The 6 Best Songs About Coffee (2025)

Whether it’s brewed dark and strong or served sweet and mellow, coffee has long had a hold on the hearts of songwriters. More than just a morning ritual, coffee is a symbol—of comfort, routine, restlessness, romance, and sometimes regret.

From soul to rock, folk to swing, here are our picks for the best songs about coffee. So, pop in those earbuds, pour yourself a fresh cup, and get ready to push play.

1. “Black Coffee” – Humble Pie (1973)

This searing, blues-drenched track showcases Humble Pie at perhaps their most soulful. Though originally recorded by Ike & Tina Turner, Humble Pie’s version—with the powerhouse voice of vocalist Steve Marriott—delivers gritty, heartfelt passion that elevates the song to new heights.

This is a banger, no doubt. And the chorus says it all:

Alright
(Black coffee) Oh
(Black coffee) It’s what I want now, it’s what I need
(Black coffee) To suit my soul, to suit my soul now
(Black coffee) It’s what I want, it’s what I need
(Black coffee) It’s where it’s at, it’s where it’s at
(Black coffee) Oh

2. “One More Cup of Coffee” – Bob Dylan (1976)

This enigmatic track from Dylan’s Desire album is steeped in mystery and Eastern-inspired instrumentation. With swirling violin and Emmylou Harris’ haunting harmonies, the song tells of a parting—romantic or spiritual—with the line “one more cup of coffee before I go” acting as a final pause before walking away.

Coffee here becomes a ritual of farewell, an anchor in the face of something unknowable. From arguably our greatest ever songwriter, this is a hypnotic, poetic piece that lingers long after it ends.

3. “The Coffee Song” – Cream (1967)

Arguably music’s greatest power trio (Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce), Cream recorded “The Coffee Song” at their first studio session on August 3, 1966. Written by Tony Colton and Ray Smith, there isn’t much history on the song. While originally intended to be released in stereo, a mono mix was used for a Swedish-only release. Apparently, a crude stereo mix was made for this release, but it was not intended for general release and was later lost.

4. “Cigarettes and Coffee” – Otis Redding (1966)

This is Otis Redding at his most intimate and understated. Against a soft organ and slow groove, he sings about a quiet morning moment with a lover: just cigarettes, coffee, and the stillness between them.

It’s a slice of real life turned poetic, with Redding’s warm, gravelly voice pouring emotion into every line. The song transforms everyday ritual into something sacred—a brief but profound connection over a shared cup.

5. “A Cup of Coffee” – Johnny Cash (2003)

Peppered with some light yodeling, this lesser-known gem finds Johnny Cash in reflective mode. His voice, weathered and deep, recounts a story of sorrow and separation, with a single cup of coffee standing in for lost love and quiet resignation. Sparse and haunting, it’s a meditation on time, memory, and the solace we sometimes seek in a warm drink. It’s pure Cash—direct, poignant, deeply human. “I just dropped in for a cup of coffee, friend.”

6. “Java Jive” – The Ink Spots (1940)

Light-hearted and utterly charming, “Java Jive” is a vintage classic that still holds up today. With smooth harmonies and swing-era style, the Ink Spots sing, “I love coffee, I love tea / I love the java jive and it loves me.” It’s a playful celebration of America’s coffee craze in the 1940s, complete with catchy rhythms and vocal quirks. Pure joy in musical form—no angst, no heartbreak, just good vibes and good brews.

BONUS TRACK: “Coffee” – Sylvan Esso (2014)

A modern entry into the coffee canon, this electro-pop gem uses coffee as a symbol of repetition, routine, and the rituals of relationships. Amelia Meath’s delicate vocals float over twitchy beats and synths, musing on how love, like a cup of coffee, can be both comforting and complicated.