Music Blog

Coffee Break

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Song Lyric Sunday –
‘Wake Up and Smell’
Here’s how the theme inspired me.

Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole
© Bridgeman Images

Over at Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday this week, the theme is ‘Wake Up and Smell’ and our challenge is to write about a song that mentions coffee or tea. This week I’m going with two big-name popular music singers …. Nat “King” Cole and Frank Sinatra …. each singing a classic song from the 1940s and 1950s.

Nat “King” Cole (born Nathaniel Adams Coles in Montgomery, Alabama in 1919) was a renowned jazz pianist who evolved into a massively popular mainstream vocalist; he is known for his smooth baritone voice and hits like “Unforgettable” and “Mona Lisa”. His father was a Baptist preacher and his mother taught piano. In 1923, his family moved to Chicago where he began his musical career playing jazz before forming his own influential King Cole Trio in the late 1930s. He was one of the first African American artists to achieve mainstream success and to host a nationally televised variety show, “The Nat King Cole Show”.  Nat “King” Cole fought for civil rights in a determined but understated manner …. the way he conducted his personal life. He also faced significant racism throughout his career, including a racist attack during a concert in his home state of Alabama. He remains one of Alabama’s most famous sons. Cole was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. If you’d like to know more about Nat “King” Cole, check out an excellent website HERE.

“You’re the Cream in My Coffee” is a popular song from the 1920s written by Buddy De Sylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson for their musical, Hold Everything. It was famously covered by Nat “King” Cole and his trio in 1958. In 2000, the song was used as the theme song for the BBC television series, The Mrs Bradley Mysteries. Metaphors abound in this song, comparing a beloved person to essential and irreplaceable parts of life, like cream in coffee, salt in stew, and the sail of a boat, to express deep love and dependence. The original lyrics and music of the song entered the public domain in the United States in 2024.

This is “You’re The Cream In My Coffee” by the Nat King Cole Trio


LYRICS

You’re the cream in my coffee
You’re the salt in my stew
You’ll always be my necessity
I’d be lost without you

You’re the starch in my collar
You’re the lace in my shoe
You’ll always be my necessity
I’d be lost without you

Most men tell love tales
And each phrase dovetails
You’ve heard each known way
This way is my own way

You’re the sail of my love boat
You’re the captain and crew
You’ll always be my necessity
I’d be lost without you

You’re the sail of my love boat
You’re the captain and crew
You’ll always be my necessity
Like a restaurant with a recipe
You’re the lace in my shoe
I’d be lost without you

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: B. G. De Sylva/Lew Brown/Ray Henderson
You’re The Cream In My Coffee lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Ray Henderson Music Co., Inc, Word Collections Publishing

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Frank Sinatra (born Francis Albert Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1915) was a highly influential American singer and actor; his parents were Italian immigrants. He was inspired to become a singer after hearing Bing Crosby and dropped out of high school to pursue his dream. He rose to fame during the big band era, first with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras, before becoming a major solo star known as “The Voice”. Sinatra became the first of America’s “teen idols” during the post-war years. A 1953 supporting actor Oscar win for From Here To Eternity resurrected his career, leading to a string of successful films, albums and a legacy as one of the greatest popular music vocalists of the 20th Century. Sinatra was extremely active in civil rights, most notably by using his influence to integrate showrooms in Las Vegas and insisting on integrated orchestras. He was a close friend and collaborator with many Black artists and used his power to challenge segregation and open doors for them, with key figures including Nat “King” Cole, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Quincy Jones, and Count Basie. Sinatra’s career spanned six decades, during which he sold over 150 million records. To find out more about Frank Sinatra, THIS is a great website.

“The Coffee Song” was first recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1946, written by Bob Hilliard and Dick Miles. The upbeat, novelty song reflects a post-war era of optimism and increased global trade, humorously depicting a fictional Brazil with an overwhelming coffee surplus. The song was re-recorded by Sinatra for his 1961 album Ring-a-Ding-Ding!. To honor his Brazilian audience, Sinatra opened a massive 1980 concert in Rio de Janeiro with a performance of “The Coffee Song”.

This is “The Coffee Song” by Frank Sinatra

LYRICS

Way down among Brazilians
Coffee beans grow by the billions
So they’ve got to find those extra cups to fill
They’ve got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil

You can’t get cherry soda
‘Cause they’ve got to sell that quota
And the way things are I’ll bet they never will
They’ve got a zillion tons of coffee in Brazil

No tea or tomato juice
You’ll see no potato juice
The planters down in Santos all say no no no

The politician’s daughter
Was accused of drinking water
And was fined a great big fifty dollar bill
They’ve got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil

And when their ham and eggs need savor
Coffee ketchup gives ’em flavor
Coffee pickles way outsell the bill
Why they put coffee in the coffee in Brazil

No tea or tomato juice
You’ll see no potato juice
The planters down in Santos all say no no no

So you add to the local color
Serving coffee with a cruller
Dunking doesn’t take a lot of skill
They’ve got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil
Man, they’ve got a gang of coffee in Brazil

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Bob Hilliard/Dick Miles
The Coffee Song lyrics © Bourne Co., T.R.O. Inc.

Wake Up and Smell

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link to check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by for a look and a listen.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

51 thoughts on “Coffee Break”

  1. Frank Sinatra was one of the few white arrists to take a stand against Racism and Jim crow. Nat king cole never backed down. Respect them both. They would be both very dusappointed that America supports a Bigot like Donald Trump

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      1. I followed both of them. Nat king cole suffered a brutal beat down by the police just like Miles Davis. It was way worse than ever said and not that long ago. Sammy davis jr was raw with it

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          1. Jackie wilson and the mafia on brunswick records which the sorpranos did a episode towards that. Obviously how Little Richard had his stuff white washed by Pat Boone amongst others and pat Boone made the bank and little richard got pennies on the dollar yet he wrote the songs

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  2. I really love Nat “King” Cole. It’s something about the way he approached a song. He wasn’t about putting on a performance, it seemed to about delivering his interpretation of the song. I really never cared for Frank Sinatra in younger years, I didn’t get the hype. Now, as a seasoned listener, I really respect his approach as well. Although, I feel he was more of a performer. However, I feel you can’t go wrong with either. Such classic tracks. Thanks, Nancy

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    1. It’s my great pleasure to feature these two remarkable performers; both were so talented with incredible careers. Despite the difference in these two songs, their approach to music and the songs they chose to record was quite similar, especially when Frank became more of a seasoned performer. Thank you for leaving a great comment, Anonymous. I wish I knew who you are so I could address you by name.

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  7. Two oldies sung by silky voices with great backup musicians. The lyrics in both tunes so clever, but I think the Nat Trio song edges out Old Blue Eyes this time. Good choices for the prompt, Nancy.

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    1. Yes, I have to agree with you on that, Lisa. The “King” edged out The Voice this time but it’s really not an accurate comparison. Nat’s song is a romantic classic while Frank’s is a novelty song, something it did a few times early in his career. Thanks for your comments, Li.

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  14. I like your old school approach for this challenge today, Nancy as these songs are too good to be forgotten.  Nat “King” Cole’s voice has a soothing quality that is supported by his impeccable pitch, and relaxed delivery making him so unique that I love everything he sings.  I didn’t know the Frank Sinatra coffee song, but it was lovely and I can’t say anything about Frank that you don’t already know, but I did spend 11 weeks in Brazil, and it is a lovely country.

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    1. That was my goal today, Jim …. to keep it old school by featuring two great performers from the same era who were good friends in real life …. and sang about coffee! Talk about a challenge!
      One of our daughters-in-law was previously married to a guy from Brazil. Obviously, it didn’t work out between them but she said the country is gorgeous, the people are lovely, and the coffee is to die for.
      Thanks for your thoughts, Jim.

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  15. Two terrific choices Nancy! Those were the days when you could say something simple like cream in my coffee. These days it would be A Venti caramel crunch Frappuccino. According to AI, that is caramel-lined cup, a double shot of espresso, five pumps of vanilla syrup, three pumps of caramel syrup, three pumps of dark caramel syrup, five pumps of white mocha sauce, five scoops of vanilla bean powder, almond milk, a double blend, light whip, and extra caramel drizzle and cookie crumble toppings. LOL 🤣🤣

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  17. Both excellent choices- how could you go wrong with Nat and Frank? Excellent write ups too Nancy. Isn’t it disheartening that we live in a country that prides itself on Freedom- and yet there is a prominent thread of segregation and racism that runs through the careers of both of these legendary artists?

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