The holiday season is upon us. First up: Thanksgiving. Are we feeling thankful? Maybe not entirely but I think this year more than some others, we were in the mood for a good old fashioned, comforting family Thanksgiving with all the trimmings. This week on Bubble Wrap, we attempted to fit the mood of the moment with a surprising number of Thanksgiving songs, and a few surprises.
To Graham Parker, Loudon Wainwright III, Mary Gauthier, and Ray Davies, thank you for writing songs about the undersung holiday of Thanksgiving. And to William Devaughn, on behalf of myself and so many others, thank you for writing a song that continues to resonate any day, any time, all these years later. We appreciate the grateful groove.
Favorite new inspirational song: “Smilin'” by Lady Wray. This, imo, is the “Happy” of 2016.
Best Thanksgiving-themed, non-pop musical composition: Charles Ives’ “Thanksgiving” from his New England Holidays symphony. Although classical may not be your bag, the chorale that ends this piece will transport you in more ways than one. Certainly it conveys the idea of “thanksgiving” in a way closer to that of the originators of the holiday, which, as we all now know, only came into being under Abraham Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War.
Here’s the full playlist:
November 23, 2016
Be Thankful
Rare Essence – Thank You
Joy Atlas – Altitude
Madonna – Keep It Together
Golden Gardens – Extrasolar Heartbeat
Graham Parker – Almost Thanksgiving
Lady Wray – Smilin’
Terry Malts – Seen Everything
Yuko Sakaitsukasa – Computer Obachan
Loudon Wainwright III – Thanksgiving
Feist – Past In Present
Mary Gauthier – Thanksgiving
Nick Robin – Drive On
Madhouse – 6
Phoenix – 1901
Ray Davies – Thanksgiving Day
Simple Kid – Little King Kong
William Devaughn – Be Thankful For What You’ve Got
Carly Simon – Anticipation
Magazine – Thank You (Falettinmebe Mice Elf Agin)
Shana Falana – Cool Kids
BB&Q Band – Dreamer
ZZTop – I Thank You
Charles Ives – Thanksgiving from New England Holidays
** Hey, speaking of holidays, the Christmas show is coming up December 21! Tune us in and join in the fun…