A Musical Look at Coffee

Embarking on the daily odyssey of consciousness can be as daunting as deciphering hieroglyphs, but for the elixir that has woven itself into the tapestry of human existence – coffee.

From the incense-laden coffeehouses of ancient Constantinople to the bustling cafes of modern metropolises, this caffeinated concoction has stood the test of time, transcending cultural epochs with a promise encapsulated in that first, tantalizing sip.

Whether you prefer the unabashed boldness of a simple black brew or dance with hazelnut-tinged concoctions over ice, the symphony of coffee’s myriad preparations has become nothing short of a daily ritual, a steaming testament to the fluidity of our tastes and the rigidity of our schedules.

But hold onto your coffee cups, for behind this aromatic veil lies a clandestine empire – over USD $85 billion in the United States alone. As we dive into the depths of coffee through the ages, we will harvest a trove of revelations that are as invigorating as that first morning espresso. Because today we are taking a musical look at coffee - from the trivial to the fascinating to the downright bizarre. With a dollop of musical salutes to coffee along the way. Like this one by Bob Marley – “One Cup of Coffee”…

Whether you grind your own beans at home, indulge in the convenience of a pod, like yours instant and delicious, or wander each day over to the local coffee sanctuary for your cup of liquid gold, join us as we traverse the rich, piping hot goodness of coffee’s history and cultural significance. The coffee pot is percolating, and the time has come to embark on a journey through that intoxicating goodness that is our beloved brew.

It’s a bean! It’s a seed! No, it’s coffee! Coffee beans are actually seeds from cherry-like fruits. When dried, roasted and ground they’re used to brew coffee. If the seeds aren’t processed, it can be planted and grow into a coffee tree. They are similar in appearance to legumes, and this is how they earned their title as coffee beans.

Ella Mae Morse – “40 Cups of Coffee”

9th Century: Beginnings - Though no one knows exactly how or when coffee was discovered, coffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage back to the ninth century to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. The legend is that a goat herder named Kaldi discovered coffee when he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they appeared to “dance” and didn’t want to sleep at night.

Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the berries and found that it kept him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread. As word moved east and coffee reached the Arabian Peninsula, it began a journey which would bring these beans across the globe.

Live long and drink coffee! While caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about coffee, research has connected moderate coffee consumption (about three to four cups per day) with a lower risk of heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes, as well as a longer life span. Plus, your liver will thank you as both regular and decaf coffee seem to have a protective effect on your liver’s enzyme levels.

Manhattan Transfer – “Java Jive”

15th Century: Coffee in the Arab world - Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula during the 15th century. By the 16th century coffee had spread to Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffee houses — known as qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in cities across the Near East. The coffee houses became popular social hubs where people gathered to discuss politics, literature, play chess, and keep current on the news.

They became such an important center for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.” With thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, knowledge of this “wine of Arabia” began to spread.

Divorce, coffee-style! In ancient Arab culture, women could allegedly find legal ‘grounds’ for divorce if her husband failed to bring her fresh coffee in the morning.

Seth MacFarlane – “You’re the Cream in my Coffee”

17th Century: European blend - European travelers to the Near East brought back stories of an unusual dark black beverage. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent. As with anything new, some people reacted to this beverage with suspicion or fear, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan.” The local clergy condemned coffee when it came to Venice in 1615. The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. He tasted the beverage for himself before making a decision and found the drink so satisfying that he gave it papal approval, declaring, “This devil’s drink is delicious; we should cheat the devil by baptizing it.”

As in the Near East, coffee houses quickly became centers of social activity in the major cities of Austria, France, Germany, and Holland. In England “penny universities” sprang up, so called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation. Coffee began to replace the common breakfast drink beverages of the time — beer and wine. Those who drank coffee instead of alcohol began the day alert and energized. By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London alone. Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd's of London, for example, came into existence at the Edward Lloyd's Coffee House.

Musical Inspiration! The famous composer, Johann Sebastian Bach created a humorous and satirical work called “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht” (Be still, stop chattering). Also known as the “Coffee Cantata”, it humorously tells the story of a young woman’s obsession with coffee.

Johann Sebastian Bach – “Coffee Cantata”

17th Century: Global Expansion – As demand for the beverage continued to spread, there was fierce competition to cultivate coffee outside of Arabia. The Dutch finally were able to smuggle seedlings out in the latter half of the 17th century. Their attempts to plant them in India failed, but they were successful in getting them to take root in Batavia (current day Jakarta) on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia. The plants thrived and soon the Dutch had a productive and growing trade in coffee. They expanded the cultivation of coffee to other islands across Indonesia including Sumatra and Celebes (current day Sulawesi).

Today the Indonesian coffee industry exports over USD $1.5 billion per year in addition to its domestic coffee market which, alone is estimated to be worth more than USD $3 billion.

Smelly cat! No, not a segue into an episode of “Friends”, but a reference to the most expensive coffee in the world. “Kopi Luwak” comes from Indonesia and is made from beans digested by the Asian Palm Civet. In other words, it comes from cat poop. And it sells for USD $600 and up per pound!

Garbage – “Cup of Coffee”

18th Century: Eve Comes to the Americas – In 1714, the Mayor of Amsterdam presented a gift of a young coffee plant to King Louis XIV of France. A seedling from this plant (we’ll call her “Eve”) was transported across the Atlantic and planted on the island of Martinique. Over the next 50 years, from this one plant sprung more than 18 million coffee trees across the island. And it was this seedling that was the parent of all coffee trees throughout the Caribbean, South, and Central America.

The Tea Party’s Over! Though coffee houses had begun appearing in the new colony of America, tea continued to be the favored drink in the New World. That is until 1773 when the colonists revolted against a heavy tax on tea imposed by Great Britain. The revolt, known as the Boston Tea Party, would forever change the American drinking preference to coffee. Indeed, Thomas Jefferson said that “Coffee is the favorite drink of the civilized world.”

Sinatra – “The Coffee Song”

20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Germany – The 20th century has seen many developments in coffee. Decaffeinated coffee was first invented in 1903 when a German coffee importer, Ludwig Roselius, turned a batch of ruined coffee beans over to researchers who perfected the process of removing caffeine from the beans without destroying any flavor. He marketed the coffee under the brand name “Sanka” (a contraction of “sans caffeine”).

Coffee’s a Crime 1! In 1746 Sweden enacted a law to prohibit the sale of coffee. The government also banned “coffee paraphernalia” – with cops confiscating cups and dishes. King Gustav III even ordered convicted murderers to drink coffee while doctors monitored how long the cups of coffee took to kill them. Which, we’re pretty certain, was great for the convicts but really boring for the doctors.

Johnny Cash – “Cup of Coffee”

20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Switzerland – In 1938, Nestle, after being asked by Brazil to help find a solution to their coffee surpluses, invented freeze-dried coffee. Nescafe was developed and first introduced into Switzerland. Instant coffee really took off after 1956 when commercial television was introduced. The commercial breaks were too short a time in which to brew a cup of tea, but time enough for an instant coffee. The entrepreneurs of the coffee world like Nestle and General Foods realized this was their big chance and advertised their instant coffee during the breaks. In retaliation, the tea companies introduced the tea bag in a desperate bid to compete.

Coffee’s a Crime 2! Murad IV claimed the Ottoman throne as the Sultan in 1623. He quickly forbade coffee and set up a system of fairly reasonable penalties. The punishment for a first offence was a beating. Anyone caught with coffee a second time was sewn into a leather bag and thrown into the waters of the Bosporus.

Don Sanders – “Coffee Song”

20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Italy - The modern-day espresso machine was perfected by Achilles Gaggia in Italy in 1946. He managed to use a higher pressure than steam by using a spring powered lever system. Gaggia brought his revolutionary espresso machine to London in the 1950s and opened a mocha bar in Frith Street in Soho - hence the modern-day coffee bar was born. The first pump driven espresso was produced in 1960 by Faema.

Coffee’s a Crime: A compendium! Here’s a few laws relating to coffee that are still in effect today to be aware of…

1. In Alabama, it's illegal to serve coffee after 10:45 PM in a cafeteria.

2. In Bordeaux, France, coffee cups must have a minimum size in order to ensure that the coffee is strong and of high quality.

3. In Vermont, it is illegal to dye coffee.

4. In Louisiana, it is illegal to serve coffee in a drive-thru window after 10 PM.

5. In Greece, it is illegal to make coffee on a stove or hotplate in a public place.

6. In Switzerland, it is illegal to boil coffee in a kettle that has not been cleaned properly.

7. In California, it is illegal to serve coffee in a hospital waiting room between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM.

8. In Mesquite, Texas, it is illegal to take more than three sips of coffee while standing.

Otis Redding – “Cigarettes and Coffee”

20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Seattle - Seattle roastery Starbucks pretty much single-handedly created the gourmet coffee craze back in the 1970s. People at the time didn’t realize that they wanted more than a hot, black liquid to wake them up. They didn’t realize that they wanted higher quality beans. They didn’t realize that they wanted a fresher taste. They didn’t realize that they wanted more variety. But, after opening their first store in 1971, Starbucks’ brilliant marketing team educated the public to realize that they really did want all these things. We are still living in the era that Starbucks created. Many today are obsessed with taste and variety. If your grandpa were to walk into a coffee shop today the variety of options may seem ridiculous. Back in his day, there was only one option: coffee.

But will it start your car’s engine? Coffee is consumed in such great quantities, it is the world’s 2nd largest traded commodity, surpassed only by crude oil. And it is the most drunk beverage after water.

Abbey Lincoln – “A Lonesome Cup of Coffee”

Which do you prefer? There are two main types of coffee – Arabica and Robusta. To impress your friends at the coffee shop, here’s a quick cheat-sheet on the difference between the two.

Attributes	​Arabica	​Robusta
​Flavor Profile	Smoother, nuanced, fruity, floral, less bitter	​Strong, robust, bitter, nutty
Caffeine Content	Generally Lower	Generally Higher
Growing Conditions	Higher elevations, cooler temperatures, more susceptible to pests and diseases	​Thrives in warmer temperatures, hardier, more resistant to pests and diseases
Plant Attributes	Taller, delicate structure, oval-shaped leaves, curved crease on beans	Shorter, robust structure, rounder leaves, smaller and rounder beans, straighter crease on beans
Market Share	Considered higher quality, popular in specialty coffee	Commonly used in mass-market coffee, instant coffee, and espresso blends

Driftwood Tiger – “Sugar in My Coffee”

As this caffeinated symphony comes to a close, we’ve seen that coffee is not just a drink. It’s a means of social interaction and has been for a very long time. In the past, people gathered to share a cup of coffee and exchange information. In North America and a lot of Western European countries, Starbucks and other major chains have dominated the market because they are providing the customers a complete experience around coffee: coffee and friends, coffee and work, coffee and snacks, coffee to go! In Italy the invention of espresso and the espresso machine made it the favorite whole-day beverage of Italians. And in some countries, like Colombia or Brazil, the whole economy is based on coffee. And we didn’t even get into that wonderful Irish brew called “Irish Coffee”.

From the spirited dance of goats in ancient Ethiopia to the global empire worth over USD $85 billion in the USA alone, coffee has evolved from a humble discovery to a cultural cornerstone. In our daily pursuit of consciousness, it seems we’ve found a steadfast companion in the rich, aromatic embrace of this beloved brew. Coffee has become more than just a beverage; it’s a daily ritual. A liquid mantra we pour out each morning to welcome the day. I mean after all, what other food or beverage has had so many songs written about them?!

What’s your favorite coffee? Do you prefer yours hot or iced? What’s your favorite coffee song? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Beabadoobee – “Coffee”

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