I'm a tea drinker. I drink multiple cups of tea a day- since giving up the cigs I think it's only the tea that keeps me going sometimes. But there aren't any songs about tea on my hard drive. Coffee on the other hand is well represented. Coffee is cooler than tea, more sophisticated- to us Brits coffee is the continent, pavement cafes, and frothy milk. Now the high street is littered with coffee shops selling a bewildering array of coffees all served by your expert barista who's happy to stamp your loyalty card. Our first cup is served by Lalo Shifrin, an unsettling instrumental from the film Bullitt (hence the picture of Steve McQueen at the top).
Just Coffee
The caffeine is kicking in now. The Bullitt soundtrack can be a bit jittery even without a shot of the black stuff. In 1994 James Lavelle put out a double vinyl ep called The Time Has Come, a bunch of remixes from Howie B, Portishead and Plaid. Plaid did this, breakbeat- jazz- trip hop that isn't a million miles from Lalo Shifrin..
In 1989 Edwyn Collins released his Hope And Despair album, a lovely collection of songs. This one, drum machine led and with a lovely circular guitar riff, builds for nearly five minutes as Edwyn croons. Gorgeous.
Coffee Table Song
Blur's 1999 album 13 was a reaction to the Britpop thing. Graham Coxon sings and wrote it, describing his battle with alcohol over a chirpy indie-pop tune with a sqwarky, string-bending guitar solo. A bit of an ear worm.
Coffee And TV
To finish before the barista chucks us out for nursing one cup for an hour, here's Wild Billy Childish And The Musicians Of The British Empire, from the magnificent Thatcher's Children album, and a three chord rush tirade sung by Nurse Julie...
Coffee Date
12 comments:
You mean you don't have 'Muswell Hillbillies' by The Kinks, which includes 'Have A Cuppa Tea'? That's a tea drinker's anthem. Probably.
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Boston Tea Party
Or, you could try putting Benzadrine in your Ovaltine...
Who Put the Benzadrine in Mrs Murphys Ovaltine?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ5_SyvxDXE
That one from Edwyn is an old favorite. As for tea, I’ll throw in the short but wonderful power-pop of Tea by Brendan Benson, but the first thing that popped in my head was the wild tea parties the Rutles used to host.
Frank Sinatra was at the top of his game when he did the Coffee Song in 1961.
Going to have to come back for a proper listen when I've a bit more time but a brilliantly varied selection there!
Not really my usual musical fare but I'm a total sucker for Black Coffee by All Saints too.
Robster- I don't have Muswell Hillbillies. My Kinks albums stop in the late 60s I'm afraid.
Thanks for the other suggestions everyone- the All Saints song is much better than I remember it (but not as good as The Beach which is ace).
Opium Tea by Nick Cave......
I love tea. A perfect Saturday morning is sitting with my freshly brewed Fortnum and Mason Royal Blend loose leaf tea and the Guardian, the boys could be burning down the house but I shut it out as I am not moving until I have finished that pot of tea,
Muswell Hillbillies might just be peak Kinks. Get one (CD/DVD) or both recent CD deluxes, the 2LP deluxe is lovely too
Afternoon Tea on Something Else also by the Kinks, Ray Davies is the patron saint of cups of tea. I think it’s a pretty good tune. The wife thinks it encapsulates everything that is bad about the Kinks.
Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman. Even if you don't like Cat Stevens, it's nice and short.
There's a good song on the new Gretchen Peters album called Love That Makes A Cup Of Tea. Not your bag, I'm sure, but I'm doing this off the top of my head, not consulting the bottomless pit of my music library.
Shack - Cup of Tea.
I'll stop now or I'll be here all night.
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