Butterfly
Charlie Gracie Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Ah-ah-ah, doo-wop)
You tell me you love me, you say you'll be true
Then you fly around with somebody new
But I'm crazy about you, you butterfly

You treat me mean, you're makin' me cry
I've made up my mind to tell you goodbye
But I'm no good without you, you butterfly

I knew from the first time I kissed you
That you were the troublin' kind
'Cause the honey drips from your sweet lips
One taste and I'm outta my mind

I love you so much, I know what I'll do
I'm clippin' your wings, your flyin' is through
'Cause I'm crazy about you, you butterfly

(Doo, doo, doo, doo-wop)
(Doo-wop, doo, doo-wop)
(Doo-wop, doo-wop, doo, doo-wop)

You tell me you love me, you say you'll be true
Then you fly around with somebody new
But I'm crazy about you, you butterfly

You treat me mean, you're makin' me cry
I've made up my mind to tell you goodbye
But I'm no good without you, you butterfly

I knew from the first time I kissed you
That you were the troublin' kind
'Cause the honey drips from your sweet lips
One taste and I'm outta my mind

I love you so much, I know what I'll do
I'm clippin' your wings, your flyin' is through
'Cause I'm crazy about you, you butterfly





You butterfly
Doo-wop!

Overall Meaning

Charlie Gracie's "Butterfly" is essentially a love song about a man's relationship with a woman he is crazy about, even though she treats him badly. The lyrics poetically compare the woman to a butterfly that is unable to resist the lure of other partners. The singer of the song is torn between loving her and hating the way she treats him. He is in fact so conflicted that he is considering cutting off her ability to fly - i.e. giving up on her ability to leave him - because he can't bear the thought of her flitting off with someone else again.


The song's upbeat, doo-wop rhythm and catchy melody belie the more complex emotions in the lyrics. This juxtaposition was one of the factors that made the song so successful, particularly with young audiences. In fact, "Butterfly" was one of the first songs to cross over from the R&B charts, where it was originally released, to the mainstream pop charts. Gracie's smooth vocals and the catchy chorus (Ah-ah-ah, doo-wop), combined with the relatable lyrics and upbeat tempo, created a recipe for pop success.


Line by Line Meaning

You tell me you love me, you say you'll be true
You say that you love me and that you'll be faithful


Then you fly around with somebody new
But you go around with someone else behind my back


But I'm crazy about you, you butterfly
Despite this, I'm still deeply in love with you


You treat me mean, you're makin' me cry
You're being unkind to me and making me cry


I've made up my mind to tell you goodbye
I've decided to end our relationship and say goodbye


But I'm no good without you, you butterfly
However, I know that I can't live without you


I knew from the first time I kissed you
From the first time we kissed, I realized


That you were the troublin' kind
That you were someone who causes trouble


'Cause the honey drips from your sweet lips
You're very attractive and have a way with words


One taste and I'm outta my mind
One kiss from you and I lose my senses


I love you so much, I know what I'll do
I love you so much that I'm willing to take drastic measures


I'm clippin' your wings, your flyin' is through
I'm going to restrict your freedom so you can't be unfaithful


'Cause I'm crazy about you, you butterfly
My love for you is so strong that I'll do anything to keep you




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Blanco Y Negro Publishing, S.L., Songtrust Ave
Written by: Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Rick Clark

RIP Charlie. Thanks for all the great music!

rocker1942

As it happens, I know Charlie and his family quite quite well. He is a terrific guy, one of the warmest and most approachable men you will ever meet. At almost 79 he is a class entertainer and is still out there thrilling audiences with his great showmanship. He divides his time between doing shows in various locations in the USA and sold-out shows in Europe. Two things: Charlie was born May 14, 1936. Second, his contract with Cameo records was for $.02  per record, which was later raised to $.04  per record. Of course, he didn't receive either amount.

bisonette5

Thanks for the info..i was born Christmas Day, 1942...and this song was one of my all=time favorites, from age 15 on. Glad to hear Charlie is still living, and I appreciate your accolades

John Mackinder

Yes Charlie is a very popular and welcome visitor to the UK each year, makes time for his British fans and very approachable, we love him!

Ellie O'Day

The first record I ever bought - on Cameo!

Vintage brew

I love Charlie's song about his friend, Eddie Cochran.

GOLDBAND45rpm

@Vintage brew Eddie?Wow! thats’s somethin’else!

PAPERBKWRITER

An absolute MEGA hit. One of the 50's best.

PAPERBKWRITER

This was a monster hit in 1957. I loved it then and still do. When I hear one hit wonder this song and Charlie always comes to mind.

Bill paid

i haven't heard this song in 50 years. one of my old favorites back in 1957

More Comments

More Versions