Thanksgiving Playlist: 50 Songs to Feast On
If ever a holiday needed music, it’s Thanksgiving! You can:
-Break out into an impromptu dance party and embarrass your teenagers 😉
But what songs to listen to?
I’ve put together a list of 50 Songs to Gobble By. It’s an eclectic mix of tunes to keep you and your guests entertained.
Pro Tip: Get your holiday playlist ready ahead of time. It's also a great task to delegate to a teenager!
Songs that Made the Cut (Carving?) for Your Feast
Though we have Christmas carols aplenty, you have to cast a much wider net to find Thanksgiving tunes.
The songs I've chosen represent general themes associated with Thanksgiving, including:
- Thankfulness
- Family
- Food
- Togetherness
- Homecoming
The range of artists is a wide one. You'll see musical greats like Nat King Cole, Celine Dion and the Beatles, as well as a humdinger by Adam Sandler. (Yes, really! 😀 )
There are also life lessons hidden among these songs. My most favorite advice comes from a song entitled Biscuits by Kacey Musgraves (#28):
“Mind your own biscuits and your life will be gravy.”
Without further ado, here are my top 50 songs to enjoy this Thanksgiving!
50 Songs for Your Thanksgiving Playlist
- Thank You (Dido)
- Autumn Leaves (Nat King Cole)
- It’s a Marshmallow World (Darlene Love)
- Mama Said (Lukas Graham) (The Shirelles)
- Come Together (The Beatles)
- Kind and Generous (Natalie Merchant)
- Home (Michael Buble)
- Sweet Potato Pie (James Taylor) (Ray Charles)
- So Far Away (Carole King)
- Danka Schoen (Wayne Newton) (Brenda Lee)
- Seasons of Love (Rent soundtrack)
- Turkey Chase (Bob Dylan)
- Better Together (Jack Johns)
- Lovely Day (Bill Withers)
- Take Me Home, Country Road (John Denver)
- Crowded Table (The Highwomen)
- Celebration (Kool & the Gang)
- Ode to My Family (The Cranberries)
- Stuffy Turkey (Thelonious Monk)
- Sweet Potato (Sia)
- For Once in My Life (Stevie Wonder)
- How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) (James Taylor)
- What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
- Thanksgiving Theme (Vince Guaraldi Trio)
- We Are Family (Sister Sledge)
- Harvest Moon (Neil Young)
- Thanksgiving (Loudon Wainwright III)
- Biscuits (Kacey Musgraves)
- Let’s Turkey Trot (Little Eva)
- Thank You for Being a Friend (Andrew Gold/Cynthia Fee)
- The Thanksgiving Song (Adam Sandler)
- Thankful (Celine Dion)
- Bring it On Home (Sam Cooke)
- Home (Phillip Phillips)
- Thanks for the Memory (Bob Hope/Shirley Ross)
- My Favorite Things (Sound of Music soundtrack)
- Do the Mashed Potatoes (James Brown)
- Thanks for the Music (Abba)
- I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For (Bob Hope)
- Thanks a Million (Louis Armstrong)
- Macy’s Day Parade (Green Day)
- You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You (Dean Martin)
- Thank U (Alanis Morrissette)
- In a Sentimental Mood (Ella Fitzgerald)
- Wild Honey Pie (The Beatles)
- Young Pilgrims (The Shins)
- Thankful (Kelly Clarkson)
- Comin' Home Baby (Mel Torme)
- I Say a Little Prayer (Aretha Franklin)
- All That Meat and Potatoes (Louis Armstrong)