Butterflies
Death Cult Lyrics

The lyrics of Death Cult's song Butterflies describe a toxic, self-destructive relationship that ultimately leads the singer to his own demise. The butterfly, or "wild wide eye with her painted wing," represents this destructive force that captivates and eventually destroys him. The use of the color gray to describe the boy that the butterfly crushes suggests a dullness or lack of vibrancy in his life before encountering her. His "selfishness" is described as his suicide, perhaps referencing the idea that his self-centeredness and obsession with the butterfly ultimately lead to his downfall.

The chorus of the song, which repeats the line "they walk behind me" several times, suggests that the singer is being followed or haunted by something. The use of the simile "like little dogs / like stony dogs" creates an eerie image of these shadowy figures trailing behind him. It's unclear whether these "dogs" are meant to represent actual beings or are purely symbolic, but either way they add to the sense of unease and foreboding in the song.

Overall, Butterflies is a dark, brooding song that explores themes of obsession, self-destruction, and haunting. The butterfly and the singer's own flaws are presented as forces that ultimately lead him to a tragic end.