Starfish And Coffee

Album: Sign O' the Times (1987)
Play Video
  • 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) Writer/s: Prince Rogers Nelson, Susannah K. Melvoin
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Suzee from Albany NyShe wasn’t abused. She was autistic.
  • Todd from IllinoisIt sounds like this is a song about an abused girl who never got help. Not sure I can enjoy it the same as before.
  • Cj from The North“Starfish” and “pee pee” are both euphemisms for things… and I’ll leave it at that.
  • Magic Boy from This WorldCynthia suffered from emotional abuse.
  • Joseph Garcia from Phx AzCynthia had nothing at all in her lunchbox she was poor. Just like the smile she draws on every wall in every school. If u freed your mind you'd understand.
  • Sharon W. from Pomona, CaMaybe Cynthia was autistic, but back in the day, nobody knew what that was and didn't understand.
  • Adan from Mexicoyo siempre había pensado que cynthia rose era una niña con síndrome de down por eso usaba calcetines de diferente color por eso PRINCE dice ( If you set your mind free, baby Maybe you'd understand.)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.