Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving in 3 Acts

The past couple of days I've been thinking of Thanksgiving. I confess, I've always liked the holiday. Spending the day with extended family, getting pestered to play touch football, Grandma asking us what we're thankful for, gorging on comfort food and then cleaning it up? I like the holiday. Now some say the holiday is tainted because of the United State's less than stellar historic treatment of the Native Americans. However, I believe I'm neither a revisionist or an apologist if I still like the holiday. Sure, we should be grateful every day, but what's a little harm in having a holiday that reminds of us that we should be thankful. Thanksgiving is just this Country's version of a harvest holiday, which has been documented since history has been documented. Our Thanksgiving has noble, albeit somewhat mythical beginnings, is a little zealous, but hey considering our history, that's not really all that surprising. That being said, my love for Thanksgiving isn't threatened by this wonderfully sardonic short film starring the late, great William S. Burroughs



Now, here's a shift in gears. Here's Jane Seymour swooning over Cash on um, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Pretty much the best show ever.



Finally, Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without a song that has defined the holiday for me since I first heard it years and years ago. Here's my man Arlo singing the epic Thanksgiving song to put all epics to shame, "Alice's Restaurant Massacre." So, go ahead, download Alice's Restaurant Massacre, and consider it my lil' Thanksgiving gift to you.



Woody Guthrie-Alice's Restaurant Massacre

7 comments:

Jillian said...

Johnny Cash and Joe Lando....what could possibly be better?

Steve said...

I still remember the first time I heard "Alice's Restaurant". It seemed like something from another world. Although I love the fun of Halloween, Thanksgiving is my favorite traditional holiday for the same reasons you mentioned. Sadly, Christmas, which should be for the same reasons, has turned into a capitalist safe haven. I'm going to do a post about this later today. Gobble, gobble.

Joy said...

I still like Christmas. Oh sure, the holiday, like Halloween, has been warped, but I still think my birthday is a pretty great day. There's too much tradition and history to become jaded about Christmas.

Dainon. said...

Man, I'm thankful for Johnny Cash now, too. Over 'n over again.

Unknown said...

Wow... Alice's restauruant was a salient piece of MY childhood, too, though not necessarily on Thanksgiving. I absolutely love that one, and the Motorcycle song as well. :) Yay for Arlo!

Daisy Paige said...

"Spending the day with extended family, getting pestered to play touch football, Grandma asking us what we're thankful for, gorging on comfort food and then cleaning it up?"

Pretty much sums it up!

Joy said...

Dainon-I've watched that video three or four times since I posted it, What a National Treasure we had in Cash

NoSurf-The Motorcycle song is a lot of fun. It smacks a lot of his dad, Woody.

Daisy-For Sure!