Turkey Day Breakfast

Kellogg's Raisan Bran and coffee (one packet Splenda, one blop 1% milk.) Reading the morning newspaper is also an essential part of my breakfast routine.

Part 2 -- things I do for work -- today's featured holiday playlist "Give Thanks, Eat Pie" -- Happy Thanksgiving!

The Chieftains "Here's a Health to the Company"

I should memorize all the words to this traditional Irish song and sing it loudly everytime I get together with people I love. "Here's a health to the company and one to my lass/Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass/Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain/For we may and might never all meet here again." Words to live by and celebrate with.

The Soul Stirrers "I Am A Pilgrim"

Sam Cooke w/ his first gospel group. In this song he sings happily about "going home" and while I know that doesn't mean to eat at the family dinner table, on this day let's pretend.

Ray Davies "Thanksgiving"

Who better to sing about an American tradition than an English guy. This is an un-cynical song about families, functional and disfunctional, the real deal.

Cracker "Sweet Potato"

A yammy love song.

The 5,6,7,8's "Hey! Mashed Potato, Hey!

Japanese garage girl dance song stomper that calls out to Mashed Potatoes -- hey! Added bonus, the broken English (i.e. did they just mention gravy?)

The Kaisers "Mashed Potato"

More surf type stuff with lots of shouting about taters. Because singing about taters never gets old.

Golden Smog "Pecan Pie"

Delicious, because Jeff Tweedy takes lead vocals on this one ("A piece of pecan pie, and you that's all I want.") and pecan pie is my favorite Thanksgiving pie. We are bringing one to our Thanksgiving dinner tonight. Plus! The "Down by the Old Mainstream" CD itself is printed with a picture of a pecan pie. You'd miss that delight if you only downloaded music files.

The Ex "The Pie"

Because songs about sweet potato pie go together and this song starts with a recipe for how to make a sweet potato pie, then a noisy request to "globalize the pie." The pie in this song is actually meant to be thrown in the face of a corrupt politician or someone from the world trade organization. The Ex are anarchists from Holland. Here "pie" is a verb.

Art Paul Schlosser "Thanksgiving Stuffing"

A Madison favorite who writes and records songs as prolifically as Daniel Johnston (with as much heart but, um, well, less talent) this is a straight up reading of Oven Top Stuffing directions from a box and other disasters in cooking.

Nellie McKay "Food"

Joyous chorus about getting and eating food fading to a dark underbelly of worldwide hunger issues verse, but then it's back to the happy chorus before you can dwell on the bad stuff.


Sarah Vaughn "Gravy Waltz"

More jazzy odes to delicious gravy in a waltz time signature, please.

Yo La Tengo "Be Thankful for What You Got"

Indie rock cover of an R&B classic by William DeVaughn from one of my favorite bands.

Big Star "Thank You Friends"

More straight up Alex Chilton gratitude, you know, giving thanks, being thankful, it's all here.

William S. Burroughs "A Thanksgiving Prayer"

I hope I don't get fired for sneaking this one here because it breaks many rules in the world of broadcasting, but in an ironic well-meaning way. Maybe not "well-meaning" as I don't think Williams S. Burroughs could ever be described as "well-meaning" but sometimes cyncial mockery with blunt anti-patriotic bad language helps us think about things. Your grandma probably won't think this song is funny.

Four Tet "Sleep, Eat, Have Visions"

A bleepy instrumental after all the trytophan indulgence of the day. ZZZzzzzzzzzz.