Mike and the Moonpies Look to Start a New Thanksgiving Tradition

There aren’t many songs about Thanksgiving, and even the songs that mention it aren’t really about the Holiday itself as much as something that happened on it. Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre” is a good example. Playing the 18-minute story song about Guthrie getting arrested on Turkey Day is a tradition for certain people not dissimilar to carving the bird or plopping the canned cranberry sauce on a serving tray.
This was the case for the frontman and songwriter of the Austin, TX honky tonk band Mike and the Moonpies. Mike Harmeier’s father is no stranger to those steeped in the Mike and the Moonpies universe. The title track of their 2018 album Steak Night At The Prairie Rose is about Mike’s close relationship with his dad.
“Growing up, I remember my dad playing Arlo Guthrie’s ‘Alice’s Restaurant Massacre,'” Mike recalls. “But he only ever played it on Thanksgiving, every year. I loved the conversational storytelling of that song. It still makes me think of Thanksgiving at home every time I hear it.”
So Harmeier decided to take that inspiration and try to carve out his own Thanksgiving tradition. “Redbird” is a story song about a guy getting robbed while just trying to kick back and enjoy a football game. Ultimately the Thanksgiving tradition of taking in a game of pigskin results in an unlikely friendship. It’s like a Richard Linklater plot from Slacker mixed with a murder ballad with a plot twist, and a Hail Mary saves the day.
The Moonpies first debuted the song on a live session earlier this year, but have now released a studio version on Thanksgiving, hoping to start a tradition of their own. They’ve paired the new song up with a cover of the song “Three Marlenas” by The Wallflowers that they say was recorded during a recent studio session while working on a new album.
The two songs are the second surprise release from Mike and the Moonpies in 2023. They also recently let loose Live from the Devil’s Backbone that’s worth a spin as well. Hopefully though, this is all just the appetizer to a proper new studio album coming in 2024.
Happy Thanksgiving.
November 23, 2023 @ 9:23 am
My father also plays Alice’s Restaurant every year – I had no idea it was a tradition outside of my family.
Fun article and I’ll certainly be spinning this song today.
November 23, 2023 @ 10:16 pm
Oh yeah. One of my local classic rock radio stations plays it every year Thanksgiving at noon.
November 23, 2023 @ 9:28 am
Instant classic! One thing I like about Mike and the Moonpies they don’t make hit songs or hit albums, they make classic songs and albums!! Looking forward to the new one.
November 23, 2023 @ 9:32 am
♫♪ [̲̅̅H̲̅][̲̅̅A̲̅][̲̅̅P̲̅][̲̅P̲̅][̲̅̅Y̲̅] ♫ [̲̅̅T][̲̅̅H][̲̅̅A[̲̅̅N][̲̅̅K][̲̅̅S][̲̅̅G][̲̅I][̲̅V][̲̅̅I][̲̅̅N][̲̅̅G] ♫♪♫
November 23, 2023 @ 10:42 am
Thanks for the heads-up. While we’re on the subject, I’m thankful for the site and the work you do to maintain it. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
November 23, 2023 @ 1:12 pm
“The Thanksgiving Filter” by Drive-By Truckers is a good one to add into the rotation as well as “Thanksgiving Song” by Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
November 23, 2023 @ 2:35 pm
I hope we can remember to be thankful to be alive, no matter what our particular circumstances may be. Maybe you are not in the position to get anything you want at Alice´s restaurant. But, one way to have a successful life is to become part of something that is bigger than your own life. That way, you help the world and ironically can be happier when we get our minds off ourselves. Happy Thanksgiving to all, no matter what your background happens to be.
November 24, 2023 @ 11:08 pm
My gosh, what a band.
November 25, 2023 @ 9:10 pm
Looking forward to hearing the Three Marlenas cover!
November 29, 2023 @ 2:32 pm
The only issue with the song is the ending. How can the robber say he will return Sunday to watch the Cowboys game when the Cowboys already play on Thanksgiving?