Thanksgiving, Vol. 3

Thanksgiving is back, baby! Texas is actually enjoying some semblance of Fall this year with cooler weather and colorful trees (if you're from here you know that's a big deal), so it's been easier than ever to get into the mood for our November holiday. I've been thinking a lot about thankfulness for a few weeks now, and through some combination of the pandemic, having a milestone birthday, and being in a good place in my life I'm very, very excited for this holiday. Thanksgiving is a state of mind though, which sounds totally cheesy, but for real we should practice thankfulness every day instead of just the 4th Thursday of November.

Here's the "official" Thanksgiving 2021 Mini Playlist - seven songs for a seven day week about thankfulness. You can see the full playlist of course by following me on Apple Music @audioaesthetics.

Grateful by Anthony Hamilton (written by A. Hamilton, M. Watson)

Featured on his 2016 album What I'm Feelin', this R&B bop from Anthony Hamilton is a great addition to a Thanksgiving dinner playlist. It's got a great beat, Hamilton has excellent vocals, and the lyrics are super positive and warm-fuzzy-feeling-inducing.

Here I am living the best days of my life/And it goes without saying, you’ve turned it all around/Introduced me to love, well, I had given up/And I’m so grateful, grateful for you/I can tell the benefits of loving someone just like you/Someone just like you, baby/And the way you changed my life, girl, I owe it to, owe it all to you/I’m fine with loving you, said I’m ‘bout real loving you, babe/All because of you, all because of, all because of you

thank u, next by Ariana Grande (written by A. Grande, C. Anderson, K. Krysiuk, M. Foster, N. Vitia, T. Parx, T. Brown, V. Monét)

Featured on her 2018 album thank u, next, I'll go ahead and admit that I started off liking this (now) Ariana Grande classic because of the music video and then slowly started to actually like it as a piece of music. I'm not always the biggest fan of Grande's music, but this song's beat and the message of self-love make it a fun listen whenever it comes on.

Thought I’d end up with Sean, but it wasn’t a match/Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laugh/Even almost got married, and for Pete, I’m so thankful/Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, ‘cause he was an angel/One taught me love, one taught me patience/And one taught me pain, now I’m so amazing/Say I’ve loved and I’ve lost, but that’s not what I see/So look what I got, look what you taught me, and for that, I say/Thank u, next, thank u, next/Thank u, next, I’m so fucking grateful for my ex/Thank u, next, thank u, next/Thank u, next, I’m so fucking

How Great Is Our God/Our God/How Great Thou Art by Caleb and Kelsey (written by C. Tomlin, E. Cash, J. Reeves, M. Redman, C. Boberg)

Featured on their 2018 album Worship, this is a quality mashup from Caleb & Kelsey Grimm. It features two classic Chris Tomlin hits with my favorite hymn of all time which is great, and all three songs are perfect additions for Thanksgiving.

How great is our God, sing with me/How great is our God, and all will see/How great, how great/Water You turned into wine/Opened the eyes of the blind/There’s no one like You/None like You/Into the darkness, You shine/Out of the ashes, we rise/There’s no one like You/There’s none like You/Our God is greater, our God is stronger/God, You are higher than any other/Our God is healer, awesome in power/Our God, our God

Autumn In New York by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (written by V. Duke)

Featured on the 1997 compilation album The Best of Ella Fitzgerald And Louis Armstrong On Verve, Ella & Louis are just one of many covers of this song out there in the world but it's absolutely stunning. It's so hard to beat Fitzgerald's vocals, and both she and Armstrong's iconic sounds mix together to perfectly encapsulate what New York feels like during the Fall.

Autumn in New York/Why does it seem so inviting/Autumn in New York/It spells the thrill of first-nighting/Glittering crowds and shimmering clouds/In canyons of steel/They’re making me feel I’m home

Everything by Michael Bublé (written by A. Chang, A. Foster-Gillies, M. Bublé)

Featured on his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible, this is another smooth, classic bop from the one and only Michael Bublé. Written with Bublé's then-girlfriend Emily Blunt in mind, this is a beautiful song that's great to listen to not just during the Thanksgiving season but just year round if you have someone in your life that you're just so damn happy is there.

You’re a falling star, you’re the getaway car/You’re the line in the sand when I go too far/You’re the swimming pool on an August day/And you’re the perfect thing to say/And you play it coy, but it’s kinda cute/Ah, when you smile at me, you know exactly what you do/Baby, don’t pretend that you don’t know it’s true/‘Cause you can see it when I look at you/And in this crazy life/And through these crazy times/It’s you, it’s you, you make me sing/You’re every line, you’re every word, you’re everything

Home by Phillip Phillips (written by D. Pearson, G. Holden)

Featured on his 2012 album The World from the Side of the Moon, this was Phillip Phillips' coronation song when he won Season 11 of American Idol and it's one of the very few good ones that have come from the show. If you are blessed enough to have a home you feel warm, happy, and safe returning to, this song probably hits you right in the heart in the best way.

Hold on to me as we go/As we roll down this unfamiliar road/And although this wave is stringing us along/Just know you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m gonna make this place your home/Settle down, it’ll all be clear/Don’t pay no mind to the demons, they fill you with fear/The trouble, it might drag you down, if you get lost, you can always be found/Just know you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m gonna make this place your home

Always You by Sophie Zelmani (written by Q. Starkie, S. Zelmani, L. Halapi)

Featured on her 1995 self-titled album, this is a really nice soft rock song from Swedish musician Sophie Zelmani. It's another "I'm so thankful for you" type of song that's very pleasant to listen to and I highly recommend it.

If it wasn’t the ocean, wasn’t the breezes/Wasn’t the white sand, there might be no need/If I could sleep through the cool nights, if I could breathe and eat right/If I had worked all summers, maybe I wouldn’t feel so humble/Oh you, it’s always you/It’s always you

Happy early Thanksgiving for everyone who will be celebrating this week! However you're going to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful day and get the chance to reflect on everything that you're thankful for in your lives. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!