Thanksgiving Memories: More Traditional Songs

Americans of a certain age will probably recall with nostalgia those grade school holiday assemblies, for which the kids in each grade rehearsed  a special piece of music to perform. Toward the end of the program, the entire school population would sing several songs in chorus. The music, of course, varied by season and holiday. Last fall I posted an article about 2 Thanksgiving songs, Over the River and Through the Woods, and We Gather Together ( link)

Today I’ve chosen two more. The first is

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Sir George J. Elvey (1816-1893), organist at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle for nearly fifty years, wrote the music to the well-loved Thanksgiving hymn about 1844. The lyrics are by Henry Alford (1810-1871).

Come ye thankful people come,
Raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied:
Come to God’s own temple, come,
Raise the song of harvest home.

And the second….

Now Thank We All our God

By Martin Rinkart (1586-1649), based on Ecclesiasticus 50:22-24. Translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878), music by Johann Crüger (1598-1662), harmony by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Now thank we all our God,
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

Each of these classics has additional verses, but they’re rarely heard, unless in church. Now that I’ve looked them up and read the words, they’re going to be stuck in my head all day!