The Alice's Restaurant Massacree by Arlo Guthrie

For me, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without listening to this classic performance piece by Arlo Guthrie, released in 1967.

The Alice's Restaurant Massacree relates a largely-true and very funny story of small-town drama, clashing cultures, and the struggles of the 1960s, all set to an memorable (but never tiresome) guitar line.

Andr3w Time made this video illustrating "Alice's Restaurant" with his own original drawings.

• I love the story. The best thing about "The Alice's Restaurant Massacree" is that it really happened. A perfect storm of silly situations. And, just our luck, they happened to someone who was also a songwriter.
• I love Arlo Guthrie's delivery style. His speaking voice is quirky and unique and goes perfectly with the folksy storytelling style of his monologue.
• I love Arlo's performance. It could never be easy to tell an 18-minute story while playing guitar the entire time. He recorded "Alice's Restaurant" live in front of an audience and keeps them engaged all the way through. There are a couple of spots where he has to find his way a little bit, but it's still impressive work.
• I love the slice of American history. During the Vietnam War, I was too young to know anything about what was going on. This song gives me a glimpse into the feelings of the times, the sentiments about the war, the vulnerability of men facing the draft, and the establishment's distrust of long-haired young people who drove Volkswagen buses. "Alice's Restaurant" puts you right in the middle of all of it.

4 Van Deusenville Road

Great Barrington, MA

This building, formerly Trinity Church, was purchased by Alice and Ray as their home. It is the site of the "Thanksgiving dinners that couldn't be beat" and the center of Arlo's Massacree adventure.

Arlo Guthrie now owns the building himself. It is now the site of the Guthrie Center, an interfaith church founded in 1991.

The site in Stockbridge, MA, where Alice once ran her restaurant is still a restaurant and is now called Theresa's Stockbridge Cafe.

"The Alice's Restaurant Massacree" was featured on an album with the same title, and is also on Arlo Guthrie's "Greatest Hits" album.

In 1969, the "Alice's Restaurant" movie was released. For the film, a fictional storyline was added to the true events from the song to create a story about '60s counterculture. Arlo Guthrie played himself in the movie, as did arresting officer William Obanhein and Judge James Hannon, who presided over the court case. Alice and Ray Brock acted as extras in the movie, but did not play themselves. Their characters were portrayed by Pat Quinn and James Broderick.

Here's the Wikipedia article on the "Alice's Restaurant" movie.