Man, 2016 has really sucked for celebrities. This year, we've lost so many incredibly talented people. When musicians I respect die, I usually post a tribute right away. I had to take a couple of days to post about Prince on my music blog, though I did write about him on my main blog. I just had to think about it some more...
Prince was at the height of his success when I was a kid. He burst into the mainstream when I was in the 5th grade, though he was certainly around before then. The first song I remember by him was "1999". Later, I was introduced to earlier hits like "Controversy" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". Purple Rain was, of course, huge. That's when I really started listening to and enjoying Prince.
But there's one Prince memory that really stands out to me... It was from the late 1990s, when Muppets Tonight, a 90s era remake of the popular 70s era variety show, was airing in reruns on cable TV. I was off work, sitting at home alone one night, and there was an episode starring Prince. Incidentally, if you ever wanted to see something bizarre, check out the episode I linked below. I never thought I'd see Prince in overalls in a Hee Haw spoof.
The truth is, I hadn't been listening to Prince so much recently. But I did find myself downloading a bunch of his albums yesterday, including "Sign O The Times", which includes "Starfish and Coffee". I remember wanting to buy that album when it was brand new, but I was 15 at the time and lacked funds.
I'm just sad Prince is gone now, like so many others this year. 2016 might very well go down as the year the music died. :(
Prince was at the height of his success when I was a kid. He burst into the mainstream when I was in the 5th grade, though he was certainly around before then. The first song I remember by him was "1999". Later, I was introduced to earlier hits like "Controversy" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". Purple Rain was, of course, huge. That's when I really started listening to and enjoying Prince.
But there's one Prince memory that really stands out to me... It was from the late 1990s, when Muppets Tonight, a 90s era remake of the popular 70s era variety show, was airing in reruns on cable TV. I was off work, sitting at home alone one night, and there was an episode starring Prince. Incidentally, if you ever wanted to see something bizarre, check out the episode I linked below. I never thought I'd see Prince in overalls in a Hee Haw spoof.
Here's Prince among Muppets...
During that episode, Prince sang a song called "Starfish and Coffee". I remembered his performance and went looking for it yesterday.
Prince sings with the Muppets.
I didn't know this until yesterday, but "Starfish and Coffee" was written by Prince and Susannah Malvoin about an autistic girl Malvoin knew growing up. The girl, named Cynthia Rose, was teased for being "different". This song is about realizing that being different can be beautiful and there's no one "right way" to be.
I'm sitting here actually feeling a bit emotional after listening to the song. For so many years, I thought of Prince as this provocateur who often wrote sexually explicit lyrics designed to shock. But there was so much more to Prince than that. I am dumbstruck by how he and Susannah Malvoin were able to paint a picture of a different but endearing girl and managed to touch so many hearts. I can relate to "Starfish and Coffee". People have been calling me weird my whole life. And I am also guilty of thinking different people are "weird", too. But if you embrace the weird, sometimes you can run into something just plain awesome.
The lyrics to Starfish and Coffee...
It was 7:45 we were all in line
2 greet the teacher Miss Cathleen
First was Kevin, then came Lucy, third in line was me
All of us were ordinary compared to Cynthia Rose
She always stood at the back of the line
A smile beneath her nose
Her favorite number was 20 and every single day
If U asked her what she had 4 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 U 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 were in her lunchbox
Me and Lucy opened it when Cynthia wasn’t around
Lucy cried, I almost died, U know what we found?
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine
And a side order of ham
If U set your mind free, honey
Maybe you’d understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
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 4 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 U set your mind free, baby
Maybe you’d understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
2 greet the teacher Miss Cathleen
First was Kevin, then came Lucy, third in line was me
All of us were ordinary compared to Cynthia Rose
She always stood at the back of the line
A smile beneath her nose
Her favorite number was 20 and every single day
If U asked her what she had 4 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 U 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 were in her lunchbox
Me and Lucy opened it when Cynthia wasn’t around
Lucy cried, I almost died, U know what we found?
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine
And a side order of ham
If U set your mind free, honey
Maybe you’d understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
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 4 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 U set your mind free, baby
Maybe you’d understand
Starfish and coffee
Maple syrup and jam
The truth is, I hadn't been listening to Prince so much recently. But I did find myself downloading a bunch of his albums yesterday, including "Sign O The Times", which includes "Starfish and Coffee". I remember wanting to buy that album when it was brand new, but I was 15 at the time and lacked funds.
I'm just sad Prince is gone now, like so many others this year. 2016 might very well go down as the year the music died. :(
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