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Thanksgiving & Music History: The Last Waltz, Lennon's Final Concert & More

  • Posted   by Pat Pemberton
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NBC via Getty Images

Nicole Westbrook's song "It's Thanksgiving" has drawn plenty of comparisons to Rebecca Black's universally panned "Friday." But the 12-year-old viral video singer has learned one valuable lesson about the music industry: If you record a song about Thanksgiving, it stands a good chance of getting heard -- at least one time of the year -- no matter what the quality.

Because while there are plenty of themed songs to play on Halloween, July 4th and Christmas, Thanksgiving is the musical underdog of the holidays with few songs in its honor. That's not to say that we haven't had a share of noteworthy turkey day musical moments, though. Here are some of our favorites.

Thanksgiving and Music
  • John Lennon's Last Live Performance
  • The Band's Last Waltz
  • Alice's Restaurant Incident
  • A Very Gaga Thanksgiving
  • Nickelback's Halftime-Show Controversy
  • Macy's Parade Gets Rickrolled
  • Elvis Works Thanksgiving for the Last Time
  • "SNL" Audience Gobbles Up Paul Simon Bit
  • Ray Davies' Bullet-Wound Inspiration
  • Strawberry Fields Forever
  • "The Thanksgiving Song"
  • Musicians vs. Critics
  • Courtney Love vs. Lynn Hirschberg
  • Lou Reed vs. Lester Bangs
  • Axl Rose vs. Marc Allan
  • Billy Corgan vs. Jim DeRogatis
  • Keith Richards vs. Markus Larsson
  • Ryan Adams vs. Jim DeRogatis
  • M.I.A. vs. Lynn Hirschberg
  • The Airborne Toxic Event vs. Pitchfork
  • Morrissey vs. NME
  • Sonic Youth vs. Robert Christgau
  • Rockers With Rap Sheets
  • Chuck Berry
  • G.G. Allin
  • James Brown
  • Jim Gordon
  • Leadbelly
  • Phil Spector
  • Rick James
  • Sid Vicious
  • Varg Vikernes
  • Vince Neil
  • Artists With Daddy Issues
  • Adele
  • Bill Wyman
  • Lauryn Hill & Wyclef Jean
  • The McGraws
  • Rihanna
  • Screamin' Jay Hawkins
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  • The Wainwrights
  • Etta James
  • Papa John Phillips
  • Tim and Jeff Buckley
  • Marvin Gaye
  • Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace
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octfd

Years ago John & Yoko could be seen walking through Central Park...no body guards...no security..and nobody bothered them..until that scumbag came along and took his life. As long as Yoko is alive...he'll never be released from prison. If it was up to me? He would have be dead right after committing this crime.

November 23 2012 at 5:34 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
sothbdr

I believe John Lennon & Elton John sang I Saw Her Standing There in that concert and John Lennon did the background vocals on Elton's excellent version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and also on David Bowie's mid 70's hit Fame, in case no one knew..

November 23 2012 at 12:13 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Nancy

I miss Lennons solo music.

November 23 2012 at 12:09 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
surrealra

This was a wonderful moment in music history. John lost a bet with Elton (Elton made a hit with an old song of John's), which required him to show up at one of Elton's concert to perform together (which did NOT thrill John). John was still in his break with his true love Yoko...but unknown to him, she was in the audiance, met him backstage, and they reunited. Cool, huh.

November 22 2012 at 6:00 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply
shiloh1388

Thanks for the foto, one I had never seen. Elton John did sorta creep up the 70s in his own special way. but some good music here and there, and John Lennon was always a good sport. for last half of the 20th century, my favorite decade would be the sixties, then fifties, then nineties, then eighties, and in last place, the 70s. however, some great stuff mixed in with truly awful. hope the second decade of the 21st century has more to offer of the best, and forget the rest.

November 22 2012 at 5:47 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Charlie

He said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus , not better, more popular. He was right. Jesus was in one popularity contest in his life and he lost to a guy named Barabas. If Lennon had said that the Beatles were more popular that Barabas, he would have gotten away with it.

November 22 2012 at 5:01 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Charlie's comment
Rick

You have to admit Jesus's comeback tour was a success though.

November 25 2012 at 12:18 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
sauerkrout

WOW happy thx giving even to the meatpipes you can hate and be ignorant tomorrow

November 22 2012 at 4:27 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply
Ralph J Sugar

Isn't he the guy that said He and the Bettles were more famous than Jesus?? And not to long after that some NUT shot him!!!!!! It seems all to many of these Clowns feel they are the gift to humanity!!! They are JERKS who have become so egotistical and RICH that they have lost their MORAL CLARITY-They are Gods unto themselves and have taken with them, many followers who are just as bad.

November 22 2012 at 3:30 PM Report abuse Permalink -4 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Ralph J Sugar's comment
wstep1964

More popular, junior. not more famous. Meaning the Beatles were getting more public attention then Hey Soos at the time Lennon made the statement circa 1966. It was fourteen years later that some nut shot him for unrelated reasons only a twisted mind could fathom. It would not be improper for you to apologize for disrespecting John Lennon's memory

November 22 2012 at 3:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Jun and Terry

the statement was about the people,not about his views toward GOD

November 22 2012 at 4:17 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply
bcameronau

John Lennon was shot, he did not die of a drug overdose, so perhaps you are a little bright on the out of touch palette, Tif.

November 22 2012 at 2:11 PM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down Reply
tiffanypiano1

I'm so tired of the media making martyrs out of drug addicts, e.g., Lennon, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and the others. What kid of message does this send to our young people? Color me out of touch, if you want, but it is the truth.

November 22 2012 at 1:19 PM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down Reply
5 replies to tiffanypiano1's comment

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