"Black Coffee" is a song by English girl group All Saints from their second studio album, Saints & Sinners (2000). It was released on 2 October 2000 by London Records as the album's second single. The track was produced by William Orbit, and written by Tom Nichols, Alexander von Soos and Kirsty Bertarelli (credited as Kirsty Elizabeth), initially intended as a single for Kirsty under the title "I Wouldn't Wanna Be". It is a mellow electropop, acid techno and R&B song, unique for its production-laden sound featuring breathy keyboards, glitching electronics and elements of ambient music. A wistful love song, its lyrics stem from Kirsty's relationship with Swiss entrepreneur Ernesto Bertarelli, detailing feelings of love at first sight and contentment.
The track was met with general acclaim from music critics who likened it to the group's previous single "Pure Shores" for their wistful chorus delivery and Orbit's distinctive production. Its unconventional structure was also cited as influential upon the sound of later girl groups such as the Sugababes and Girls Aloud. A commercial success, "Black Coffee" marked All Saints' fifth and final number-one single in the UK. It also reached the top 10 in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden.
"Black Coffee" was written by Tom Nichols, Alexander von Soos and Kirsty Bertarelli.[1] It is the only All Saints original single not to be written by group member Shaznay Lewis.[2] The song was initially recorded by Kirsty Bertarelli under the title "I Wouldn't Wanna Be". She first wrote the song, basing it on her relationship with Swiss entrepreneur Ernesto Bertarelli who she met on his yacht off the coast of Sardinia in 1997.[3][4]Gary Davies, a BBC Radio 1 DJ and Kirsty's manager, passed on the track's production to Nichols who was also under his management at the time.[5] Nichols developed "I Wouldn't Wanna Be" as a quirky pop song, something "slightly out of the ordinary" and "slightly left of centre, not completely mainstream".[5]
Believing the track could be established as a single for Bertarelli, Davies canvassed record companies with her demo, hoping it could result in a major label deal for the singer. The song received a positive reaction from London Records where Davies played it to the label's executive Tracy Bennett. However, Bennett was unimpressed with Bertarelli's potential and wanted "I Wouldn't Wanna Be" to be recorded by his group All Saints instead which Davies, Kirsty and Nichols all agreed to.[5]
New arrangement and recording
Olympic Studios, one of the four studios in which All Saints recorded "Black Coffee".
After much time had passed since the recording arrangement, Nichols stressed whether All Saints were going to record the song at all.[5] Over 40 songs were written for the group's second album, Saints & Sinners, for which William Orbit was enlisted to produce, but Orbit's popularity at the time made it difficult for All Saints to meet with him in studio. It was only after the release of the album's lead single "Pure Shores" in February 2000 that they began working on a follow-up together.[2][6] Orbit along with Lewis and group member Melanie Blatt gave "I Wouldn't Wanna Be" a new arrangement and renamed the song "Black Coffee".[1][4]
Recording took place at Guerilla Beach and Larrabee West in Los Angeles, and at Sarm West and Olympic Studios in London.[1] According to Blatt, their collaboration with Orbit allowed All Saints to explore more experimental genres than those of their previous releases,[7] while Nichols viewed Orbit's production in the new arrangement completely different, and better than that of his own on the original.[5] The "Black Coffee" sessions were more frustrating for group member Natalie Appleton who saw the song as an opportunity for fellow member Nicole Appleton and herself to sing lead vocals for a change because it was not written by Lewis. In the Appletons' 2002 autobiography Together, Natalie wrote that Lewis was "staking her claim" by arriving early for the first session because Blatt sang lead vocals on "Pure Shores" and not her.[2] Per Natalie's suggestion, management eventually let her cut a lead vocal, but she was nervous during the recording and believed they were placating her. "Without support, it is hard to do your best," Natalie recalled in Together, adding that she felt "used and slacked off".[2]
"Black Coffee" is composed in the time signature of common time with a moderately fast tempo of 120 beats per minute, following a chord progression of E–Bm–D–A in the chorus and Bm7–E–Bm7–E elsewhere.[8] It is an electropop song[9] with elements of acid techno,[10]ambient and R&B music.[11] The song has an unconventional structure with different sections being dislocated from one another.[12] It is also unique for being more production-laden in comparison with other pop songs.[13]
"Black Coffee" opens with a stark introduction sung by Lewis, accompanied only by glitching electronics with no chord progression, before going into the pre-chorus where a more mellow sequence featuring breathy keyboards begin playing.[8][12][13] In the chorus, the song becomes wistful featuring Natalie on lead vocals singing a call and response with Blatt.[8][14] A subsequent verse sung by Lewis returns to the eerie and sinister sound of her introduction.[13][14] After the second chorus, the song enters into a bridge where the group hum and Lewis sings two lines from the pre-chorus, "Each moment is cool / Freeze the moment".[8] The track later ends in an outro sung by Lewis using the same lyrics and starker sound from her introduction, but enhanced by guitar, synths[1] and welding, clipped dance rhythms.[10][15][16]
A sad love song, the lyrics narrate feelings of love at first sight and contentment.[3][14] According to Kirsty, "Black Coffee" recalls how she met Bertarelli during a time when they did a lot of sailing near Sardinia and did not want to be elsewhere.[17] Some of the lyrics suggest disharmony and bitterness during the relationship,[14][18] chronicling more domestic scenarios such as chain smoking and drinking black coffee.[19] The song also has a gender bender theme, encouraging women to make "the first move" instead of men.[20]
Release
London Records serviced "Black Coffee" to UK radio on 22 August 2000 and released it physically on 2 October 2000 as the second single from Saints & Sinners.[21][5][22] It was accompanied by the B-side "I Don't Wanna Be Alone", written by Lewis, Ali Tennant, Wayne Hector and K-Gee.[23]Ellen von Unwerth photographed the single's cover art.[23] Several remixes were commissioned, including one by the Wideboys, and another by the Neptunes which featured a rap by American duo Clipse.[24][25] In Japan, "Black Coffee" was released as a CD single on 12 October 2000.[26] In January 2001, a "Black Coffee" sequel was released as a B-side to the album's third single "All Hooked Up".[27]
Critical reception
"Black Coffee" received acclaim from music critics upon release. Simon Evans writing in the Birmingham Post described the song as a "beautiful slice of haunting, hypnotic pop".[28] John Mulvey of The Scotsman praised its "sleek, scrupulously mature sound",[29] while AllMusic's Jon O'Brien regarded it among All Saints' most accomplished and mature work, highlighting its "lush electronics".[15] David Brinn of The Jerusalem Post found the song wistful and radio-friendly.[30] In the Sunday Herald, Samuel McGuire characterised the track as "a gem of a truly wonderous lustre";[31] the newspaper's Graeme Virtue hailed it as one of "the best pop singles ever".[32]BBC Music's Nigel Packer chose the song as a highlight on Saints & Sinners,[10] while Russell Baillie of The New Zealand Herald said "Black Coffee" along with "Pure Shores" and "Surrender" "put [most of the album] in the shade."[33]The Sunday People's Sean O'Brien gave "Black Coffee" a rating of eight out of ten.[34]
In the NME, Siobhan Grogan called the song almost perfect, writing that "it's wistful in all the right places and makes sadness sound rather alluring like only the bitterest love songs can." Grogan also compared it to "Pure Shores" saying that it "has the same mellow, glossy haziness to it, as if they recorded it lying down."[14] Similarly, Eva Simpson of the Daily Mirror wrote that the track "brought the same high-gloss sheen" as "Pure Shores" and cited it as a curtain raiser for Saints & Sinners.[11] A Western Mail reviewer viewed the two songs as "equally tremendous",[35] while The Guardian's Caroline Sullivan found "Black Coffee" superior, describing it as "beguiling treatment of a domestic scenario" and "easily the most alluring depiction of a bleary-eyed morning routine ever recorded."[19] Sullivan also said All Saints "lend radiance to [Orbit's] twinkling fairy lights."[36] Lindsay Baker from the same newspaper deemed it Saints & Sinners' "particularly infectious" track,[37] while R.S. Murthi of the New Straits Times called it the album's most endearing song, likening it to releases by the Cocteau Twins.[38] In a negative review, Hot Press magazine's John Walshe dismissed the group's harmonies as "so saccharine they could have been copyrighted by NutraSweet".[16]
"Black Coffee" appeared on Dotmusic and the NME's year-end lists at number 3 and 26 respectively.[39][40]Q magazine included it in its list of 1010 Songs You Must Own.[41] "Black Coffee" has continued to receive praise in retrospective reviews. According to the Daily Mirror's Ian Sturgess, the track "boasts one of the most infectious pop choruses of all time."[42] Clem Bastow of The Sydney Morning Herald said the song in particular won All Saints "major critical points" over the Spice Girls and complemented their "impeccable back catalogue".[43] In the Daily Record, Julie MacCaskill wrote that "Black Coffee" along with "Pure Shores", "Under the Bridge" and "Never Ever" are a testament to the group's "pop power".[44] Christie Leo writing in the New Straits Times opined, "The aromatic shimmer of 'Black Coffee' alone is all the evidence you'll need to know that All Saints were truly heavenly."[45] In 2016, Digital Spy's Lewis Corner placed the song at number three in his ranking of All Saints singles, highlighting its "euphoric" chorus and deeming it "pop-form caffeine".[12]
Chart performance
In October 2000, "Black Coffee" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart with first-week sales of 60,000 copies, making All Saints only the second girl group, after the Spice Girls, to achieve five number-one singles in the UK.[46] The song dropped to number three in its second week and spent 21 weeks on the chart in total.[47][48] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in October 2000,[49] and sold 230,000 copies in the UK by 2008.[50] According to the Official Charts Company, "Black Coffee" is the group's fourth best-selling single in the UK.[51]
The song also had success across Europe, peaking at number five on the European Hot 100 Singles chart for two consecutive weeks,[52] and reaching the top 10 in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) and Sweden,[53][54][55][56] and the top 20 in Finland and Norway.[57][58] In Australia, the track entered the ARIA Charts at number 29 and peaked at number 20 for two consecutive weeks.[59] On the New Zealand Singles Chart, it debuted at number 40 and reached number seven, marking All Saints' fifth top 10 single there.[60] The international success of "Black Coffee" helped launch both Kirsty's and Nichols' musical careers.[3] Kirsty earned royalties of over £12,000,[61] while Nichols stated in an interview for HitQuarters, "when that song was released, the opportunities that [I got] certainly in the UK, but also Europe-wide, [were] absolutely huge."[5]
Music video
Directed by Bo Johan Renck,[62] the music video for "Black Coffee" was filmed at Ealing Studios in London on 17 August 2000.[63][64] Renck specially edited it as All Saints were not on speaking terms at the time and requested for their scenes to be shot separately.[62][63] According to a report by the Daily Mirror, the group formed two camps with the Appletons on one side, and Lewis and Blatt on the other.[63]Bullet time effects similar to that from the 1999 film The Matrix were used, being considered state of the art at the time.[62][65] The video aired on 4 September 2000 to heavy rotation from MTV Europe.[64][66]
Melanie Blatt serenading an arguing couple in the music video.
Opening with a night time view of a high rise apartment block, the music video sees the group singing from the block's rooftop.[65] A couple are shown arguing in one of the apartments while the group appear invisible beside them. The couple throw clothes and pillows at each other, among other things. Their aggressive behaviour is frozen each time while the group serenade them.[62] The girlfriend later sits in a corner and cries before the video ends with frozen shots of each All Saints member in the apartment after the couple have left.
Jon Stewart, author of Oh Blessed Holy Caffeine Tree: Coffee in Popular Music, wrote that the video put emphasis on the romantic disharmony of the lyrics. Stewart also noted that the video's upmarket location promoted caffeine as a beverage for the upper class.[18]CBC Television placed "Black Coffee" at number five in its ranking of the group's music videos, praising the special effects and combination of "an angelic serenade during an argument".[65]Digital Spy's Lewis Corner said the video portrayed when cracks within All Saints began showing; "There's a reason they don't appear alongside each other in the music video: by then, they couldn't physically stand each other."[12]
Live performances
To promote "Black Coffee" in September and October 2000, All Saints performed it on television shows such as CD:UK,[67] the BBC People's Awards,[68]T4,[69]Top of the Pops[70][71] and the Pepsi Chart Show.[72] On 18 November 2000, the group performed "Black Coffee" along with "Pure Shores" and "Whoopin' Over You" on Later... with Jools Holland.[73] A number of All Saints' renditions of "Black Coffee" were marred by in-group tension and fighting. The group were not on speaking terms at the time of their Children in Need performance on 17 November 2000 after Nicole announced her pregnancy the night before.[74][75] According to the Appleton sisters, they were completely ignored by Lewis and Blatt during their performance at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party on 10 December 2000.[76][77] The performance was later criticised by The Guardian's Betty Clarke who wrote, "Only All Saints let the side down, going through the motions..."[76] At the Capital FM Christmas Party, Natalie and Lewis nearly came to blows backstage over who would wear a particular jacket causing an onstage rift during the performance and ultimately, All Saints splitting up the following year.[78][79][80][81]
The Scotman's Fiona Shepherd wrote that the "smart-pop attack" of "Black Coffee" paved the way for British girl groups such as Girls Aloud and Sugababes.[86] Similarly, Irish singer Neil Hannon cited the song's unconventional production as influential; "Girls Aloud do pop like ['Black Coffee'] now: songs like 'Biology' are a bit weird, and they flout the general rules, and I admire that. But 'Black Coffee' is better."[13] In 2007, the track was included in the competitive music video game series SingStar.[87]
In 2004 year German musician Markus Guentner used chorus and some samples for his track with same name "Black Coffee" which was released on Detective Stories EP (Ware Recordings).
In December 2023, Center Parcs used the track in a UK TV advertising campaign.
Nicole Marie Appleton is a Canadian-British singer and television presenter. She is a member of the British girl group All Saints and the pop duo Appleton with her elder sister Natalie Appleton.
Melanie Ruth Blatt is an English singer. She rose to fame in 1997 as a member of the girl group All Saints. The group have gained five UK number-one singles, two multi-platinum albums and two BRIT Awards, and have sold over 10 million records worldwide.
Tricia Marie "Shaznay" Lewis is an English singer and songwriter. Lewis rose to fame as a member of the girl group All Saints which she formed with Melanie Blatt in 1993. As a member of All Saints, Lewis won two Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello Award, and co-wrote three of the group's five UK number-one singles: "Never Ever", "Bootie Call" and "Pure Shores". In 2002, Lewis starred in the film Bend It Like Beckham.
"Never Ever" is a song by English girl group All Saints. Written by All Saints member Shaznay Lewis along with co-writers Robert Jazayeri and Sean Mather and produced by Cameron McVey and Magnus Fiennes, it was released on 10 November 1997 as the second single from their debut album, All Saints (1997).
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Saints & Sinners is the second studio album by English girl group All Saints. It was released three years after their debut album, All Saints. The album reached number one in the UK, their only album to do so. Three tracks on the album were produced by William Orbit, best known for his work with Madonna on her Ray of Light album. The album received mixed reviews from music critics, praising the singles and the new direction of music, while some felt it was too similar to the Spice Girls and Madonna's album Ray of Light.
"Pure Shores" is a song by English girl group All Saints from their second studio album, Saints & Sinners (2000). Group member Shaznay Lewis and producer William Orbit wrote the song for a scene in the 2000 adventure drama film, The Beach. Eschewing the R&B sound of All Saints' previous releases, "Pure Shores" is a dream pop song with ambient and electronic production, and a syncopation of synth delays, arpeggiated guitar and ethereal sound effects. It was released by London Records on 14 February 2000 as the lead single from the film's soundtrack and Saints & Sinners.
"War of Nerves" is a song by English girl group All Saints, released by London Records on 23 November 1998 as the fifth and final single from their debut album, All Saints. Group members Shaznay Lewis, Natalie Appleton and Nicole Appleton wrote the song with producers Cameron McVey and Magnus Fiennes. It is a ballad concerning mortality, inspired by the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. "War of Nerves" debuted at number seven on the UK Singles Chart, making it the group's fifth consecutive single to chart in the top 10.
"All Hooked Up" is a song by English-Canadian girl group All Saints from their second album, Saints & Sinners (2000). London Records released the song as the third and last single from the album on 15 January 2001.
"Smooth" is a song performed by American rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, who sings the lead vocals. It was released on June 15, 1999, as the lead single from Santana's 1999 studio album, Supernatural. It was written by Itaal Shur and Thomas, who re-wrote Shur's original melody and lyrics, and produced by Matt Serletic.
"Addicted to You" is a song by Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada from her second studio album Distance (2001). It was released as the album's lead single on November 10, 1999 by EMI Music Japan. "Addicted to You" was written by Utada and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; this is Utada's first collaboration with American producers and composers. The single artwork was shot by American photographer Richard Avedon and features two black-and-white figures of Utada. Musically, "Addicted to You" is an R&B song.
"Suddenly I See" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall from her debut studio album, Eye to the Telescope (2004). It was inspired by New York singer and poet Patti Smith, whose album cover for Horses (1975) also inspired Tunstall's album cover for Eye to the Telescope. The song was released on 29 August 2005 as the third single from the album in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it was released as the album's second single on 27 February 2006.
"Rock Steady" is a song performed by English-Canadian recording girl group All Saints from their third studio album, Studio 1 (2006). It was co-written by group member Shaznay Lewis in collaboration with the track's producer Greg Kurstin. The song was released by Parlophone on 6 November 2006. All Saints collaborated with Kurstin on a number of songs; six were chosen for the album. "Rock Steady" was released as the first single from it. The song contains prominent 2 tone, dance-pop, reggae fusion, rocksteady and ska musical characteristics. It is lyrically influenced by the personalities of the group members themselves.
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"Cruisin'" is a 1979 single written, produced, and performed by American singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson for Motown Records' Tamla label. One of Robinson's most successful singles outside of his work with the Miracles, "Cruisin'" hit number one on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 and was also a Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at number four the week of February 2, 1980. It was a top-five hit on the Soul chart as well.
The discography of the English girl group All Saints consists of five studio albums, two compilation albums, one remix album, two video albums and 18 singles between London Records and Parlophone Records.
Kirsty Bertarelli is a British songwriter and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss United Kingdom 1988 and represented her country at Miss World 1988 and placed 2nd Runner-up, she is former wife of Ernesto Bertarelli an Italian-Swiss businessman who was the owner of biotech giant Serono until 2007 and winner of the America's Cup in 2003 and 2007 with his yachting syndicate Alinghi.
"One Strike" is a song recorded by English-Canadian girl group All Saints for their fourth studio album, Red Flag (2016). The track was written by group member Shaznay Lewis and its producer Hutch, inspired by the breakdown of group member Nicole Appleton's highly publicised marriage to Oasis and Beady Eye frontman Liam Gallagher. "One Strike" is a mid-tempo, R&B, soul and synth-pop song that lyrically deals with the protagonist's emotions immediately after breaking up with their significant other.
All Saints are a British girl group formed in London in 1993. They were founded as All Saints 1.9.7.5 by music manager Ron Tom. with members Melanie Blatt, Shaznay Lewis, and Simone Rainford. The group struggled to find commercial success upon being signed to ZTT Records and were dropped by the label shortly after Rainford left the group. In 1996, the group were joined by sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton and signed to London Records under their shortened name.
1 2 3 Black Coffee (CD maxi-single liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2000. 8573852072.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
1 2 Black Coffee (12" single (The Remixes) liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2000. LONX454.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
1 2 Black Coffee (CD2 single liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2000. 8573 85026 2, LONCD 454.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ All Hooked Up (CD2 single liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2001. LOCDP456, 8573 86545 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Virtue, Graeme (4 November 2001). "A Brit and miss affair". Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
↑ Black Coffee (Cassette single liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2000. 8573 85026 4, LONCS454.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Black Coffee (CD1 single liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2000. 8573 85035 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Black Coffee (17" single liner notes). All Saints. London Records. 2000. LON454.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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