Encouraged by his father to play the guitar, Gracie's musical career started at the very early age of 14 when he appeared on the Paul Whiteman television show. Gracie performed at weddings, local restaurants, and parties, and on local radio and television. He also won many regional talent contests. The little money and prizes he received were turned over to his mother to help support the family.
The owner of Cadillac Records heard one of Gracie's early radio performances, contacted the young musician and signed him to a contract. This association yielded the single, Boogie Woogie Blues backed with I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter. The record led to Gracie's first appearance on Bob Horn's "American Bandstand" television program. (This was four years before Dick Clark became the host)
After cutting two more singles for Cadillac, Gracie moved on to 20th Century Records, a subsidiary of Gotham, where he put out another four sides, including Wildwood Boogie. The discs he made embraced a wide variety of styles: jump blues, gospel, and country boogie with the influences of Big Joe Turner, B.B. King, Louis Jordan, Roy Acuff, and Hank Williams.
Between 1951-53, Gracie was experimenting with many types of music, years before many rock heroes had ever set foot inside a recording studio.
By 1956, Philadelphia had given birth to the new Cameo record label. Its founders, in search of a strong talent signed Gracie later that year. With a $600 budget, this new union went into the studio to record a single that would forever change their lives. The record, Butterfly backed with Ninety Nine Ways became a monster hit, reaching the number one position all across America. Charlie received a gold disc for the two million plus sales and became the first native Philadelphia rock star to achieve international success. Other substantial sellers followed: Fabulous, Wandering Eyes, and Cool Baby. The financial success of these hits bankrolled the Cameo label, which became a dominant force in the recording industry for several years.
Gracie's personal appearances grew until he performed and headlined some of the biggest venues of that time: Alan Freed's rock and roll shows at the Brooklyn Paramount, The Ed Sullivan Show, Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" and the 500 Club in Atlantic City. He appeared in the 1957 film Jamboree, and toured with the likes of Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley and his close friend, Eddie Cochran.
Gracie became only the second American, guitar-toting rock and roller to bring this new art form to the British concert stage. His two extensive tours in 1957 and 58 were a whirlwind, topped off by headlining the Palladium and the Hippodrome in London. He played to packed houses and drew rave reviews. In the audiences, among Charlie's fans and admirers, were future rock greats: Graham Nash, members of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker and Van Morrison. These performers and many other well-known acts have credited Charlie as an influence. George Harrison referred to Charlie's guitar technique as "brilliant" in a March 1996 interview with Billboard Magazine; Paul McCartney invited Charlie to the premiere party of his 1999 release which paid tribute to the early pioneers of rock music.
Gracie found himself somewhat miscast at Cameo. He moved on to other labels such as Coral, Roulette, Felsted, and Diamond, performing more of the R&B he preferred. Even if success slowed, Gracie' continued to perform in clubs, theaters, and resorts through the 1990s.
Gracie's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Gracie was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame on November 16, 2012, at the Hilton City Avenue, Philadelphia.
In 2019, Gracie toured the UK with Marty Wilde along with Mike Berry, Nancy Ann Lee and the Wildcats.
Butterfly
Charlie Gracie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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!
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
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