Soul Coughing,was founded by vocalist and guitarist Mike Doughty (who billed himself at the time as 'M. Doughty'), a folk singer, slam poet, and music writer.
Doughty was a doorman at the old Knitting Factory on Houston Street in New York. While working there he met sampler artist Mark De Gli Antoni, upright bass player Sebastian Steinberg, drummer Yuval Gabay, and artist David Linton. Doughty convinced them to join him in forming a new band. They played their first gig, as 'M. Doughty's Soul Coughing' at the Knitting Factory on June 15, 1992, a late-Monday night slot that Doughty cadged from his boss because nobody else wanted it. In 1993, he founded a club night called SLAW at CBGB's 313 Gallery, which was meant to emulate the popular jazz and hip hop club Giant Step, but eventually became a showcase for Soul Coughing. Posters for SLAW were headlined 'Deep Slacker Jazz' (a parody of The Who's slogan 'Maximum R&B'), which became an enduring description of the band's sound.
The band was signed within a year to Warner Brothers subsidiary Slash Records, and released three albums: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996), and El Oso (1998). They enjoyed minor hit singles with "Circles," "Super Bon Bon," and "Screenwriter's Blues."
The band broke up in 2000, after years of feuding over songwriting credits and publishing money. Doughty continued as a solo artist, and Gabay, Steinberg, and De Gli Antoni have been involved with other projects including a trio disc sans Doughty in 2004.
The Coffee Song
Soul Coughing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 their quota,
And the way things are I guess they never will,
They've got a zillion tons of coffee in Brazil,
No tea or tomato juice,
You'll see no potato juice,
"Cause the planters down in Santos all say No! No! No!
A 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.
You date a girl and find out later
She smells just like a percolator
Her perfume was made right on the grill
Why they could percolate the ocean in Brazil
And when their ham and eggs need savor
Coffee ketchup gives 'em flavor
Coffee pickles way outsell the dill
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 your lead 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
The Coffee Song by Soul Coughing is a playful tune that celebrates the abundant supply of coffee in Brazil. The song is a nod to the vast amounts of coffee beans that grow in Brazil and the country's love for the beverage. The lyrics highlight the fact that Brazilians have so much coffee that they don't have much of anything else to drink. The song makes light of the many ways in which Brazilians use coffee in their daily lives, from coffee-inspired perfumes to coffee-infused condiments.
The song's catchy melody and clever lyrics make it an entertaining commentary on Brazilian culture and the country's obsession with coffee. It is a testament to the enduring popularity of the song that it is still enjoyed by listeners even today, long after its release in 1998.
To provide some background information, Soul Coughing was a New York-based alternative rock band active from 1992 to 2000. The Coffee Song was featured on their third and final album, El Oso, released in 1998. The song was written by the band's lead singer and songwriter, Mike Doughty, who was known for his clever lyrics and unconventional approach to songwriting.
Line by Line Meaning
Way down among the Brazillians,
In Brazil, where coffee beans grow in abundance,
Coffee beans grow by the billions,
There is a massive amount of coffee bean production,
So they've got to find those extra cups to fill,
The demand for coffee is so high that they have to constantly create more supply,
They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil.
The quantity of coffee in Brazil is incomparable to other countries.
You can't get cherry soda,
Due to the high demand of coffee, other beverages are disregarded,
"Cause they've got to sell their quota,
Planters must sell their coffee quota,
And the way things are I guess they never will,
It is unlikely that other drinks will be sold due to the emphasis of coffee,
They've got a zillion tons of coffee in Brazil,
The amount of coffee is immeasurable,
No tea or tomato juice,
Other beverages like tea and tomato juice are not part of their marketing focus,
You'll see no potato juice,
Even juices from other vegetables, like potatoes, are not popular in Brazil,
"Cause the planters down in Santos all say No! No! No!
Planters prioritize coffee production over anything else,
A politician's daughter,
The daughter of a politician,
Was accused of drinking water,
The daughter was criticized for not drinking coffee,
And was fined a great big fifty dollar bill,
She was penalized with a hefty fine of fifty dollars,
They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil.
Once again emphasizing the massive amount of coffee in Brazil,
You date a girl and find out later
A scenario where one discovers something surprising later on,
She smells just like a percolator
A comparison between the scent of coffee and a woman's perfume,
Her perfume was made right on the grill
Her perfume is a byproduct of the coffee making process,
Why they could percolate the ocean in Brazil
The vastness of coffee production in Brazil is further described,
And when their ham and eggs need savor
When people need more flavor with their food,
Coffee ketchup gives ' em flavor
Coffee ketchup is used to add flavor,
Coffee pickles way outsell the dill
Even pickles are infused with coffee flavor because of the high demand for it,
Why they put coffee in the coffee in Brazil
Once again emphasizing the extensive use of coffee in Brazil,
No tea or tomato juice
Other beverages are not part of the popular drink options,
You'll see no potato juice
Even with the abundance of potatoes in Brazil, potato juice is not a drink option,
The planters down in Santos all say no no no
The emphasis on coffee culture resonates with the planters themselves,
So your lead to the local color
A suggestion is given to try something local in Brazil,
Serving coffee with a cruller
It is suggested to try a pastry-like cruller with coffee,
Dunking doesn't take a lot of skill
Dipping the cruller into coffee is a simple process,
They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil.
The song ends with one final mention of the abundance of coffee in Brazil.
Contributed by Callie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@culhanecottage
I’ll bet I’ve listened to this a thousand times over the years! Thank you for sharing!
@defaultusername123
Really love this one and you only know it if you’re a hardcore Soul Coughing fan so it’s kinda a hidden gem even from most fans.
@didgeboy287
I remember how random it was to find THIS was a Soul Coughing tune (well, cover) on probably Kazaa. hysterical and awesome
@otakuturtle
Jesus, I love this song. I don't remember when I first heard this version, but it's been a long time, and a slightly shorter time since I last heard it. The Osibisa version is also extremely good.
@caneyebus
It has to have been 15 years since I've heard this song.
@bones1991
As someone else wrote on another Soul Coughing song, in the future all people will be Yuval Gabay.
@Stuporjew
Now, This, I LOVE!
@crudecube
This music is like an audible cartoon. I have also learned to not drink tomato or potato juice.
@gcanaday1
Haha this is fire
@lindacannon1867
I'm going to put on a pot of coffee.