# Is Alice's Restaurant a tradition for your Thanksgiving? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 24, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983 "2011-11-24T17:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/321 "2024-11-28T17:08:19Z")
Listening right now… Happy Thanksgiving! RIP Alice. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/322 "2024-11-28T19:47:52Z")
We listened to it over breakfast. Later it occurred to me that the melody is somewhat similar to Weird Al’s “Mr Frump in the Iron Lung.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/323 "2024-11-28T21:07:44Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > We listened to it over breakfast. Later it occurred to me that the melody is somewhat similar to Weird Al’s “Mr Frump in the Iron Lung.”- > **[Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung](https://weirdal.fandom.com/wiki/Mr._Frump_In_The_Iron_Lung)** > > Song: Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung Running Time: 1:55 Album: "Weird Al" Yankovic Parody of: Original Genre: Vaudeville Guitar tuning: Not applicable Lyrics: Lyrics Video: None Download/listen: Mp3 The sound of the iron lung's mechanical breathing was... > The accordion riff in this song is similar in sound to the guitar riff of [“Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaKIX6oaSLs) by Arlo Guthrie. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/324 "2024-11-28T21:24:19Z")
So I’m _not_ crazy. Not on that topic, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/325 "2024-11-30T23:40:40Z")
Did not listen this year. My wife has never heard of it and we hosted so no driving with the radio on. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/326 "2024-12-01T00:42:14Z")
We watched a video on YouTube over breakfast. No driving required. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/327 "2024-12-01T02:05:02Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Alice is still alive. > [https://www.alicebrockstudio.com](https://www.alicebrockstudio.com) [No, she’s not.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Brock) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/328 "2024-12-01T02:06:57Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > Alice is still alive. > > [https://www.alicebrockstudio.com](https://www.alicebrockstudio.com) > > [No, she’s not.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Brock) - That was last year. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/329 "2024-12-01T02:07:55Z")
I know. I was just yanking your chain. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/330 "2024-12-01T12:21:12Z")
That was horrible; if you want to end war and stuff, you got to sing _loud._ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/331 "2025-11-25T08:50:46Z")
First in for 2025! I heard Alice’s Restaurant on Nash Bozard’s “What The Fuck Is Wrong With You” live podcast this evening. It was the 30th(?) anniversary version of the song, where he tells the tale of Jimmy Carter’s son taking him aside and telling him that Nixon had a copy of his album in his library, and that it had been found opened and used. Arlo said that the missing 18 and a half minutes on the Nixon tapes was pretty close to the length of “Alice’s Restaurant”. He said it was probably a coincidence, but it made him smile. I will of course listen to the original version on Thanksgiving Day on 101.9 KINK radio. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/332 "2025-11-25T16:27:54Z")
I heard “the short version” last week, I think on Sirius’ Deep Tracks channel. It hit just some of the high points, and was as advertised, short. Husband said, “Well, that sucked.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/333 "2025-11-25T16:40:42Z")
Arlo did a short version? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/334 "2025-11-25T18:34:13Z")
Not one I can find at the moment! It sure sounded like Arlo… ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/335 "2025-11-25T19:55:56Z")
I’d heard _of_ the song, but never _heard_ it, until I married into Mrs. Homie’s family. The first time I joined them for Thanksgiving, Uncle Randy gathered the family around the sound system and played his CD (this was before the widespread ubiquity of the mp3). They did it pretty religiously for the better part of two decades, but of late the tradition has been a bit hit-and-miss. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/336 "2025-11-25T20:35:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It was the 30th(?) anniversary version of the song, where he tells the tale of Jimmy Carter’s son taking him aside and telling him that Nixon had a copy of his album in his library, and that it had been found opened and used. Arlo said that the missing 18 and a half minutes on the Nixon tapes was pretty close to the length of “Alice’s Restaurant”. He said it was probably a coincidence, but it made him smile. I want that version! I truly do. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/337 "2025-11-25T20:42:51Z")
I think there is a link to it in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/338 "2025-11-25T22:09:09Z")
Here it is. [Alice’s Restaurant (The Massacree Revisted)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_tMzSxvoeA) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/339 "2025-11-25T23:10:14Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983/340 "2025-11-27T02:53:54Z")
Working tomorrow, so I gave it a listen today, also remembering the late Alice Brock who really fixed a Thanksgiving dinner that couldn’t be beat. Also, a shout-out to officer Obie for his willingness to play himself in the movie knowing he be the butt of the joke, his subsequent friendship with Guthrie and his work with Norman Rockwell. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alices-restaurant-a-tradition-for-your-thanksgiving/603983.md?page=18)