Song Lyric Sunday/Song of the Day: The Manhattan Transfer, “Java Jive”

Song Lyric Sunday, Song of the Day 2 Minutes

When I saw Jim’s theme for today, "Cappuccino, Coffee, Espresso, Latte, Mocha," I knew exactly what song I was going to use for today.

Wikipedia sez:

> "Java Jive" is a song written by Ben Oakland and Milton Drake in 1940 and most famously recorded by The Ink Spots. The lyrics speak of the singer’s love of coffee. The lyrics also reflect the slang of the day, including a reference to "Mr. Moto", a Japanese film spy. The Ink Spots’ 1940 recording of the song reached #17 on the US Pop charts and is considered by many to be the definitive version. The Song is also heard in the 1942 movie In This Our Life.

> The Manhattan Transfer also performed it on various occasions, including Camera Three (1974), The Mike Douglas Show (1974), The Two Ronnies (1978), and recorded a popular version of the song in 1975.

> The song has been extensively recorded over the years, with notable performances by Guy Lombardo and The King Sisters.

Here’s The Manhattan Transfer, from 1975. Tim Hauser (in the yellow jacket) sings lead, with Laurel Massé (in the black dress) singing a verse, and Janis Siegel and Alan Paul sing backup.

The lyrics, from Lyrics.com:

I love coffee, I love tea
I love the java jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the jiving and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops! Mr. Moto, I’m a coffee pot
Shoot me the pot and I’ll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
Oh, slip me a slug from the wonderful mug
And I cut a rug till I’m snug in a jug
A slice of onion and a raw one, draw one.

Waiter, waiter, percolator!
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the java jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the jiving and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
Boston bean, soy bean
Lima bean, string bean.
You know that I’m not keen for a bean
Unless it is a cheery coffee bean.

I love coffee, I love tea
I love the java jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the jiving and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
I love java, sweet and hot
Whoops! Mr. Moto, I’m a coffee pot
Shoot me the pot and I’ll pour me a shot
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup!
Oh, slip me a slug from the wonderful mug
And I cut a rug till I’m snug in a jug
Drop me a nickel in my pot, Joe, Taking it slow.

Waiter, waiter, percolator!
I love coffee, I love tea
I love the java jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the jiving and me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup

And that’s Song Lyric Sunday and Song of the Day for March 7, 2020.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

25 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday/Song of the Day: The Manhattan Transfer, “Java Jive””

  1. John, I love you because you featured The Manhatten Transfer! I love them, albeit I love them more in the 80s. But, I really love them, and “Java Jive” is such a great song!

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    1. Glad you liked it! That video I believe is from their summer replacement show, which would have had to have been in the ’70’s because Laurel Massé left in ’79 after being in a car accident. Tim Hauser, who sang lead for most of this, passed away in 2014.

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  11. I must say that this is an excellent song choice. I chose it as well, but my post isn’t scheduled to be published for another 4 1/2 hours, at 3 am Pacific time.

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