Afternoons & Coffeespoons

"Afternoons & Coffeespoons"
Single by Crash Test Dummies
from the album God Shuffled His Feet
Released	June 1994
Length	3:53
Label	Arista
Songwriter(s)	Brad Roberts
Producer(s)	Jerry Harrison
Crash Test Dummies singles chronology
"Swimming in Your Ocean" (1994) "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" (1994) "God Shuffled His Feet" (1994)
Music video
"Afternoons & Coffeespoons" on YouTube

"Afternoons & Coffeespoons" is a song by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies, released by Arista in June 1994, as the third single from the band's 1993 album God Shuffled His Feet . "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" has been called the band's most popular song amongst fans. ^[1] It is also one of their most successful songs commercially, peaking at number two in Iceland, number seven in Canada, number 16 in Finland, and number 66 in the United States. The accompanying music video was directed by Tim Hamilton.

Background

The title and lyrics of the song reference the 1915 T. S. Eliot poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". ^[2] Lead vocalist Brad Roberts called it "a song about being afraid of getting old, which is a reflection of my very neurotic character". ^[3]

Critical reception

Upon the release of the single, Larry Flick from Billboard magazine called it "another winner" for the band, writing that although it did not live up to the catchiness of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm", it was a "very hummable" song. ^[4] Martin Aston from Music Week gave it a score of four out of five, naming it "another strong melody, another hummable chorus, another Top 10 hit." ^[5] Emma Cochrane from Smash Hits gave it three out of five, writing, "Unfortunately this single hasn't got a great hook like "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm". Radio One love them because they fit into their new adult rock sound." ^[6]

Music video

The music video for "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" was directed by Tim Hamilton ^[7] and features Brad Roberts as a patient in a hospital, with the rest of the band playing the doctors operating on him. A bored Grim reaper passes the time smoking, talking on his cellphone and watching the other patients as he waits for him to expire. The video ends with Roberts getting discharged, with a choreographed wheelchair dance on the hospital helipad.

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" Chart (1994) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [8] 40 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [9] 42 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [10] 7 Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [11] 4 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [12] 57 Europe (European AC Radio) [13] 11 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [14] 16 Germany (GfK) [15] 39 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [16] 2 Ireland (IRMA) [17] 23 Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tip) [18] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [19] 41 Scotland (OCC) [20] 17 UK Singles (OCC) [21] 23 US Billboard Hot 100 [22] 66 US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [23] 13

Year-end charts 1994 year-end chart performance for "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" Chart (1994) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM) [24] 65 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) [25] 34 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [26] 27

References

1. Crash Test Dummies.com – Popular Archived 8 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
2. Setnyk, Jason (16 August 2016). "Interview with Crash Test Dummies Brad Roberts". The Cornwall Seeker. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
3. Prato, Greg (5 October 2018). "Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts . Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
4. Flick, Larry, ed. (11 June 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 106, no. 24. p. 65. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
5. Aston, Martin (18 June 1994). "Market Preview: Alternative" (PDF). Music Week . p. 17. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
6. Cochrane, Emma (22 June 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits . p. 56. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
7. "Tim Hamilton Music Video Credits As Director". IMVDb. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
8. "Crash Test Dummies – Afternoons & Coffeespoons". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
9. "Crash Test Dummies – Afternoons & Coffeespoons" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2571." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
11. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2572." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 31. 30 July 1994. p. 8. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
13. "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 37. 10 September 1994. p. 22. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
14. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
15. "Crash Test Dummies – Afternoons & Coffeespoons" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
16. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (09.6.–15.6. '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 9 June 1994. p. 15. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Afternoons and Coffeespoons". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
18. "Crash Test Dummies - Afternoons & Coffeespoons". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
19. "Crash Test Dummies – Afternoons & Coffeespoons". Top 40 Singles.
20. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
22. "Crash Test Dummies Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
23. "Crash Test Dummies Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
24. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved 1 October 2019.
25. "RPM Top 100 AC tracks of 1994". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved 1 October 2019.
26. "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1995. p. 16. Retrieved 30 May 2020.