Are there Thanksgiving "carols," as it were? If so, what are some?

Question

My daughter asked this, and I said the only one I knew of was the one that starts out, "Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go..." But then all my kids jumped right back and said that's a Christmas carol, and maybe I'm wrong, but I remember when I was growing up back in the 1970s that was distinctly a Thanksgiving song, but it does talk about snow, so...

Anyway, is that a Thanksgiving carol, or if not, are there any? If so, let me know what ones you know of, not modern songs about Thanksgiving but old-timey ones, traditional ones-- "carols," for lack of the a better word.

Anyway, is that a Thanksgiving carol, or if not, are there any? If so, let me know what ones you know of, not modern songs about Thanksgiving but old-timey ones, traditional ones-- "carols," for lack of the a better word.

Anonymous · Answer

The "Over the River" song is often song at Thanksgiving.

There aren't "carols," per se, but I did learn a couple of songs in kindergarten that were routinely taught to children around Thanksgiving. That was over 50 years ago, so those songs had probably been around for a while. One was about a turkey running away.  Perhaps someone else here can recall the lyrics.

Then there's "We Gather Together, which to me sounds more like a hymn.

donnie · Answer

There is thanksgiving songs if you look for them

? · Answer

“Jingle Bells” was written in the mid-19th century by James Pierpont.  It was written as a Thanksgiving song, not a Christmas song, as is commonly believed.

Lynnmarie · Answer

The only ones I know of are two church  hymns:   "We Gather Together" and "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come."

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, that's a song associated with Thanksgiving in the US going back to the years following WWII. It existed by the early 1950s for sure.

It's from an 1844 poem by Lydia Maria Child titled "The New-England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day" in Child's book Flowers for Children. The Wikipedia listing notes that it's been "stolen" for Christmas use, some lyrics changed.

As to the existence of other traditional Thanksgiving songs, all I can think of are the religion-based songs of my elementary school years, which would not be taught in a public school now. "We Gather Together" is the first to come to mind. "Come Ye Thankful/Harvest Home" is second. Looking around online a little, there are few to add: "Now Thank We all Our God," if you're religious, and a handful of country, indie, and Christian songs.

A fast google shows lots of people think a traditional song needs to be only a decade or two old. Ha!

Are there Thanksgiving "carols," as it were? If so, what are some?

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