Thanksgiving Playlist: 50 Songs to Feast On

If ever a holiday needed music, it’s Thanksgiving!  You can:

-Listen while basting your bird and mashing your potatoes
-Be the perfect host and set a festive mood for your guests
-Sing along in the car as you’re driving to dinner
-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!

Thanksgiving playlist - Birthday Butler

  

50 Songs for Your Thanksgiving Playlist  

  1. Thank You (Dido)
  2. Autumn Leaves (Nat King Cole)
  3. It’s a Marshmallow World (Darlene Love)
  4. Mama Said (Lukas Graham) (The Shirelles)
  5. Come Together (The Beatles)
  6. Kind and Generous (Natalie Merchant)
  7. Home (Michael Buble)
  8. Sweet Potato Pie (James Taylor) (Ray Charles)
  9. So Far Away (Carole King)
  10. Danka Schoen (Wayne Newton) (Brenda Lee)
  11. Seasons of Love (Rent soundtrack)
  12. Turkey Chase (Bob Dylan)
  13. Better Together (Jack Johns)
  14. Lovely Day (Bill Withers)
  15. Take Me Home, Country Road (John Denver)
  16. Crowded Table (The Highwomen)
  17. Celebration (Kool & the Gang)
  18. Ode to My Family (The Cranberries)
  19. Stuffy Turkey (Thelonious Monk)
  20. Sweet Potato (Sia)
  21. For Once in My Life (Stevie Wonder)
  22. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) (James Taylor)
  23. What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
  24. Thanksgiving Theme (Vince Guaraldi Trio)
  25. We Are Family (Sister Sledge)
  26. Harvest Moon (Neil Young)
  27. Thanksgiving (Loudon Wainwright III)
  28. Biscuits (Kacey Musgraves)
  29. Let’s Turkey Trot (Little Eva)
  30. Thank You for Being a Friend (Andrew Gold/Cynthia Fee)
  31. The Thanksgiving Song (Adam Sandler)
  32. Thankful (Celine Dion)
  33. Bring it On Home (Sam Cooke)
  34. Home (Phillip Phillips)
  35. Thanks for the Memory (Bob Hope/Shirley Ross)
  36. My Favorite Things (Sound of Music soundtrack)
  37. Do the Mashed Potatoes (James Brown)
  38. Thanks for the Music (Abba)
  39. I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For (Bob Hope)
  40. Thanks a Million (Louis Armstrong)
  41. Macy’s Day Parade (Green Day)
  42. You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You (Dean Martin)
  43. Thank U (Alanis Morrissette)
  44. In a Sentimental Mood (Ella Fitzgerald)
  45. Wild Honey Pie (The Beatles)
  46. Young Pilgrims (The Shins)
  47. Thankful (Kelly Clarkson)
  48. Comin' Home Baby (Mel Torme)
  49. I Say a Little Prayer (Aretha Franklin)
  50. All That Meat and Potatoes (Louis Armstrong)

Thanksgiving playlist - Birthday Butler

 

Give Thanks centerpiece from Birthday Butler
SHOP the Give Thanks centerpiece.