Ben Rector - The Thanksgiving Song (Official Video)

"The Thanksgiving Song" is from Ben Rector's Christmas album, 'A Ben Rector Christmas,' available now.

When I started putting together the Christmas album, I realized I hadn't ever heard a Thanksgiving song. I feel like everyone has an emotional connection and a lot of memories around Thanksgiving, just like they do Christmas, so I did my best to write a song that honored that. I hope this song captures the magic and nostalgia that we all look forward to at Thanksgiving. I also secretly hope that this becomes the official theme song for Thanksgiving (this is both based on that I think the song is a very good Thanksgiving song and also that it is the only Thanksgiving song).
- Ben

Directed by: Brian Shutters
Director of Photography: Stuart Hotwagner
Produced by: Shuttershot Productions / @shuttershot

Lyrics:
Familiar highways
Lined with leaves turned brown
Making my way
Back into my hometown

Funny how this all looks different, but it feels the same
Like how life never stops changing but some things never change

So fill your plate and fill your drink
And fill this house with family
The kind of love that all these years can’t wash away
Cause the older that I get I see that life is short and bittersweet
Thank God that it's Thanksgiving Day

Yeah yeah

Watching football
Watching families grow
The old kid’s table all have kids of their own
Starting to see my grandfather in my nephew’s eyes
Mom still can’t talk about him and not almost cry

So fill your plate and fill your drink
And fill this house with family
The kind of love a thousand miles can’t wash away
Cause the older that I get I see that life is short and bittersweet
Thank God that it's Thanksgiving Day

So fill your plate and fill your drink
Put your dishes in the kitchen sink
And let the leftover year just wash away
Cause we made it through I do believe the longest year in history
Thank God that it’s Thanksgiving Day

#BenRector #TheThanksgivingSong #ABenRectorChristmas

[barbarabutler]

Thank you Lord for this Thanksgiving day 2024. My son has gotten a job and is clean and sober. I am so grateful friends have invited us for a real family dinner...

[rubystudios]

This is one of the reasons thanksgiving is my favorite holiday

[SOBRANTE]

It hurts more when your family falls apart and no longer shares the sentiment. If your family has this connection please don't ever take it for granted and be grateful.

[geewhiz]

It makes me lonesome for my son stationed in Alaska. God bless & keep our troops! 🥲🇺🇸

[marcbouchermusic]

Back for 2023. Even now…still tears every time I hear this song. Thanks again for making a Thanksgiving staple, Ben.

[acornnekopaw]

As my family falls apart and slowly gets smaller, I'm forever thankful for those I still have with me. And the love we share, I wouldn't give this up for the world

[Thejadedemerald]

A few years ago I was in the hospital over thanksgiving fighting for my life. I was just 17 years old. Ever since thanksgiving has been a hard holiday for me to endure. While i am so grateful for God saving my life, it's hard to get over the how hard it was to be in the ICU for weeks on end. It just must be hurt from the trauma of it all, but this song really helped me when i heard it. People say I'm one of the most grateful people ever, cuz i know God took care of me and continues to do so, but now i can rest in hearing this song knowing the sadness this holiday brings me won't last forever. God will heal the pain in my heart when I think of the little kid I was, spending my holiday alone on thanksgiving and my family sitting in the hospital cafeteria having a donated meal, I don't have to hold onto that hurt anymore. God is redeeming the holiday

[granthobbs]

It's my personal tradition to watch this every Thanksgiving week at least once.

[kathy]

Happy Thanksgiving 2024! It's been a long hard year but still so thankful to God for never leaving or forsaking us. 🦃🍁🍂🌻🏈

[meaghanstascavage]

I've always felt Thanksgiving was the most underrated and best of holidays, because you just can't commercialize gratitude. This song is perfect! Thanks, Ben, for blessing me today!

[claudiusmaximus]

WE NEED MORE THANKSGIVING SONGS LIKE THIS. I'M TIRED OF BEING SPAMMED WITH CHRISTMAS ADS THE DAY AFTER HALLOWEEN!

[Olivia-Swiftie-]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thank God for this wonderful day to spend with family and be grateful 🙏❤️

[jessie-efkk]

Yeah... We lost our mom 4 years ago, then covid in 2020, then we lost my dad in July 2022 from covid... Longest, shortest, saddest, hardest 4.5 years of my life....
I spent this time watching my childhood not just fade but catch fire and the ashes fall at my feet.
I'm grateful for the 24 thanksgivings with my mom and 28 thanksgivings with my dad and the future thanksgivings with my 3 kids! Thank you God for my family

[theculturedbumpkin]

What a classic.

“The older that I get I see life is short and bitter sweet… thank God that it’s Thanksgiving day l” ❤️

[Johnnyblaze]

This song is pure Thanksgiving joy. We need more songs like this.

[beeflat]

My grandfather passed away in September this year. That line about seeing my grandfather in my nephew’s eyes hit like a brick. I have little cousins who look just like him. My mom and I were listening to this song in the car after visiting my grandma this weekend before Thanksgiving and we both started crying.

[DONE]

I remember in 2020 how moving this song was, because it felt like the “longest year.” In early 2022 we lost my dad, so this year has far surpassed it for me. I don’t know what Thanksgiving is going to look like without him. My brain is scrambling to remember every step he took to smoke the turkey, because he’s not here to do it anymore. I’ve been blessed to live 28 years without a broken family, and though it feels broken with this loss, we’ll still fill our house with family and our hearts with gratitude.

[Invalid-userk]

I love how this song plays out in the way Thanksgiving sounds

[littlecorners]

Thank you for making a song it brought me to tears when he started to talk about dead loved ones as I have three dead loved ones my father my grandma and my stepbrother my step brother we don’t talk about much my father died two years ago my grandmother she died when I was nine all within my life Spand I feel like the Lord has blessed you with a great talent please keep this up

[Benevolent]

That look on Mr. Rector's face when he's about to cut the Turkey... you can feel how he feels just from that look. Beautiful song and beautiful feelings while listening to it. Thanks Ben.