Thanksgiving Songs For Young Children (videos & lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two Thanksgiving songs & one Thanksgiving chant for young children. The featured compositions are "A Bunch Of Fat Turkeys", "The Turkey Ran Away", and "A Turkey Named Bert". [Update: July 11/2015] The copyright owner of "A Turkey Named Bert" has not given permission for the video of that song to be included. My apologies.

The content of this post is presented for entertainment and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

EDITOR'S COMMENT
By posting these songs on this blog that focuses on music and dance from African Americans and from other Black cultures around the world, I'm not stating or implying that these songs were composed by Black people.

I'm showcasing these songs because I like them because they are easy to learn and fun for children, teens, and/or adults to sing, regardless of their race or ethnicity.

I also like these Thanksgiving songs & chant because they contain no stereotypical references to Indians wearing feathers. Hopefully, no adults will make children performing these compositions dress up that way.

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FEATURED SONGS
(These songs are presented in no particular order.)

Example #1: Kindergarten Turkey Songs

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The Baldwin School, Published on Nov 27, 2012

At the 2012 Thanksgiving Assembly, Baldwin's Kindergarteners sang "A Bunch Of Fat Turkeys." With the help of the Baldwin 13 Year Club and alumnae, the Kindergarteners sang the song twice more.
-snip-
LYRICS: A BUNCH OF FAT TURKEYS
(composer ?)

A bunch of fat turkeys are we
We slept all night in a tree
When the cook came around
We couldn’t be found
So that’s why we’re here you see
-snip-
Source: My transcription from the video.

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Example #2: The Turkey Ran Away song



heathermp1 Uploaded on Nov 17, 2011

This is Hannah singing a song from pre-school, The Turkey Ran Away before Thanksgiving Day...
-snip-
LYRICS: THE TURKEY RAN AWAY
(composer ?)

The turkey ran away
Before Thanksgiving day
He said "They will make a roast of me
If I should stay."

The pumpkin rolled away
Before Thanksgiving day
She said "They will make a pie of me
If I should stay."

The cranberry rolled away
Before Thanksgiving day
He said "They will make a sauce of me
If I should stay."
-snip-
I've also read versions of this song that include a verse for "potato" [She said they'll make mash potatoes of me], and a verse for cabbage [He said they'll make slaw *out of me if I should stay.]
*cole slaw.

One of the earliest school songs that I remember is "A Turkey Ran Away" [in the 1950s in Atlantic City, New Jersey]. The tune used for that song is basically the same as the tune that's used in the above video, but after the words "He said" the tune & the words are different. Unfortunately, I can't find any video of that version, but here's the words that I remember:

A turkey ran away
Before thanksgiving day
He said “Gooble google gooble gooble gooble gooble gooble
I don’t like Thanksgiving day
He said “Gooble google gooble gooble gooble gooble gooble
I am going to run away-a-a*

*The word "away" is elongated.

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Example #3: The Turkey Ran Away



saritschube, Uploaded on Dec 1, 2008

Thanksgiving Extravaganza part 3
-snip-
The tune for this rendition of "The Turkey Ran Away" is the same tune as "The Farmer In The Dell".

The word are slightly different than those given above:
1. The turkey ran away...They said they'd make a roast of me...
2. The corn ran away...They said they'd make bread of me...
3. The cranberry ran away...They said they'd make sauce of me...
4. The pumpkin ran away...They said they'd make pie of me...

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Thanks to all the composers of these songs. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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