David Sheff’s memoir Beautiful Boy became a #1 New York Times bestseller and a major film, chronicling his son Nic’s harrowing battle with meth addiction. But before that, David was a music journalist who interviewed legends like John Lennon and Yoko Ono—an encounter that unexpectedly shaped his future as a father. In this episode, David traces how music once brought him joy, then grief—and, ultimately, a way back to his beautiful boy. Here are his songs.

1. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) - John Lennon 
2. Why - Yoko Ono
3. Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles 
4. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
5. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Patti Smith
6. This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) - Talking Heads

Listen to David Sheff’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Richard Misrach is one of the most influential photographers of his generation, known for his haunting, large-scale images of the American West. His work captures both the region’s breathtaking beauty and the profound ways humans have altered the landscape. His photographs are housed in the collections of MoMA, the Whitney, and the Getty—but for Misrach, they serve a deeper purpose: creating a historical record. Here are his songs.

1. Angel from Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt 
2. Misirlou - Dick Dale & The Del Tones
3. Effendi - McCoy Tyner Trio
4. The Times They Are a-Changin’ - Bob Dylan 
5. Music for 18 Musicians -  Steve Reich  
6. La Vie en Rose - Grace Jones
7. The Garden - Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach

Listen to Richard Misrach’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com.

See some of the art mentioned in this episode here: https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/18/richard-misrach-photographer-life-in-seven-songs/

Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Journalist, author, and playwright Sarah Shourd shares the songs that helped her though a childhood steeped in violence and poverty, and the 410 days she spent in solitary confinement as a political hostage in Iran. From screaming along to Rage Against the Machine as a teenager to belting out ‘Crazy’ by Seal in her prison cell, Sarah’s always used her voice. Now, she speaks out against the use of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons and mass incarceration. Here are her songs.

1. She’s Got her Ticket - Tracy Chapman 
2. Killing in the Name -  Rage Against the Machine
3. Crazy - Seal
4. At Last - Etta James
5. ELEMENT. - Kendrick Lamar 
6. Suit of Armour - Danika Smith 
7. This Joy - Resistance Revival Chorus

Listen to Sarah Shourd’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Over the last three decades, Rufus Wainwright has released 10 studio albums, written two operas, and countless songs for TV and film. He’s been praised for his originality—Elton John once called him the songwriting GOAT. But in this episode, Rufus explains why having the confidence to be himself was really just about survival. Here are his songs:

1. Over the Rainbow -  Judy Garland

2. Heart Like a Wheel - Kate & Anna McGarrigle

3. I'm Losing You -  Kate & Anna McGarrigle

4. Raspberry Beret - Prince

5. Begin the Beguine - Ella Fitzgerald 

6. La Donna è Mobile -  Luciano Pavarotti

7. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen

Listen to Rufus Wainwright’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Actor, producer, and director Rita Wilson is known for her performances in films like “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Now and Then.” Her name can be found on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in credits for massive hits like “Mamma Mia!” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” (She's also been married to one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Tom Hanks, for the past 37 years.) But despite her success, Rita spent her entire career dreaming of a different one—to be a singer-songwriter. In this episode, Rita talks about taking risks later in life, grappling with regret and grief, and finally finding her voice as a musician. Here are her songs.

1. Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry 
2. Everything I Own -  Bread 
3. She’s Leaving Home - The Beatles 
4. California - Joni Mitchell 
5. I will Always Love you - Linda Ronstadt
6. Slip Slidin’ Away - Paul Simon
7. Some Things I'll Never Know - Teddy Swims

Listen to Rita Wilson’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Writer and director Cord Jefferson charts his journey from being a rule-following kid to an angry teenager to an adult with depression. After a lifetime of rejection, Cord shares what helped him finally make "American Fiction," the Oscar-winning film that was always in him. Here are his songs.

1. Flamenco Sketches - Miles Davis
2. The What - Notorious B.I.G. (Feat. Method Man)
3. Boxcar - Jawbreaker
4. My Old School - Steely Dan
5. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) - Talking Heads
6. If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow 
7. Ben's My Friend - Sun Kil Moon

Listen to Cord Jefferson’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

On this special episode, we’re featuring a conversation from our friends at the Professional Book Nerds podcast, a podcast from the book nerds at OverDrive.  

Every week host Joe Skelley chats book recommendations on a theme with his friends and bookish experts, interviews authors and personalities, and encourages people to check out all the amazing resources their library has to offer. Ranked number 5 of the top 100 book podcasts, this is the place for book nerds! 

In today’s episode, Joe chats with author Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) LIVE during his book tour for And Then? And Then? What Else? Joe and Daniel talk about Tim Curry, sharing your personal life publicly, and what exactly it’s like being Lemony Snicket.  

Listen to more episodes of Professional Book Nerds and follow the podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/professional-book-nerds/id1065515588

Cofounder and CEO of Nextdoor, Nirav Tolia, looks back on his childhood in small-town Texas, and how an inner conflict about belonging may have led to him creating the first social network for neighbors. With his commitment to building community, it’s no surprise two of his seven songs include the words ‘home’ and ‘house’ in their titles.

1. Take me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
2. The Reflex –  Duran Duran
3. World in My Eyes –  Depeche Mode
4. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
5. If My Heart Was a House – Owl City
6. Con Te Partirò – Andrea Bocelli
7. Beautiful Day – U2

Listen to Nirav Tolia’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions?

From Nirvana to BB King, The Rolling Stones to Radiohead, legendary rock photographer Jay Blakesberg has been documenting music icons for nearly 40 years. His work has been published in thousands of magazines, documentaries and books, but what he’s most known for is creating a seminal photographic archive of the Grateful Dead. Here are his songs.

1. Hey Jude – The Beatles 
2. Black Water  – The Doobie Brothers 
3. Wooden Ships – Crosby Stills & Nash 
4. Eyes of The World – Grateful Dead
5. Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) – Talking Heads 
6. Tangled up in Blue – Bob Dylan
7. Attics of My Life – Grateful Dead 

Listen to Jay Blakesberg’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

From her groundbreaking role playing one of the first openly gay characters on television, to her iconic appearances on David Letterman — where she repeatedly made the host speechless — actor and comedian Sandra Bernhard has always been unapologetically herself. And yet, decades into her career, she says she still discovers new layers every time she performs. Here are her songs.

1. Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) – Doris Day
2. Stop! In The Name Of Love – The Supremes
3. Like A Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
4. People's Parties – Joni Mitchell 
5. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Sylvester 
6. Lose Again –  Linda Ronstadt 
7. Edge Of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks  

Listen to Sandra Bernhard’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Lawyer Chesa Boudin’s professional life has been nearly as tumultuous as his upbringing. He was raised by family friends because his parents—members of the Weather Underground—were incarcerated for crimes committed when he was just 14 months old. Boudin eventually became a progressive San Francisco district attorney representing criminal justice reform. However, he was recalled a few years later. These are his songs.

1. Worlds Apart (1985 Original Broadway Cast) – Daniel Jenkins
2. Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
3. Dear Mama – Tupac Shakur
4. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be – Free Nina Simone
5. Be (Intro) – Common
6. Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
7. Baby Shark – Pinkfong

Listen to Chesa Boudin’s full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.