Squeeze’s “Black Coffee in Bed” single came out April 8, 1982. Here’s the original promo video.
I don’t drink coffee, but this may be the best Sunday morning song ever.
Squeeze-Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
Shrinking in the sea so cold
Topless ladies look away
A he-man in a sudden shower
Shelters from the rain
You wish you had a motor boat
To pose around the harbor bar
And when the sun goes off to bed
You hook it up behind the car
But behind the Chalet
My holiday’s complete
And I feel like William Tell
Maid Marian on her tiptoed feet
Pulling mussels from a shell
“Cool For Cats” by Squeeze
(Words/Music: Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, Album: Cool For Cats, A&M 1979)
While I’m not a fan of cats in general, these cats are very cool.
Happy Caturday.
I give a little muscle and I spend a little cash
But all I get is bitter and a nasty little rash
Blister in the Sunday: “Black Coffee in Bed” by Squeeze
Metal Monday: “Screaming in the Night” by Krokus
Blues and Jazz Tuesday: “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” by The Temptations
Wednesday’s Women: “It’s Too Late” by Carole King
Re-worked Thursday: “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” by Revolting Cocks
Feelin’-it Friday: “Sister Awake” by The Tea Party
Saturday Shred: “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits
Metal Monday – “Modern Day Cowboy” by Tesla
Blues and Jazz Tuesday – “So What” by Miles Davis
Wednesday’s Women – “Life-Sized Marilyn Monroe” by Wild Strawberries
Re-worked Thursday – “I Am the Walrus” by Boingo
Feelin’-it Friday – “Underwhelmed” by Sloan
Saturday Shred – “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’” (Live) by Journey
Blister in the Sunday – “Black Coffee in Bed” by Squeeze
“Black Coffee In Bed” by Squeeze
(Words/Music: Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, Album: Sweets From a Stranger, A&M Records 1981)
When I finally put this song in the context of other Squeeze songs like “Tempted” and “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)”, I began to gain an appreciation for their soulful version of the 80s new wave. Primary songwriters Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford write interesting and catchy pop songs which people seem to relate to quite well. Not too far into a Squeeze song, I find myself singing along more so than with any other 80s band. And that’s where it becomes odd because I don’t remember even hearing of Squeeze until the early 90s which was well after they had recorded their major hits. As I write this daily blog and focus on the 80s on Sunday, I am finding myself writing about songs that I didn’t catch the first time around and only know through an introduction by friends or other media (movies/tv/commercials). Hence, any nostalgia for these songs is media-induced as opposed to being tied to specific and/or important events in my life.
However, the singer in the song tells us a story of lost love which begins with seeing a nostalgic coffee stain on a notebook. He focuses on what seems to be an idealistic memory of sharing coffee in bed and tries to convince his ex-girlfriend and the listener (and maybe himself) that he is over her. The questions that beg to be asked are: If he is over her, why do the memories keep coming back? And why does he feel the need to tell her he’s over her? More likely than not, he is actually glad at the point of moving on. However, is he? Doesn’t the fact that he is now sharing coffee in bed with another woman suggest that he has merely found someone new with whom to share the fond memories of the past? Maybe he’d be better off ditching his notebook and writing about a favorite song every day in a blog.
“Black Coffee In Bed” by Squeeze
