Courtesy of Neil Young Official Store.

Thanksgiving, the holiday we celebrate, but often overlook. For a day that we set aside for the sole purpose of reflection and gratitude, there is never quite as much hype for good old Turkey Day than there is for Christmas or New Years. Christmas music is basically a genre of its own, but where are the Thanksgiving jams?

Now of course, there aren‰’t nearly as many songs out there dedicated to Thanksgiving as there are for Christmas, but there is one song that always gets me in the spirit of thankfulness.

There‰’s something about Harvest Moon that sets the perfect tone for relaxing and spending time with family. Just hearing the opening few notes brings fond memories of Thanksgiving past flooding back. As Neil Young croons the opening lines, “Come a little bit closer, hear what I have to say/just like children sleeping we can dream this night away,” I can feel the crisp autumn air on my face, hear the sounds of family chattering in the background and smell the turkey roasting in the oven. The folk-rock vibes warm me up and fill me with contentment, and suddenly I feel like I‰’ve been teleported to in a cabin in the woods by a fire, or to a cozy get-together surrounded by the people that I‰’m thankful for. 

While Thanksgiving music will probably never be a genre of its own, pop on some Neil Young this year (the whole album is great) and really take the time to reflect on what you‰’re thankful for. And of course, have a tryptophan-tastic Turkey Day!