THE POSITIVE SPIN – Give Thanks And Praises
Welcome back to THE POSITIVE SPIN. With so much negativity constantly swirling around us, we need to focus on the things that bring happiness & positivity into our lives. Other than my wife, my cat & my family, nothing is more important or makes me happier than music…and I love sharing my joy of music with others who feel the same way. If you’ve followed this blog over the past decade, or even if you just stopped by from time to time, you may have noticed that I always (as the old song goes) accentuate the positive & eliminate the negative in my posts. Even when I wrote about the weakest album in an artist’s discography I always sought…and found…something worthwhile. I hope this can be an ongoing conversation with my fellow music lovers, and together we can spread musical positivity. Please let me know what other musical subjects could use a positive spin. Ultimately THE POSITIVE SPIN will become a podcast (when I find the time and figure out the technical aspects) and then we can take these discussions to another level.
I hadn’t planned on a Thanksgiving-themed post but every year a lot of songs about being thankful pop into my head at this time of year, so yesterday I sorted through them and chose some of my favorites. For my American readers I send good wishes to you & your loved ones, even though this year our Thanksgiving celebrations will either be on hold or very different than usual. Of course, good wishes go out to everyone reading this since, as the saying goes, “There’s always, always, always something to be thankful for.” I’m thankful for anyone stopping by KamerTunesBlog, including all of my fellow bloggers (musical & otherwise).
Artist: SAM & DAVE
Song Title: “I THANK YOU”
Album/Year: I THANK YOU (1968)
Key Lyrics:
You didn’t have to love me like you did,
But you did, but you did, oh, and I thank you
You didn’t have to hold me like you did
But you did, but you did, and I thank you
Artist: LED ZEPPELIN
Song Title: “THANK YOU”
Album/Year: LED ZEPPELIN II (1969)
Key Lyrics:
If the sun refused to shine,
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea,
There will still be you and me
And so today, my world it smiles
Your hand in mine, we walk the miles
Thanks to you it will be done
For you to me are the only one
Artist: SLY & THE FAMILY STONE
Song Title: “THANK YOU (FALLETINME BE MICE ELF AGAIN)”
Album/Year: GREATEST HITS (1969)
Key Lyrics:
Dance to the music, all nite long
Everyday people, sing a simple song
Mama’s so happy, Mama start to cry
Papa still singin’, you can make it if you try
I want to thank you falettinme be mice elf agin
Artist: ANDREW GOLD
Song Title: “THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND”
Album/Year: ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO (1978)
Key Lyrics:
Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down a road and back again
Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant
And when we both get older,
With walking canes and hair of gray
Have no fear even though it’s hard to hear,
I will stand here close and say
Thank you for being a friend
Artist: BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS
Song Title: “GIVE THANKS & PRAISES”
Album/Year: CONFRONTATION (1983)
Key Lyrics:
Give thanks and praises to the most high
Give thanks and praises so high
If jah didn’t love I, if I didn’t love I
Would I be around today?
Would I be around to say…
Give thanks and praises, give thanks and praises?
Artist: JOHN HIATT
Song Title: “THANK YOU GIRL”
Album/Year: BRING THE FAMILY (1987)
Key Lyrics:
My fate was sealed before I met you darling,
I was halfway down a shallow grave
So little room for you to catch me falling,
Still you took the little love I saved,
I want to thank you girl
I want to thank you girl
In your arms I get the real love story,
No fairy tale from somewhere back in time
In the dawn, you’re like a morning glory,
Opening up for my sweet light to shine
Artist: FRANCIS DUNNERY
Song Title: “GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL”
Album/Year: TALL BLONDE HELICOPTER (1995)
Key Lyrics:
If we’re grateful and we’re thankful then we’re spiritual
If we’re hiding we’re denying all the love inside
It’s the feeling of being alive,
Take hold of my heart
And we’ll walk forever,
Into the light
Artist: ALANIS MORISETTE
Song Title: “THANK U”
Album/Year: SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE (1998)
Key Lyrics:
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
What songs make you feel thankful? What music are you always thankful for? And how many of the songs featured in this post do you enjoy? Here’s a Spotify playlist with the eight songs above along with a few others that fit the theme. I hope you enjoy it.
54 comments on “THE POSITIVE SPIN – Give Thanks And Praises”
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KamerTunesBlog
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE “TEXAS FLOOD”
- KamerTunes On the1002ndalbum Podcast – BIG COUNTRY “THE CROSSING”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – THE KINKS “STATE OF CONFUSION”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – THE POLICE “SYNCHRONICITY”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – THE ALARM “THE ALARM (EP)”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – TALKING HEADS “SPEAKING IN TONGUES”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – MARSHALL CRENSHAW “FIELD DAY”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – ZZ TOP “ELIMINATOR”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – THE FIXX “REACH THE BEACH”
- Forty Year Friday (1983) – DAVID BOWIE “LET’S DANCE”
KamerTunesBlog 
Great choice of songs, happy Thanksgiving Rich.
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Thanks so much. We had a good one here. How are things by you? Staying safe & healthy, I hope. Glad you enjoyed the song choices here. Cheers!
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Thanks and we’re all fine here. Staying safe.
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I like Natalie Merchant’s Kind and Generous – the whole chorus is basically thank yous.
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Thanks Graham. That Natalie Merchant song was on the short list to be featured here but didn’t quite make the cut. I did, however, add a Spotify playlist after initially posting this and that song was included.
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Happy Thanksgiving you and your family Rich. Stay safe!
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Thanks so much, Derk. All good here. How are things on your side of the border?
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We made it through the first wave in good shape but the second wave is here and numbers are going upwards in cases. We will see what happens.
Stay Safe to you and your family.
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All we can do is make smart decisions to stay safe & healthy…and avoid anyone who doesn’t. Good luck with the second (and hopefully last) wave.
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These are all great picks, Rich. BTW, “Thank You” is one of my all-time favorite Zep songs – always loved that tune.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and keep up the positivity!
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Thanks Christian. Same to you & your family. Hope you’re all staying safe & healthy. Glad you like the song choices here, especially the Zeppelin tune. Such a classic.
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Great songs. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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Thanks John. Our Thanksgiving was good. More low-key than usual, of course, but nothing to complain about. How was yours? I hope all is well in your world. Glad you like my song choices here. Cheers!
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Mine was fantastic. First time we ever celebrated at home and not go see family.
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Haha…a lot of people probably enjoyed not traveling for Thanksgiving, and others also enjoyed avoiding family.
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I didn’t enjoy missing my family, but there was no stress since no traveling..that I enjoyed a lot.
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Happy Thanksgiving, Rich! All great picks! You know, add Kids and Guitars to your list of Wife, Cat, and Family, and I’m right there with you! I like that you’re considering a podcast – cool stuff!
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Thanks for the good wishes. I hope all is well by you. I’m pleased to hear that you have a lot to be thankful for. I’ve been trying to learn guitar this past year but other priorities get in the way every time I make some progress. I’ll move it up my list of priorities in 2021.
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Hey Rich! Yeah, we’re OK here, doing the best we can with what we have. Guitar is a great solo expedition that can provide no matter where you are or how much time you have to get the frets under your fingers. It’s a long game, though, but so long as you find it fun you’ll stick with it! Good luck!
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Glad you’re all okay. “Doing the best we can with what we have” is about the best we can hope for these days, and there’s nothing wrong with that. As for guitar, I took lessons for 6 months when I was about 12 years old, but I never improved and I got worse at the drums, so I stuck with what I’m good at. This time I found a good teacher on YouTube and really responded to his approach. When I’ve played even for a few days in a row I can feel the improvement, but I haven’t found any consistency yet. Of course I also play drums regularly so it’s hard to make time for both instruments.
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You need to clone yourself, one for guitar, one for drums!
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Good idea, but I wouldn’t subject my wife to two of me.
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Oh man I never thought of that. My lovely wife has her hands full with just one of me… Excellent point!
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We need to keep our wives happy. Glad we agree that cloning wouldn’t be the best solution…although there are days I could use help from another one of me. Did you ever see the movie Multiplicity with Michael Keaton? My clone would be like the “copy of a copy” version of his character.
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Happy wife, happy life! I didn’t see that movie (yet), but I do remember when Calvin duplicated himself a bunch of times with his Transmogrifier, in Calvin & Hobbes…
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I remember Calvin’s Transmogrifier. Man, I miss that comic strip.
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Oh totally. Between him and Gary Larson, that was when comics were classics in their own time. I have the massive hard cover slipcase complete editions of both the Calvin and the Far Side. Glorious!
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Those are two epic collections of awesomeness. Timeless comic strips.
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Yes, and in (now very expensive) deluxe editions! I’ll pass these down to the kids as heirlooms. My boy already LOVES Calvin (he’s 11).
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You’re obviously doing a fine job raising the young man. 😀
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Well I don’t know what the hell I’m doing but he seems to be turning out alright so we’re just gonna take it as a win!
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Also, thanks! 😉 Parenting is a wild trip, man. We love every minute.
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I give you lots of credit. I’ve found that “raising” a cat has been a full-time job, and having a child is exponentially harder. Glad you’re loving it.
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Ha thanks! Comparatively, though, cats are easy. At least, ours is. We can go away all day and he’ll wake up on our return and give us a look that says “oh, were you gone?” Kids are more work when they’re babies, you know, just the constant maintenance and care. Now that ours are 11 and 9, they can reason (somewhat) and do things for themselves (somewhat). Soon they’ll be teenagers and I won’t know anything!
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Yikes, teenagers on the horizon. I bet you’re looking forward to that. Haha. As long as they’re as cool as we were in our teens everything should be fine, right? My cat is a little more work than most. We walk him on a leash, which can often mean 2+ hours outside with him. Fortunately I have my phone with me at all times, and that gives me plenty of time to play old concerts on YouTube.
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We can only hope the teen years go well – both my lovely wife and I (her moreso) were reasonable teens, so we’ll see. In fact, I’ve known my lovely wife since we were 5 and she’s always been amazing, so I hope they take after her! Walking the cat? Two hours? Man, that’s cool. I can’t imagine our guy outside that long. He’d likely just lie down in the sun somewhere. Old concerts on YT, though, there’s the ticket. Remember when we could go to concerts? Pepperidge Farms remembers…
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I forgot to reply to this comment. Your Pepperidge Farm comment gave me a good laugh. I do miss concerts but it’s more about just the ability to go to them. I don’t see shows like a used to, since I’m a grumpy old man who hates crowds, but I did have a couple of shows on my calendar for March and August which have been re-scheduled…and probably will be pushed back even further. And yes, my cat can keep me outside for long periods, even in cold weather. It’s become part of my daily routine and it’s a fun way for us to bond (and for me to spend lots of time on YouTube).
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I saw a concert last night! Well, online, but it was a Hawksley Workman Christmas set and it was AWESOME. Might have to embrace this new mode for a while. And me too, the older I get, the dumber drunk and druged people are. I don’t want them to not have a good time, just go do it somewhere over there away from me. Sigh.
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That last line perfectly captures my feelings. “Just go do it somewhere over there away from me.” Haha. Awesome.
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I’ve actually said that to coworkers too, and it works! Wasn’t there a Motley Crue song too, something about don’t go away mad, just go away? Ha also perfect.
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I think I know that song. “Girls, Girls, Girls,” right? Haha.
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Errr… no I think it’s another one… 😉
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You didn’t have to (keep writing this great blog) like you did, but you did, but you did, and I thank you!
(with apologies to Billy Gibbons & crew)
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Well-played, Bill. And excellent shout-out to the awesome ZZ Top. I love their version of the Same & Dave tune as much as the original.
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I love the Stax horns on the Sam & Dave arrangement, while the ZZ Top version just has a little more “boogie” to it for me. Good example of a cover that is completely its own interpretation. Isn’t really fair to compare as both artists embodied the song with their own “thing.”
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I completely agree with all of that, Bill. I love when an artist puts their own stamp on someone else’s song, where you can love both for different reasons, and “I Thank You” is a perfect example.
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Happy thanksgiving Rich – Cross fingers next year’s will look a lot more ‘normal’.
Some great songs there – I always associate Andrew Gold with my last year of senior school as that was when he was really popular over here. I was sad when it all came to an end as I knew many friends would be missed, but I was thankful they had been friends throughout that time.
All these years later we are still making new friends, even virtual ones like we do around here – Yes, it’s been a rubbish year but thank you Rich for being a (blogging) friend!
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Hi Alyson. Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes. We had a nice, quiet day with a good amount of food, although no traditional Turkey-Day food when you’re married to a vegetarian and she’s not cooking for anyone else. No complaints, though, especially with her chocolate pie for dessert. It’s interesting that you have a connection to Andrew Gold on your side of the Atlantic, as he was barely a household name here. The song of his I chose for this post is better known via the version used as the theme song for The Golden Girls TV series. I know him more from his collaborations with other artists, most notably Linda Ronstadt.
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Of course, it was used for The Golden Girls. I have always thought that should I ever find myself living alone (hope not) I would pal up with some other ladies and form a new Golden Girl family. Trying to relive the old flat-sharing years but with a little more cash.
Yes, Andrew did really well over here in 77/78 – I think it was Never Let Her Slip Away that was popular right at the end of school and it always reminds me of those day.
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I also hope you never end up living alone, but if the situation ever arises I would totally watch a Scottish version of The Golden Girls (“The Golden Lasses”?), so there’s your idea for a reality show. And I never watch reality shows.
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Ha ha – I doubt if a Scottish version would be that different from any other version, as we’re not all dressed in kilts, stirring our pots of porridge with a spurtle (good word). The Golden Lasses though, it does have a certain ring to it!
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Just the idea of the lasses using Scottish slang would make it a blast…and completely incomprehensible to anyone outside the country.
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Happy belated Thanksgiving, Rich – to borrow a Sloan tune, I Wanna Thank You for writing this post!
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Thanks Geoff. Oh man, I really like Sloan…I own all of their albums…but can’t always recall all of their songs. Damn, re-playing “I Wanna Thank You” now and realize it would have been a perfect selection for this post. Good call.
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