoncé’s "Two Hands to Heaven" resonates with her journey towards happiness and the reassurance that everything will be alright.

Notable Quotes:

• Michelle [09:22]: “I am 45 years old and finally met the love of my life.”
• Stephen Thompson [10:49]: “That line, 'I’ll be better on Saturn,' perfectly captures sentiments about seeking solace and understanding.”

Host Discussion:
The hosts explore the song’s nuanced portrayal of love and struggle. Mitra appreciates the implied struggles behind the celebratory tone, while Stephen connects Beyoncé’s lyrical depth to personal growth and fulfillment.

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4. Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn’s "Traditions"

Listener's Story: Josh
Josh reflects on familial traditions and their role in shaping personal identity. The song "Traditions" highlights the intersection of superstition and blessings, resonating with his own experiences rooted in faith and cultural heritage.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh [17:20]: “You call it lucky, I call it blessings.”
• Stephen Thompson [19:20]: “It makes me think of my mom and grandmothers... the small acts of faith.”

Host Discussion:
Stephen and Mitra discuss how "Traditions" underscores the importance of cultural and familial practices in maintaining faith and hope. They appreciate the song’s simplicity and emotional depth, which eloquently convey complex feelings about heritage and belief.

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5. Matty Diaz’s "God Person"

Listener's Story: Mitra
Mitra introduces "God Person" as her song of the year, describing its portrayal of awe and the search for meaning in life. The song encapsulates a sense of wonder and the quest for understanding one’s place in the universe.

Notable Quotes:

• Mitra [21:41]: “This song just devastates me. It’s not explicitly joyful or sad.”
• Josh [23:10]: “Maybe I can't say that I'm not a God person.”

Host Discussion:
The hosts delve into the song’s lyrical exploration of faith and existence. Mitra highlights the emotional complexity, while Stephen appreciates how the song poses existential questions without providing definitive answers, fostering a personal introspective journey for listeners.

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6. Shovels and Rope’s "Love Song From a Dog"

Listener's Story: Olivia from Washington State
Olivia recounts a heartbreaking moment when she received distressing news about her dog’s health. "Love Song From a Dog" serves as an emotional homage to the bond between humans and their pets, encapsulating loyalty and unconditional love.

Notable Quotes:

• Olivia [25:39]: “It felt like I was meant to hear it in that moment, like my dog was trying to tell me how much he loved me back.”
• Mitra [28:35]: “Dogs know how to be good. They don't need as much time as we've got.”

Host Discussion:
The hosts discuss the unique perspective the song offers, portraying love from a dog's viewpoint. They reflect on the deep emotional connections people have with their pets and how the song beautifully captures the bittersweet nature of loss and enduring love.

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7. Kendrick Lamar’s "Man at the Garden"

Listener's Story: Mary from Massachusetts
Mary shares how Kendrick Lamar’s "Man at the Garden" became a mantra for her, especially in dealing with feelings of self-worth and deserving peace. The song challenges listeners to reflect on their own achievements and rights to happiness.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary [30:50]: “I deserve it all like minds and less enemies.”
• Stephen Thompson [33:15]: “He’s saying, 'I put in the work. I did the hard stuff... I deserve happiness and peace.'”

Host Discussion:
Stephen and Mitra explore the empowering message of the song, emphasizing the importance of self-affirmation. They discuss how Kendrick Lamar addresses broader social themes while also providing a personal call to recognize one’s inherent worth and right to joy.

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8. Baby Rose’s "One Last Dance"

Listener's Story: Marcia from Belfast, Maine
Marcia describes how "One Last Dance" evokes deep emotions about past relationships and enduring gratitude for those connections, even as they fade or end.

Notable Quotes:

• Marcia [35:23]: “...my heart still has a place for them and gratitude for their place in my life.”
• Josh [35:35]: “I don’t wanna miss a child of mine.”

Host Discussion:
The hosts highlight the song’s narrative of reminiscing and closure. Mitra and Stephen appreciate the storytelling quality and the universal theme of loving memories, drawing parallels with previously discussed songs about nostalgia and enduring bonds.

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9. Other Highlights and Reflections

As the episode progresses, the hosts touch on additional songs submitted by listeners, each carrying its own emotional weight and personal significance. They acknowledge the diverse ways music can influence and mirror life's myriad experiences, from joy and love to loss and introspection.

Notable Quotes:

• Mitra [40:13]: “What is grief but love enduring.”
• Stephen Thompson [34:15]: “It is okay to claim your joy and your success. You do deserve it all.”

Host Discussion:
Stephen and Mitra reflect on the collective themes of the episode, emphasizing the power of music to validate and express complex emotions. They celebrate the shared experiences of their listeners, fostering a sense of community and understanding through the universal language of song.

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10. Conclusion

The episode concludes with the hosts expressing gratitude for the heartfelt submissions from their audience. They encourage listeners to explore the curated playlist of "hit hard" songs, available on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, ensuring that the emotional journeys shared remain accessible to all.

Robin Hilton signs off, reminding listeners to stay tuned for future episodes that continue to explore the profound connections between music and the human experience.

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Playlist Availability:
For those who missed the episode, a playlist featuring all the discussed songs and additional listener submissions can be found by searching NPR on Spotify or Apple Music.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content sections from the transcript have been excluded to focus solely on the episode’s thematic and conversational highlights.

Transcript

[Robin Hilton]

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Lagunitas Brewing Company. Challenging the status quo and crafting stories along the way. Featuring a wide range of innovative craft brews and non alcoholic options. It's good to have friends learn [e-mail].

[Mitra]

Can you believe it has been a year since we did this show? This time last year it's kind of.

[Stephen Thompson]

Wild to think about that.

[Mitra]

It went by so fast for me. Are you at that point, Mitra were It's just time is just going faster and faster.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is. I very much am like wait a minute, I thought it was January. Wait a minute, I thought it was September. What's happening?

[Mitra]

Yeah so this is our new annual tradition that we started last year, our episode about songs that hit hard. We did a call out to listeners and it turns out there are lots of songs that, you know, really hit lots of people really hard. We had a little form they could fill out online if they wanted to use that. Writing in voicemails telling us about a song that absolutely wrecked them one way or the other. Ugly, cried to or just obsessed about. So we're going to share some of those songs and the stories and the song picks and everything. On this episode, we'll get to as many as we can. Let's start with one of the written comments that we got.

[Stephen Thompson]

So this was a song a lot of people picked, which would be SZA's Saturn. Yeah, a single she released back in February. So people have been sitting with this for a few months now. But one of the listeners who wrote in was Mona from San Antonio. She says 2024 was a rough year. I had two great losses and was diagnosed with two chronic illnesses. This song hit me hard because the lyrics summed up my emotional state of mind. How can things get any worse? How much more can a person take? The melodic sound of the song, though, was somehow soothing. It made me feel every emotion. It made me feel like I wasn't alone.

[Josh]

Give me a sign this can't be life if there's a point in losing love Repeating pain It's all the same I hate this place Stuck in this paradigm don't believe in paradise this must be when hell is life is Got to be more got to be more Sick of the Zen of mine Intrusive thoughts they're paralyzed no F is not is advertised There got to be more Been here before life better or Saturn not to break this pattern Floating away Find something worth saving it's all for its I always say I'll be better on Saturn, none of this matters. Dreaming of Satur.

[Stephen Thompson]

I love this song because it is a feeling that I have had often. Yeah, yeah. It just really makes you reflect on why am I going through these things and is there a way to get out of this? And I think it's also, I think about the verse, if there is a point to being good, then where's my reward?

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Which is something I think a lot of people always, often think about.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'm doing all the things I'm supposed to do.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And why are all these things happening?

[Mitra]

Yeah. She also asks, why do we always seem to lose the good ones? Right. And the people who are just doing the worst possible things seem to thrive.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes. That is something I definitely think from time to time.

[Mitra]

Yeah. It is interesting that so many people picked this song and not all of them came to it because they were necessarily struggling or hurting or unhappy. A lot of people, in fact, were feeling great, you know, and Saturn just sort of underlined their feelings for them and sort of reinforced how they were already. Already feeling, I think. You know, she asks, szed, as in the song, asks all these big questions about, you know, why we're here and what's the purpose of suffering and things like that. But her voice, just the sound of her voice, the little arpeggiated synths. Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

The production value in this just really give us that otherworldly connection.

[Mitra]

Yeah. And just says, everything's going to be okay. Or even if everything isn't going to be okay, or we don't know, it's okay to ask these questions.

[Stephen Thompson]

Right.

[Mitra]

Yeah. All right, let's go to one of the voice memos we got. And this is from a listener named Josh in Dayton, Ohio, and the song that he picked is Laura Marling's Child of Mine.

[Olivia]

My wife and I were blessed to have our first child on April 12 this year. Being parents has completely transformed our lives. I've never known time to go by so quickly and I don't want to miss any moment I've never known a love this strong Laura Marling's song Child of Mine is a beautiful, tender, and poetic reflection on raising a child. I always end up crying hard during the bridge Long nights, fast years so they say Time won't ever feel the same and I don't want to miss it no, I don't want to miss it and I'm not going to miss it Child of mine I'm so thankful to have a song like this to be able to remind myself, even when times are hard the nights Are long that I don't want to rush any moments with this wonderful, amazing daughter of mine.

[Josh]

You and your dad are dancing in the kitchen Life is slowing down but it's still bitching Like I got myself a rod but I could break it My back is still as strong as I can make it Bless your mind. So who would rush right through it? Child of mine, child of mine, Child of mine Everything you want is in your reach right now. Anything that's not I have to teach someone Everything about you isn't you. It's those who miss the point might rush right through it Cause it's fine But I don't wanna miss a child of mine.

[Mitra]

So this song, Child of Mine is from Laura Marling's album Patterns. We just talked about another cut from it called Patterns and Repeat on our Best Songs of the Year episode. And this whole album just absolutely floored me for much of the same reasons that our listener Josh in Dayton mentioned. Laura Marling became a first time mom not that long ago and she actually recorded much of this album with her daughter in the room. And she kind of played the song for her daughter that way. In fact, you hear a little sort of recording at the top there that makes me think that is from one of the sessions with her daughter sitting there listening.

[Stephen Thompson]

It made me feel so warm. I don't have children of my own but so many of the lyrics of it felt very familiar. In terms of the things that I'd heard my mother say, there was one, she says, I can't protect you there though I'll keep trying. Sometimes you'll go places I can't get to. But I've spoken to the angels who'll protect you. And man, if that don't perfectly capture sentiments that my mother has expressed, it is definitely something that I wanted to play for her.

[Mitra]

Josh, our listener who wrote in Two Things, he said that I will co sign on the idea that it is so hard, it is so much work. But even at its worst, when you're just like, oh my God, this is awful, it's still the greatest thing in the world. And yeah, just that whole idea. Again, about time. Laura Marling talks about and Josh talked about it just, you know, the days are long, the years are short, all the things that felt like an eternity in the moment, you realize, wow, that was. That was maybe two days or a week or something like that. But Josh, the listener who picked the song, his story and his reflections, I think are a good example of what we heard a lot in our call out this year, just a lot of joy.

[Stephen Thompson]

A lot of joy.

[Mitra]

A lot of joy and almost defiant joy and, you know, intense gratitude. It wasn't all just, you know, tearjerkers this year.

[Stephen Thompson]

That sort of actually is a great sort of segue, I think, into the next song.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

This next one was from Michelle, a listener in Philly.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And the song she picked is Beyonce's Two Hands to Heaven.

[Mitra]

And the reason this song hit me so hard is that I am 45 years old and finally met the love of my life. After going through so much, I finally.

[Stephen Thompson]

Found the person I know I want.

[Mitra]

To spend the rest of my life with.

[Stephen Thompson]

And that song speaks directly to finding that true love and feeling like everything.

[Mitra]

Is going to be all right.

[Josh]

Bottle in my hand the whiskey a pie Two hands to heaven Wild horses run w God only knows why, though yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Rhinestones and diamonds Both shining the light Two hands to heaven My whiskey up high oh, oh that only God only knows why, though oh, oh, oh in the Arizona heat Summer flings all your bedside Slipping to my dreams every night Be the good guy who am I to judge my baby? Who am I to love my baby? Purple colored pink sugar cane hitting them 16 switches candy apple green candy paint swirling 24 inch spinners swirl don't judge.

[Stephen Thompson]

Me, baby so if you know the song, it's really sort of clear that the part that really was resonating with Michelle is that last part of finding that person.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Finding that person that you've been waiting your whole life for as you have been surrendering and you've been figuring out who you are and putting yourself together, and here is that other person that you've been waiting for. Yeah, I love that.

[Mitra]

Yeah. No, I'm so glad we picked this one, too, because, you know, what a gift to find true love at any point in your life. But, you know, she made a point of saying, you know, she's in middle life now and she's just so grateful now to have found it. That is just such a gift. I think one of the things that's great about this song, Two Hands to Heaven, is that it suggests a lot of struggle, but it's not too explicit about it. It's sort of implied. In fact, the whole idea that she's got a drink in her hand and both hands are raised to heaven, like, that could be a celebration or a plea.

[Stephen Thompson]

Like, I always think about the surrendering part of putting your hands to heaven, but it's a very complex song.

[Mitra]

Yeah. There's a lot going on in it just, you know, Beyonce says something like 10,000 steps to yeah, find the time of your life. I think.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes.

[Mitra]

And you know, there's a journey there and also acknowledgement in just that one little line that often the path to happiness is a lot of work.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is, yes.

[Mitra]

So that of course is from the Cowboy Carter album. It came out at the end of March.

[Robin Hilton]

This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees and free perks, Mint Mobile might be right for you with plans starting from 15 bucks a month. Shop plans [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month 5 gigabyte plan required. New customer offer for first 3 months only then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.

[Mary]

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.

[Robin Hilton]

Support for this podcast and the following message come From Lagunitas Brewing Co. Since 1993, Lagunitas has been challenging the status quo, brewing innovative beer and crafting stories along the way, featuring a wide range of craft brews, cult classics and non alcoholic options. There's a seat at the bar for everyone. Bring the dog to Lagunitas Brewing Co. Because every great song deserves a great beer. It's good to have friends. Learn [e-mail] all right, let's get to.

[Mitra]

Another one of the written comments we got. This is for the song 25 by the band Lake Street Dive. This is a song that I played on the show actually earlier in the year when it came out. It was picked by sue in Cleveland and sue says I turned 69 this year and I'm retiring at the end of the year. My mom passed away in August. All these life changes have me thinking about my life and what's coming next. I'm happily married and I have been for many years, but this song made me remember the first time I fell hard for someone in college. Never quite gotten over that man. My first grown up love. This song sums up those feelings of new love and how sweet it feels from a distance of decades.

[Josh]

There was a time when I imagined us forever. I can't quite remember how I thought we'd work it out. I guess I would move to California or you to Boston. I'd learn to like to stay at home. You'd learn to like going out. And although the stories that I tell myself about us now don't take me to the grave I'll be an alternative old woman somebody else by my side But I will always be in love with you and my memories when we were 25.

[Stephen Thompson]

One of the things that Lake Street Dive is so good at is storytelling.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

It doesn't matter what song it is. The storytelling in their music always gets me in my feelings. And then you add on top of that, Rachel Price's voice, and you just don't. You don't have any choice but to feel all the emotions. And I noticed as I was sort of looking over what we were going to be listening to, there's a lot of songs about memory.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

A lot of songs about the past and nostalgia. And they are able to tell this story and thread that needle in such a very simple way where it's very specific to whoever in the group was the songwriter. But you can pull your own parts of your own past loves and easily lay it on top of that.

[Mitra]

Yeah. It is not hard to relate to a lot of the ideas and feelings that come up in this song, at least for me at this point in my life and I'm sure many other people, too. I think the thing that I am moved most by in this song is that, you know, this person who's reflecting on their youth in the past, and it's long gone, but they only have good things to say about this person that they're thinking about. Right. Right. And that is something, you know, that. That just deeply moves me whenever I see that kind of kindness and the way that love can endure like that, even when you know you weren't right for each other in the long run, that you wish only the best for them. You know, you and I both brought our own picks in songs that we want to talk about. Let's just go ahead and do yours because it's a good one.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sure. My pick is the song Traditions by Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn. And it's a very simple song, but there is a line in it that just kills me every time. You call it lucky, I call it blessings.

[Josh]

My mama cover the mirror when it rains she'll lay that brick in front the door just in case. You call it superstitions, I call it traditions, you call it lucky, I call it blessings on game Day my brother wears saint shoes. Must be a frank thing. Cause when I wear them, shit, they lose. My baby don't go nowhere without his Carolina blues. Your mama's boy She a Tall Hill fan, too. You call it superstitions, I call it traditions. You call it lucky, I call it blessing.

[Mitra]

Does this make you think you're your mom?

[Stephen Thompson]

It does. It makes me think of my mom. It makes me think of my grandmothers. It makes me think of all of those people, not even just the women in my life, but the people in my life who sort of layered onto me the different sort of cultural family bits that really made me who I am. And a lot of them having to do with faith. Because when I think about what some of our superstitions or what Don is saying are really our traditions, a lot of them are about faith. You know, wearing the saints shoes, hoping they'll win. Wearing your. It's all about us. These small little acts of faith.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Hoping that we do our part in. And it's hard to believe in those things, and they may not make sense to anybody else. And that, for me, is why the line, you call it lucky, I call it blessings is so important to me.

[Mitra]

Well, when I listened to this, I immediately clocked two things. One, North Carolina, even though you're from South Carolina. Right. But the Carolinas. And family. Because I know how important family is to you, and I kind of thought this was actually a nice companion piece to the Duran Jones.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it is. I thought about, like, oh, here I am again. Picking another thing that really sort of speaks to my Southern upbringing. All these sort of, like, family parts.

[Mitra]

Faith.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes, exactly. All these things that sort of help inform who I am. And like I said, it's not a super complicated, complex song, but it really just sort of gets to the root of who I am.

[Mitra]

Yeah, no, I get it. And it's such a beautiful song, too. This whole album is such a. There's so much serenity in it. Right. It is just gorgeous.

[Stephen Thompson]

It was hard to pick what song off of it because I love so much of the album.

[Mitra]

Yeah. And that album's called Quiet in a World Full of Noise. You want to get me to listen to something? Call it Quiet in a World Full of Noise.

[Stephen Thompson]

And that title track is absolutely beautiful. I definitely recommend people check it out.

[Mitra]

Well, the song that I picked also speaks to faith a little bit and is also, I think, pretty simple to follow, but yet is just so moving and powerful to me. It's a song that I played earlier in the year on the show, it's called God Person by Matty Diaz.

[Josh]

Back row of the room I show up alone I come here to watch Other people know But I can only guess at Cuz I'm never sure and I don't like commitment if there's something more they sing their songs closing their eyes Seeing the light in a different light how does that happen? Why is it beautiful? Why isn't magic and tragic? I don't know I'm not a God person but I'm never not searching Looking at the sky, staring at the ocean if there's something I know then I wanna know it I wanna hold it, I wanna feel it and maybe I can't say that I'm not person Talking to my dad Talking about my mom after 20 years what the hell went wrong? And how can I avoid making the same choices and stay on the Carolina coast Living in the.

[Mitra]

This is my song of the year. This song just. And I have spent so much time trying to understand why does this song just devastate me. It's not explicitly joyful or sad, but I think it's, you know, when her voice starts to soar a little bit.

[Josh]

I'm not a God person but I'm never not searching Looking at the sky, staring at the ocean if there's something to know then I want to know it I want to hold it, I want to feel it and maybe I can't say that I'm not a God.

[Mitra]

Person there's just so much awe at life in that moment. I don't know. That sort of simple wonder at life is all wrapped up in this song.

[Stephen Thompson]

To me when you sent it and I sort of settled on what my song, they were such perfect companion pieces.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Because one song is sort of asking the questions and the other song is not giving an answer, but sort of figuring out your way to an answer. And this is me asking the questions about it.

[Mitra]

Yeah, I think for me too, it's the idea that she is finding God or the possibility of God in all of these tiny little things in life. One of which she says at the very top of the song, is like going to a show with people or something. Just standing in the presence of other people.

[Stephen Thompson]

Right.

[Josh]

I'm looking behind every curtain and I see the sky and I see the ocean. Where it all came from and where it's all going, I'll never know. But sometimes I can feel it and maybe I can't say that I'm not a God person.

[Mitra]

I talked with Matty Diaz briefly about this song she said she almost didn't include it on the album. Oh, I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm so glad you did.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes.

[Mitra]

So that was from the Matty Diaz album, Weird Faith. All right, Mitra, let's get to another one of the voice memos we got.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, we got a lot of emails and voice memos from listeners about pets.

[Mitra]

Pets, yes.

[Stephen Thompson]

So this one comes from Olivia in Washington state, and the song she picked is Love Song From a Dog by Shovels and Rope.

[Adrian Linker]

I was listening to a random playlist, and I had the music interrupted by a phone call from my vet. They were calling to give a not so great health update on my dog. And my dog has been my best friend through everything. So as I'm sitting there taking in this terrible news, and I'm crying and telling my dog how much I love him, as soon as the call wrapped up, the playlist just kicked back on and started playing the next song. And Love Song From a Dog came on. It might sound kooky, but it felt like I was meant to hear it in that moment, like my dog was trying to tell me how much he loved me right back. And I think this song is just such a beautiful ode to that special bond and partnership between a human and their dog. Dogs are just so loyal and loving, and they give so much to us, and it's nice to get that little moment to hear from their perspective. So I still cannot listen to this song without crying. Heck, I can't even talk about it without crying. And I know my remaining days with my soul dog are numbered, but I am forever grateful for this beautiful, touching song.

[Kendrick Lamar]

I was born in a meadow by a stream Original and clean.

[Mitra]

No one.

[Kendrick Lamar]

There but my mother and my team Running in my dream Fastest.

[Josh]

You ever.

[Kendrick Lamar]

Seen When I met you it was just like being born There was no past to mourn I lay around in this necklace I adorn Never worry about a storm Every night I'm warm One.

[Mitra]

Word.

[Kendrick Lamar]

And I'm running One word and I'm running like a colorblind love sick fool Running like I'll die if I don't get to you Running like I got more legs than two Running like something that I was born to do.

[Mitra]

I remember when I lost a dog that I had had for 14 years. This was a few years ago. Somewhere I saw. And I don't remember where I saw it or who said it, but somebody said, we're here on this planet to learn how to be good. And dogs already know how to be good. So they don't need as much time as we've got. So I thought that was a lovely explanation for why we don't get as much time with our dogs as we'd like.

[Stephen Thompson]

I love the chorus of this song. Yeah, it's so fun, the running. Like I'll die if I don't get to you.

[Mary]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

But also, I just, I love that structure of talking about the love, the loyalty, the companionship that that character in the song wants to sort of make sure they have. You are the center of their world.

[Mitra]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

And inevitably they become the center of your world.

[Kendrick Lamar]

Running like I got more legs Running like it's something that I just stand to do Running like I only got a little more life Running like your love is gonna save my life Running like you think I'm gonna run all night Running, running, running, running, running, running.

[Mitra]

Running well, this was the song that I missed this year. I don't know how I did, but I'm so glad that our listener Olivia in Washington State left a voice memo about it and we got to hear it.

[Robin Hilton]

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[Mitra]

This is another voice memo we got from a listener named Mary in Massachusetts, and she picked Kendrick Lamar's song Man at the Garden from his album gnx that just came out this year.

[Baby Rose]

Man at the Garden by Kendrick Lamar hit me in a way that I really wasn't expecting. From the very first listen, that repeated refrain, I deserve it all, it lodged itself in my mind sort of like a mantra. I feel like every time I revisit the song, I find new layers to unpack, especially that ending crescendo. Tell me why you think you deserve the greatest of all time. It always brings me to tears. It's such a profound and challenging question, and it really makes me reflect on my own sense of worth. What do I really deserve and why? For years, I've struggled with undervaluing myself, and this song feels like a wake up call at its heart. It reminds me that while greatness may be subjective, we all deserve peace and maybe the courage to believe in our.

[Laura Marling]

Own potential twice emotional stability A sound body and tranquility I deserve it all like minds and less enemies Stock investments more entities I deserve it all VVS's White Diamonds GNX with the seat back reclining I deserve it all Put my homes on the beach front Flying private what you eat for lunch I deserve it all the respect and the accolades Lamping on the island watching cast away I deserve it all for every good that passed away sent 2.5 million on an average day I deserve it all Keep my name by the world leaders Keep my crowds loud inside of beast I deserve it all More money, more power more freedom Everything heaven and loudest I deserve it all I deserve it.

[Mitra]

All.

[Laura Marling]

I deserve all.

[Mitra]

I thought this was an interesting one to share because, you know, where I grew up, it was a real sort of pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you know, don't complain, just do your job, keep quiet, expect nothing in return. And it's taken me a very, very long time. I mean, I'm still not comfortable with it, but it's taken me a very long time to get to a point in my life where I was even a little comfortable with the idea of getting anything at all. You know, I still can't relate to the. I don't know, the defiance or whatever, the confidence in this song, the confidence that he has saying that, you know, he deserves it all.

[Stephen Thompson]

But, I mean, well, I think when I look at the lyrics and I listen to him, I'm thinking about the fact that he's saying, I put in the work. Yeah, of course I deserve this. And that's a hard. Like you just said, that's a hard thing to really settle within yourself. Because we are. We're conditioned to not sort of make that decision. Declarative statement of like, yeah, I deserve this. And I think it's even more a push in him doing that as a young black man from a certain community to say all these things. I put in the work. I did the hard stuff. I did the hard stuff physically, emotionally, professionally. I deserve happiness and peace, as Mary said.

[Mitra]

Yeah, I love that. That's the point that Mary made sort of at the very end of her voice memo was, what do you deserve for all of this? And as she points out, and it's in the song, too, is like, I deserve love and peace. And doesn't everybody, right?

[Stephen Thompson]

And since this has come out, I have seen so many people on social media saying, yeah, Kendrick said, I deserve it all. And he's right.

[Mitra]

Yeah, well, I mean, he is Kendrick.

[Stephen Thompson]

Kendrick. But you know that. That speaking into. Onto us or speaking into us, pouring into us via this song, like, yes, it is okay to claim your joy and your success. You do deserve it all.

[Mitra]

And what a great song.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a great song.

[Mitra]

It is a great song, too. Yeah. All right, let's get back to some of the written comments we got.

[Stephen Thompson]

Our next one comes from Marcia in Belfast, Maine. The song she picked is One Last Dance by Baby Rose. Marcia says, the first time I heard this song, I cried. Baby Rose sings hauntingly of running into a former lover and how the feelings still burn. As I age and reflect on past friends and lovers, memories of broken relationships bring an aching swell of emotions. And I hope those people know, even when these connections either slowly drifted apart or burned down in raging flames, my heart still has a place for them and gratitude for their place in my life.

[Josh]

You know, I still remember trying so hard But I can't forget you.

[Mitra]

And.

[Josh]

I know that things have changed didn't think I'd see you again I know you be all right if you never see me again but for all times Give me one last dance.

[Mitra]

Oh.

[Josh]

You'Re doing better now you're here. Looking good as ever. All the things have changed. Good things I see you again.

[Mitra]

It has a lot in common with that 25 song from Lake Street Dive. That whole idea of, you know, looking back at someone who was a part of your life and having only good things to say.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes. And great storytelling in it as well. I immediately was seeing them encounter each other.

[Mitra]

Yeah. And like, oh, man, you look great. Was not expecting you to look that good.

[Stephen Thompson]

I love the nostalgia in this song. And, you know, shout out to. Bad, Bad. Not good on the production. And they're phenomenal. Sort of giving us that feel. And then she. Baby Rose has this amazing, beguiling voice that always, every time I listen to her, I'm trying to, like, wait. I'm just trying to figure it out.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

So it just all adds into this sort of great, almost in my mind, black and white sort of movie feel.

[Mitra]

Sepia tone.

[Stephen Thompson]

Exactly.

[Mary]

Yeah.

[Mitra]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. So good. Do you know the singer, Celeste? Do you know her? Oh, God. Do you know her song Strange?

[Stephen Thompson]

No, I don't know that one.

[Mitra]

Oh, we're gonna do a bonus song here. Let's play a little bit of strange.

[Josh]

I am still me, you are still you in the same place. Isn't it strange how people can change? From strangers to friends Friends into lovers and strangers and again.

[Mitra]

Oh, man.

[Stephen Thompson]

Again I'm sitting here in My mind seeing the movie.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'm seeing these scenes.

[Mitra]

Yeah. I don't want to take anything from Baby Rose. One Last Dance. It's a great, great song, too. This. Actually quite a few people picked this song from Celeste Strange, but we were only doing new stuff, so I couldn't do it. I think this came out maybe, gosh, four or five years ago, and it just devastated me when first heard it. But it's that same idea, you know, like, all the people in your life who were total strangers then you become friends, you become lovers, and then strangers again.

[Stephen Thompson]

And because there's that line in the Baby Rose song of, I know you'll be all right if you never see me again.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Like, we're probably never gonna see each other again. But I'm good. I know you're good. And we've made those different stages in our lives. I love those stories of figuring out how people come together and how they fall apart.

[Mitra]

Yeah. Oh, so beautiful. Okay, well, look, we'll put together a playlist with full versions of all of these songs and a whole bunch of the other ones that the listeners submitted because there were just way too many than we could put on here. But if people search for NPR on Spotify or Apple Music, they'll find the playlist hit hard in 2024. But let's do one more. And so many we could choose to go out on. But I thought we'd pick this one from Adrian Linker, the singer. Adrian Linker. It's called Sadness as a Gift. And I don't know, not really any additional commentary really needed on that idea of Sadness as a Gift? Sadness as a gift. There's this great line, I don't remember where I heard it, where someone said, what is grief but love enduring from. Was that from you?

[Stephen Thompson]

No, that was from Marvel. That was from Wanda in. You're right, Vision.

[Mitra]

Vision says that.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes, Vision says that.

[Mitra]

What is grief? Thank you, Marvel. The Marvel Universe. Super deep. But that is so true. What is grief but love enduring? And so anytime. Yeah. Whenever I got sad about losing somebody or whatever, I think, wow, what a gift to be able to. That they left you with so many great memories. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, anyway, this song from Adrian Linker, Sadness as a Gift, it was picked by Michael in Massachusetts, and he writes, if love is a gift, so too is the sadness that accompanies our memories once it's gone. Holding our hand while we visit the past or the future we once imagined. How sad, how wonderful it is that the love we shared with Someone never really dies. And then Michael says, it hit me hard before, during, and after my short lived relationship this year. What can I say? I'm a yearner. You know what, Michael? I'm a yearner too.

[Stephen Thompson]

Same here. Same here, Michael.

[Mitra]

You're in good company. So we'll go out on this. Thanks so much, Mitra. Again.

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you so much for having me, Robin.

[Mitra]

And a quick reminder to keep listening after this song. As we continue to celebrate the 25th anniversary of all Songs Considered, Stephen Thompson and I have been looking back at the show's number one songs from across the years. Coming right up, we're gonna look back at the year 2009.

[Josh]

You and I both know there is nothing more to say. Chance has shut her shining eyes and turned her face away? Leaning on the window sill you could write me someday and I think you will. We could see the sadness as a gift and still feel too heavy to hold. Snow falling, I try to keep from calling Watch the spring turn to winter Fireflies all frozen the seasons go so fast Thinking that this one was gonna last maybe the cold.

[Mitra]

All right, as I mentioned, we're celebrating the 25th anniversary of all Songs Considered, all this spring and into the summer by looking back at our number one songs from across the years. We're doing a different year in each episode. This week, we are up to 2009 Stephen Thompson back again to talk about what stands out from that year. Hey, Stephen.

[Mary]

Hello, Robin.

[Mitra]

You know, Stephen, I still laugh when I think about how we were going to do all 25 years in one episode.

[Mary]

We're just gonna sit down and knock out 25 years of music. As long as you pick 1 20th of a song for each year.

[Mitra]

I mean, we're not even playing full songs, but I, you know, I thought maybe it'll be a little long. Oh, but what folly that was because we're only up to 2009 now, and we're kind of doing this as a name that tune, you know. We're trying to surprise each other with our picks here. What's the first thing that you think of when you think music in 2009?

[Mary]

I'm glad you asked. What do you think of when you think of music in 2009? Because I thought you were gonna be like, what's the first thing you think of when you think of the year 2009?

[Mitra]

What is the first thing you think of when you think of 2009?

[Mary]

I was thinking. Cause I got divorced in 2010. And so I think of 2009 as, like we are in the best economy since 1928.

[Mitra]

Oh, gosh, that was a terrible time. Now that you mention it, I was totally underwater, so.

[Mary]

Happy to remind you.

[Mitra]

Yeah, I was totally underwater in my. And I had to sell it.

[Mary]

Remember that?

[Mitra]

Yeah, I had to cut a check to the buyer. I had to pay them. Anyway, we digress.

[Mary]

Anyway, we digress. You'd probably like me to play a song.

[Mitra]

So this is your number one song from.

[Mary]

Oh, it's my favorite song because I'm trying to represent. I love this song, but to me, this represents 2009.

[Mitra]

Let's do it. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Home. Yep. Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros.

[Mary]

Very good.

[Stephen Thompson]

Alabama, Arkansas.

[Josh]

I do love my ma. Not the way that I do love.

[Kendrick Lamar]

You well, holy moly. Me oh my, you're the apple of my eye Girl, I never loved one.

[Josh]

Like you man, oh man, you're my best friend I scream into nothingness There ain't nothing that I need well, hot.

[Kendrick Lamar]

And heavy Pumpkin pie, chocolate candy Jesus Christ. Ain't nothing please me more than you.

[Josh]

Home, let me come home Home is wherever I'm with you oh, let me come home is where.

[Mary]

This song represents 2009 in a lot of ways. And one of those ways is just in terms of the larger themes of what music was sounding like.

[Mitra]

There were.

[Mary]

There was kind of this ever increasing number of bands where they just seemed to acquire more members right as they moved through the world. As I recall, there was an all songs intern, really nice guy who, like, I can't remember what instrument he played, but he wound up joining Edward Sharp in the Magnetic Zeros for a time.

[Mitra]

Oh, really? It's like my internship's ending.

[Mary]

Might as well just go and play the triangle for Edward Sharp in the Magnetic Zero. I don't remember what he actually played, but this for me is kind of kicking us into the stomp and clap era. This is the. We have four drummers. Yeah, you don't want to know what our tour bus smells like. But like. But big. Kind of banned as community. Banned as kind of a flood of emotions. And that for me was the experience of hearing Edward sharpen the Magnetic Zeros for the first time at Rachael Ray's day party at south by Southwest. You know, it was like walking into the room and seeing this huge disheveled band of oddballs play this. This song that is just a flood of nostalgia and emotion. Yeah, that it. That is. It is. It is recalling. It's just like a song that is just a flood of all the things you Appreciate about life and listening back to it. Now there is this element. I mean, part of it is you played the part of the song where it's like, holy moly. Me, oh my. And I'm like, oh, this is so cloying. But at the same time, all of my resistances fall away. This is a very sweet song. And to have this. This shambles come in really spoke to me in 2009.

[Mitra]

Yeah. And they brought that to the Tiny desk as well.

[Mary]

Such a classic.

[Mitra]

It really is. And it makes me think, you know, as we've gone through all these years, we have been reminded of trends and things like that. As you mentioned, the stomp clap, there was a real arc to that as well, that I think was dictated in no small part. There's lots of things, but dictated in no small part by the punishing economics of touring with 27 people in your band or whatever. Because that all began to, you know, it kind of peaked and then it started to fade away where you didn't get all the stomp clap bands anymore.

[Mary]

Just because the economics of paying four drummers.

[Mitra]

Right. And just moving people around and, you know. But. Oh, that's a great pick. And that is a band I've not thought of in a long time. So we did a version of this show, an anniversary show in 2016 for All Songs Considered Sweet Sixteen. I've mentioned that along the way here as we've been doing this. And the song that we picked for 2016 was grizzly bears two weeks, which I think that's a pretty great pick. But I'm gonna go with my personal favorite from 2009. And I think you might know what this is.

[Stephen Thompson]

All right.

[Mitra]

Are you stuck?

[Mary]

It's beautiful. Is this Eluvium?

[Mitra]

Oh, no. That's a good guess, though.

[Mary]

Oh, is this Antlers?

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Mary]

Okay.

[Josh]

I wish that I had known that refused you when you follow I be made up without walking in that room when you had changed your voice.

[Mitra]

So that incredible voice belongs to Peter Silberman, if you remember him. Yes. This album from the Antlers called Hospice that came out in 2009. And this is the song kettering from it.

[Mary]

Hospice was a feel good romp.

[Mitra]

It really was for the whole family. It's just a devastating album about this. A woman who's dying of bone cancer and she's in hospice. And Peter Silberman has been, you know, he was very reluctant at the time to talk about how autobiographical the album was. But, you know, he did say that it was based, at least in part, on Things that did happen in his. In his life and in his relationships. And this album, it just wrecked me in all the best ways. And I still reach for it every now and then.

[Mary]

It is all emotion. It's very beautiful, but it is like it's going for your tear ducts. It's not messing around.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Mary]

And it sounds beautiful, but there's a rawness to it that I really appreciate. And when I kind of scan through what were my favorite. What was my favorite album of 2009, it was this record called the First Day of Spring by Noah and the Whale.

[Mitra]

Oh, yeah.

[Mary]

Beautiful record. But it is, like, that is a heartbreak record. That's a. That's a concept album about a breakup. And not to knock Grizzly Bear.

[Mitra]

Right.

[Mary]

But, like, for me, Grizzly Bear is a great band that always left me cold.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Mary]

And, like, those guys are still out there doing great work. They're doing film scores and they're incredible.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Mary]

Like, it's not a knock on Grizzly Bear at all, but, like, I didn't feel like I had the really. The language to speak about it.

[Mitra]

Yeah.

[Mary]

Compared to what we're talking about, about with Edward Sharp and the Antlers, two very different bands that are still, like, going for, like, an emotional big sway.

[Mitra]

Yeah. We're only playing a little bit here of two songs.

[Mary]

Yeah. There is no way to be comprehensive about an entire calendar year, especially when we're squeezing out about 50 different genres.

[Mitra]

I know, but you must have. If you want to just rattle off a few others from. From that year that stand out to you.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, my.

[Mary]

Oh, my gosh. Well, I mentioned Noah and the whale. This was 2009, was when my love affair with the band why Oak began. What a great band. Swell Season put out a gorgeous record in 2009. Nico Case put out a phenomenal record in 2009. Yeah. Tons and tons of stuff. I mean, again, like, I don't even know. Oh, my God. The Thermals.

[Mitra]

Oh, yeah. Wow.

[Mary]

Thermals had a string of. You could drop many different calendar years and find a great record by the Thermals.

[Mitra]

Certainly Jason Lytle, he had. Yours truly, the Commuter Fever. Ray had an incredible album that year. Laura Gibson, Beasts of seasons was 2009. We've already been talking about Sharon Vanett.

[Mary]

Sharon Van Eten had a big record that year.

[Mitra]

Yeah. The number one alternate pick for me, though, that I was gonna play was a cut from Fan Farlow, which is another great stomp clap.

[Mary]

Great stomp and clap band. And a really lovely tiny desk. If people go back and check that out. You know what else came out in 2000? 2009, white and nerdy?

[Mitra]

No.

[Mary]

By Weird Al Yankovic. I think it's the greatest Weird Al Yankovic song.

[Mitra]

But we'll go out on this. And until next time, thanks, Stephen.

[Mary]

Thank you, Robin.

[Mitra]

And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's All Songs Considered.

[Josh]

LA.

[Robin Hilton]

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