Her self-titled debut album was released on Friday, November 30, 2018, shortly following lead single "Romance," released the previous Tuesday.
Speaking about the new record, Elena said: “Although the record is written for someone, a lot of the time it’s about the space without that person in it. In every scenario, there’s either the person in memory or the noticeable absence of that person in the present moment. I suppose it is a break-up record, however I do not talk about the relationship at all, and he hardly features in the scenes. He is only felt as a ghostly presence.”
Misery Is a Butterfly
Ex:Re Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I couldn't say hello, I don't know why
But now I think, I think you were sad
Yes you were, you were, you were
What I say, I say only to you
'Cause I love and I love only you
Dearest Jane, I want to give you a dream
Remember when we found misery
We watched her, watched her spread her wings
And slowly, slowly fly around our room
And she asked for your gentle mind
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh
Misery is a butterfly
Her heavy wings will warp your mind
With her small ugly face
And her long antenna
And her black and pink heavy wings
Remember when we found misery
We watched her, watched her spread her wings
And slowly, slowly fly around our room
And she asked for your gentle mind
Gentle mind, gentle mind
Misery is a butterfly
The song "Misery Is a Butterfly" by Ex:Re, also known as Elena Tonra of the band Daughter, addresses a lost love named Jane. The lyrics reveal the singer's regret for not saying hello, leading her to believe that Jane was sad. The song then shifts to an eerie yet poetic description of a butterfly named Misery, which the singer and Jane once found and watched fly around their room. The butterfly's distorted and heavy wings are compared to the way it warps the mind, much like how sadness can hijack one's thoughts and emotions. The song ultimately ends by returning to the gentle and caring nature of Jane's mind, a stark contrast to the destructive force of Misery.
The title "Misery Is a Butterfly" is a reference to a 2004 album with the same name by the band Blonde Redhead. Elena Tonra has cited them as one of her early influences.
The song is a part of Ex:Re's debut self-titled album and was released in 2018. It was also featured on the soundtrack of the 2020 film "Promising Young Woman."
Ex:Re originally wrote the song while on tour with Daughter, and Tonra wrote the lyrics while staying in a hotel room in Brighton, England.
The music video directed by Antonia Luxem features a simple yet mesmerizing visual of a woman dancing underwater. The video also invokes the butterfly motif with shots of painted hands forming butterfly wings.
The song was inspired by the surreal mystery novel "Blindness" by José Saramago, which tells the story of a city struck by a contagious blindness epidemic.
The lyrics mention a dream that the singer wants to give to Jane, which could symbolize an unfulfilled desire or missed opportunity.
The use of the butterfly metaphor could also be a nod to the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros, in which the butterfly represents the soul or a transformational metamorphosis.
The song's haunting melody and lyrics create an overall melancholic and introspective mood, typical of Ex:Re's style.
Chords: Unfortunately the chords for the song are not readily available.
Line by Line Meaning
Dearest Jane I should've known better
I realize now that I should have had a better understanding of you, my dear Jane.
But I couldn't say hello, I don't know why
I regret not having the courage to greet you, but I can't explain why I felt that way.
But now I think, I think you were sad
Reflecting back, it seems to me that you may have been feeling down or troubled.
Yes you were, you were, you were
I'm quite certain of this, even though I can't be certain of anything else.
What I say, I say only to you
These words are solely for you to hear.
'Cause I love and I love only you
Because I love you more than anything and anyone else in this world.
Dearest Jane, I want to give you a dream
I long to give you a beautiful dream that you've never experienced before.
That no one has given you
A dream that's unique and special, that you've never received from anyone else.
Remember when we found misery
Do you recall the time when we encountered that feeling of great distress?
We watched her, watched her spread her wings
We observed her as she expanded her wings and took flight.
And slowly, slowly fly around our room
Majestically hovering around our living space, almost as if taking ownership of it.
And she asked for your gentle mind
In some sense, she seemed to be pleading for your tender and compassionate nature.
Ooh-ooh
An interlude, an expression of feeling or moment of reflection.
Misery is a butterfly
This negative feeling is like a butterfly, its movements are erratic, unpredictable and hard to control.
Her heavy wings will warp your mind
The strength of the mental and emotional pain can be overwhelming, and can lead a person to feel disorientated, unfocused, and confused.
With her small ugly face
On the outside, this feeling may seem small and insignificant, but in reality it can be distressing and difficult to endure.
And her long antenna
This feeling can be very sensitive and attuned, picking up on subtle changes in mood or circumstance.
And her black and pink heavy wings
These contrasting hues represent both the darkness and the fragility of the emotions involved.
Gentle mind, gentle mind
Once again, a plea for compassion and tenderness, even in the face of adversity.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Amedeo Maria Pace, Kazu Makino, Simone Pace
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pranavkushwaha2394
Lyrics:
"Misery Is a Butterfly"
Dearest Jane I should've known better
But I couldn't say hello, I don't know why
But now I think, I think you were sad
Yes you were, you were, you were
What I say, I say only to you
Cause I love and I love only you
Dearest Jane, I want to give you a dream
That no one has given you
Remember when we found misery
We watched her, watched her spread her wings
And slowly fly around our room
And she asked for your gentle mind
Misery is a butterfly
Her heavy wings will warp your mind
With her small ugly face
And her long antenna
And her black and pink heavy wings
Remember when we found misery
We watched her, watched her spread her wings
And slowly, slowly fly around our room
And she asked for your gentle mind, gentle mind, gentle mind
Misery is a butterfly
@manekineko6813
Who else stopped everything they were doing to just listen to this? 🙋🏻♀️
@gabrieleluparello3312
I continue doing all I have to do listen to this
@ianmedina8355
Same here
@user-of2ob7vb7d
That feeling when your favorite singer covers one of your most loved bands!
@thebuenomonano9053
What do you think of their first 3 albums? What's your favorite songs from them?
@lyseaudigier-leloir85
You won the game of life
@luisat431
I follow daughter since I "really" started to listen to music. And only a few months ago I found out that elena does solo Music as well. I was the happiest person in that moment!!
@DoubleBread
She actually started her musical career as a soloist. You may still find some of her old songs she wrote before Daughter existed. My favourite one is "Undead". :)
@luisat431
@@DoubleBread oh cool, thanks for that interesting info. I didn't know that. Under what name did she publish the music? Just on her name " elena times" or under another alias?
@DoubleBread
@@luisat431 Elena Times? Haha her name is Elena Tonra :D That's the name under which she published. :)