Does Thanksgiving Need Its Own Music?

There are a handful of Thanksgiving-themed songs. Sure, there are songs about giving thanks and songs about being grateful, but there are few Thanksgiving-themed songs, especially when compared to the deluge of Christmas songs out there in the world.

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So, what is there to listen to around the time you want to fire up the television for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Well, there’s Adam Sandler’s “The Thanksgiving Song” and, well, that’s about it. Given the fact that Sandler’s song has garnered nearly six million views on YouTube to date, there seems to be a market for the music.

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But what should the songs be about?

Well, the obvious theme is food. That’s largely what Sandler focuses on. Someone could write a song similar to Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” but about eating: “I’ve Eaten Everywhere” and just list off restaurants open for Thanksgiving and all the food that can be consumed.

There could also be songs about family, both good and bad. Like Home for the Holidays, the track could be about the arduous task of spending time with kin during the season. Or it could be about the joys of family. The song could also be about traveling, and the experience of being in an airport during the season.

Who would be good to write them?

Country artists could have a field day with home-inspired songs. There could also be songs about farmers and where all the food comes from.

Similarly, who wouldn’t want to hear a rap song about what it’s like to be home for the holidays? There are great rap Christmas songs like “Christmas in Harlem” and “Christmas in Hollis,” so why not “Thanksgiving in Queens” or “Turkey Day in Brooklyn?”

Final Thoughts

In the end, it just seems like a majorly untapped market. Hundreds of millions of people celebrate Thanksgiving in one form or another, why not create a soundtrack for it?

Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

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