88.1 KDHX Saint Louis

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Whether you're with family or friends or you're by yourself, may inner peace, comfort, and happiness be with you. Nothing but life affirming stuff today. We all can use that. - Music bed. Instrumental written by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Al Jackson, Jr., and Lewis Steinberg.

Written by Van Morrison. " "But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion / And expect them to rise to the occasion / Don't it gratify when you see it materialize / Right in front of your eyes / That surprise."

Composed by David Hidalgo and Louie Pérez. The world would be worser off without this album. "We build a wall of stone / As high as the trees are tall / Higher than the mountains / Stronger than us all - oh yeah / Some day that wall will crumble / Tumble and fall, the sun will shine / And bring peace to us all / Say yeah, yeah, yeah / Yeah, yeah, yeah / Yeah, yeah, yeah"

Written by Robbie Robertson and featuring lead vocals by Levon Helm, Pops Staples, Mavis Staples, and Rick Danko. The live concert performances were recorded live at Winterland in San Francisco on Thanksgiving of 1976. This sublime performance of the Robbie Robertson composition was recorded in the studio, however, and is part of what is referred to as "The Last Waltz Suite."

Written and sung by Chris Dufresne. This version of the Bob Dylan song comes from a dear friend from high school and college days (and beyond) who passed away way too soon at age 62 in 2020. Just a wonderful human being and ridiculously talented. Lo-fi, to be sure, but the message comes through loud and clear. I always think of it as written like an Irish prayer,

Written by Sam Cooke and arranged by Rene Hall. This was his last hit prior to his death in December of the same year.

This song was previously released on her 2012 album, "Girl on Fire." No matter. It fits in beautifully with the rest of the album made up of both originals (including a couple of co-writes with Natalie Hemby) and her interpretations of well-known Christmas and holiday songs. She wrote this with Scottish singer/songwriter Emeli Sandé. For a wonderful life performance of this song, check out Alicia Keys - Not Even The King (Live on Letterman) - YouTube

Written by William DeVaughn and released by the Roxbury label as a single in 1974. For those of you who heard the first hour of last week's show, this was engineered by Joe Tarsia who recently passed away at age 88. Think of him as the Glyn Johns or Geoff Emerick of Philadelphia soul. I'd have my DJ privileges revoked if I didn't include this song on a Thanksgiving show.

Written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter and originally recorded by Sam & Dave.

Music bed. Originally released in 1960 as a single b-side on the Vest label.

Written by pianist and singer Harold Burrage and recorded for the Cobra label in 1956. This will get the Thanksgiving party started!

Written by Bob Dorough and Ben Tucker. Recorded live at the Iridium in NYC in 2004. From All Music Guide: "Backing Dorough for two are the Bobettes, a pair of vocalists (Laura Amico and Roslyn Hart) who are also Broadway actresses and cabaret performers and who moonlight at the club on Sundays."

Written by Jeanne Burns and originally released in 1948. "Try a tomato, Plato / Here's cacciatore, Dory / Taste the bologna, Tony / Everybody eats when they come to my house / I've fixed your favorite dishes / Hopin' this good food fills ya / Work my hands to the bone in the kitchen alone / You better eat if it kills ya."

Music bed. 1966 instrumental recorded for the Villa label.

Music bed. 1961 Memphis instrumental written by Chips Moman.

I play this one every Thanksgiving. I can't think of another song that does a better job of covering all the emotional facets of this day.

Written by Graham Parker. "I'm bone weary, I'm bone tired / The wood stove's last spark just expired / Dawn's about one hour away / And it's almost Thanksgiving Day."

Fine indie pop title track written by Scottish singer-songwriter Joseph McAlinden. This is from his second solo album.

Originally released in 1965 on the Modern label. Written by Marc Gordon and Frank Wilson (not the Frank Wilson associated with Motown).

Music bed. Instrumental penned by Ike Turner.

Written by Joan Shelley and featuring harmony vocals by Meg Baird. I'd say she's at the top of her game right now except for the fact she's been at the top of her game for her last four or five albums.

Written by Alex Chilton. Thankful? OK, maybe not so much.

Your usual set of pop gems written by John Ramberg.

Music bed. Instrumental version of the Beatles song.

Beautiful duet with Mavis Staples and Ben Harper singing the title track. All songs written by Ben Harper.

This 1969 song was written by Donny Hathaway and Curtis Mayfield. I tend to play this on either my all-duets show or my Thanksgiving show.

"The treasures of this earth / They never hold their worth." Soul meets country meets gospel.

Written by Lone Justice bassist Marvin Etzioni and sung by Maria McKee.

Written by Bruce Brody, Marvin Etzioni, and Maria McKee. I can't recommend this album highly enough.

Closing track written by David Rawlings and Gillian Welch. "I'm dirty and torn, my tails hung out, a ship with tattered sails / Been down and out, around the horn to chase the great white whale / Across the night and across the day, I save my song for eternity / Now here I find you gazing out of the window of St. James infirmary / Where are you gonna run / Tell me, where will you roam / When you can't go home / You can't go home / Oh, pilgrim, you can't go home"

Traditional song which was covered by the Byrds on their 1968 "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album. Produced by Sid Griffin.

Instrumental composition by Bob Dylan for the 1973 Sam Peckinpah film.

Written by Steve Earle. Your basic group of harmony singers including Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Kathy Chiavola, Tim O'Brien, Gillian Welch, and David Rawlings. But wait, there's more. The chorus singers include all the previous singers plus John Hartford, Ronnie McCoury, Marty Stuart, Cowboy Jack Clement, Benny Martin, and Peter Rowan.

Written by Nick Lowe. One of the best covers ever of one of the best songs ever!