The Thanksgiving Song

Zoo Freaks, get ready to gobble up some fun facts about "The Thanksgiving Song" by Adam Sandler, a track from his 1993 debut album They're All Gonna Laugh At You!. This turkey-loving tune first hit the airwaves on November 21, 1992, during a Saturday Night Live Weekend Update segment, where Sandler, then a 26-year-old cast member, strummed his guitar and sang alongside anchor Kevin Nealon. The song, co-written with comedy writers Ian Maxtone-Graham and Robert Smigel, was meant to kick off a recurring Thanksgiving tradition with other SNL cast members contributing their own songs, but Sandler stole the show, returning the next year with a Bruce Springsteen-style rendition. A live version, recorded at The Strand in Redondo Beach, California, on July 25, 1993, made it onto the album and even popped up in a 1997 Beavis and Butt-Head Thanksgiving special. The song’s quirky lyrics, like “Turkey for me, turkey for you, let’s eat the turkey in my big brown shoe,” and pop culture nods to Betty Grable, Elvis Presley, and Cheryl Tiegs, helped it become a holiday classic, hitting #40 on the Adult Top 40 chart and #29 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1997 after the success of Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song”.

One juicy tidbit comes from the live recording, where Sandler pauses mid-song to ask the audience to stop clapping because it’s throwing off his rhythm, a moment kept in the album version for that raw, chaotic vibe. Rolling Stone praised the song’s free-associative lyrics, noting how they mirror the disjointed, family-filled Thanksgiving experience, with lines like “I eat that turkey then I take a nap” capturing the post-feast coma we all know too well. Sandler’s references are a time capsule of the era—mentioning Darryl Strawberry’s 1990 move to the Dodgers (not a trade, but a free-agent signing, despite Sandler’s lyric) and Sammy Davis Jr.’s one eye, lost in a 1954 car crash. The song’s radio edits often snip out the line about Sandler’s brother and baby oil for obvious reasons, but the unfiltered version remains a fan favorite. In a 2019 NPR interview, Sandler shared how music became his comedic crutch, admitting he’d forget stand-up lines without a guitar to lean on, which explains the song’s loose, conversational charm.

Now, let’s rewind to how Adam Sandler got his start. Born on September 9, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, Sandler was the class clown who turned pro at 17 when his brother nudged him to try stand-up. His first gig was on the MTV game show Remote Control, but his big break came in 1990 when he joined Saturday Night Live as a writer before becoming a cast member in 1991. His musical comedy skits, like “Lunchlady Land” and “The Thanksgiving Song”, made him a standout, leading to his 1993 album, which went double platinum and earned a Grammy nod for Best Comedy Album. Fired from SNL in 1995, Sandler bounced back with box-office hits like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, cementing his status as a comedy icon. In 1999, he founded Happy Madison Productions, churning out films and TV shows that keep his goofy spirit alive.

For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out Adam Sandler’s official website for tour dates and updates. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, and X, where he shares tour clips and behind-the-scenes moments. Fan hubs like the Adam Sandler Fans Facebook group are buzzing with devotees swapping memes and movie quotes, while sites like Mark Prindle’s reviews offer a quirky take on Sandler’s discography. Whether you’re laughing at his turkey antics or revisiting his SNL days, Sandler’s got plenty to keep the Zoo Crew grooving.