A Table Full Of Thanks And Gratitude

A bountiful Thanksgiving meal with family and friends is a big deal to many in the United States. But sometimes so much emphasis is put on the meal itself. We must take care not to lose sight of why we gather together, which is gratitude. This easygoing country song is all about the thankfulness and appreciation we share not just at this time of year, but year round.

There is a lot of ground to cover lyrically in the verses with all of the food listed that we might have at the meal. Singing confidently will help with the enunciation. Encourage singers to be a little excited about the food they're singing about and the anticipation of the meal to come.

The melody in this song has a number of ascending parts in both the verses and chorus, like in measures 13-16 and 22-25. Make sure your students keep the air support through the end of the phrases so they keep the pitch and don't go flat. Taking a good breath before the lines helps. They will sound happy and energized if they sing with a smile!

The chorus introduces an optional lower harmony in part 2. It's a fairly static part and should be easy enough to try for anyone who hasn't sung harmony before. There is also a recording of the isolated part 2 online for your students to learn it. The melody returns to unison at the end of the chorus.

This time of year, remind your students that one way to show thanks and gratitude is to offer to help with the big dinner. They can also give thanks by offering to give back to those less fortunate if they are able.