June Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Rickvee 

Cover art for June lyrics by Prince

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

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...