Oh, Here's One More Thing to Be Thankful For , , , ,

My father is a musician. He's played the trumpet since he was a boy and has written some songs. But he's never made dime, as far as I know, as a musician. I think he probably felt, as the son of a musician himself, that he wanted something different for his family.

Nonetheless, we enjoy Dad's musical bent. He's taught me a lot about 20th century popular music.

One way my father expresses himself musically is to serenade my mother with silly songs. She, for her part, rolls her eyes at lyrics like, "Open the door, Richard! I know you're in there cuz I'm wearing the clothes." By the way, for all of his talent as a trumpet player, Dad's no singer.

Last night as they were getting ready for bed after our family Thanksgiving feast, I heard Dad's voice warbling from down the hall. I couldn't quite make out the song, but I was certain my mother's eyes were rolling. I was also certain that I had one more thing to be thankful for . . . .

"Open the Door, Richard," Words by Dusty Fletcher and John Mason, music by Dusty Fletcher and Don Howell, copyright 1947, Duchess Music Corp.

Happy Thanksgiving, All!

"They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck of meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports."

William Bradford's Journal, Plymouth Colony, 1621

And now for something completely "21st Century:" The Thanksgiving Song

"The Thanksgiving Song" copyright 2006, Steve Merrick
performed by the Steve Merrick Band