Song Spotlight: “I’ve Got Plenty To Be Thankful For” by Bing Crosby

If you’re looking for a song to get you in the Thanksgiving spirit, look no further than Bing Crosby’s “I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For.” The song is from the 1942 movie Holiday Inn, starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.

The movie actually spawned the smash hit and perennial holiday favorite “White Christmas.” However, Irving Berlin also wrote “I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For” alongside eleven other original songs that are featured in the film. The movie sees singer Jim Hardy, played by the velvety-voiced Crosby, trade the glitz and glamor of show business for a sleepy Connecticut farm. Only, Jim can’t ignore the siren call of show business forever, especially when a pretty and talented dancer named Linda Mason arrives at his farm. The two join forces and open Holiday Inn together.

While “White Christmas” is undeniably the standout song from this film, “I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For” is the musical equivalent of a warm hug. Bing’s smooth vocals lend themselves to an altogether pleasant listening experience.

Interestingly, Bing starred in four Christmas movies, all of them considered classics and essential holiday viewing. Everyone is familiar with his work in White Christmas, a film that needs no introduction. However, Bing’s most acclaimed role might be that of Father Chuck O’Malley, a character he played in both 1944’s Going My Way and its 1945 sequel The Bells of St. Mary’s. Bing actually won an Oscar for Going My Way, and the film itself nabbed Best Picture.

Yes, Bing Crosby himself certainly had a lot to be thankful for at the 17th Academy Awards!