Starfish and Coffee

Prince

It was seven forty-five we were all in line
To greet the teacher Miss Cathleen
First was Kevin, then came Lucy, third in line was me
All of us where ordinary compared to Cynthia Rose
She always stood at the back of the line
A smile beneath her nose
Her favorite number was twenty and every single day
If you asked her what she had for breakfast
This is what she'd say

Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine
And a side order of ham
If you set your mind free, baby
Maybe you'd understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam

Cynthia wore the prettiest dress
With different color socks
Sometimes I wondered if the mates where in her lunchbox
Me and Lucy opened it when Cynthia wasn't around
Lucy cried, I almost died, you know what we found?

Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine
And a side order of ham
If you set your mind free, honey
Maybe you'd understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam, oh oh

Ooh, hoo

Starfish and coffee
Cynthia had a happy face, just like the one she'd draw
On every wall in every school
But it's all right, it's for a worthy cause
Go on, Cynthia, keep singin'

Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine
And a side order of ham
If you set your mind free, baby
Maybe you'd understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam, oh ho, oh (la-la-la-la-la-la-la)

Oh hoo (la-la-la-la-la-la-la), oh
Oh hoo (la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la)
Oh hoo (la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la)
(La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la)


Lyrics submitted by OldSkoolPrinceFan

Starfish and Coffee Lyrics as written by Susannah K. Melvoin Prince Rogers Nelson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Starfish and Coffee song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment
    wow you guys see some crazy shit! Heres my take - its a very simple song - its about a girl whos a bit strange and has an imagination. thats it! it is a deep song but i dont think its complicated. the starfish and coffee bit just means let your mind go free like a child's. its about being a kid and not caring what people think and not conforming to boring adult crap. its a lovely song
    geojamson April 09, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    fun song!
    rufiohaspanon August 06, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This song was written about an autistic girl who went to school with Susannah Melvoin ( She was Prince's fiance at the time the song was written. Susannah is also Wendy Meloin's twin sister). She told Prince about this autistic girl named Cynthia who actually ate starfish and pepe every single day for breakfast. Prince thought using "coffee" instead of "pepe" sounded better. He and Susannah wrote this song together. He said every part of the song is true about Cynthia.
    PrivateJoyon June 10, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    just an awesome, fun song by Prince with no meaning, or at least none I can see.
    hookedupphaton May 23, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I read that it was about an autistic girl, but I don't really know.
    Reynard Muldrakeon December 15, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    The autistic girl theory sounds like it could be true. Possibly the most Beatlesesque Prince has ever sounded. This wouldn’t be out of place in the Abbey Road medley.
    cmp744on December 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    always thought this song was about kids taking drugs at school. you start off with the psychedelic beatle-esque vibe, then comes the verse where the kids open cynthia's lunchbox. lucy cried, i almost died, you know what we found... starfish and coffee! right?
    wordboydanon April 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I think this song is just saying to be yourself, don't worry about what other people say. Cynthia does her own thing, but is happy. Maybe Prince is saying that she's got things right in the last bit when he says "Go on Cynthia."
    Jeremy1026on November 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Jeremy1026 is right... it's about being YOU and not caring what people are thinking.. This is my person theme song (if someone said 'pick a song that describes your life and outlook' this would be it. In fact my son and I sing this all the time.. he's almost 5.
    mplssoundon June 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i think this song was meant to be used by starbucks. singing about starfish and coffee when the starbucks logo is a mermaid isnt exactly subtle
    laurents91on November 23, 2009   Link

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