All Songs Considered

A Thanksgiving playlist: songs of joy and gratitude

November 25, 2025

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  • The episode of "All Songs Considered," titled "A Thanksgiving playlist: songs of joy and gratitude," centers on listeners sharing songs that inspire gratitude, reflection, or upliftment, contrasting with the lack of dedicated music for Thanksgiving compared to Christmas. 
  • The featured songs and listener stories highlight themes of finding simplicity ("Simple Gifts"), relying on community and friendship ("Lean On Me"), and persevering through hardship ("This Year"). 
  • The hosts emphasize that music serves as a powerful companion and source of comfort, capable of fortifying personal memories and providing perspective during difficult times, as exemplified by the selections played. 

Segments

Thanksgiving Music Scarcity
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(00:00:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Thanksgiving lacks dedicated, chart-dominating music compared to the commercial saturation of Christmas music.
  • Summary: Music written specifically for Thanksgiving is rare, unlike the Christmas season where charts are dominated by established holiday artists. The hosts note the absence of ‘Thanksgiving carols’ or songs intrinsically linked to the holiday. This lack of dedicated music prompted the episode’s theme of listener-submitted songs of gratitude.
Listener Pick: Simple Gifts
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(00:01:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss’s version of “Simple Gifts” was chosen by a listener for its spiritual and artistic message about finding contentment in simplicity.
  • Summary: Tracy from West Hartford, Connecticut, selected “Simple Gifts,” a Shaker hymn written by Joseph Brackett in the 1800s. The song’s core message is that true simplicity leads to freedom and contentment. The hosts noted the song’s use in Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and humorously referenced its 8-bit version from The Smurfs video game.
Listener Pick: Lean On Me
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(00:05:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me” resonated deeply with listeners as a tribute to found family and community support during severe personal challenges like illness.
  • Summary: Heather in Seattle shared a powerful story about her Friendsgiving where the song was chosen to honor her support system after she fought breast cancer. The song became an emotional moment for everyone present, underscoring the critical importance of companionship in difficult times. The hosts noted that companionship has become increasingly hard to maintain in recent years.
Listener Pick: This Year
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(00:08:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The Mountain Goats’ “This Year” serves as a centering, self-empowering mantra for listeners facing stress, despite its origins in teenage angst.
  • Summary: Grace in Colorado Springs selected “This Year” for its chorus refrain: “I am going to make it through this year if it kills me.” The song is frequently chosen by listeners to bolster them through hardship, offering catharsis often achieved by screaming the lyrics. The hosts recognized its consistent appearance in submissions asking for songs that pull people out of a funk.
Listener Pick: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
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(00:14:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” evokes powerful, specific memories, such as a father’s unique hand-tapping ritual during a specific beat change.
  • Summary: Shannon in Arizona chose the song because of a cherished memory involving her father waiting for a specific beat change to tap his hands on the steering wheel. The hosts connected the theme of creating positive memories with the idea that parents become memories for their children over time. The song selection highlights how music becomes intrinsically tied to familial bonds.
Listener Pick: What A Wonderful World
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(00:19:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” offers generational comfort by focusing on the simple acts of kindness and beauty that persist despite global problems.
  • Summary: Adrienne in Holtzville, New York, selected the song for its imagery of beauty and its lyric about people shaking hands saying, ‘How do you do?’ The hosts emphasized that seeking joy and beauty does not mean ignoring the world’s problems, but rather remembering that kindness is also everywhere. The song’s enduring popularity is attributed to its ability to remind listeners of these positive elements.
Host Pick: John Williams Scores
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(00:22:46)
  • Key Takeaway: John Williams’ entire body of work, particularly the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial soundtrack, is essential to one host’s identity, filling him with magic and wonder.
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson chose the entire catalog of John Williams, citing the Jaws soundtrack as his first album purchase. The specific track played, “End Credits” from E.T., is listened to when he needs to feel good, evoking a sense of magic and wonder. Williams’ scores are noted for their ability to transport the listener into the film’s world, regardless of whether they have seen it.
Host Pick: Blackalicious - Make You Feel That Way
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(00:26:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Blackalicious’s “Make You Feel That Way” captures the joy of taking stock of life’s small, easily missed details that make existence worthwhile.
  • Summary: This 2002 track by the hip-hop group, featuring the late Gift of Gab, lists specific moments of joy, such as winning a championship or finding a hundred dollar bill. The song embodies the spirit of Thanksgiving by encouraging listeners to notice the small details that bring happiness. The hosts appreciated the song’s balance between personal joys and universal feelings.
Listener Pick: Space and Time
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(00:31:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Tyler Childers’ “Space and Time” resonates with displaced individuals by validating their journey, asserting that every experience shapes who they become.
  • Summary: Jay Shakespeare English, a teacher and displaced young adult, chose the song to express gratitude for the people in his life, viewing his past struggles as necessary steps to reach his present. The song taps into the essence of being ‘a part of all I’ve met,’ emphasizing the importance of expressing love without regret. This selection highlights music’s power to provide recognition and comfort when feeling isolated.
Listener Pick: Isn’t It a Pity
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(00:34:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Nina Simone’s cover of George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity” expresses profound regret and disappointment over humanity’s self-inflicted pain and failure to reciprocate love.
  • Summary: Sarah in South Philly selected this song for capturing the current zeitgeist of disappointment regarding how people mistreat each other. The lyrics focus on forgetting to give back love and causing unnecessary pain. Simone’s rendition powerfully conveys the painful regret associated with self-inflicted unhappiness.
Listener Pick: Three Little Birds
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(00:38:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Three Little Birds” is a universally recognized song that instantly brings joy and reinforces the positive message that ’every little thing is gonna be alright.'
  • Summary: Willie in Philadelphia chose the song for the instant joy and positive vibration it provides, thanking Marley for the message since the 1970s. The song serves as a simple, uplifting mantra against worry. The episode concludes by playing this track, summarizing the theme of seeking reassurance.