1. “You’re the Cream in My Coffee” by Nat King Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL1Sr7wxqag
If you take your music like you take your coffee, Cole’s classically smooth vocals will surely serenade you into a caffeine-esque coma of daydreams and delights. The perfect blend of romance, class, and electric jazz, will make you want to sit back and sip away to this simply satisfying single.
- “Black Coffee” by Ella Fitzgerald
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2WUBEEq_uM
The first lady of song and her full-bodied vocals are backed by a formidable piano easing our every-day pains away with this bluesy ballad—perfect for a quiet evening in a dimly lit café and wine bar. Comparing love to a “hand-me-down brew,” Fitzgerald demands the best of her coffee, as should you.
- “One Cup of Coffee” by Bob Marley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys9ZX004BXU
A teenage Marley sings to us from the 60s and makes us feel like we are walking through a vibrant street market, yet unlike the previous two selections on our top ten list, he is leaving a lover. Yet, the upbeat instrumentals and inherently reggae-riddled vocals make it a happy departure and a perfect pick-me-up to accompany a mid-day cuppa joe.
- “Java Jive” by The Ink Spots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I3_suZ4h2U
The Ink Spots’ lazy vocals trip into one another in a way that will surely ease you out of bed with a smile on your face, and the love-infused refrain will fill you with positive vibes for the day ahead. Recorded in 1949, the track still sounds like it is being played over an old transistor radio or gramophone, taking you back to the days of simple pleasures— such as that perfect cup of coffee or tea.
- “The Coffee Song (They’ve Got an Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil)” by Frank Sinatra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVGXcjM9SOQ&list=RDvVGXcjM9SOQ
Sinatra. Enough said. Plus, if a song were to ever exude cheerfulness, this is it.
(Note: Perhaps just bypass the cultural misappropriation at the tail-end of the track—it was recorded in the 40s, remember.)
- “One More Cup of Coffee” by Bob Dylan & EmmyLou Harris
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x192cwo_bob-dylan-one-more-cup-of-coffee-original-version_music
Like Sinatra, our sixth pick is another legend in his own right. Bob Dylan penned this track in the 70s and it is sung as a collaboration with EmmyLou Harris. The track has a surprisingly middle eastern vocal melody, which makes it a perfect pairing with that last brew before heading out on an epic mountain journey.
- “Caffeine” by Patty Larkin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_prjKNgEtM
In this blues-touched 1985 tune, singer-songwriter, Larkin, showcases her caffeine cred, requesting her java “on the rocks, or straight up with cream.” She also manages to name drop George Howell’s historic Harvard Square cafe, the Coffee Connection (birthplace of the Frappuccino), proving the lady knows what she is singing about. Like caffeine, Larkin will put a lil pep in your step with this catchy track.
- “40 Cups of Coffee” by Ella Mae Morse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMcdzc1TkO4
Recorded in the early 50s, Morse’s melody is backed by a swinging big band feel. Credited by Elvis Presley for teaching him how to sing, Morse’s bold vocals are just what you need before a night out on the town, and perhaps a pre-party espresso or two.
- “Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop” by Landon Pigg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erywPdFfORE
Recorded in 2012, Pigg is the only contemporary singer songwriter on our list, serenading coffee lovers with light guitar picking, reminiscent of Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill.” Pigg’s calm and delightful track includes hypnotic vocals and instrumentals that might just make you fall in love at a coffee shop.
- “Black Coffee” by Humble Pie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqsMKvkzdwc
Steve Marriott’s vocals scream Led Zeppelin on this soulful track backed by the all-women trio, The Blackberries, whose formation was for the sole purpose of this R&B/Rock album. A cover of an Ike and Tina Turner original, Marriott lives up to Turner’s high vocal standards and adds some classic rock flavor to this bluesy ode to caffeine.
By: KEIGHLAGH DONOVAN
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