Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American j… Read Full Bio ↴Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable.[1] McRae drew inspiration from Billie Holiday, but established her own distinctive voice. She went on to record over 60 albums during her career, and enjoying a rich musical career, performing and recording in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Black Coffee
McRae Carmen Lyrics

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I'm feeling mighty lonesome
Haven't slept a wink
I walk the floor and watch the door
And in between I drink
Black coffee
Love's a hand me down brew
I'll never know a Sunday
In this weekday room

I'm talking to the shadows
One o'clock to four
And Lord, how slow the moments go
When all I do is pour
Black coffee
Since the blues caught my eye
I'm hanging out on Monday
My Sunday dream's too dry

Now a man is born to go a lovin'
A woman's born to weep and fret
To stay at home and tend her oven
And drown her past regrets
In coffee and cigarettes

I'm moody all the morning
Mourning all the night
And in between it's nicotine
And not much hard to fight
Black coffee
Feelin' low as the ground
It's driving me crazy just waiting for my baby
To maybe come around

My nerves have gone to pieces
My hair is turning gray

All I do is drink black coffee
Since my man's gone away

Overall Meaning

The song "Black Coffee" by Carmen McRae is a melancholic ballad about heartbreak, loneliness, and addiction. The singer is awake all night due to her lover's absence; she is consumed by her sorrow and cannot find a respite from her grief. The lyrics highlight her alienation from the world and her inner torment through the relentless repetition of the words "black coffee," which becomes a symbol of her pain and of her coping mechanism. The coffee she drinks is bitter, unfulfilling and reminds her of the hand-me-down love and the emptiness she experiences.

The singer laments that she never gets to experience a "Sunday" moment in her "weekday room," where she is stuck in a mundane life devoid of joy, waiting for someone who may never return. The shadows have become her only companions, with whom she shares her deepest feelings, as she talks to them during the lonely nights that never seem to end. Her mood swings from being moody in the morning to mourning at night, and all the while, she smothers her feelings with a cigarette and coffee, which only keeps her addiction and sorrow alive.

Overall, "Black Coffee" is a poetic and tragic representation of how grief and addiction can lead to self-isolation and depression. The song is a reminder of how love can be devastating and how people can become victims of their own obsession and heartbreak.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm feeling mighty lonesome
I am extremely sad and unhappy

Haven't slept a wink
I haven't been able to sleep at all

I walk the floor and watch the door
I pace around anxiously and wait for someone to arrive

And in between I drink
I drink something to occupy myself while waiting

Black coffee
I drink coffee without any additives, such as milk or sugar

Love's a hand me down brew
Love is something that is passed down from one person to another

I'll never know a Sunday
I will never feel happy or content

In this weekday room
I feel like I am stuck in a place that is not meant for me

I'm talking to the shadows
I am so lonely that I am talking to things that aren't there

One o'clock to four
I am up late at night, unable to sleep

And Lord, how slow the moments go
Time seems to pass by very slowly

When all I do is pour
All I do is pour myself coffee

Since the blues caught my eye
Ever since I started feeling this way, I've been sad all the time

I'm hanging out on Monday
I feel like I am stuck in an unhappy place, even on a day that should be happy (Monday)

My Sunday dream's too dry
I am unable to feel happy or fulfilled, even on Sundays when people usually relax

Now a man is born to go a lovin'
Men are naturally inclined towards love and affection

A woman's born to weep and fret
Women are naturally inclined towards sadness and worry

To stay at home and tend her oven
Women are expected to stay at home and cook

And drown her past regrets
Women are expected to forget about their past regrets by occupying themselves with household work

In coffee and cigarettes
Women occupy themselves with drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes

I'm moody all the morning
I am sad and unhappy all morning

Mourning all the night
I am so sad that I cry all night

And in between it's nicotine
In between my sadness, I occupy myself with smoking

And not much hard to fight
It's not difficult for me to smoke, despite knowing it's not good for me

Feelin' low as the ground
I feel extremely sad and dejected

It's driving me crazy just waiting for my baby
I'm going crazy waiting for my loved one to return

To maybe come around
I hope my loved one will come back to me soon

My nerves have gone to pieces
I am so anxious and sad that it's affecting my nerves

My hair is turning gray
I am so stressed that my hair is turning gray

Since my man's gone away
Ever since my loved one left me, I've been feeling extremely sad and lonely

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, GUY WEBSTER/WEBSTER MUSIC
Written by: Francis Joseph Burke, Paul Francis Webster

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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