I'm thinking he's saying that he is getting older (if he'd ever admit such a thing) and he appreciates it. In fact, he wouldn't mind being even older as he could have been there at Woodstock. He notes that his companion is young as they have trouble relating or having meaningful conversation as evidenced in the questions, "why did you come to this planet?, why did you come to this life?". She's beautiful and doesn't want to settle down. He tries to "dumb" down the conversation, "what did you have for lunch today?" and at the same time take a dig to mention that, "of course I'd have to ask. We didn't lunch together, because you aren't ever around". Basically, he seems himself getting better, becoming wiser, his rebirth (the moon) though his mate sees him as cooking pasta that has burned which is why though he considered marrying her, it wouldn't work out.

[Edited 5/3/17 20:55pm]

hyperpessimist said:

A few thoughts on the track “June”, a track I always found special and clearly his most personal statement in his final few years… I believe on this track Prince was telling us he was going to die soon.
“It’s June”, the last lyric on the track, can be regarded as a reference to “Sign O The Times” - when he describes a “cousin” who was on a spiralling drug habit. Now, of course as far as we know P was not doing illegal drugs, but we now know he was facing a serious addiction to painkillers. Therefore, I see the word “June” not literally as the month of June, but as a metaphor for his state of growing addiction that he knew he could no longer control.

...
The track opens with the words “Pasta simmers on the stove in June” - I read it as “I’m living a desolate personal life, not eating properly, not taking care of myself while trapped in a growing state of addiction”.

Then he says “Makes no sense yet, but it will soon” - I think he meant we would not be able to understand the metaphor until he was gone and his final days would be scrutinized - we would then understand what the lyrics meant.
...

I also think that, in a way, the concept of a “Hit n Run” series of albums could be a sort of pre-emptive epitaph: he knew he would not last long under his secluded state of addiction, and may have decided to streamline his archives until at some point he would be gone. There would have been a phase 3, a phase 4, depending on how long he would be able to endure his situation… but what I see is there was no attempt to create a unique concept for each release, a coherent vision on each of the albums - it’s like AOA was meant to be his final conceptual statement, and everything else afterwards was going to be a series of footnotes.

...
Just a few thoughts on a track I still find haunting, and an intriguing approach to his final releases… Depression, pain, loneliness... it feels like he didn't know how to get himself out of this situation, and therefore accepted his coming fate

I agree with everything you are saying, other than P was addicted.

There was something else going on.

AOA was his "Goodbye" album.

I agree the two albums after AOA were a footnote.

P was never going to talk to us straight forward.
Listen.

hyperpessimist said:

A few thoughts on the track “June”, a track I always found special and clearly his most personal statement in his final few years… I believe on this track Prince was telling us he was going to die soon.
“It’s June”, the last lyric on the track, can be regarded as a reference to “Sign O The Times” - when he describes a “cousin” who was on a spiralling drug habit. Now, of course as far as we know P was not doing illegal drugs, but we now know he was facing a serious addiction to painkillers. Therefore, I see the word “June” not literally as the month of June, but as a metaphor for his state of growing addiction that he knew he could no longer control.

...
The track opens with the words “Pasta simmers on the stove in June” - I read it as “I’m living a desolate personal life, not eating properly, not taking care of myself while trapped in a growing state of addiction”.

Then he says “Makes no sense yet, but it will soon” - I think he meant we would not be able to understand the metaphor until he was gone and his final days would be scrutinized - we would then understand what the lyrics meant.
...

I also think that, in a way, the concept of a “Hit n Run” series of albums could be a sort of pre-emptive epitaph: he knew he would not last long under his secluded state of addiction, and may have decided to streamline his archives until at some point he would be gone. There would have been a phase 3, a phase 4, depending on how long he would be able to endure his situation… but what I see is there was no attempt to create a unique concept for each release, a coherent vision on each of the albums - it’s like AOA was meant to be his final conceptual statement, and everything else afterwards was going to be a series of footnotes.

...
Just a few thoughts on a track I still find haunting, and an intriguing approach to his final releases… Depression, pain, loneliness... it feels like he didn't know how to get himself out of this situation, and therefore accepted his coming fate

[Edited 5/3/17 15:07pm]

The SOTT parallel caught my attention. It's June - he's where his cousin was - addicted. I realize that may be just grasping at some sort of explanation. We're all still trying to make sense and gain closure.

[Edited 5/3/17 21:16pm]

It's about him feeling a bit down on his birthday, kinda getting lost in the moment of loneliness...

Yes well in that case the pasta interpretation is weak ; Prince is a well known fan of pasta who lived on a diet of pasta and orange juice when making Purple Rain. He wasn't saying anything about his diet being unhealthy, he's just cooking pasta ffs.

In all honesty, and since is is all opinion, aside from a few specific exceptions I think he tended to be more suggestive than cryptic with his lyrics; you can spend the rest of your life trying to decode a thing that doesn't have a literal 1:1 meaning.

I can definitely see the song as Prince pondering ageing, in fact I can't see it any other way, but I don't see it as a cryptic suicide note or secret "I'm on drugs" message.

If you want to get into it: I see the purpose of the pasta is as something in the real world that frames the song. In the brief time between pasta simmering and pasta burning Prince deeply ponders his entire life, loves, religion, existence, all of it. He was completely consistent in his past decade+ of life about talking about living in the moment so thinking about the past and the future isn't really his style, the only way he can do it is via a brief daydream, so he goes through it all really quickly and then catches himself back into reality, "Oh yeah, its June".

maybe

[Edited 5/4/17 2:09am]

oliviacamron said:

All I know is when I listen to the song, I get a little angry .

The thought of burning pasta makes me mad too. It stinks and may well ruin the pan.

[Edited 5/4/17 2:51am]

I guess it'll all make sense when I'm dead.....

sulls said:

the last 2 words of the last song on his last album... "that's it"

Ain't nowt wrong with pasta!

if the lyrics were 'cheese on toast burning in the oven', your theory would have made slightly more sense.

a good read, nontheless

hyperpessimist said:

jcurley said:

Surely he's just reflecting on a lost love. The pasta is burning coz his mind keeps drifting off in reflection. I don't even find it symbolic let alone cryptic. The lyrics seem quite clear

I think it's symbolic of him preparing himself a lonely birthday meal, with no one around to share it with.

That's about it.

laytonian said:

Nope

Like others said, you are reading mesages into his songs...


However "June", this is in general a really amazing and moving song, I love this song a lot..

[Edited 5/4/17 7:16am]

OperatingThetan said:

Prince became more reflective and contemplative, but there's no evidence at all he 'knew' he was going to die or was preparing for it. In fact, there's plenty of evidence to the contrary.

This is true but you can be dying and still plan for things in the mean time. My Mum was given 6 months to two years so she had plans for things, but sadly she only ended up with 6 weeks! I'm not saying Prince knew he was terminal or any such thing, just making the point that just because someone is planning something it doesn't mean everything is well in their world.

jcurley said:

Surely he's just reflecting on a lost love. The pasta is burning coz his mind keeps drifting off in reflection. I don't even find it symbolic let alone cryptic. The lyrics seem quite clear

I tend to agree. Specifically, I think that "lost love" is Andy Allo. I think June might have multiple references. I think it is a definite possibility that he is referring to his birthday month...and perhaps a birthday spent alone. I really don't think the song is about addiction (unless it's addiction to love). Nor do I think it's about dying.

P.S. Here's another thought on June that will probably seem far-fetched to some of you, but here goes: Some girls named after their fathers (or mothers) have the nickname June or Junie. Andy just happens to be her father's namesake. Before pouncing on me, please consider this: I'm just throwing out possibilities.

[Edited 5/4/17 7:31am]

Look. June rhymed with moon. And I realy doubt his last testament would be in regards to pasta.

If Prince tells us what's going on in his songs and June is him cryptically trying to tell us he's dying then why is there another track on the same album less cryptically telling us he Ain't About 2 Stop? Check mate conspiracists.

rdhull said:

Look. June rhymed with moon. And I realy doubt his last testament would be in regards to pasta.

Oh, it totally would. Remember that lunch he had (Per wrote about it in DMSR) where he ordered spaghetti and orange juice and everyone thought that was so weird? He was going back to his beginnings. Duh.

Genesia said:

rdhull said:

Look. June rhymed with moon. And I realy doubt his last testament would be in regards to pasta.

Oh, it totally would. Remember that lunch he had (Per wrote about it in DMSR) where he ordered spaghetti and orange juice and everyone thought that was so weird? He was going back to his beginnings. Duh.

and he touched his nose

rdhull said:

Genesia said:

Oh, it totally would. Remember that lunch he had (Per wrote about it in DMSR) where he ordered spaghetti and orange juice and everyone thought that was so weird? He was going back to his beginnings. Duh.

and he touched his nose

Yes! He totally did! Three times in the Black Sweat video - just like we asked him to!

Prince, if you're listening, touch your nose three times. And he did it!

ufoclub said:

It's definitely a wistful song about being depressed and feeling like he was born in the wrong time. It does have a doom gloom on it, because the pasta is burning by the end. Even the keyboard wanders in a depressed spasm. It's a great and rare personal song! Others in this vein might be: Strange But True, Solo...

Yeah. Its just a mournful heres how Im feeling lately song. Not a Lazarus. Im sure if he felt he was about to die real soon, he would have come up with something else. And not on some Hit n Run release that will not even be a blip on his careeer over time when his oeuvre is dissected and discussed.

TheEnglishGent said:

If Prince tells us what's going on in his songs and June is him cryptically trying to tell us he's dying then why is there another track on the same album less cryptically telling us he Ain't About 2 Stop? Check mate conspiracists.

ufoclub said:

It's definitely a wistful song about being depressed and feeling like he was born in the wrong time. It does have a doom gloom on it, because the pasta is burning by the end. Even the keyboard wanders in a depressed spasm. It's a great and rare personal song! Others in this vein might be: Strange But True, Solo, Grand Progression, Old Friends For Sale (original bootleg versions), Wasted Kisses, Had U [Edited 5/4/17 8:11am]

what is odd is that he sang

"Sometimes I feel like I was born way too late Should have been born on the Woodstock stage"


but he was 10 or so when Woodstock happened? but he also says he was born too late... so he is playing with time and maybe saying he feels that no matter when he was, he felt out of place.