Black Coffee
Tricky Lyrics


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Move over, move over, yeah you heard what I said, move over.

I feel so lonely, 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 never know why Sunday in this weekday brew?
I'm talking to the shadows, 1 o'clock till 4
And Lord how slow the moments go.
All I do is pour black coffee.

Since the blues caught my eye,
I'm hanging out on Monday,
But Sunday dreams too dry
They say a man is born to go alone
And a woman is born to weep and fret
To stay at home and drown her past regrets
In coffee and cigarettes.
And moody all the morning, moody all night.




And in between I drink black coffee.
Black coffee.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tricky's song 'Black Coffee' capture the essence of a lonely heart yearning for love and companionship. The song opens with the lines "Move over, move over, yeah you heard what I said, move over" indicating a sense of emptiness and a longing to be with someone. The singer then goes on to express his loneliness, stating that he hasn't slept a wink and walks the floor while watching the door. The lyrics convey his heightened sense of awareness as he tries to find solace in black coffee.


The next lines, "Love's a hand-me-down brew. I never know why Sunday in this weekday brew?" refer to his distrust of love and how it often leaves people feeling empty and disappointed. The singer finds himself always talking to the shadows from one o'clock till four as time seems to drag on slowly. The only thing he seems to have is black coffee, which helps him pass the time.


The lyrics then delve into the idea of social norms, stating that men tend to go it alone while women are born to weep and fret. They stay at home drowning their past regrets in coffee and cigarettes. The singer is moody all morning and all night, and his only companion is black coffee.


Overall, Tricky's song 'Black Coffee' is a poignant and moving portrayal of loneliness and the struggle for human connection. The lyrics describe a world where time moves slowly, and love is elusive, leaving people to find refuge in simple pleasures like coffee.


Line by Line Meaning

Move over, move over, yeah you heard what I said, move over.
Please make room for me, as I am struggling and need to find a place for myself to cope with my sorrows.


I feel so lonely, haven't slept a wink.
I am feeling extremely lonely and have not been able to sleep at all.


I walk the floor, and watch the door.
I pace back and forth while feeling anxious and waiting for something to happen.


And in between I drink black coffee.
To pass the time and deal with my loneliness, I resort to drinking black coffee and trying to find comfort in it.


Love's a hand-me-down brew.
Love is a stale and bitter experience that has been passed down from generations and leaves me feeling empty.


I never know why Sunday in this weekday brew?
I cannot understand why Sunday, a day of rest and happiness, feels no different from the workdays and leaves me feeling just as empty and alone.


I'm talking to the shadows, 1 o'clock till 4
I am so lonely that I start to have conversations with myself and the figurative shadows from 1 in the morning until 4.


And Lord how slow the moments go.
Time seems to be passing by so slowly when I am feeling lonely and depressed, making my situation even more unbearable.


All I do is pour black coffee.
Drinking black coffee has become my only coping mechanism and the only thing that brings me comfort.


Since the blues caught my eye,
Ever since I've become overwhelmed by sadness and depression, everything seems to be in grayscale and the world seems bleaker.


I'm hanging out on Monday,
I cannot find happiness even on a Monday, a day most people see as the start of the week and the time for a new beginning.


But Sunday dreams too dry
I cannot even find solace in my dreams on Sundays, leaving my entire week feeling empty and dry.


They say a man is born to go alone
Society believes that men are meant to be self-sufficient and independent, therefore being alone should be natural for them.


And a woman is born to weep and fret
On the other hand, women are seen as emotional beings and are often expected to cry and worry about everything continuously.


To stay at home and drown her past regrets
Women are often confined to their homes and left to deal with their past insecurities and regrets alone.


In coffee and cigarettes.
Women cope with their sorrows by drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes to decrease the emotional pain.


And moody all the morning, moody all night.
I find myself in a constant state of melancholy, feeling down both during the day and the night.


And in between I drink black coffee.
To distract myself from my depression, I have started to drink black coffee regularly and try to find comfort in it.


Black coffee.
Referring to the title of the song and my only source of comfort during my struggle with depression.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Francis Joseph Burke, Paul Francis Webster

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Kresimir Vrcic

Tricky:]
(One, one, two, one, one, two
Move over, move over, yeah, you heard what I said, move over)

[Martina Topley-Bird:]
I feel so lonely; 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 never know why Sunday in this weekday brew

I'm talking to the shadows, 1 o'clock till 4
And Lord, how slow the moments go... All I do is pour
Black coffee

Since the blues caught my eye
I'm hanging out on Monday but Sunday dreams too dry
They say a man is born to go alone
And a woman is born to weep and fret to stay at home
And drown her past regrets in coffee and cigarettes
And moody all the morning, moody all night
And in between I drink
Black coffee



All comments from YouTube:

Fawkk YuTuu

This entire album was so moody dark and experimental but still had fragmented hooks, which Is Impressive
seeing as how he just made the landmark Maxinquaye a year earlier and that never ages either.
Martina and Tricky were that rare unlikely perfect combo from the start. 1994 - 1996 was the peak of Tricky.

Wolf-Bear

I feel the 80's and 90's had a special kind of energy to it to open the imagination and minds of the artist and also the listeners to produce such art.

Dieter Moitzi

"…I'm talking to the shadows, one o'clock to four…" amazing song, and this must be one of my favorite versions…

J. C.

Tricky is an amazing artist

Kenny Dominguez

MArtina and Tricky make a great duo!!!! LOVE this song :)
Love to listen to it in rainey days especially.

Tiffany De Goya

This song brings back so many memories 😭

T W

Sucks how iTunes doesn't have this song. But still a great song!

Zoe Jaymz Quevedo

In my years of music-listening, i've learned that anything is possible.

John Syme

Never tire of this track...

AdLibby

Why the heck isn't this on Spotify? I've been looking for it.

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