Coffee Canon - 
A Singing Round in 3 Parts

Coffee Canon  is a fun and energetic singing round with strong harmonies - download it for your singing group free here!

This round is not a quick study like Heigh Ho and Ah Poor Bird, but it is so fun to sing that it is worth the extra work!

Here is a vigorous rendition of the Coffee song:

And the music, in several keys:

Please scroll down the page for the links to the printable music.

My students really like this song - if I give them a choice at their lesson - "Which round shall we start with?", it is always, lately, "Coffee!"

Easy notes for struggling readers

Now here is a version with lettered notes, which I have found useful for beginning singers struggling with this intricate melody:

I first encountered this round in the sheet music book "150 Rounds for Singing."

There, the lyrics are different - and fun! - but they are an English translation from the original lyrics, which are German, and they are COPYRIGHTED.  

One of a kind lyrics

Therefore I decided to come up with new lyrics.  

I could have written the publisher for permission to use the lyrics they have, but then I probably would have had to charge money for you to use this fun round.  (Besides, some of the publishers take an ETERNITY to reply... or don't reply at all.)

Hear the melody on the piano

Here is a simple playing of the Coffee song on a piano - it helps you really hear the melody:

Here are the original lyrics to this song, which is presumed to have been composed by Karl Gottlieb Hering (1766-1853); 

C-A-F-F-E-E, trink nicht so viel Kaffee! 
Nicht für Kinder ist der Türkentrank, 
Schwächt die Nerven, macht dich blaß und krank, 
Sei doch kein Muselmann, der ihn nicht lassen kann. 

What the words mean

Essentially, the lyrics say:

• that you shouldn't drink so much coffee ("trink nicht so viel"), 
• that it is not for children (Nicht fur Kinder), 
• that it affects the nerves (Schwacht die Nerven), and 
• that it makes you pale and sick (blass und krank)!  

The lyrics I've composed, on the other hand, CELEBRATE coffee and express my appreciation for it.

Use a chord background to ground the melody

I have found that a good way to practice this song with both groups and individuals is to give them a chord background on every beat, to match the harmony.  

Only the I and V chords are needed.  Therefore, in the key of F, that means you will strike F, F, F, C7,C7, C7... etc.

The links for the vocal round:

Download the Coffee Canon in the key of A - rather high for singing groups, but nice for violin!

Download the Coffee Song in G

Download the round "Coffee" in F

Download the Caffee Canon in Eb

The link for the version with lettered notes:

Download easy music notes for Kaffee Canon

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Interested in songs from the Bible for your students or church?  Check out my other website, SingTheBibleStory.com!

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About the Author

Dana Thynes

Hi, I'm Dana!  (Say that like "Anna".)  I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.

Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.

You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.