“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.
During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.
They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.
They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."
After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.
After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.
Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.
Proper Cup Of Coffee
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In his harem in downtown Persia,
He took one sip of his coffee,
Just a drip, and he said to his servant Kersia,
Ah, curse ya, curse ya, curse ya,
That′s the worst cup of coffee in Persia!
'Cause...
All I want is a proper cup of coffee,
I might be off my nut,
But I want a proper cup of coffee
From a proper copper pot.
Iron coffee pots and tin coffee pots,
They′re no good to me!
If I can't have a proper cup of coffee
From a proper copper coffee pot,
I'll throw you in the sea."
In old Baghdad, in old Baghdad, in old Baghdad, in old Baghdad,
In old Baghdad very often I have had cups of coffee by the dozen
And you all should make my coffee just as good
And without my blasted cussing .
Oh, curse ya, curse ya, curse ya,
It′s the awful-lest coffee in Persia!
Oh what I want is a proper cup of coffee,
Made from a proper copper coffee pot.
I might be off my nut,
But I want a proper cup of coffee
From a proper copper pot.
Brass coffee pots, glass coffee pots
They′re no good to me
If I can't have a proper cup of coffee
From a proper copper coffee pot,
I′ll have a cup of tea!
I'll have a cup of tea.
The Andrews Sisters sang about a Persian Sultan who was disappointed with the terrible cup of coffee that his servant, Kersia, had served him. The Sultan complained about the quality of the coffee and cursed his servant. He then expressed his desire for a proper cup of coffee, made from a proper copper coffee pot. The Sultan had tried coffee served in iron and tin pots before but found them unacceptable. He made it clear that if he could not have the coffee he desired, he would throw Kersia into the sea.
The Andrews Sisters also mention their experiences with coffee in Baghdad. They proclaim that they have had cups of coffee by the dozen in old Baghdad, but the quality of the coffee served must improve. The sisters show their solidarity with the Sultan's desire for a proper cup of coffee, echoing the refrain of the song: "All I want is a proper cup of coffee, made from a proper copper coffee pot." They too claim, "I might be off my nut, but I want a proper cup of coffee from a proper copper pot." The Andrews Sisters make it clear that brass and glass coffee pots do not suffice either, and that if they cannot have the coffee they desire, they will have a cup of tea instead.
Overall, the lyrics of The Andrews Sisters' "Proper Cup Of Coffee" serve as a humorous critique of the often poor quality of coffee served in certain contexts. The song expresses a longing for the perfect cup of coffee, brewed in a beautiful copper coffee pot, and makes for an entertaining listen.
Line by Line Meaning
A Sultan sat on his oriental mat,
An important ruler enjoyed the luxuries of his palace in Persia.
In his harem in downtown Persia,
He enjoyed the comfort of his personal chambers.
He took one sip of his coffee,
The Sultan tasted his coffee.
Just a drip, and he said to his servant Kersia,
The Sultan told his servant Kersia what he thought.
Ah, curse ya, curse ya, curse ya,
The Sultan was very unhappy with the coffee.
That′s the worst cup of coffee in Persia!
The Sultan believed that the coffee was the worst in Persia.
'Cause...
Explanation of why the Sultan believed that the coffee was the worst.
All I want is a proper cup of coffee,
The Sultan wanted a good cup of coffee.
Made from a proper copper coffee pot.
The Sultan believed that the quality of the coffee depended on the method in which it was made.
I might be off my nut,
The Sultan acknowledged that he was possibly crazy for holding such a high standard for his coffee.
But I want a proper cup of coffee
Despite his recognition of a possible irrationality, the Sultan remained steadfast in his desire for good coffee.
From a proper copper pot.
The Sultan believed that a copper pot was the only acceptable material to use for coffee-making.
Iron coffee pots and tin coffee pots,
Other materials besides copper were unacceptable for the Sultan.
They′re no good to me!
The Sultan would not settle for anything less than the best.
If I can't have a proper cup of coffee
The Sultan was willing to take drastic measures if he couldn't get what he wanted.
From a proper copper coffee pot,
The Sultan was very specific with his standards.
I'll throw you in the sea.
The Sultan would punish his servant for not delivering what he wanted.
In old Baghdad, in old Baghdad, in old Baghdad, in old Baghdad,
The Sultan reminisced about his previous experiences with coffee.
In old Baghdad very often I have had cups of coffee by the dozen
The Sultan has enjoyed a lot of coffee in the past.
And you all should make my coffee just as good
The Sultan believed that his servants should be able to make coffee as good as in Baghdad.
And without my blasted cussing .
The Sultan hoped that he wouldn't have to resort to cursing to get what he wanted.
Oh, curse ya, curse ya, curse ya,
The Sultan was unhappy with the coffee again.
It′s the awful-lest coffee in Persia!
The Sultan believed that the coffee was the worst in Persia once again.
Oh what I want is a proper cup of coffee,
The Sultan reiterated his desire for good coffee.
Brass coffee pots, glass coffee pots
Other materials besides copper were unacceptable for the Sultan once again.
They′re no good to me
The Sultan would not settle for anything less than the best once again.
If I can't have a proper cup of coffee
The Sultan was willing to take drastic measures if he couldn't get what he wanted once again.
From a proper copper coffee pot,
The Sultan was very specific with his standards once again.
I′ll have a cup of tea!
The Sultan would rather drink tea than accept lower quality coffee.
Writer(s): R P Weston, Bert Lee
Contributed by Henry H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@montya1945
what a delightful rendition of this time honored music hall diddly.. just one more special offering from the terrific trio..
@Edwin48100
I didn't think they recorded this late into their singing career!
@adamshaw9974
Nice :D
@saman.r5540
Is persia iran now days?
@thjola
Yes
@NPHT-so9us
boop