3 Updated Songs for Thanksgiving or Gratitude

November is often a great time to share songs about gratitude in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.* If you’ve been using the same songs for the last couple of decades, though, it might be time to refresh your repertoire list to connect with the older adults who might not remember Bing Crosby.

In the video below, Rachelle shares three updated gratitude songs, along with some background information and tips for musicking with them.

Here the songs shared in the video:

Thank You for the Music by ABBA (1977)

This one begins slowly, without a strong pulse, and then about 45 seconds in, the rhythm becomes steady, at a moderate tempo. Try passing out instruments during the slow part and then playing together in the second part. Or, listen to the lyrics and share what you connect with.

Thank You for Being a Friend by Andrew Gold (1978)

Many people know this song as the theme from The Golden Girls. The phrase “thank you for being a friend” repeats many times. That makes this is a great song to sing together, even if you don’t know all the words.

In My Life by The Beatles (1965)

From their Rubber Soul album, this Beatles song has a slower and more reflective feel. The beautiful lyrics leave a lot of room open for interpretation. This allows the song to open up conversation about topics like friendship, love, and grief.

For more gratitude-related songs, check out our song spotlight set on Songs of Thankfulness.

* We acknowledge the complexities of the Thanksgiving holiday. Many of us learned of the “first thanksgiving” as a cheery coming together of indigenous Americans and new European arrivals. We must not ignore the centuries of genocide of the Native American people that have occurred.