Five Songs to Represent How Thankful You Are for Family and Friends This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for the people in your life. For many, the emphasis is placed on family. Whether that is the family that raised you or the friends who took you in as their family, these are the people we care the most about and are most grateful for.

In honor of Thanksgiving, which occurs tomorrow, Vinyl Bay777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look at songs that celebrate the familial bond. Here are five to help you show just how grateful you are for your family this holiday.

1.       The Cranberries, “Ode To My Family”: Late Cranberries frontwomen Dolores O’Riordan wrote “Ode To My Family” to pay tribute to her family growing up, telling the Los Angeles Times (quote found on Genius) that the song is “about childhood, family and how important they are.” The song is meant to be a realization that once you’re out on your own, you learn to appreciate and be grateful for what your parents did for you growing up. (video)

2.       Sister Sledge, “We Are Family”: Written by Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards and performed by family act Sister Sledge, “We Are Family” is one of the most well-known songs about sticking together as a family. Sung to a funky, upbeat disco beat, the lyrics boast about how they have each other’s backs. Whether you’re talking about actual family or very close knit friends, everyone can feel grateful for having people like that in your life. (video)

3.       Celine Dion, “Because You Loved Me”: Written by Diane Warren and performed by Celine Dion, “Because You Loved Me” gives back to those who have watched you grow and advocated for you when no one else would. Personally, I’ve always visualized the song as a child giving a heartfelt “thank you” to a parent who loves unconditionally and has given them every chance to succeed. (video)

4.       Bon Jovi, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”: “There’s no place like home.” It was true for ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and it remains true with Bon Jovi’s 2000s classic “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” The song talks about how you can go as far away as possible, but there will always be something special and welcoming about going home. There’s something warming about coming home to the people that know and love you, and that’s something to be thankful for. (video)

5.       The Rembrandts, “I’ll Be There For You”: As stated above, sometimes your friends are your family. The Rembrandts got this sentiment right when they wrote “I’ll Be There For You,” best known as the theme song to the hit sitcom ‘Friends.’ When you’re in a rut, sometimes the best thing to have is a set of peers to support you, who know you and how to make things better. Like with “We Are Family,” you have each other’s backs. (video)

It is important to be thankful for your family and friends this Thanksgiving and holiday seasons music is a great medium to show just how grateful you are. Check out some of our favorite family-centric tunes above and let us know what your favorite songs of thankfulness are in the comments below.

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Find the perfect soundtrack to your Thanksgiving and holiday season at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a plethora of genres. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Shows to Check Out in New York This Weekend (November 23-25, 2018)

Thanksgiving is over. If you’ve spent all the time with your family and friends you can stand and you’ve had enough of the hoards of people out holiday shopping, perhaps it’s time for a break. Why not celebrate the long holiday weekend by braving the cold and heading out to a live show?

There is a lot going on in the New York area this weekend. Bob Dylan kicks off a seven-night run of shows in the city.  Music icons Art Garfunkel, Arlo Guthrie, Taylor Dayne and Patty Smyth are playing special shows. There are punk and metal shows from The Menzingers, Death From Above, Halestorm and Shilpa Ray. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, loves live music. That’s why we’ve compiled as list of some of this weekend’s hottest shows. Here are eight shows we know will be worth checking out.

1.       Bob Dylan: Legendary folk rocker Bob Dylan released the latest installment of his ‘Bootleg Series’ this month, which includes even more tracks recorded during the ‘Blood on the Tracks’ studio sessions. In support, Dylan embarked on a fall tour, which begins winding down this weekend with seven shows in New York starting tonight and lasting over the next week and a half. (Friday – December 1, Beacon Theatre)

2.       The Menzingers: Punk rockers The Menzingers released two new singles, “Toy Soldiers” and “The Freaks” earlier this year, leading speculation that there could be more new music on the way. The band will be wrapping up its current fall tour this weekend, kicking things off with a show in Brooklyn tonight. Tiny Moving Parts and Daddy Issues open the show. (Friday, Brooklyn Steel)

3.       Death From Above: It has been 16 years since dance rockers Death From Above released their debut EP, ‘Heads Up.’ The Canadian duo have been on tour playing the EP in full. Said tour wraps up this weekend with three east coast shows, starting with Brooklyn tonight. (Friday, Elsewhere)

4.       Art Garfunkel: One half of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, Art Garfunkel has been delighting fans for more than five decades with some of the most iconic songs ever written. Last year, the singer published an autobiography, ‘What Is It All But Luminous.’ Garfunkel plays three intimate shows in the New York / Long Island area this weekend, all of which will most likely focus on his many hits. (Friday, Suffolk Theatre; Sunday & Monday, City Winery)

5.       Arlo Guthrie: In what has become an annual tradition, Arlo Guthrie plays his yearly Thanksgiving concert at Carnegie Hall this weekend. This could be the last time however, as he told Billboard earlier this week that he might be ending it next year. (Saturday, Carnegie Hall)

6.       Halestorm / In This Moment / New Years Day: Three kick-butt female-fronted bands on one stage? Yes please! Halestorm headlines this metal-infused girl power tour, having just released their new album, ‘Vicious,’ this past July. In This Moment and New Years Day, who are both working on new albums, act as main support. (Saturday, Hammerstein Ballroom)

7.       Taylor Dayne & Patty Smyth and Scandal: If metal is not your cup of tea, two of the 1980’s hottest female icons have also joined forces for a fall tour. Pop singer Taylor Dayne and rocker Patty Smyth and Scandel wrap things up this weekend in Staten Island. If you can’t make this show, Dayne kicks off a special Christmas tour on Long Island next week with Peabo Bryson, John Secada and Deniece Williams. (Saturday, St. George Theatre)

8.       Shilpa Ray: A staple of the New York underground scene, Shilpa Ray has been compared to early punk legends like Blondie and Patti Smith. She plays a special Thanksgiving show this weekend benefiting the Mount Sinai SAVI Program. Other artists on the bill include NO ICE, Crazy Pills, Painted Zeroes and Joanna Sternberg. (Sunday, Mercury Lounge)

Spend your Thanksgiving weekend rocking out to some great live music. Check out the some of the shows above or any of the smaller shows that make the New York music scene so unique and let us know what live shows you’re excited for in the comments below.

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Find music from many of these touring artists and more at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres to satisfy most music fans. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

Six More Songs to Express Your Thankfulness this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is tomorrow in the United States. A time to take stock and be thankful for all the good things in your life, it’s also a good time to tell those you love how thankful you are for them.

Music is a great way to do this, as there are many songs about being thankful and grateful out there. There are personal songs saying thank you to one very special person, as well as big, overarching songs that cover a whole swath of people who mean a lot.

Following up our 2016 blog post, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is back with a brand new list of songs about being thankful. Here are six additional songs to help you say “thank you” to those you hold dear.

1.       Backstreet Boys, “Everyone”: The Backstreet Boys have always been grateful to their fans. So on their third album, ‘Black and Blue,’ the band decided to show their thankfulness by writing a song. “Everyone” is a grandiose track that gives all the credit for their success to the group’s fans, who give them the “strength” to go out and perform. (video)

2.       Dido, “Thank You”: Singer Dido’s only real hit, “Thank You” was written about a past boyfriend. The song centers around letting that special person know how thankful you are for everything they’ve done for you. After all, one person’s generosity can have a really big impact on someone. (video)

3.       Big Star, “Thank You Friends”: Though many consider the song to be a sarcastic, there is no denying that “Thank You Friends” lyrically is a pretty spot on sentiment for the Thanksgiving holiday.  In it, Alex Chilton takes a moment to thank the people who made a career in music possible, as well as for grounding him when things get to be too much. (video)

4.       Descendents, “Thank You”: With “Thank You,” Desendents do what everyone hopes they can be able to do; saying “thank you” to their favorite band for the music they make. For many, an artist’s music can make them feel like they aren’t alone or it can help express a certain emotion they’re feeling better than plain words could. So not only is it important to thank the ones you love, but also the artists that know how you feel. (video)

5.       Christina Aguilera, “I Turn To You”: Perhaps a better “thanksgiving” song might have been “What A Girl Wants,” simply because it mentions being thankful many times. But I argue that Christina Aguilera’s cover of “I Turn To You,” also from her debut album, is a much more sincere thank you. The lyrics are a loving tribute to the ones who stand by your side and help you thorough the bad times. (video)

6.       Boys II Men, “Thank You”: “Thank You” was written to simply say “thank you.” The self-aware jam finds 80s/90s R&B group Boys II Men “thinking up” the song to tell their love how thankful and grateful they are for being there and not leaving them when things got rough. (video)

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for the people around you and music is a great way to help you express just what those people mean to you. Thank you for checking out our list of songs above and let us know what songs about thankfulness you love in the comments below.

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Find music for your Thanksgiving celebration at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide variety of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.