Ella Mae Morse was born in Mansfield, Texas, United States. She was hired by Jimmy Dorsey when she was 14 years old. Dorsey believed she was 19, and when he was informed by the school board that he was now responsible for her care, he fired her. In 1942, at the age of 17, she joined Freddie Slack's band, with whom in the same year she recorded "Cow Cow Boogie", Capitol Records' first gold single. "Mr. Five by Five" was also recorded by Morse with Slack, and they had a hit recording with the song in 1942 (Capitol 115). She also originated the wartime hit "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet", which was later popularized by Nancy Walker in the film, Broadway Rhythm.
In 1943, Morse began to record solo. She reached #1 in the R&B chart with "Shoo-Shoo Baby" in December for two weeks. In the same year she performed "Cow Cow Boogie" in the film Reveille with Beverly and starred in Universal's South of Dixie and The Ghost Catchers with Olsen and Johnson and How Do You Dooo? with radio's Mad Russian, Bert Gordon. She sang in a wide variety of styles, and she had hits on both the U.S. pop and rhythm and blues charts. However, she never received the popularity of a major star because her versatility prevented her from being placed into any one category of music.
The song "Love Me or Leave Me" as recorded by Morse was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1922, with the flip side "Blacksmith Blues," which became her biggest hit.
In 1946, "House of Blue Lights" by Freddie Slack and Morse, (written by Slack and Raye) saw them perform what was one of many of Raye's songs picked up by black R&B artists. Her biggest solo success was "Blacksmith Blues" in 1952, which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The same year her version of "Down the Road a Piece" appeared on Capitol with Slack again on piano accompaniment. Morse also recorded a version of "Oakie Boogie" for Capitol which reached #23 in 1952. Her version was one of the first songs arranged by Nelson Riddle.
Morse ceased recording in 1957, but continued performing until the early 1990s at such clubs as Michael's Pub in New York, Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Cinegrill and the Vine St. Bar and Grill. She appeared regularly at Disneyland for several years with the Ray McKinley Orchestra, and did a successful tour of Australia shortly before her final illness.
Her music career was profiled in Nick Tosches' 1984 book, The Unsung Heroes of Rock 'N' Roll: The Birth of Rock in the Wild Years Before Elvis. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1724 Vine Street. Her entire recorded body of work was issued in a deluxe box set by Bear Family Records.
As Morse's musical style blended jazz, blues, and country, she has sometimes been called the first rock 'n' roll singer. A good example is her 1942 recording of the song "Get On Board, Little Chillun", which, with strong gospel, blues, boogie, and jive sounds as a genuine precursor to the later rockabilly/ rock 'n roll songs. Her records sold well to both Caucasian and African-American audiences. As she was not well known at the time of her first solo hits, many people assumed she was African-American because of her 'hip' vocal style and choice of material.
Morse had six children from two marriages, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and an estranged sister named Flo Handy, who was also a singer.
In 1999 Morse died of respiratory failure in Bullhead City, Arizona, aged 75.
40 Cups of Coffee
Ella Mae Morse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I drink a cup of coffee and start pulling out my hair
I'm drinking forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee, waiting for you to come home
A quarter to twelve and you're still not in
The way you run around is a doggone sin
Forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee, waiting for you to come home
A quarter to three, I start watching the clock
The phone won't ring, so I'm waiting for your knock
I'm drinking forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee, waiting for you to come home
Quarter to four, you ain't got home yet
I try to be cool and smoke a cigarette
I'm drinking forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee, waiting for you to come home
You knock on the door about a quarter to five
I wanna hug you and kiss you, say thank heaven you're alive
I drank forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee, but I'm glad you finally came home
The lyrics of Ella Mae Morse's song "Forty Cups of Coffee" tell a story of a woman who is anxiously waiting for her partner to come home. She is so anxious that she cannot sit still and ends up pacing the floor and pulling out her hair. As time passes by, she becomes obsessed with the idea of waiting for her partner to return and she drinks forty cups of coffee to stay awake. She continues to check the clock and wait for the sound of her partner's knock, until finally, after a long wait, he arrives home. The relief she feels is immense, and she’s grateful that her partner has returned.
The song touches upon themes such as longing, anxiety, and the importance of human connection. The woman's desperate need for her partner's return highlights the significance of love and companionship in our lives. The lyrics also portray the anxious thoughts and physical symptoms that can come with waiting for someone we love. Overall, the song is a heartfelt tribute to the power of love and the importance of being surrounded by people we care for.
Line by Line Meaning
Pace the floor, stop and stare
I'm anxious and can't sit still while waiting for you to return home.
I drink a cup of coffee and start pulling out my hair
I'm so nervous that I start to do things like pulling out my hair, and drinking coffee to deal with the restlessness.
I'm drinking forty cups of coffee
I'm drinking a lot of coffee to try and stay awake while waiting for you to come home.
Forty cups of coffee
I continue to drink coffee to stay awake and alert while waiting for you to come home.
Forty cups of coffee, waiting for you to come home
I'm so desperate for you to come home that I can't sleep, and resorted to consuming lots of coffee.
A quarter to twelve and you're still not in
It's nearly midnight and you haven't come home yet.
The way you run around is a doggone sin
You disappear without any explanation and I believe that your behaviour is sinful.
A quarter to three, I start watching the clock
It's almost three in the morning, and I'm still waiting up for you.
The phone won't ring, so I'm waiting for your knock
You're not calling me, so I'm waiting for you to knock on the door instead.
Quarter to four, you ain't got home yet
It's close to four in the morning and you still haven't come home.
I try to be cool and smoke a cigarette
In an attempt to calm myself down, I smoke a cigarette, hoping it will help me relax.
You knock on the door about a quarter to five
I hear a knock on the door at five in the morning and I know it must be you.
I wanna hug you and kiss you, say thank heaven you're alive
I'm so relieved that you are finally home, I want to hug and kiss you and express my gratitude that you're safe.
I drank forty cups of coffee
I tell you about my desperate attempt to stay awake and alert while waiting for you to come home.
Forty cups of coffee
I continue to emphasize that I drank a lot of coffee while anxiously waiting for you.
Forty cups of coffee, but I'm glad you finally came home
Despite having to consume so much coffee, I'm just happy that you're finally home, and that's all that matters.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANNY OVERBEA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@towrnghrybear
GREAT to hear REAL music for a change - WONDERFUL!!!
@cooldaddy2877
The true GRANDMOTHER OF ROCK'n'ROLL.
@theCVN7
10 tea drinkers disliked this song
@green_eyedlady6940
LMAO!
@waynejones205
It's up to 31, OMG!! Crabs!!
@mknioui4888
I love how moment looked and sounded in 40s even though I've never been there it's very nastalogic
@Livesteam45
Lovin it........This women is soooo smooth, damn would you top this one off please?
@marionforget5711
First time I heard this Just love this tune, suits me!
@TheSpiralnotebook
0000Damn! Goddess Power! What a voice!
@Julio-it1pl
My caffeine addiction brought me here