Poor Butterfly
Bobby Hackett and His Orchestra Lyrics
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Sitting demurely 'neath the cherry blossom trees
Miss Butterfly's her name
A sweet little innocent child was she
Till a fine young American from the sea
To her garden came
They met beneath the cherry blossoms every day
And he taught her how to love the American way
Then he sailed away with a promise to return
Poor Butterfly 'neath the blossoms waiting
Poor Butterfly, for she loved him so
The moments pass into hours
The hours pass into years
And as she smiles through her tears
She murmurs low
The moon and I
Know that he'll be faithful
I'm sure he'll come to me by and by
But if he won't come back
Then I'll never sigh or cry
I just must die
Poor Butterfly
The lyrics of the song "Poor Butterfly" by Bobby Hackett and His Orchestra tell a story of the tragic love between a young Japanese girl named Miss Butterfly and a fine young American. Miss Butterfly is depicted as a sweet, innocent child until the American came into her life and taught her how to love in the American way. They met every day beneath the cherry blossom trees, and she learned how to love with her soul. However, their love was short-lived as the young American had to sail away, leaving Miss Butterfly waiting for his return. She waits beneath the blossoms for years, hoping that he will come back to her. Despite the passing of time, she remains faithful and convinced that he will return to her. However, her fate is uncertain, and she wonders whether she will ever see the love of her life again.
The lyrics of "Poor Butterfly" are poignant, emphasizing the theme of unrequited love and the pain that comes with waiting for someone who may never return. The song highlights the cultural differences between Miss Butterfly and her American lover and how their love was eventually doomed. The metaphor of a butterfly waiting patiently for her lover strengthens the poignant theme of the song, symbolizing the ephemeral nature of life and love.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a story told of a little Japanese
Let me tell you a story about a young Japanese girl
Sitting demurely 'neath the cherry blossom trees
She was sitting calmly under the cherry blossom trees
Miss Butterfly's her name
Her name was Miss Butterfly
A sweet little innocent child was she
She was sweet and innocent like a child
Till a fine young American from the sea
Until a handsome young American man arrived from the sea
To her garden came
He came to her garden
They met beneath the cherry blossoms every day
They met every day under the cherry blossom trees
And he taught her how to love the American way
He taught her how to love in the American style
To love with a soul 'twas easy to learn
Loving with passion was easy for her to learn
Then he sailed away with a promise to return
But then he left on a ship and promised to come back
Poor Butterfly 'neath the blossoms waiting
Miss Butterfly is waiting under the blossoms with a heavy heart
Poor Butterfly, for she loved him so
She was heartbroken because she loved him deeply
The moments pass into hours
Her wait lasts hours and feels like eternity
The hours pass into years
Her wait continues for years without him
And as she smiles through her tears
Despite crying constantly, she tries to smile
She murmurs low The moon and I
She whispers quietly to the moon and herself
Know that he'll be faithful
She holds onto the belief that he will remain true
I'm sure he'll come to me by and by
She trusts that he will eventually return to her
But if he won't come back
However, if he doesn't come back
Then I'll never sigh or cry
She vows to never lament about him again
I just must die
She feels like she won't be able to survive without him
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN GOLDEN, RAYMOND HUBBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind