The Thanksgiving holiday occupies that hungry space equidistant between Halloween and Christmas, the other two days reserved for overindulging in caloric excess. Those two tend to be sweeter (full of candy and cookies), while Turkey Day falls squarely into savory territory, notwithstanding a little cranberry sauce on the side, and, OK, pumpkin pie too.
As much as Thanksgiving wins in the delicious department, it's pretty lacking when it comes to soundtracking tunes -- and that's a shame. We all need a mellow record to drop our needles on while we lie on our couches, slothenly digesting our weight in home-cooked goodness. Because you'll be busy basting the turkey and peeling the potatoes, we've compiled this ultimate Thanksgiving playlist so you don't have to. Leisurely listening awaits!
Appetizer
The Newbeats: "Bread and Butter" (1964)
Nothing says pre-meal salivating like good, old-fashioned bread and butter, and what's more old-fashioned than a 1960s all-male vocal trio? Of course, take care not to overdo it before the big meal. That goes double for listening to The Newbeats.
Main Dishes
ScHoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar: "Collard Greens" (2014)
Fresh from a visit to SU in September [9], ScHoolboy Q cooks you up a massive batch of collard greens to garnish your plate. This song might be about marijuana, but it could be about vegetables, too.
Booker T & The MG's: "Green Onions" (1962)
A classic-rock staple, "Green Onions" is a readymade fry-cook order of sizzling organ and buzzing blues licks. Tasty.
James Brown: "(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" (1980)
Peeling potatoes is tedious, but mashing them can be funky fun! James Brown knew it, so he recorded this propulsive, rhythmic track and dared the world not to dance to it. It's easy -- grab a masher, slam it inside your batch of spuds and repeat.
The Cranberries: "Dreams" (1993)
The real fruit champions of Thanksgiving, The Cranberries offer this saccharine song to help balance out the big, salty meal in front of you.
Mor ve Ötesi: "Deli" (2008)
Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a song with "turkey" in the title? Instead, we'll go with "Deli" from Mor ve Otesi, one of Turkey's biggest names in late 2000s alternative rock. Enjoy.
Desserts
Busta Rhymes: "Hot Fudge" (1996)
What's a decadent meal without a mountainous sundae lathered in gooey chocolate sauce? Busta knows the appropriate exclamation to make: "Good lord!"
Tori Amos: "Raspberry Swirl" (1998)
Despite being the most 1998 song besides Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," [10] this billowing Amos track does wonders for a tummy wanting just a little more.
Don McLean: "American Pie" (1971)
Here it is: the most American slice of Americana of all time. Gather round, family, and let Uncle Don sing us all the musical history of this great nation.
Post-Dinner Family Time
Arlo Guthrie: "Alice's Restaurant" (1967)
On second thought, Uncle Don can be kind of a downer. Let's just indulge in something from Uncle Arlo instead and...ah, the heck with it. Let's all lie down for a nap instead.
