As people across the country gather around their tables with family and friends to celebrate the harvest and prepare for the coming winter, music is a part of the festivities. The best Thanksgiving songs create a background for family gatherings. Plus, they shape the lives of those who attend in ways they don’t even realize.
Sounds and smells are often the strongest connections to memory. And even years later they can bring back the feeling of home, big meals, and giving thanks together.
Best Thanksgiving Songs – It’s About Food
Many Thanksgiving celebrations revolve around food being shared. And there’s no reason the music can’t fit that theme.
Jay & The Techniques’ “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” brings a little pop and some R&B to any Thanksgiving meal.
If you want a little instrumental while you eat, Bob Dylan has provided his “Turkey Chase” for your enjoyment.
Add some jazz to the mix. And remind everyone what you’ve been up to with “Everybody Eats When They Come to My House” with Cab Calloway and His Orchestra.
The Holidays are always a great time for Ray Charles and his classics, with “Sweet Potato Pie” bringing the festivities together every year.
“Let’s Turkey Trot” from Little Eva will bring back memories of happy gatherings. And maybe he can dance with everyone.
Once you get everyone up and dancing, you can follow them up with James Brown and “Do the Mashed Potatoes”
Thanksgiving Songs – Singing Thanks
While some people share their feelings through the written word or during face-to-face conversations, others do best singing about the things that matter most to them.
“Million Thanks” with Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra will take you back in time. And reminding everyone that there are things that don’t change as the years go by.
Another classic that brings generations together is from Bing Crosby with his “I’ve Got Plenty to be Thankful For”. Almost every family will have a favorite Bing Crosby song. His music lives on in families and has accompanied them at many meals over the decades.
Nat King Cole is close behind them as some of the most popular singers of their time. And “Autumn Leaves” uses jazz to share the feelings of autumn and harvest gatherings.
New artists have followed in the footsteps of their predecessors, sharing appreciation for what they have and those they love through song.
Kelly Clarkson and her powerful pop voice bring “Thankful” to the dinner table for your meal.
Sam and Dave mix soul, R&B, and a little rock to bring “I Thank You” to gatherings across the country.
“I Want to Thank You” from Otis Redding can help your senior family feel welcome and comfortable, and it shares a different perspective than some of the others on this list.
Johnny Cash’s top Thanksgiving songs are unforgettable, as he shares all the things he’s thankful for in his “Thanksgiving Prayer” and Dido is close behind in “Thank You”.
It’s that Time of Year
Every year there is a change not only in the weather and the activities people enjoy, the clothes they wear, and the length of the days, but also in the emotions and moods that come with it.
As Thanksgiving leads into Christmas preparations, “Thanksgiving Song” with Mary Chapin Carpenter is sure to bring back many memories and love shared with family and friends.
Big Star addresses the value of friends in your life and theirs, in their song “Thank You Friends”. Many have been known to take their favorite lines from the song as quotes about friendship.
Not to be outdone, “Thanksgiving” from Ray Davies addresses all the things people get caught up in during the holidays and how much is missed from the lives of loved ones when the time is spent.
Whether you’re looking to spice up the gathering a little, or bring some laughs to the day, Adam Sandler and “The Thanksgiving Song” are sure to have some of his favorite Thanksgiving Jokes in it.
Round out the evening by pitting Loudon Wainwright III against “Thanksgiving” where he shares the highlights of his holiday with family.
Best Thanksgiving Songs – Final Note
Perhaps there is no holiday, and especially Thanksgiving, spent with friends in appreciation of all that life has to offer without Andrew Gold and Cynthia Fee with “Thanks for Being Friends”. This classic theme song is not just a theme song but shares the truth of how many people feel about their friends, as they create a bigger family around us.
When you’re choosing your music for the holidays, you’re sure to find some that are perfect for background sounds while eating, others to make you laugh and joke, and others to speed up the cleaning process as they increase the energy in room . You can change a lot of how something feels with the soundtrack that runs behind everything. And there are sure to be some great Thanksgiving songs for the whole day. Play your favorites and ask others to bring their favorites for different music, and to learn about them and their preferences. The songs people choose will share a lot about their own feelings. These songs can bring people together, and help create new memories. Or to recall some of the best memories of times gone by.
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About the Author
Jane Sheriff is the founder, creative director, party planner and mother of three. She started Darling Celebrations in 2012 to share easy and beautiful ideas for celebrating life’s special events.
