I'm curious about how you're counting the mentions of beer, I feel like there are a number of songs that mention without using the word "beer" specifically (for example the Irish song "Waxies Dargle" with the chorus, "What are ye having, will ye have a pint? Yes, I'll have a pint with you, sir, / And if one of us doesn't order soon we'll be thrown out of the boozer.")
Good question. I tried to search for all beer adjacent words. But obviously I will miss some. Like there’s no way I picked up “a bottle of red” as wine in “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”
This is all wonderful, Chris. But I need a third-party to resolve the conflict between my wife and I between including the stuffing inside the bird or out? And by the way, “Jive Turkey” by the Ohio Players should get an honorable mention today, especially with its immortal lyric: “I put my trust in you/‘cause you could do the do.”
I really hesitate to mention it but don’t overlook Adam Sandler’s (great or wretched, you pick) Thanksgiving song which centers around mentioning turkey about 9,000 times..
I'm curious about how you're counting the mentions of beer, I feel like there are a number of songs that mention without using the word "beer" specifically (for example the Irish song "Waxies Dargle" with the chorus, "What are ye having, will ye have a pint? Yes, I'll have a pint with you, sir, / And if one of us doesn't order soon we'll be thrown out of the boozer.")
Good question. I tried to search for all beer adjacent words. But obviously I will miss some. Like there’s no way I picked up “a bottle of red” as wine in “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”
That makes sense; there isn't really a way around the problem.
This is all wonderful, Chris. But I need a third-party to resolve the conflict between my wife and I between including the stuffing inside the bird or out? And by the way, “Jive Turkey” by the Ohio Players should get an honorable mention today, especially with its immortal lyric: “I put my trust in you/‘cause you could do the do.”
"% Of Hit Songs Mentioning Cheese" is just one of the reasons why your newsletter is so great.
Happy Thanksgiving!
This is great ! I just wrote this song for Thanksgiving 🎵 Why Are There No Thanksgiving Songs?
Verse 1
Did you ever wonder why there are no Thanksgiving songs—
Christmas fills the jukebox! Thanksgiving? Name me one?
Carols help us dream of snow and love under a tree,
But the’re no songs about this feast of thanks and that’s just wrong to me.
Verse 2
Maybe turkeys don’t inspire, yams sure don’t make you sing
Stuffing won’t set a poet’s heart on fire or want to write down anything
It’s hard to rhyme with “cranberry, “green bean casserole” sounds wrong.
But the food is not the message, it’s just the music to the song.
Chorus
So, lift your voice, and sing a song,
And be grateful for our lives.
And always know, wherever you go
When we share this meal together -we can sing too, thankfully.
Verse 3
If the world forgot to write a song for gathering days like this—
Pass the mashed potatoes. And let’s sing about the bliss
Of being here together. And Share our love and lives.
That’s what makes it a Thanks- giving, and makes it good to be alive.
Chorus
So, lift your voice, and sing a song,
And be grateful for our lives.
And always know, wherever you go
When we share this meal together- we can sing too, thankfully.
Bridge
Maybe all we really need Is a melody and soul.
Something soft enough to hum While the gravy’s being poured.
If Christmas gets a thousand songs, Thanksgiving should have one.
maybe now Thanksgiving Finally has a song.
Chorus
So, lift your voice, and sing a song,
And be grateful for our lives.
And always know, wherever you go
When we share this meal together we can sing too, thankfully.
Outro
So here’s my little tune—
A humble start, it’s nothing strong…
But maybe now Thanksgiving
Finally has its song.
Jim Loken 2025
Definitely not on the charts !
Happy Thanksgiving, Chris!
> one of two songs to contain the word “Thanksgiving.”
Is the other one "Alice's Restaurant"?
Nope. Only because the dataset is hit songs. The other is Dear Mama by Tupac.
I really hesitate to mention it but don’t overlook Adam Sandler’s (great or wretched, you pick) Thanksgiving song which centers around mentioning turkey about 9,000 times..