Tea Blog

After writing several articles exploring poems about tea, such as

this analysis of tea-themed poetry and literary interpretations
,
it seemed like it was time to look at songs about tea.

As noted previously in

this overview of novelty and rap songs inspired by tea culture
,
there has been something of a recent trend toward tea-related music, particularly in the form of viral or novelty content.

Tea for Two
One of the most famous songs associated with tea, Tea for Two first appeared in 1925 in the musical No, No, Nanette, as discussed in

this article exploring the history and cultural references behind “Tea for Two”
.
It has since been recorded by artists ranging from Lawrence Welk to Alvin and the Chipmunks.

When I Take My Sugar to Tea
This classic from 1931, written by Irving Kahal, Sammy Fain, and Pierre Norman, was recorded by several artists including the Dorsey Brothers.

Sunday for Tea
Peter and Gordon, known for their 1960s hits, released this song in 1967 on the album In London for Tea.

Have a Cuppa Tea
The Kinks released this distinctly British tribute to tea culture in 1971 on their album Muswell Hillbillies.

Tea in the Sahara
Featured on The Police’s 1983 album Synchronicity, this song was inspired by a story from Paul Bowles’ novel The Sheltering Sky.

English Tea
Paul McCartney’s English Tea, from his 2005 album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, is a lighthearted celebration of traditional tea drinking.

Tea and Theatre
The Who contributed their own tea-themed track with this song, released in 2006.

Of course, you don’t have to be a major artist to write a memorable tea song. Some fun modern examples include

“Tea Song” by The McGetigans, a lighthearted music video centered on tea

and

“I’m Drinking Tea” by Brendan Benson, a humorous take on tea appreciation
.

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