Pasta simmers on the stove in June
Makes no sense yet, but it will soon
Conversation starters come way too hard
Nobody wants to be the martyr,
playin' the wrong cards
Why did you come to this planet?
Why did you come to this life?
How can you be everybody's dream,
and still be somebody's wife?
Tell me, what did you have for lunch today?
That's right, how would I know?
How would I know?
You are off somewhere, being free
while I starve in the lonesome cold.
Our bodies got used to each other
Now they're used to the sound
of Richie Havens' voice on the vinyl,
spinning round and round, round and round
Sometimes I feel I was born way too late
Shoulda been born on the Woodstock stage
But I'm just here, waitin', and waitin', and waitin'
Somebody famous had a birthday today
All I saw was another full moon
What's that?
Something's burning on the stove
Must be the pasta
Must be the pasta
Oh yeah, it's June
Makes no sense yet, but it will soon
Conversation starters come way too hard
Nobody wants to be the martyr,
playin' the wrong cards
Why did you come to this planet?
Why did you come to this life?
How can you be everybody's dream,
and still be somebody's wife?
Tell me, what did you have for lunch today?
That's right, how would I know?
How would I know?
You are off somewhere, being free
while I starve in the lonesome cold.
Our bodies got used to each other
Now they're used to the sound
of Richie Havens' voice on the vinyl,
spinning round and round, round and round
Sometimes I feel I was born way too late
Shoulda been born on the Woodstock stage
But I'm just here, waitin', and waitin', and waitin'
Somebody famous had a birthday today
All I saw was another full moon
What's that?
Something's burning on the stove
Must be the pasta
Must be the pasta
Oh yeah, it's June
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Stunning song. A metaphysical ballad of sorts.
This song has a definite sense of foreboding. On one hand you could say it is an introspective song about a past girlfriend/wife. On the other hand if you read into the lyrics a bit deeper there seems to be more. Specifically, the pasta simmering at the beginning of the song and then, as Prince is ruminating about listening to Richie Havens and wishing he'd been born on the Woodstock stage, then the interesting line "But I'm just here, waitin', and waitin', and waitin'". Waiting for her? Waiting for his end?
Then realizes he let the pasta burn on the stove. Is Prince alluding to the fact that he sensed, due to his deteriorating health, that he was fast approaching his own end? Literally taken, Prince was so preoccupied with his ex and his place in the world that he forgot to pay attention, screwed up, and let the pasta burn. In a deeper sense, could it be talking about Prince being so consumed with his music and his love life that he didn't pay attention to his deteriorating health and was near the time he'd pay the consequence? Is that what the line "Pasta simmers on the stove in June/Makes no sense yet, but it will soon"? It'll make sense soon after more things transpire? Is Prince saying goodbye? It sorta seems so.
Also the "it's June" part of the lyric - the last time Prince said that was in his famous song "Sign O' The Times". In that great song, June is the month that Prince says his cousin is now a heroin addict. He says "it's June" here as well. In fact Prince ends the song, and the album with those two words. Does "it's June" mean things have reached a critical point with his health, his life?
Even if unintentional, the sense of foreboding in the music and lyric of this song are particularly poignant when you take into account the fact that Prince was a mere eight months from passing away when this song and the album (HitNRun Phase 1) were released.
@Rickvee Hi very interesting about June although I believe the part where he mentions 'Somebody famous had a birthday 2day but all I saw was another full moon' gives insight into his longing 2b accepted away from the fame which was of course impossible but it shows how lonely he was 'All I saw was another full moon' is him alone so alone its really quite sad I believe he was profoundly depressed. It breaks my heart
@Rickvee Hi very interesting about June although I believe the part where he mentions 'Somebody famous had a birthday 2day but all I saw was another full moon' gives insight into his longing 2b accepted away from the fame which was of course impossible but it shows how lonely he was 'All I saw was another full moon' is him alone so alone its really quite sad I believe he was profoundly depressed. It breaks my heart
Wow sorry but I just had 2say just noticed the part where u mention Prince referred 2 June last in his Sign o the times which is really insightful either he was a genius or its some weird coinsidense but his cousin doing heroin last June and now he himself dependent on opiates is almost surreal he is as u pointed out very reminicent
Wow sorry but I just had 2say just noticed the part where u mention Prince referred 2 June last in his Sign o the times which is really insightful either he was a genius or its some weird coinsidense but his cousin doing heroin last June and now he himself dependent on opiates is almost surreal he is as u pointed out very reminicent
@Rickvee To me, this song is about his ex visiting him on his birthday. He puts some pasta on the stove for the two of them. They try to make some light conversation, but there's so much tension and no-one wants to kill the mood. His thoughts wander off, thinking about what they had together, his career, his feeling of being out of place, not being recognized for the artist/musician he truly is. Prince is the famous person whose birthday is celebrated on radio/tv/newspapers. But what does it really mean? He is still alone in his house, and the only...
@Rickvee To me, this song is about his ex visiting him on his birthday. He puts some pasta on the stove for the two of them. They try to make some light conversation, but there's so much tension and no-one wants to kill the mood. His thoughts wander off, thinking about what they had together, his career, his feeling of being out of place, not being recognized for the artist/musician he truly is. Prince is the famous person whose birthday is celebrated on radio/tv/newspapers. But what does it really mean? He is still alone in his house, and the only one visiting is his ex. It's just another lonely day. Fuck, the pasta!
When I listen to this is feel it is about either Mayte or Manuela (what year was it written? .. ) He's waiting .. No one shows up. Relationship is conflicted. His wife is just a dream. Their bodies are out of sync. I think he just realized .. He's got 'food cooking' but the object of this loyalty is interested in some one else. Intimacy with someone else. It was his birthday. Just another 'fool moon'. 'Why did you come to this planet why did you come to this life?' (Not to be a real wife). Born way too late .. (When marriage...
When I listen to this is feel it is about either Mayte or Manuela (what year was it written? .. )
He's waiting .. No one shows up.
Relationship is conflicted.
His wife is just a dream.
Their bodies are out of sync.
I think he just realized .. He's got 'food cooking' but the object of this loyalty is interested in some one else. Intimacy with someone else. It was his birthday.
Just another 'fool moon'.
'Why did you come to this planet why did you come to this life?' (Not to be a real wife). Born way too late .. (When marriage has lost it's meaning and sanctity?)
The music just goes round.
Waiting waiting. Irrelevant to his lover. What did you have for lunch today? Yeah like How would I know? But yes I do know. I know what you did.
On my birthday. A profound disappointment. Off having lunch with some one else but still locked into a sorry charade.
Meaningless conversations of untruth.
That's what i get. Impending separation and divorce. This wife is cheating on him .. it's his birthday and she was supposed to be there .. She's not a 'true' 'wife,' after he sacrificed something precious. His faith.
Instead, he is the fool starving and cold .. Unloved. left out in the cold.
After wife number two he was shattered and never married again.
Any body else have any thoughts? Must be the pasta burning .. It's probably his heart. Not mad. Sad. Irrelevant to the one that means something to him.
Love his poetry.
Can't help think this song is Prince contemplating leaving the Jehovahs Witness. June was Prince's birth month. Jehovahs Witness do not believe in celebrating birthdays. Could Pasta simmering on the stove symbolize Prince's missing celebrating and sharing his birthday. Does Prince start to contemplate leaving this church when June comes around and he misses his birthday? "conversation starters come way too hard, no one wants to be the martyr, play'n the wrong cards." If one questions too much in the Jehovah's Witness...then they are labelled an "apostate." When you are an "apostate," you are an outcast or shunned. Jehovah's Witness (JW) Will cut off communication to their own blood if one is an "apostate." The lyric may communicate that too many JW are afraid to speak up and question beliefs of the church. "Why did you come to this planet, Why did you come to this life?" "How could you be everybody's dream, and still be somebody's wife?" Could this be Prince questioning the triality of being a music star, JW, and/or a husband/real person? Could he be comparing himself to Jesus in that Jesus had to be both human and God, whereas Prince needs to be human but yet a rock star? The next verses about What did someone have for lunch...how could he know...you're off being free.....Perhaps the disconnect with the rock star life and real life? Or the disconnect of being JW and the person he's in Love with being an apostate? Or him contemplating being an apostate and disconnected and not being able to ask a friend in the JW even what they had for lunch? "our bodies got used to eachother, ......Richie Havens....Woodstock Stage..." Richie Haven defining moment was his performance of "Freedom" at Woodstock. Almost sounds like Bodies getting used to eachother saying he's bored with JW and now he wants Freedom? Listen to the song "Freedom" by Richie Havens for further reference.... "Somebody famous had a birthday today....." Obvious here....Prince's birthday is in June.. He just saw another full moon. Loneliness and longing to be a non-JW? Wanting to enjoy things such as a birthday without guilt? Next back to the Pasta simmering......That simmering pasta is Prince building up the gumption to leave JW. Just my opinion here. Prince and JW are just not a good fit. In his latter years, Prince acted more Un-JW-like. Especially with his addiction. Other behaviors and associations and Larry Graham not being in the picture as much may be a clue?