The Legacy of “Black Coffee”

The sultry torch song “Black Coffee” was composed in 1948 by Sonny Burke with lyrics by the great Paul Francis Webster. Originally conceived as a bluesy lament about loneliness and longing, the song uses the imagery of strong, bitter coffee as a metaphor for a woman left behind and steeped in heartbreak. With lines like “I’m feelin’ mighty lonesome, haven’t slept a wink / I walk the floor and watch the door,” it perfectly captures the late-night melancholy of waiting for someone who’s never coming back.

While it was first recorded by Sarah Vaughan in 1949, “Black Coffee” reached iconic status when Peggy Lee recorded it in 1953 as the title track for her critically acclaimed album. Lee’s smoky, emotionally restrained interpretation gave the song its signature mood and inspired countless vocalists. Over the years, “Black Coffee” has become a standard in the jazz and blues repertoire, covered by legends like Ella Fitzgerald, k.d. Lang, and Rosemary Clooney. With its haunting melody and lyrical bitterness, it remains one of the most evocative songs ever written about heartbreak and solitude. Over the years, the song’s imagery has become so iconic that one can almost picture the heartbroken narrator clutching an Anthora cup on a lonely late night.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of the iconic Anthora coffee cup – a true symbol of New York City’s street culture, corner delis, and daily rituals – NY Coffee Cup celebrates its enduring design, cultural significance, and place in coffee history, both in NYC and beyond.