Turkey Trotting: A Thanksgiving Music Playlist

thanksgiving playlist
It’s November 12. Do you know where your turkey is? Menu planned? Recipes lined up? No? Well that makes two of us. At least you’ve got one element of the holiday on lock: a Thanksgiving music playlist to keep you trotting as you truss the turkey.

Listen now on Spotify!

Autumn and New York City go together as naturally as Holly Golightly and Tiffany; and as far as I’m concerned, October through December are some of NYC’s prime months.

I even have a strict no-travel policy during this period because I wouldn’t want to let my favorite time of year slip by while I’m out of town (sorry, Mom!)
This time of year is special, magical even. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the holiday windows at Bergdorf Goodman, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The air is crisp, and the disagreeable smells of city are repressed by the cold. It’s impossible to walk down the street without passing through a forest of freshly cut evergreens, or being reminded of your favorite scene from When Harry Met Sally or You’ve Got Mail. Basically, spending the holidays in New York makes me feel like a brunette Meg Ryan in the 90s. (And what could be better than that?)

And because the holidays and New York are so inseparable in my mind, I have to credit the city as my muse for this Thanksgiving playlist.
The relationship between the two is largely abstract of course, and because there are few Thanksgiving-specific songs (just like Halloween), so are my individual selections- but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes the best holiday music isn’t holiday-specific at all.

After some dabbling and marinating in different genres, I landed on an eclectic mixture of Motown, instrumental jazz, and light-hearted vocal jazz, most mentioning food (The Frim Fram Sauce) or something silly (I’m Gonna Sit Right Down). Because, during the holidays we need some cute and silly stress relief.
There is something about assertive brass and old jazz that just shouts “New York” to me.
And although the film does not take place during the autumn months, I slipped one of Henry Manchini’s compositions into this playlist as an ode to the timeless New York City story Breakfast At Tiffany’s.
Speaking of, I hear you can now eat your very own breakfast on site at the famed 5th Avenue store (and more comfortably than Ms. Golightly) at Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Box Cafe, which opened it’s doors this week. I hope they serve danish.

Although you are welcome to use this Thanksgiving playlist however you wish, I created it with with cooking in mind. Perky and energetic to fuel your culinary marathon, enjoyable to keep your spirits high, and varied to encourage creativity.

Take a listen on Spotify!

Turkey Trotting

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thanksgiving playlist

I hope these tunes enhance your holiday, and have you tapping your toes while you whip potatoes, and twirling your way through dessert.

Enjoy!

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