It’s Thanksgiving! Time for turkey, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and … music?
While Halloween has its “Monster Mash” and many other spooky hits and Mariah Carey sits atop a candy cane mountain of Christmas music, there aren’t many tunes inspired by the holiday sandwiched in between. For most, Thanksgiving music is either that one song Adam Sandler did or, for the older folks, Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 folk hit “Alice’s Restaurant.”
Sandler’s “Thanksgiving Song” turned 30 in 2022. The beloved comedian debuted it on the November 21, 1992, episode of Saturday Night Live during the “Weekend Update” segment. Sandler would include a version on his 1993 comedy album, They’re All Gonna Laugh At You!. Since then, it’s become practically the only Thanksgiving song anyone knows.
Yet, there are plenty of Thanksgiving songs to play this holiday. For your holiday playlists strictly about Thanksgiving, be sure to add Ben Rector’s 2020 tune, “The Thanksgiving Song” (unrelated to Sandler’s version.) Ray Davies of The Kinks released “Thanksgiving Day” in 2006, capturing all the moods, good or bad, that come with the November holiday.
Bing Crosby, Drive-By Truckers, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Nicole Westbrook have made Thanksgiving-specific songs. Suppose you want to capture the spirit of gratitude. In that case, Bob Marley’s track, “Give Thanks and Praises,” is an excellent addition to the playlist (and the song has become associated with Thanksgiving, though it’s more of a Rastafarian prayer.)
You can, of course, fill your playlist with songs that are about being thankful (Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Gratitude”), songs about family (Mary J. Blige, “Family Affair”), and songs about food (Ohio Players, “Jive Turkey” or “Biscuits” by Kacey Musgraves) if you want. James Brown’s backing band, The J.B.’s, had “Pass the Peas,” and Thelonious Monk wrote “Stuffy Turkey,” which are good additions to your playlist.
Some might be asking why a song called “Alice’s Restaurant” is associated with Thanksgiving, especially since it’s an 18-minute long, anti-war anthem. The track sees singer Guthrie recount how he enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal with Alice at her restaurant and attempts to repay her by driving her trash to the dump. After finding it closed on Thanksgiving, he leaves it by the side of the road — and is arrested for littering. The arrest eventually gets him disqualified when Arlo is called before the U.S. draft board.
The song is based on a true story, as Vox notes Guthrie’s 1965 arrest for littering was published in the local paper. “I just couldn’t believe it,” the singer told NPR in 2005. “And so I turned it into a song. It took about a year to put together, and I’ve been telling it ever since just about.”
Share that fun fact with your family as you play the following Thanksgiving songs.
Adam Sandler, “The Thanksgiving Song”
The song itself is a bunch of free-associative lyrics sung in a Billy Madison-esque voice, but the song has endured over the decades. (The same can’t be said about Sandler’s Jack and Jill.)
Ben Rector, “The Thanksgiving Song”
“So fill your plate and fill your drink / And fill this house with family / The kind of love a thousand miles can’t wash away,” sings Rector on “The Thanksgiving Song,” released as part of his 2020 album, A Ben Rector Christmas. The song is an emotional addition, one that recognizes how “life is short and bittersweet,” so it’s good to take moments to be thankful for all that you’ve got.
Arlo Guthrie, “Alice’s Restaurant”
“A lot of people thought it was fiction and this is all real stuff,” Guthrie told NPR in 2005 when discussing the story that inspired “Alice’s Restaurant” and his subsequent arrest. “I had visited my friends during the Thanksgiving break, Ray and Alice, who lived in this abandoned church. … And a friend of mine and I decided to help them clean up their church, and because I had gone to school there, I was familiar with all of these little back roads and nook-and-cranny places.”
“And I knew a place that local people were using to get rid of their [trash],” he added. However, Guthrie got arrested for littering, leading to him being disqualified from serving in the Vietnam War. And that story was commemorated in this song.
Ray Davies, “Thanksgiving Day”
Though Ray Davies is British, he captured the spirit of the American holiday with his 2006 song. There’s the “passing on knowledge through the years” as families gather. There’s also the traveling, the sadness that often comes when you are far away from your loved ones and the joy of fellowship on Thanksgiving Day.
Nicole Westbrook, “It’s Thanksgiving”
Yes, it’s a bit corny. Yes, it’s a little cringe. But, like how Rebecca Black’s “Friday” has found purchase in the hearts of many over the years, Nicole Westbrook’s “It’s Thanksgiving” (made by Ark Music Factory, who also produced “Friday”) has become a staple of the season.
Also, be kind — she made it when she was a child, and being nice to kids is part of the Thanksgiving experience.
Bing Crosby, “I’ve Got Plenty To Be Thankful For”
Though 1942’s Holiday Inn is best known for introducing Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” to the masses, it’s not often considered a Thanksgiving movie. Yet, Holiday Inn covers a calendar of events, from Valentine’s Day to Easter to Thanksgiving.
Crosby’s song “I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For” was overshadowed by “White Christmas,” but the song could be added to your Thanksgiving playlist (if you can get over Holiday Inn’s blackface scene. There are some Thanksgiving “leftovers” that aren’t worth saving.)
Mary Chapin Carpenter, “Thanksgiving Song”
Released in 2008, Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Thanksgiving Song” saw the country-folk singer adopt a respectful tone while celebrating the holiday. “Father, mother, daughter, son / Neighbor, friend and friendless / All together everyone,” she sings. “ Let grateful days be endless / Grateful for each hand we hold / Gathered ’round this table.”
Vince Guaraldi Trio, “Thanksgiving Theme”
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving completed the Peanuts holiday trilogy, following A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1963 and It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown in 1966. Like with the Christmas special, jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi composed the music for the special. In October 2023, in honor of the special’s 50th anniversary, Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) released the special’s full soundtrack on vinyl and CD, including the thirteen song cues and nine bonus/alternative tracks that had never been released or heard before.
Plus, instrumental music is great for Thanksgiving. No one can argue over the lyrics.
Bob Marley and the Wailers, “Give Thanks and Praises”
Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Give Thanks and Praises” is a little upbeat, which is a nice departure from the other somber and observant Thanksgiving songs. However, it’s just as reverent as others, with the reggae legend singing, “Give thanks and praises to the Most-I (Jah!) / Give thanks and praises so high (so high).”
Not specifically a Thanksgiving song, the track ends with “Give thanks and praises / give thanks and praises,” which lies in the holiday spirit.
The J.B.’s, “Pass the Peas”
Soul music and soul food are necessary to have the best Thanksgiving ever. However, if you can’t cook greens correctly (it is an art, after all), the best thing to do is put on some funky music to get into the spirit. James Brown’s backing band, The J.B.’s, made peas delicious with their music.
Thelonious Monk, “Stuffy Turkey”
Thelonious Monk’s “Stuffy Turkey” has the spirit of Thanksgiving in it, and it’s long enough for you to fix a drink or grab a snack while you wait to fix yourself a plate.
Drive-By Truckers, “The Thanksgiving Filter”
Okay, let’s be honest: Thanksgiving can be depressing. November is not a cheerful month. The Daylight Savings shift causes everyone’s Seasonal Affective Disorders to kick in. There are elections. Not many people enjoy spending time with their families; many can’t do so for one reason or another, opting for “chosen families” over the biological ones. So, it’s good to have songs like Drive-By Truckers’ “The Thanksgiving Filter” to capture that feeling.
“Thank God for the filter that enables some distance / From the screaming and crying and the needs of assistance,” sings Patterson Hood in this track from the band’s 2011 album, Go-Go Boots. “You wonder why I drink and curse the holidays / Blessed be my family from three hundred miles away / It’s Thanksgiving and Jesus, I’m thankful.”
