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.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

5 Tips To Create Great Social Media Strategies for Coffee Shops

Everyone's on social media nowadays, but how do you build a good presence there?

If we’re not on social media, do we truly exist? This might sound too extremist when talking about real people (at least for now), but the reality is not so gentle with companies and businesses. Each day, more people are choosing to research products they’re interested in online before actually making a purchase. If your coffee business is nowhere to be found on the Internet, then you’ll be nothing but a stranger for a considerable amount of potential customers.

So once we’ve accepted this reality and decided to jump on the wagon of social media, one question remains: what is your business’ online presence going to look like? If you don’t define this and do it well, you’re bound to drown in a sea of coffee shops and specialty coffee houses that are fighting for a place in the minds and hearts of their customers. Which is the right way to do your online conversion? How do coffee shops should build their social media strategies? Take a look at some tips we’ve gathered today and start your true digital awakening (a kind that not even coffee can provide)!

Learn how to choose your battles

The first thing you need to define is your brand's identity. What kind of products and services do you offer and who are they intended for? Once you know your target and the kind of people you want to reach out to, you’ll have to pick which social media you’ll use to find them. As coffee shops have a huge visual potential (food and beverages are mostly sold visually), Instagram and Facebook are great places to start. Don’t try to cover more than you need by creating accounts on every social network in existence. Start with the most popular ones and see how it goes. Later, if you feel the need, you can then move on to other platforms.

Remember: it’s not about having as many followers as you can, it’s about creating a loyal community that can be easily turned into leads. Everything you do must be done with your potential customers’ interests in mind. Use geolocalization on your posts to allow people from your area to find you, spend time studying your competition and what they’re doing on their feeds. Think about ways in which your business differentiates from theirs and add extra value to everything you do. If your battles are local, stay local. This is where you’ll find new opportunities.

Coffee is an experience. Sell it as such

For many people, coffee is passion. For others, it represents a moment to enjoy alone, with friends or simply at work. For both, coffee is an experience. And to build a great experience, every little detail must work synergically: context, decoration, location, illumination, service, flavors, aromas, company, attention… it’s all part of what constitutes your coffee shop’s identity. It’s also part of what you should reflect on your social media profile.

Work to make that experience feel as real as you can online. Invest in professional photography so you can recreate the moments and feelings that are part of your coffee shop’s experience. Don’t forget spontaneity. People on social media love to feel part of something real. Sharing little glimpses of what a typical day in your coffee shop looks like using Snapchat or Instagram stories is a great way to do it. You can involve your workers as well!

You don’t need to sell your products so blatantly, nor to promote them on every single post. Forget about putting your brand’s logo in all your publications. Let people know how your coffee shop is like by telling its story through visual and text imagery. Create content, events, and promotions that fit this narrative, and invite everyone to have a taste of the experience.

Make social media something social

Coffee shops are great places to socialize. Why should your social media be any different? Interact with your community and let them know you’re there for them. Don’t leave any comments unresponded. Comments featuring questions, suggestions, complaints, and compliments should all be addressed. But don’t leave it just there! Create a special hashtag and encourage people to use it when sharing pictures and videos at your coffee shop.

People use cafes as places to reunite with friends, so they’re likely to document their time there. Take advantage of this by creating contests and prizes for your most loyal followers, or take your time to go through all pics and select some to share on your profile. This way, you’ll promote your customers’ social media and show them some love! That will encourage them to keep on sharing, using geolocalization and hashtags.

If you’re not sure about making changes on your menu, ask your followers what do they think about it! You’ve already created a community that has shown they’re willing to interact with you, so take their opinions seriously. Create surveys and remember to answer their inquiries and suggestions. Few things work better for building your audience than being open to receive comments and giving feedback.

Stay visually and thematically consistent

As we said before, it’s incredibly important to be able to communicate your coffee shop’s identity correctly. Once you know who you are, you need to create an image that fits that narrative. Colors, themes, language, shapes, and typography are some of the essential elements of your aesthetic. How does the brand speak to its customers? Does it use a familiar language or is it more elegant and exclusive? How often does it post? And how are pictures and videos taken? Plan a calendar full of content that your audience could be interested in and be sure not to let monotony take control over your feed. Always remember to have fun!

Fuse the best of both worlds

Social media is what everyone’s talking about. It’s very innovative and popular, but it really doesn’t mean anything if you don’t combine the best of both the online and offline world. Don’t only look for followers on social media, invite your in-store customers to follow you and interact with you! Create contests during events by asking people to share their pics and follow your account. Give prizes at the end and always make sure they are coherent with your identity and that they are things your real-life customers could be interested in, like coffee baskets, gift cards or coffee merchandise.

Keep an eye on your social media's statistics to find out who your most loyal and engaged customers. Then reward them by inviting them to your café to enjoy the best of your services. Never forget to share real-life experiences and stories. Offer incentives for people to share pictures at the coffee shop on their social media and don’t be afraid to ask them if they want to be featured on your profile. Let your creativity go wild! At That Coffee Roasters, we know there is no limit to all things you can do to have fun with social media!

Learn where your audience is hanging at.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

Facebook: That Coffee Roasters

Instagram: thatcoffeeroasters