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Butterflies
When Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Moment in time, just for a while
The face lighted up so I could see the smile
Following her, hidden by dark
The night's not enough to keep us apart
Forbidden love, but I get near
Tense and confused
don't know what I fear
"I love you", she said
follow me through
and I'll find a way to get out of here



Chorus:
She was, she was to me

a butterfly, slipping into blue sky
She was, she was to me
a refugee running away with me
I'm happy now, though she has flown
into the world she calls her own
on a warm wind, carried away
not to be kept
she was not to stay
Chorus

Overall Meaning

The song "Butterflies" by the British band When, is a poignant tale of a forbidden love that blooms for a moment, only to dissipate into nothingness. The first verse sets the mood of the song, as the singer describes a brief encounter with someone special. The word 'moment in time' gives the listener a sense of immediacy, and the 'face lit up' implies a kind of magic or nostalgia. The second line confirms this, as the singer states that he can see the woman's smile. The verbs 'following' and 'hidden' suggest that this love affair is something that has to be hidden, and that the two lovers have to meet in secret. The line 'the night's not enough to keep us apart' implies that this love is passionate, and that the two parties will find a way to overcome any obstacles that come their way.


The second verse of the song further develops the narrative, describing the singer's emotions as he confronts his love. The line 'tense and confused, don't know what I fear' speaks to the universal feeling of being in love, and not knowing what to do or how to react. The woman then tells him that she loves him, and that he should follow her. The tone of the song changes, as the singer becomes more hopeful and determined: 'and I'll find a way to get out of here'. However, the chorus of the song brings back the sense of melancholy that permeates the track. The woman is like a butterfly, he says, floating away from him, and it is clear that their love is doomed to fail.


Overall, the song is one of the most touching ballads about the fleetingness of love, and how it can be both beautiful and tragic at the same time.


Line by Line Meaning

Moment in time, just for a while
Brief moment in time where I saw her smile.


The face lighted up so I could see the smile
Her face was bright enough for me to see her smile.


Following her, hidden by dark
I followed her through the darkness.


The night's not enough to keep us apart
Deeper feelings that the night could not prevent.


Forbidden love, but I get near


Tense and confused don't know what I fear
Mixed emotions and confusions that I couldn't comprehend.


"I love you", she said follow me through and I'll find a way to get out of here
She confesses her love and promises to find a way out for us.


Chorus: She was, she was to me a butterfly, slipping into blue sky
She was like a butterfly, flying away up high with her newfound freedom.


She was, she was to me a refugee running away with me
She was like a refugee escaping from her circumstances with me.


I'm happy now, though she has flown into the world she calls her own
I am content despite her leaving for her own journey.


On a warm wind, carried away not to be kept she was not to stay Chorus
She was carried away by the winds of fate and could not stay with me.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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