Last Thanksgiving, as my friends and I were at my house drinking wine, sparkling grape juice, and preparing the stuffing and dinner rolls, my friend who looks like a Greek princess started her yearly complaint.
"I just wish there were songs about Thanksgiving! It's my favorite holiday," she moaned.
"What, you didn't like the song I made up last month?" I asked while winking at her (I'll call her Annie). Annie and I had just gone up to see a Notre Dame football game, and on our way back to St. Louis, I had free-styled a ridiculous song about our friend group celebrating Thanksgiving at my house.
You see, Annie had been talking about her favorite holiday (right by her birthday) never getting any attention from songwriters. Instead, they all just want to redo the overdone classic Christmas songs.
She laughed at my comment, and so did our other friends. They had all heard the rough draft version of my "Friends-giving" song. It was terrible and immature, which was the point.
"I liked it, but I want something serious. Christmas gets all of this amazing songs and Thanksgiving has NOTHING," she responded.
This article is for Annie and all the other people who crave more than stuffing and mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving holiday.
This article is for the people praying for that amazing Thanksgiving holiday album to drop. I obviously don't have that holiday album for you (it's in the works), but I found 5 Thanksgiving songs you should know.
I start with the ridiculous ones and end with the sweetest song I've found about this holiday.
Listed in order of humor, let's start with "It's Thanksgiving," sung by Nicole Westbrook.
"It's Thanksgiving" by Nicole Westbrook
This song went viral overnight in 2015. It was created by the same person who made "Friday" with Rebecca Black, so that means the lyrics and production value are sub-par (but her voice is pretty good!).
For example, the chorus includes random mentions of EGGS! while mentioning other foods they are eating (turkey and potatoes). When it went viral, Nicole was pretty ecstatic that the song got 5 million views.
She even recorded and made a music video for another song about a young crush called "Smile." Truly, it was a young crush since Nicole was only 12 years old when "It's Thanksgiving" was produced and made.
It is the funniest Thanksgiving song I've found because I know its supposed to be serious, but I can't help but giggle when I view it.
I feel bad because 1) Nicole is from St. Louis (just like me) and I wish she had been given a better song to sing and 2) I wish she had realized it was a not-so-hot song and never sung it because now everyone who looks up her name on Google or Bing for a future job ... well, they're going to see this song.
Although it's a bad song, I did smile during it and afterwards, so I am also grateful. I encourage you to check it out.
"Thanksgiving Song" by Adam Sandler
You can find it on Spotify and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. How could it - it's Adam Sandler singing about TURKEY and cranberries and other funny jokes (the ones that go over my head because they relate to whatever political/social upheavals SNL was covering in the 1980s).
This live performance was an instant hit during SNL's Weekend Update with Kevin Nealson (Season 18, 1992). You can find the link here to see this hilarious performance of how Adam Sandler is a good boy by eating his turkey and taking his naps during Thanksgiving.
"Thanksgiving Song" by Linda (Bob's Burgers)
Linda is a hardworking mom rocking trendy red glasses, a middle part, and black hair that perfectly curls just above her shoulders (like the 1950s housewives would've had it permed back in the day).
She pulls on her tight turquoise dress as she and her family walk to the house they are celebrating Thanksgiving in. In her manly voice she poetically states the following lyrics:
"Pass the cranberry sauce / We're having mashed potatoes / Ooh the turkey looks great. / Thank you for loving me / Thank you for being there / Thank you for loving me / Everyone's thanking / The whole world's thanking you / Kill the turkey."
Thank you, Bob's Burgers, for giving us an iconic Thanksgiving song from an iconic character. #killtheturkey
"FUNNY Thanksgiving Song: The Turkey Song" by Bryant Oden
You know who has fun on Thanksgiving? Everyone!
... except for the turkey. (La la la la la la) *sung cheerfully*
You know who smiles on Thanksgiving? Everyone!
... except for the turkey. (La la la la la la la) *sung cheerfully*
This song is a feel-good song for everyone except (yup) the turkey! It was one of the songs that I found randomly on Youtube that deserved a shoutout. I'm sure there are other kid-like songs out there that are just as humorous, but this is the one I enjoy.
It even includes a warning to all the turkeys that are still alive to run away to a distant land that actually likes turkeys. My goodness, this is a great song. Thank you, Bryant Oden, for making it.
"Thanksgiving Song" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Now this is a song I would want my Thanksgiving album to have.
It has heart, it has intelligent and meaningful lyrics, and it sounds like a Thanksgiving song. You know how everyone knows a Christmas song by its tune? This is definitely a Thanksgiving song.
It might be the only good one out there, so please give it a listen. And although Mary Chapin Carpenter has a lot of songs on Spotify, this wasn't listed on their song list (at least, not that I could find). Thank goodness for Youtube!
I know that was a lot of information, but I thought it would be valuable for all the people like Annie who are craving more than the mediocre/funny when it comes Thanksgiving songs. Maybe, if all of America prayed this prayer this year with their loved ones, we could get what we want:
