Ready For An Illinois Thanksgiving? Where Are The Tunes?

Several holidays have music associated with them, New Year's, Halloween, Easter, and 4th of July, though none rival the scale of Christmas.

Well, what about Thanksgiving, where are the songs? It's the holiday that songs forgot about. WHY? Maybe by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, people are already indulging in Christmas music. Sure, you can something out there in youtube land, but, does anyone even know those tunes?

So I decided to ask my co-workers, family, friends, and restaurants that I go to often, "Do you know of any Mid-West Thanksgiving music?" The answer was either Adam Sander, The Thanksgiving Song, Over the River and Through the Woods, or, I have no idea.

THANKSGIVING IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY CELEBRATED HOLIDAYS.

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Thanksgiving is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the United States, yet it lacks the vast repertoire of music that Christmas and other holidays enjoy. There are a few reasons for this cultural gap, rooted in tradition, commercial appeal, and thematic focus.

First, Thanksgiving doesn’t carry the same cultural themes that translate easily into popular music. Christmas music, for example, thrives on themes of warmth, giving, and winter wonder—all easily set to melodies that evoke nostalgia and joy. Thanksgiving, by contrast, is rooted in gratitude and community, often expressed through personal and reflective moments with family. While these themes are meaningful, they may be harder to package into a catchy, widely appealing tune that resonates across demographics.

WAIT A MINUTE, ILLINOIS HAS A STATE SONG, WHAT THE HECK?

Another reason is commercialism. Christmas music is deeply tied to retail, with holiday sales starting as early as November. Retailers play Christmas songs to encourage festive moods and inspire shopping, making the music a marketing staple. Thanksgiving, however, lacks the same commercial push, so there’s little pressure to create or popularize music for it.

THANKSGIVING, WHERE ARE YOUR TUNES? 

Additionally, Thanksgiving traditions focus on shared experiences—family gatherings, cooking, and watching football—rather than songs or carols. While a few Thanksgiving songs exist, like Over the River and Through the Woods, they don’t have the same emotional or nostalgic weight as Christmas carols. Thanksgiving’s main attraction is the meal and the gathering, rather than a specific soundtrack.

In the end, Thanksgiving’s charm lies in its quiet warmth, with family conversations and shared memories setting the mood. While it may never have an extensive playlist, its essence remains a celebration of gratitude, not performance—a tradition best enjoyed through presence rather than music.