Thanksgiving is all about good food, celebration, and having fun with your loved ones. No celebration is complete without soulful and uplifting music, so you better put your best Thanksgiving songs in order before the holiday rush begins.
Whether you are cooking, entertaining guests, or playing board games with your family, mellow Thanksgiving songs playing in the background always help to create a perfect festive environment in your home.
To share a bit of your workload, we have shortlisted the 25 best Thanksgiving songs that you can put in your festival playlist.
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Try for free25 Thanksgiving songs to help you feel thankful & happy
1. “Thanks a Million” by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra
After having a ravishing Thanksgiving dinner, play this song to show how much you are actually thankful. The sweet trumpet melodies in the background will set a perfect mood for the evening. Plus, this classic song will allow you to remember your Thanksgiving celebrations as a kid.
2. “Turkey Chase” by Bob Dylan
Turkey Chase is a perfect Thanksgiving background song that you can play while stuffing a turkey or entertaining your guests. It is an instrumental song that you can play while cooking your grand Thanksgiving cuisine.
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3. “Autumn Leaves” by Nat King Cole
This peppy jazz Thanksgiving track by Nate will definitely compel you to dance and relax. After a big Thanksgiving meal, tapping your feet on this Thanksgiving song will help you create a room for dessert in your belly and have a fun moment with your family.
4. “Thankful” by Kelly Clarkson
If it’s your turn to host Thanksgiving this year, put Thankful by Kelly Clarkson on your playlist and have some fun while preparing your famous dishes. You can also set up karaoke after dinner to have a lip-syncing battle with your friends on this song.
5. “Everybody Eats When They Come to My House” by Cab Calloway
For a little humorous touch, you can play this fun Thanksgiving song while welcoming guests to your place. This song will help to set the perfect festive vibes on turkey day.
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6. “Sweet Potato Pie” by Ray Charles
Are you baking your special sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving? Put this song on your playlist to bake your sweet potato pie on a musical note with loads of fun and happiness. If you want your teenagers to help you with dinner preparations, this pop song will create an energetic environment in the kitchen to entertain your teenager.
7. “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge
This Thanksgiving song is the best one to celebrate the unbreakable sisterly bond. The upbeat tempo and empowering lyrics will help your girls to nurture their bond and always be there for one another.
8. “I Want to Thank You” by Otis Redding
Sometimes it is good to show your children how much you are thankful to your partner for all their hard work. Simply play this romantic Thanksgiving song by Redding after dinner and slow dance with your partner to bloom your home with love and admiration.
9. “Give Thanks and Praises” by Bob Marley and the Wailers
This song will put your mind at ease after a hectic day. You can snuggle with your family on a couch and share dessert while “Give Thanks and Praises” by Bob Marley plays in the background.
10. “The Thanksgiving Song” by Adam Sandler
Your Thanksgiving playlist is incomplete without this classic song.”. All your love for delicious turkey has been beautifully portrayed by Sandler in this song. It is a classic Thanksgiving song that everyone in your family can enjoy.
11. “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” by Vince Guaraldi Sextet
This is the sound of childhood. Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving song returns every Thanksgiving with a lesson or two on coming together and always being there for your friends. It is a Thanksgiving anthem that you must put on your holiday playlist.
12. “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Dee Sharp
If you want to have some fun with your kids while making mashed potatoes, play “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Dee Sharp on repeat. This upbeat and peppy song will turn your kitchen into a party zone where your entire family can dance and cook together.
13. “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
If you are visiting your parent’s home to celebrate Thanksgiving with your siblings, play this song in your car and evoke that feeling of being homesick. You can share your childhood memories with your children while Edward Sharpe helps you remember your childhood home.
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14. “Thank You, Friends” by Big Star
Do you want to celebrate Friendsgiving? If yes, then listen to this Thanksgiving track by Big Star and be thankful for having such an amazing group of friends in your life.
15. “Cooking Up Something Good” by Mac DeMarco
When you wish to cook something special for Thanksgiving, play “Cooking Up Something Good” by DeMarco to cook in a lively environment. DeMarco’s melodic lyrics will help you get into the right mood to cook something good for Thanksgiving.
16. “Autumn in New York” by Billie Holiday
New York’s autumn is pure magic. When leaves turn the city into golden dusk, and you can’t help but appreciate the autumn at every corner, this song will give you solace. If you are also thankful for surreal New York’s autumn, do play this Thanksgiving song.
17. “Let’s Turkey Trot” by Little Eva
After feasting on a juicy and tender turkey bird, play Let’s “Turkey Trot” by Little Eva and let your feet loose. This is a perfect Thanksgiving party song to dance your heart out with your friends and family.
18. “Thanksgiving” by Loudon Wainwright III
This is a half-folk and half-rock song that can make everyone on the dinner table happy. From your parents to your teenagers, everyone can enjoy this song while savoring your traditional Thanksgiving recipes.
19. “Alice’s Restaurant” by Arlo Guthrie
This is not just a Thanksgiving song but a story about how Guthrie was rejected from the Draft Board for having a criminal record. The criminal record that he got was because of illegally dumping trash on Thanksgiving.
20. “Thanksgiving Prayer” by Johnny Cash
This is a beautiful Thanksgiving song that tells how we should be thankful for simple things in life like the laughter of children or the moonrise over the prairies.
21. “Thank You” by Dido
“Thank You” by Dido deserves a position in your Thanksgiving playlist if you are thankful for the feeling that your family is always on your side.
22. “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young
Once all the Thanksgiving craziness dies down, play this slow Thanksgiving song and enjoy this Neil Young’s melody to end the festive day on a happy note.
23. “It’s Thanksgiving” by Nicole Westbrook
This is one of those songs that gets stuck in your brain like a loop and you’re unable to get it out. You won’t be able to help yourself to humm on this song while cooking Thanksgiving dinner for your family.
24. “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges
This song is for the moment when you are setting the dinner table and waiting for your entire family to come together to share a meal and happiness.
25. “Thankful n’ Thoughtful” by Sly & the Family Stone
If you are unable to celebrate Thanksgiving this year with your entire family, “Thankful n’ Thoughtful” by Sly will help you understand how blessed you are to celebrate Thanksgiving with everything you have been fortunate with.
Over the years, many Thanksgiving songs have been composed by world-renowned artists in honor of turkey day. But some songs have become the soul of Thanksgiving day. The Thanksgiving songs mentioned above will help you share a piece of your childhood with your kids.
Let’s Say Thank You in Musical Style!
Thanksgiving songs help you thank and celebrate this special day with your family and friends in a better way. You can easily set a relaxing and festive ambiance in your home with a beautiful melody on Thanksgiving
We’re happy to share the all-time favorite 25 Thanksgiving songs with you. All you now have to do is create your Thanksgiving playlist and get into the festival mode. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the most popular American Thanksgiving folk song?
“We Gather Together” is the oldest American song to be recognized as the traditional Thanksgiving song. This is an old hymn that talks about the first American Thanksgiving celebration.
Which Christmas song was actually written for Thanksgiving?
Not many people know that the Jingle Bells song was actually written for Thanksgiving in 1857. The song has no direct connection with Christmas, but somehow in the 1870s, it became a festival song.
What is the Thanksgiving celebration?
Thanksgiving Day is an annual national festival in the USA and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans believe that the Thanksgiving celebration is based on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.
List down some Thanksgiving facts
- Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated in 1621.
- The US President pardons a turkey every Thanksgiving.
- Thanksgiving is the biggest travel day in the states.
- Traditional Thanksgiving meal hasn’t changed much since 1621.
- American people eat over 280 million turkeys every Thanksgiving
