In summer 1994 they released their first single Caught By The Fuzz which had Strange Ones on the B side, on a small local record label called Backbeat, run by Makating bass guitarist Dave Norland from his bedroom in a house in the Cowley Road area of Oxford. The song was successful and it didn't take much time when the Parlophone label signed them and few months later re-released Caught By The Fuzz again. In the spring of 1995 was released another single Mansize Rooster followed by Lenny right before they released debut album I Should Coco in May 1995. It was their only album that made an impact in the USA.
In 1997, they released their second album, In It For The Money which got them even more acclaim, but slightly darker sound confused many of their fans. Still, it was a success, both critically and financially.
The third album, released in 1999, Supergrass (or the X-Ray Album, as the fans like to call it because of the cover) was more of a continuation of In it for the money, and was not received as well as the former albums.
After the three-year-pause, Supergrass returned with Life On Other Planets (2002), which was again not succesful financially, but the critics loved it. It was also the first Supergrass album where Rob Coombes was named as the official member of the band.
After the best-selling 2004 greatest hits compilation Supergrass is 10, they released Road to Rouen, their fifth album in 2005, after some delays. It was well received but it's new direction was a surprise to many fans.
The band recorded their sixth studio album Diamond Hoo Ha between January and November 2007 in Berlin and New York. It was released in March 2008 and although criticised as formulaic, displayed strong song writing.
In 2010 they announced they would disband and played a handful of farewell shows in June. The unfinished 7th studio album Release the Drones remains unreleased.
In 2019, Supergrass reformed to play a series of gigs. However, the band does not plan on releasing new material.
Butterfly
Supergrass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Facing a storm
Write your opinions
On the toilet walls
Entitled to nothing
With butterfly wings
Those little decisions
Well I could be crazy
If only you'd let me
If nobody tells you
You have to work it out
Wide eyed and moonless
The predator calls
It could be the last time
Don't need you anymore
The devil has left me
Oh, it's a smack in the face
Cos when we're together
I get the sweetest taste
When I'm alone
I dream in my mind
Of traveling through space
Oh, when we're together
I just lose my way
Say can you hear me
The monsters of war
Fate is a journey
See what you're heading for
Knowledge ain't easy
Insanity calls
Well count yourself lucky
That you don't know it all
The devil has left me
Oh, it's a smack in the face
Cos when we're together
I get the sweetest taste
When I'm alone
I dream in my mind
Of traveling through space
Oh, when we're together
I just lose my way
Every morning
Every day of my life
Feels like the turning
Of a page
We got a warning
There's a change in line
You'll be the downing
Of a race
Millions of people
With butterfly wings
Your tiny decisions
Can lead to anything
That is familiar
Facing a storm
Write your opinions
On the toilet walls
Entitled to nothing
With butterfly wings
Those little decisions
Can lead to anything
The lyrics to Supergrass's song "Butterfly" offer an introspective view on life's journey, stressing the importance of the small things and seemingly insignificant decisions. The song starts by referring to something identifiable and the inevitability of struggles ahead. The line, "That is familiar, facing a storm," expresses the idea that life is full of testing times, but it continues to encourage an active approach to overcome obstacles as it states, "Write your opinions on the toilet walls." This line highlights that taking a stand and communicating our thoughts and desires is an essential part of creating space for ourselves in the world.
The lyrics go on to suggest that life is a tireless journey with no entitlements, but the small, simple things can accumulate to make a significant difference. The chorus emphasizes this point by repeating that one can achieve great things with the tiniest of decisions, just like the butterfly's wings. The final verse tries to climb higher levels of thinking where one can ponder the essential questions of life, but eventually, one still has to face the monsters of war, the journey of fate, the demands of knowledge, and the weight of sanity.
Overall, "Butterfly" is a reflection on the uncertainties of life and encourages the audience to keep making small decisions that can eventually add up to make a big difference.
Line by Line Meaning
That is familiar
The situation is known or recognizable
Facing a storm
Being confronted with a difficult situation
Write your opinions, On the toilet walls
Express yourself in the only way you can within the confinement of the space given
Entitled to nothing, With butterfly wings
Having no special privileges, yet having the capability to soar above your circumstances with your fluttering spirit
Those little decisions, Can lead to anything
Small choices have the power to determine the direction of significant outcomes
Well I could be crazy, If only you'd let me
I have the potential to do unconventional things, but it requires others to let me try
If nobody tells you, You have to work it out
You need to figure things out for yourself since there are no instructions or guidance on how to proceed
Wide eyed and moonless, The predator calls
Feeling vulnerable, yet being pursued by something dangerous or threatening
It could be the last time, Don't need you anymore
This may be the end of the relationship; I don't require your support or assistance
The devil has left me, Oh, it's a smack in the face
Something that has plagued or tormented me is no longer controlling me, and it's a rude awakening
Cos when we're together, I get the sweetest taste
Being around you brings me joy and happiness
When I'm alone, I dream in my mind, Of traveling through space
When I'm isolated, my imagination always takes me to faraway places
Oh, when we're together, I just lose my way
I get so caught up in being around you that everything else fades into the background
Say can you hear me, The monsters of war
Asking if anyone is listening to the destruction and chaos of warfare
Fate is a journey, See what you're heading for
The course of your life is a voyage, so beware of where you're heading
Knowledge ain't easy, Insanity calls
Acquiring wisdom is challenging, and there's a fine line between rationality and madness
Well count yourself lucky, That you don't know it all
Consider yourself fortunate that you don't have all the answers
Every morning, Every day of my life, Feels like the turning, Of a page
Every day feels like a new chapter in my life
We got a warning, There's a change in line, You'll be the downing, Of a race
We've been advised that things are changing, and it's possible that we're witnessing the end of an era
Millions of people, With butterfly wings, Your tiny decisions, Can lead to anything
There's boundless potential in the masses of people who can dream big and achieve greatness with their small choices
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL ROBERT GOFFEY, GARETH MICHAEL COOMBES, MICHAEL QUINN, ROBERT JOSEPH COOMBES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind