Butterfly
Pallot Nerina Lyrics

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I, I had a butterfly
I had a sense of something in my heart
And then it died

It's true
And it reminds me of you
It reminds me of places I have been just passing through

Pale as the moon
I'll always want your name

'Cause pain,
We all have pain
We all have something of our past that still remains

If you really, really can't let go
Start no fire, start no fire
If you really, really can't let go
Start no fire, start no fire
Just be as pale as the moon

'Cause you,
What can you do
When the strangeness of these times, they get to you?

If you really, really can't let go
Start no fire, start no fire
If you really, really can't let go
Start no fire, start no fire
Just be as pale as the moon
As pale as the moon

If you really, really can't let go
Start no fire, start no fire
If you really, really can't let go
Start no fire, start no fire

If you really don't know
What you're holding on for
But you do it the same
And you do it some more
If you really don't know

What you're holding on for
Start no fire, fire, fire

Overall Meaning

In Pallot Nerina's song "Butterfly," the singer compares the short life of a butterfly to a sense of something in their heart that eventually died. The death of this feeling reminds the singer of someone they knew and places they've been. The singer asserts that everyone has pain and memories of the past that still linger, but sometimes it's best to just let go and be "pale as the moon" rather than causing more pain by holding onto something that can't be changed.

The song appears to be about the struggle to let go of something or someone that once held an important place in the singer's heart. This idea is neatly conveyed through the metaphor of the butterfly. It seems as if the singer is speaking to themselves in this song, convincing themselves to let go of the past, even if it hurts. They suggest that starting no fire, meaning not stoking the flames of their emotions, would be a wise move. They say that sometimes we hold onto things we no longer need or can never have, and this can lead to greater pain and uncertainty. The refrain of "If you really, really can't let go, start no fire" underscores this idea.

Line by Line Meaning

I, I had a butterfly
I had a feeling of beauty and freedom, like a butterfly.

I had a sense of something in my heart
I felt something deep within me.

And then it died
But that feeling is gone now.

It's true
This is the reality.

And it reminds me of you
This feeling makes me think of you.

It reminds me of places I have been just passing through
It brings back memories of all the fleeting moments in my life.

Pale as the moon
I am as colourless and subdued as the moon.

I'll always want your name
I will always desire to call out your name.

'Cause pain, We all have pain
Because everyone experiences pain.

We all have something of our past that still remains
We are all affected by the memories of our past.

If you really, really can't let go
If you truly cannot move on.