There is a line, a lyric, in Otis Redding’s song “Cigarettes and Coffee” that reminds me of us. Late night/early morning, “a quarter to 3”, still up and talking. Seems like almost every night we are still awake, lying together, low lit room, music playing as we trade album choices, and kisses, and overlapping conversations. We don’t need coffee – well, except for the next morning. We just need each other.

“Cigarettes and Coffee” is one of my Top 5 favorite Otis songs off of my favorite Otis album, The Soul Album (1966). It was my oldest daughter who originally introduced it to me. I remember the two of us digging through crates to find the album this track was on. After a few spins, it became my favorite.

“Cigarettes and Coffee” by Otis Redding
from the album, The Soul Album (1966)
Song of the Day

“And while my heart cries out.
Love, at last,
I’ve found you,
ooh now,
and honey won’t you let me,
just be my whole life around you.”

I love how songs take on new meaning as life unfolds. How you hear things differently. How new parts of old favorites apply. This song has shifted for me, and now reminds me of those late nights/early mornings, with us entwined together – talking so late into the night. Sans the coffee (until the next day), and the cigarettes. But, the sentiment prevails.

I love how endless the music – and albums – seem to be with us.  I hope we never run out of sounds to share.

It reminds me of a quote from a favorite book of mine:

“I always think of each night as a song. Or each moment as a song. But now I’m seeing we don’t live in a single song. We move from song to song, from lyric to lyric, from chord to chord. There is no ending here. It’s an infinite playlist.” – Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn