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With Thanksgiving fast approaching, Craven started wondering just how many popular songs offer thanks. It turns out there are a lot.
Acts as diverse as Boyz II Men, Dido, Led Zeppelin, the Redwalls and Jay-Z have recorded songs simply called “Thank You” (and Alanis Morrisette must have been practicing for the texting age when she instead sang, “Thank U”). But other artists have gotten more specific.
Bon Jovi, for instance, said, “Thank You for Loving Me,” whereas Sinead O'Connor set her expectations a bit lower in 1994 and was willing to “Thank You For Hearing Me.” Even easier, perhaps, back in 1969, Sly and the Family Stone wanted to “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).”
Nine years later, the Talking Heads had to “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel,” and a cool decade after that, Cheryl Pepsii Riley was offering “Thanks For My Child.” In 1938, Bob Hope gave “Thanks For the Memory,” but almost 70 years later, Fall Out Boy -- perhaps wishing to outdo Alanis Morrisette — had so economized on vowels that the sentiment had transformed into “Thnks Fr th Mmrs.”
And whereas ABBA wanted to “Thank You For the Music,” My Chemical Romance wished to “Thank You For the Venom.” (Which just goes to indicate a party featuring both ABBA and My Chemical Romance would probably be pretty interesting.)
For some acts, it wasn't WHAT you were thanking for, it was WHO you were thanking. Big Star said, “Thank You Friends,” the Beatles said “Thank You Girl,” and the Shirelles said “Thank You Baby.”
Others cast their eyes a little higher. Hank Williams offered, “Thank You God,” while Rita Marley similarly wished to “Thank You, Jah.” It was also Jah to whom Rita's late husband, the great Bob Marley, urged his listeners to “Give Thanks and Praises.” Bob Marley must have been a pretty grateful guy, because he also recorded “Thank You Lord,” which was a different song than both Rick Nelson's “Thank You Lord” and gospel great Andre Crouch's “Lord, Thank You.”
Thanksgiving itself has been the subject of songs by as motley a roster as Prince Buster, Loudon Wainwright III and pianist George Winston. Singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter offered up her “Thanksgiving Song” three years ago, and former Eagle Don Henley sang about “My Thanksgiving” eight years earlier.
Sometimes, an artist's muse is lit by a specific Thanksgiving. For instance, electronic act Felm immortalized “Thanksgiving '87,” while, for punk band Amps for Christ, it was “Thanksgiving '96” and for jazz artist Monica Ashton, “Thanksgiving '01” was the one worth singing about.
Whatever your favorite song of thanks might be, here's hoping your Thanksgiving is filled with great food and the love of your family.
And Craven would like to thank you heartily for directing your attention to this little corner of the Grand Junction Free Press for the past several years, and hopes you will continue to find amusement and divertisement here every Friday for many more to come.
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Notes is supported by the Gay and Lesbian Fund, supporting nonprofits that work to alleviate hunger in Colorado.
Craven Lovelace produces Notes, a daily cultural history of popular music, for KAFM 88.1 Community Radio, kafmradio.org. You can visit cravenlovelace.com for more of his musings on the world of popular culture.
Acts as diverse as Boyz II Men, Dido, Led Zeppelin, the Redwalls and Jay-Z have recorded songs simply called “Thank You” (and Alanis Morrisette must have been practicing for the texting age when she instead sang, “Thank U”). But other artists have gotten more specific.
Bon Jovi, for instance, said, “Thank You for Loving Me,” whereas Sinead O'Connor set her expectations a bit lower in 1994 and was willing to “Thank You For Hearing Me.” Even easier, perhaps, back in 1969, Sly and the Family Stone wanted to “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).”
Nine years later, the Talking Heads had to “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel,” and a cool decade after that, Cheryl Pepsii Riley was offering “Thanks For My Child.” In 1938, Bob Hope gave “Thanks For the Memory,” but almost 70 years later, Fall Out Boy -- perhaps wishing to outdo Alanis Morrisette — had so economized on vowels that the sentiment had transformed into “Thnks Fr th Mmrs.”
And whereas ABBA wanted to “Thank You For the Music,” My Chemical Romance wished to “Thank You For the Venom.” (Which just goes to indicate a party featuring both ABBA and My Chemical Romance would probably be pretty interesting.)
For some acts, it wasn't WHAT you were thanking for, it was WHO you were thanking. Big Star said, “Thank You Friends,” the Beatles said “Thank You Girl,” and the Shirelles said “Thank You Baby.”
Others cast their eyes a little higher. Hank Williams offered, “Thank You God,” while Rita Marley similarly wished to “Thank You, Jah.” It was also Jah to whom Rita's late husband, the great Bob Marley, urged his listeners to “Give Thanks and Praises.” Bob Marley must have been a pretty grateful guy, because he also recorded “Thank You Lord,” which was a different song than both Rick Nelson's “Thank You Lord” and gospel great Andre Crouch's “Lord, Thank You.”
Thanksgiving itself has been the subject of songs by as motley a roster as Prince Buster, Loudon Wainwright III and pianist George Winston. Singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter offered up her “Thanksgiving Song” three years ago, and former Eagle Don Henley sang about “My Thanksgiving” eight years earlier.
Sometimes, an artist's muse is lit by a specific Thanksgiving. For instance, electronic act Felm immortalized “Thanksgiving '87,” while, for punk band Amps for Christ, it was “Thanksgiving '96” and for jazz artist Monica Ashton, “Thanksgiving '01” was the one worth singing about.
Whatever your favorite song of thanks might be, here's hoping your Thanksgiving is filled with great food and the love of your family.
And Craven would like to thank you heartily for directing your attention to this little corner of the Grand Junction Free Press for the past several years, and hopes you will continue to find amusement and divertisement here every Friday for many more to come.
-----------------------------
Notes is supported by the Gay and Lesbian Fund, supporting nonprofits that work to alleviate hunger in Colorado.
Craven Lovelace produces Notes, a daily cultural history of popular music, for KAFM 88.1 Community Radio, kafmradio.org. You can visit cravenlovelace.com for more of his musings on the world of popular culture.
