| "Black Coffee in Bed" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Squeeze | ||||
| from the album Sweets from a Stranger | ||||
| Released | 9 April 1982 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | 1981 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 6:12 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook | |||
| Producer(s) | Squeeze & Phil McDonald | |||
| Squeeze singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Black Coffee in Bed" is the first single released from Squeeze's fifth album, Sweets from a Stranger . It peaked at number 51 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1982. [1]
Chris Difford stated, "[t]he lyric was inspired by my picking up my notebook one day and seeing a coffee stain on it, which inspired the first line. It was a very vivid image for me and inspired this song of loss and regret." [2] Difford also said that "lyrically it was attractive to [a country] kind of metre. The fact that Glenn put a soul melody to it shows the unique quality of our writing." [2]
A music video, which Difford said showed the band "look[ing] totally out of place and not credible at all," was directed by Steve Barron (notable for directing Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" video). [2] The video for the song implies that Chris Difford played the guitar solo, when it was in fact performed by Glenn Tilbrook. The video also implies that the backing vocals were performed by members of Squeeze, but backing vocals on "Black Coffee in Bed" were actually performed by guests Paul Young of Q Tips fame, and Elvis Costello. Glenn Tillbrook stated that "[t]he backing vocals by Elvis [Costello] and Paul Young were the icing on the cake." [2]
Of the song's guitar solo, Tilbrook stated, "It’s sort of a very 1960s, Motown-influenced solo. But I love the idea of a key change for the solo. And also for it to be quite jazzy, which the song wasn't." [3]
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that Sweets from a Stranger peaked "with the sublime "Black Coffee in Bed"—a post-breakup tune that could have easily slid onto East Side Story ." [4]
Chris Difford stated, "We always thought we recorded [the song] too slow," and Glenn Tillbrook said, "It could never be a fast song, but it certainly had the opportunity to be slightly perkier." [2]
When the song was released as a single, it peaked at number 51 on the UK Singles Chart, [1] as well as number 26 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart). The single was the only one from Sweets from a Stranger to chart.
Squeeze are an English rock band that came to prominence in the United Kingdom during the new wave period of the late 1970s, and continued recording in the 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. In the UK, their singles "Cool for Cats", "Up the Junction", and "Labelled with Love" were top-ten chart hits. Though not as commercially successful in the United States, Squeeze had American hits with "Tempted", "Black Coffee in Bed", and "Hourglass", and were considered a part of the Second British Invasion.
Christopher Henry Difford is an English musician. He is a founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze.
East Side Story is the fourth studio album by new wave group Squeeze. The album peaked at number 19 in the UK Albums Chart, spending 26 weeks in the listing.
Sweets from a Stranger is the fifth studio album by the British new wave group Squeeze, released April 30, 1982 through A&M. The album peaked at number 20 in the UK Albums Chart. The band split up soon after a world tour for the record, and the two main songwriters went on to record 1984's Difford & Tilbrook. Squeeze reunited and released Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti in 1985. As with all Squeeze albums, Chris Difford wrote the words first and Glenn Tilbrook would write the music afterwards often editing Difford's material to create a streamlined narrative. Tilbrook would record a demo afterwards and play it for Difford.
"Cool for Cats" is a song by English rock band Squeeze, released as the second single from their album of the same name. The song features a rare lead vocal performance from cockney-accented Squeeze lyricist Chris Difford, one of the only two occasions he sang lead on a Squeeze single A-side. The song, slightly edited from the album track, peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979, making "Cool for Cats" one of the band's biggest hits.
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"Messed Around" is a US single released from Squeeze's fourth album, East Side Story.
"When the Hangover Strikes" was the second single released from Squeeze's fifth album, Sweets from a Stranger.
"Annie Get Your Gun" is a single released by Squeeze in 1982. It was not featured on any studio album, but has been included on a number of compilations, including Singles – 45's and Under. "Annie Get Your Gun" was the last single released by the band before they broke up, though they reunited in 1985.
A Round and a Bout is a live album by the British new wave group Squeeze, released in 1990 by I.R.S. Records and Deptford Fun City Records. A concert video was released with the same title, and contained mostly the same performances from the LP. The album spent one week at number 50 in the UK Albums Chart in April 1990.
"Some Fantastic Place" is the third single released from Squeeze's tenth album of the same name, Some Fantastic Place. It peaked at number 73 on the UK Singles Chart.
John Bentley is an English bass guitarist. He played bass for the band Squeeze from 1980 to 1982, appearing on the albums Argybargy and East Side Story, as well as Sweets from a Stranger. Squeeze initially split up in 1982, and upon reforming in 1985, band leaders Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook replaced Bentley with Keith Wilkinson.
Spot the Difference is a 2010 album by the British new wave group Squeeze. It is the band's thirteenth studio album and consists entirely of new recordings of older Squeeze songs. The songs are arranged as similarly as possible to the original recordings, being done in such a way to invite the listener to 'spot the difference'.
"From a Whisper to a Scream" is a song written by new wave musician Elvis Costello and performed by Costello and the Attractions on their 1981 album, Trust. With lyrics referencing drinking, the song notably features a guest vocal from Squeeze frontman and songwriter Glenn Tilbrook as well as a guitar part from ex-Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont.
"If I Didn't Love You" is the ninth track from Squeeze's album Argybargy. The song, written by Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, features lyrics about the early stages of a relationship and the insecurity that comes with it. The song has vocals and a slide guitar solo by Tilbrook.
"In Quintessence" is the first song on Squeeze's 1981 album East Side Story. The lyrics were written by Chris Difford and the music by Glenn Tilbrook.
"The Elephant Ride" is a song by the British new wave band Squeeze. It was written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, and it appeared on their 1982 album Sweets from a Stranger.
