26 November 2024

A couple years ago, I tried to write a Christmas song, but nothing materialized.

Then, during last year's holidays, I wrote the lyrics and melody to a Thanksgiving song, which I titled, very on-the-nosely, "Thanksgiving Song." A good friend (and frequent music collaborator), Clay Norris, wrote the accompanying music and plays the rhythm and lead acoustic guitar on the recording of this song (below).

One of my hopes for “Thanksgiving Song” is that it would be recorded by a professional musical artist and eventually be in rotation on the radio between Halloween and Thanksgiving...helping to keep Christmas songs off the radio until after Thanksgiving. But much more than that, I hope it helps give people permission to feel the fullness of their emotions at a time of year when our culture seems somewhat bent on manufacturing happiness.

Adding beautiful texture to this recording are Jasen Christensen (upright bass) and Bob Haggerty (mandolin).

Feel free to forward this webpage to anyone you think might appreciate hearing the song.

Best wishes for a safe and connective Thanksgiving,
Rob

Thanksgiving Song

verse 1:
Penny is spending Thanksgiving alone
her son’s in Missouri, her husband’s passed on
you see
she and her neighbors all keep to themselves
some call it privacy I call it hell

chorus 1:
she lived the American Dream
for a long time, that’s what it seemed
but a dream you can’t wake from ain’t no dream at all
in her kitchen she stares at the phone on the wall

verse 2:
a mile and a half from Penny’s warm home
Nathan is pushin’ all that he owns
in his mind he replays his past like a film
whose second act always gives him the chills

chorus 2:
he’s on his way to a meal
he only gets if he makes a deal
so he’ll sit through the preachin’ and receive the prayer
and envy the clothes on this year’s volunteers

bridge:
from the Mayflower to Origin Blue
no one is content at home
it could be that happiness is too much to ask for
I’d settle for a little Shalom

***guitar solo***

verse 3:
so go ’round the table and share your thankfuls
be grateful for them ’fore they’re gone
be kind to your brother and love on your mother
this is my Thanksgiving song

(C) Robert Grant and Clay Norris