Gomez completed an inaugural U.S. tour opening for Eagle-Eye Cherry in October 1998, while the press still offered praise (Spin magazine called Bring It On "a damn beautiful album," giving it an eight out of ten rating). Liquid Skin followed one year later and went platinum in England, and the rarities/B-sides compilation Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline appeared in 2000. A third studio album, In Our Gun, was released in spring 2002. Another hiatus saw Ian Ball relocating to Los Angeles while still working with the band at its new studio in Portslade, England. The dozens of tracks recorded during this time were whittled down and fashioned into Split the Difference, released in May of 2004. By that time, Hut, the group's original label, had gone under, leaving Gomez signed to Virgin (Hut's distributor). Despite all the critical acclaim, the band's album sales never seemed to match Virgin's expectations, and the two sides parted ways later that year.
In 2005, Gomez signed with ATO Records and released Out West, the group's first live album. How We Operate arrived in May 2006, and the band rounded out the year by assembling a retrospective collection of singles, rarities, and unreleased tracks entitled Five Men in a Hut: Singles 1998-2004. Gomez's members were spread across two continents by this point, leading to a three-year gap between How We Operate and the band's sixth studio release, A New Tide, parts of which were recorded individually by the various bandmates and then merged online. Ben Ottewell took some time after its release to launch a solo career, with 2011's Shapes & Shadows marking his first major release outside of the band. Months later, the band released another studio album, Whatever's on Your Mind, with Phantom Planet's Sam Farrar sharing production duties with the bandmates themselves.
Biography by Greg Prato
Butterfly
Gomez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put on all the things you wore and wear them out
We'll collide before you know and I apologize
For shutting up and leaving slow when I'm around
I'll be right in front of you when I've got it all figured out
To be the only one who knows what to do when there ain't no doubt
And all this time will feel like seconds now
And all this time will feel like moments now
And through it all keep smiling
Do whatever you may decide on
And any place or any time
Through it all you're shining
Just trying to make it right
I won't fight
And all this time will feel like moments now
And all this time will feel like moments now
Gomez's song "Butterfly" is about the complicated nature of romantic relationships. The first verse speaks to the idea of trust and secrecy in a relationship, where the singer implores their partner to be the only one to know their secrets and to be their alibi. The line "put on all the things you wore and wear them out" invokes the idea of nostalgia and a desire to recapture the good times that were had in the relationship. The singer also acknowledges their past mistakes, apologizing for shutting down emotionally and leaving slowly.
The second verse speaks to finding clarity and resolution in the relationship. The singer states that they will be right in front of their partner when they have everything figured out, and that they will be the only one who knows what to do when there is uncertainty. The final lines of the song emphasize the passing of time and the importance of staying positive and strong through difficult situations.
The overall message of "Butterfly" seems to be that despite the ups and downs of romantic relationships, it is possible to find beauty and joy in the fleeting moments of happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Be the only one to know and be my alibi
You're the only one I trust to keep my secrets, and to cover for me when needed.
Put on all the things you wore and wear them out
Wear your favorite clothes until they're worn out, and we'll create new memories together.
We'll collide before you know and I apologize
We may bump heads in our relationship, and I'm sorry in advance if that happens.
For shutting up and leaving slow when I'm around
When I'm with you, I tend to be quiet and hesitant, and sometimes I leave slowly.
I'll be right in front of you when I've got it all figured out
When I finally have my life together, I'll be in front of you, ready to share it all.
To be the only one who knows what to do when there ain't no doubt
I want to be the one you can depend on, who always knows what to do when there's no uncertainty.
And all this time will feel like seconds now
Our time together feels like it's flying by.
And all this time will feel like moments now
We're making great memories that will last a lifetime.
So keep the light on, watch them all rush round
Keep shining a light on our relationship, even when life gets busy and chaotic around us.
And through it all keep smiling
No matter what we face, we'll keep a positive attitude and smile through it all.
Do whatever you may decide on
Make whatever decisions you need to, and I'll support you through them all.
And any place or any time
No matter where we are or what's going on, we'll always have each other.
Through it all you're shining
You shine brightly even during tough times, and that's what I love about you.
Just trying to make it right
We're doing our best to make our relationship work.
I won't fight
I won't argue with you, because I want to make things work between us.
And all this time will feel like moments now
We're making unforgettable memories together that are passing by in a flash.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, FUN ATTIC MUSIC, LLC
Written by: CRAIG YOUNG, NICOLE MULLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind