Top Ten: Coffee-Related Songs

Coffee is not just a plant, not just a bean, not just an ingredient, not just a beverage, but a sensory experience. As such, it can penetrate beyond our sense of smell and taste; it comes into our sighs with its fabulous shades of brown, and in several occasions it has come in contact with our sense of hearing, inspiring songs and lyrics that fill our ears with the magic of coffee. In honor of that, That Coffee Roasters decided to publish its personal Top 10 of Coffee-Related Songs.

Coffee & TV, by Blur

For the British rock band Blur, coffee represents a chance to slow down and "start all over again," referred by Damon Albarn's lyrics, "Give me coffee and TV / peacefully / I've seen so much, I'm going blind / and I'm brain-dead virtually." This is a clear reference on how often coffee is sometimes regarded as a stimulant, with this, Albarn understands the way a sip serves to help us to go along with the world around us.

You're the Cream in My Coffee, by Annette Hanshaw

They gave Annette Hanshaw the nickname "The Personality Girl," and that comes through in this charming 1928 single, but the singer wasn't just likable; her compelling voice has a warmth and softness to it that's quite hard to resist. Coffee songs don't get a whole lot more innocent than this sweetly and truthful song of devotion, note the way she closes her songs, "That's all!", but Hanshaw's You're the Cream in My Coffee is no antique at all.

Coffee Shop, by Yung Joc

Setting aside discussions about coffee's metaphorical equivalents in Yung Joc's 2007 hip-hop classic, the video itself is a timelessly nonsensical, bawdy and broadly comedy jam, bursting out of eras past with exaggerated characters (caricatures if you will). You can also find some cameos from people like Rick Ross, Trae, Eightball & MJG, and some others. It feels like it could have been made in 1986, and that's nothing but a compliment.

Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle, by Dethklok

On an Adult Swim's animated series called Metalocalypse, Dethklok is a trendy death-metal band, but it's also a parody of a real-life incarnation. In cartoon form, the group gave a memorable, yet fatalist performance of a commercial jingle in a particular scene from the show. If nothing else, Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle showcases that coffee is as metal as any number of softer beverages.

Cantata No. 211, by J.S. Bach

J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata is, by its very nature, a step out of the comfort zone for the oft-solemn composer, who was said to write in coffee shops. One segment of the piece translates as follows: "If three times a day I can't drink my little cup of coffee, then I would become so upset that I would be like a dried-up piece of roast goat." That vibrant little passage just sticks to the mind, and it’s worthy of being put on a mug.

Black Coffee, by Ella Fitzgerald

Another coffee-themed single, Black Coffee, has been covered by artists like Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Sinead O'Connor and countless other singers since it was first written in 1948. Back in 1960, Ella Fitzgerald propelled the tune, infusing it with the weary, tired resignation the lyric implies. Black Coffee captures the beverage's various status as a stand-in for more bracing beverages. "I'm feelin' mighty lonesome, haven't slept a wink / I walk the floor and watch the door, and in between, I drink," while speaking for all downtrodden folks in need of a buzz of caffeine.

Black Coffee, by Heavy D & The Boyz

A 1994 hit for the pop-inclined rapper, Black Coffee, finds Heavy D retelling and celebrating the attributes of his ideal woman: "Black coffee, no sugar, no cream / That's the type of girl I need down with my team." For all the metaphors used on coffee in this particular song, Black Coffee hits upon one of the most accurate and witty, as he raps lovingly, "Black coffee, the African queen / Part of the Afro-American dream."

Black Coffee In bed, by Squeeze

A classic featuring backup vocals from none others than Elvis Costello and Paul Young, Squeeze's 1982 single Black Coffee in Bed finds a narrative approach for coffee stains as the remnants of a failed relationship: "There's a stain on my notebook where your coffee cup was," Glenn Tilbrook sings. Helping to consolidate coffee's unexpected place as the most melancholic of beverages, Black Coffee in Bed is one of the many career highlights for one of the most resilient pop bands from the '70s, '80s and beyond.

Coffee Song (They've Got an Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil), by Frank Sinatra

A not often remembered top 10 hit for Frank Sinatra set in 1946, and a song since performed by everyone (from Sam Cooke, to The Muppets, to Rosemary Clooney, to Soul Coughing), The Coffee Song highlights of a perceived Brazilian coffee glut. Known for its line, "They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil," this coffee song takes us to a land where coffee is so plentiful that all other kinds of drinks ended up being banned. "A politician's daughter was accused of drinking water / and was fined a great big $50 bill." Sinatra's song closes with an unfortunate attempt at a funny accent, but the rest of the song embarks on an nothing if not a catchy tune.

Coffee Blues, by Mississippi John Hurt

Early-20th-century blues singer Mississippi John Hurt set on the praises of not just coffee, but Maxwell House-brand coffee specifically, as he opened Coffee Blues with a surprising pitch of this product. "It's good to the last drop," he sings, "just like it says on the can." But the blues classic has had more notorious influence than most cheesy songs that open with product placements. The song made some references to a "lovin' spoonful" that gave the '60s rock band its name.

Have you heard these fantastic coffee-related songs? Is there any tune we forgot to put in our line-up? Please let us know all of this by writing your comments on the section below, this might go along with our roasted coffee. Just imagine what vibes these tunes and the coffee grounds from That Coffee Roasters will bring to your shop! Don’t forget to contact us to get the best-roasted coffee, made with exclusive blends, just to fit your needs.

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

What If Coffee Beans Didn’t Exist? This is How Caffeine Changed History

Many works of art and events wouldn't have happened if it weren't for coffee.

People sleeping across desks during work hours, parents half-listening to what their children say, the whole world probably falling asleep by 9:00 p.m. In a world without coffee beans, there would be very few ways to stay awake and productive during those long working hours. More like zombies, less like humans. A coffeeless landscape doesn’t look very promising for humanity.

Alright, we could be exaggerating a little. One thing’s for sure though: the world really wouldn’t be the same without coffee. Beyond its wonderful effects on our brain, coffee has had a huge impact on our culture and society. From its discovery in the mountains of Ethiopia and Yemen to the coffeehouses where it thrived in Europe, coffee has come a long way to become one of the most traded commodities on Earth.

It’s not only about its consequences in the world economy, but it’s also about the impact it’s had on our culture, politics, and technological progress. It’s surprising what a little bean can do. But when you give humans a chance to search for a new potential, and they’ll find meaning in the apparently most insignificant things.

Coffee, imperialism, and slavery

Not everything was good and positive when it comes to coffee's history. In the early modern era, Europe emerged as an imperial power. The Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Dutch empires established coffee estates all across America and the Caribbean. The struggle for territories brought war, death, and destruction that were deeply suffered by African slaves and indigenous folks.

Coffee plantations also destroyed rainforests and deprived soils of its natural nutrients. Coffee fueled slave trade to supply the empires’ coffee production, and it quickly became a symbol of imperialism.

No Enlightenment without coffee

We don’t think the Dutch knew how they would change the entire world when they brought coffee from Arabia to Europe. The beverage already was part of social interactions, practices, and rituals in Mecca, but we got to meet its true potential in the European continent. During the XVII century, coffeehouses became the place where politicians, artists, writers, thinkers, philosophers, and scientists came to discuss their ideas. We really doubt that the era of Enlightenment and the French Revolution would have ever come to be if it wasn’t for our beloved drink (or at least it would have probably taken longer).

Thanks to coffee, Europeans sobered up. Before they used to drink mostly beer, so they were drunk half of the time. Coffee favored more stimulated debates and the creation of new ideas that would radically transform society. One of the best things about coffeehouses was that both rich and poor would mingle, as it was a space open for everyone.

Even though coffee consumed in Europe was largely produced by slaves in America, the French Revolution would deeply influence the American independence movements. In the United States, however, coffee would also symbolize patriotism.

Tea is British, so we drink coffee

After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, when American colonists raided British tea ships and threw crates of tea into the harbor, drinking coffee became a symbol of patriotism in America. John Adams actually wrote a letter to his wife in which he said that even though he loved tea, he would have to learn to embrace coffee, as drinking tea had become unpatriotic.

Just like in Europe, ideas of American Revolution thrived in the coffeehouses of Boston, Philadelphia and New York. There, coffee became a perfect companion to conspire against the British crown.

After the independence, coffee will also play a huge role during the Civil War. It split the country in two: the Union (north) and the Confederacy (south). As you must know, the Union came victorious. In some way, it was actually thanks to coffee. Both sides of the war craved caffeine, but the beans were a precious commodity in the south due to a blockage made by the Union. Because of that, northern soldiers were often more energized and active than southern ones. It also provided solace in the midst of so much violence and destruction. That way, having access to coffee clearly became an advantage in battles.

Over time, coffee went on to fuel the workers of the Industrial Revolution. Coffee has become such a huge part of our daily lives that it’s difficult to imagine a world without caffeine. At That Coffee Roasters, we know coffee hides hundreds of years of history and our Colombian predecessors' work, and we’re proud to preserve and honor that legacy. Want to learn more about coffee? Follow us on our social media and stay updated with our new content!

Source: Elite Daily, Foods that changed history

What would your life be like without coffee?

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters

Coffee Bloom: Smell the Science Behind it

As you pour hot water to your coffee grounds, you'll see how coffee blooms immediately.

In the complex world of coffee making, details like the way you serve it to the machines involved, give a different result in your cup. To master your skills and knowledge in coffee, we provide you a term that’s an essential part of brewing: coffee bloom. But what does that mean? Pour hot water over your coffee grounds, and you’ll see it yourself.

The bloom

To talk about coffee bloom, we must mention the coffee beans and the roasting process they follow. During the roasting of the beans, they absorb large amounts of CO2 inside. That compound stays until coffee is exposed to hot water, which is when the gas is released.

As you pour the hot water, you might notice some resistance in the grounds. This happens due to the gasses resisting against the water and making your coffee to expand. When adding the water you must be very careful not to pour excessive amounts of water, but minimal quantities in a circular way. Done properly, the CO2 will be released smoothly.

Is it necessary to bloom your coffee?

It’s actually mandatory. All the flavor is inside the beans, as well as the CO2, so it is necessary that both are released and absorbed by the water in order to obtain the results you want. Water must be in perfect balance, so when coffee blooms, the gas is released, and the beans absorb the water fully.

Unless you’re doing cold brews, it is necessary to bloom your grounds properly by measuring the hot water. With little water, you’ll get weaker results, whereas too much water will cause the flavor to dilute. Proportion is as important as blooming, for that matter.

This process isn’t that complicated to carry out, but it takes time to master. Extracting the flavor out of the grounds is essential, so it must be done with skill and proper measurements. Consider all these factors the next time you brew.

Did this article bloom your mind? Perhaps you must be brewing coffee right now and seeing it in a whole different way. That’s what this is all about, which is why That Coffee Roasters always worries about giving you only the best products so you can experiment and discover new things. Start your day with their coffee products, and you’ll see just how worth they are.

When hot water is poured, the coffee grounds release CO2 as the water permeates them.

---

That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters