A full harvest of pumpkins, corn, squash and a bounty of turkey and meats. A family gathered around a table, holding hands in prayer and thanksgiving. What's not to sing about?
Soon we'll be hearing Christmas carols playing, but there are some songs that have brightened Thanksgiving in times past. You might even hear them drifting through the air waves this holiday season and into your hearts.

O'er the hills we go, Laughing all the way.
Bells on bobtail ring, Making spirits bright
Oh what sport to ride and sing, A sleighing song tonight.
~ Original lyrics to "One Horse Open Sleigh"
Lydia Maria Childs was one of the first American women to earn a living through writing. In 1844 she penned a Thanksgiving Day poem entitled "A Boy's Thanksgiving Day." Soon the poem was set to folk music and became a popular song to add to Thanksgiving festivities. You may recognize "Over the River and Through the Woods" as sung here by Danny Kaye and the Andrews Sisters.
"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" has long been enjoyed as a Thanksgiving hymn in America, yet it's 1844 origins are from England, written by a parish rector who wrote it originally entitled it "After Harvest." The first verse is written as a celebration of the harvest, calling for people to give thanks to God for it. The last two verses are based on the Parable of the Tares and the last verse states that the last harvest at the Second Coming of Jesus will happen soon. The message is universal, as is Thanksgiving wherever it is celebrated.
And on that note...here is another with origins far from the shores of America.

“We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.”
"Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!”
He chastens and hastens his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.”
"Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!”

Carla's story "The Memory Shop" is featured in this year's A Cup of Christmas Cheer, vol. 4, available from Guideposts Books.
We GatherTogether To Ask The Lord's Blessing would be one of my favorites. Sm. wileygreen1@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI love that one, too. I don't know if they actually sang it in the movie, but I can hear the March girls from Little Women singing it in my mind.
DeleteA very interesting post, particularly as we are still learning about Thanksgiving (Ex-Pats, what can I say?!)
ReplyDeleteNo song comes to mind obviously but let me share our favourite none the less: 'Jerusalem', based on William Blake's poem. It speaks of hope, new tomorrows and never fails to reminds us of what truly matters (to us).
Many thanks for sharing your findings as always,
Thank you for sharing that, Noelle. I like the works of William Blake and will have to look up Jerusalem. It sounds very meaningful and fitting.
DeleteWow! I had no idea Jingle Bells was written as a Thanksgiving song.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a favorite Thanksgiving song, probably because I can't think of a single one. Perhaps I'll adopt Jingle Bells as mine, now that I know its history. :-)
I was so surprised to hear this tid bit about Jingle Bells. It's still a Christmas song to me! ;)
Delete