There was this one gig where a bunch of European fellers got together with some Native Americans and shared a meal.
Nah, I ain't talking about those Pilgrims of Plymouth in 1621. You see, this Juan de Oñate guy took an expedition of about 500 Spaniards north across the Chihuahua desert, where they near died of thirst and starvation. When they reached the bounty of the Rio Grande Valley, they were greeted by the Pueblos, with whom they feasted and shared a Day of Thanks. That was 1598.
Others claim the first Thanksgiving was in 1541 when the explorer Coronado met some locals at Palo Duro Canyon up near the Texas panhandle.
In any case, it's good to know that, for a long while now, folks have been coming together to break bread in spite of their differences - differences that might get ya scalped on another occasion.
Well, the opening verse of our new Thanksgiving song, "Turkey Time in Texas," is a little elbow to the ribs about feasting together with gratitude in spite of such differences among us:
Papa's on the porch talking politics
The tension's as thick as that brisket smoke
Cousin who's unemployed in cultural studies
Is sneaking to the van to have a toke
We got a whole lot of different, and a whole lot of stubborn, here in the Lone Star State. This is the belt buckle of the country, after all, where bluegrass, polka, Tejano, and zydeco all get mixed together in a big pot with some serious habanero spices. I mean, if a bunch of rednecks and hippies can get together over the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker and Willie Nelson, why then, we oughta be able to make this thing work.
We just launched this Thanksgiving tune at a time when people are divided for all kinds of reasons, whether it's politics or pandemics, culture or football. And hopefully, like Thanksgiving is supposed to do, this song serves to bring folks together rather than drive them apart.
Here's our lyrics video to the new tune.
Or here! Save it to your Holiday Playlist on Spotify:
And when you're passing that green bean casserole round the table, remember, there's a whole lotta ways of being Texan. And THAT'S what makes us Texan.
Cheers!
Jeffro
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