The Susan Tedeschi Band began in 1994 and featured Tom Hambridge and Adrienne Hayes. In 1995 Tedeschi began playing guitar and honing her skills. In December that year she released Better Days to regional audiences. Record contracts were difficult to keep together; however, recording sessions from 1997 were acquired by Richard Rosenblatt, and the band was signed to Tone-Cool Records and Just Won't Burn was released in February 1998 to rave reviews from blues publications.
During 1998 and 1999 Tedeschi toured extensively through out the United States and her spectacular stage presence and powerful voice drew larger crowds. Eventually Tedeschi was opening for John Mellencamp, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, The Allman Brothers Band, Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan. In 2000, Just Won't Burn reached gold record status, rare for such a production. She recorded two tracks with Double Trouble band members Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon for their album.
Tedeschi's voice has been described as a blend of Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, though she explains this is due to sharing the same influences as the two. Her guitar playing is influenced by Buddy Guy, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddie King and Doyle Bramhall.
Tedeschi grew up in Norwell, Massachusetts and attended the Berklee College of Music where she received her bachelor of music in composition and performance. Tedeschi had always been musically inclined, performing in musicals, singing for family members, and listening to her father's record collection. She formed a band in high school called the Smoking Section at age 15, sang in a Gospel choir at Berklee and began sitting in with local blues jams at venues in Boston. In 2001, she married Derek Trucks, Allman Brothers guitar player, leader of The Derek Trucks Band, and nephew of founding Allmans drummer Butch Trucks. They have two children, Charlie and Sophia. They currently reside in Jacksonville,FL, and regularly collaborate on each other's albums.
Butterfly
Susan Tedeschi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of the atmosphere with no space or time?
When you take time to notice now
Oh, when you stop and lend a hand
Oh, your soul will feel so much better
It was always there
Oh yes now
I was on my way down, oh down
Oh, till darkness left my soul as soon as you came to town
Oh Lord, oh yes
When you stop and take notice now
When you come and lend a hand now
All things feel so much better
All around
Sometimes we share the same
Sometimes we feel the same pain
But when it feels great renew, yeah
It was always there
It was always there
It was always there
The lyrics to Susan Tedeschi's song "Butterfly" reflect themes of transformation, redemption, and the power of human connection. The opening lines, "If I was a butterfly, could I ever soar this high/Out of the atmosphere with no space or time?" suggest a desire for transcendence, a longing to move beyond the limitations of the physical world. This desire is tempered by the recognition that true freedom and fulfillment can only be found in the present moment, when one takes "time to notice" the beauty and wonder of the world around them.
The second verse continues this theme of transformation, as the singer describes their journey from darkness to light. They recall a time when they were "on [their] way down," consumed by a sense of hopelessness and despair. This changed, however, when someone came into their life and helped them see things in a new way. The lyrics suggest that this person brought light into the singer's life, chasing away the darkness and helping them to see that "all things feel so much better/all around."
The final verse of the song emphasizes the common humanity that underlies all of our experiences. The singer acknowledges that "sometimes we share the same/sometimes we feel the same pain," but also suggests that we have the power to renew ourselves and find joy even in the midst of hardship. The closing refrain, "It was always there/It was always there," suggests that this spirit of hope and renewal has been present all along, and that it is up to us to recognize and cultivate it in ourselves and others.
Line by Line Meaning
If I was a butterfly, could I ever soar this high
If I were free from the constraints of the world, would I be able to reach such heights?
Out of the atmosphere with no space or time?
Outside of the boundaries of the physical world, with no constraints of time or space?
When you take time to notice now
When you take a moment to observe the world around you
Oh, when you stop and lend a hand
When you pause your own journey to help someone in need
Oh, your soul will feel so much better
Your innermost self will feel lighter and happier
It was always there
The peace and joy that you seek has always been within you
Oh yes now
Indeed, it has always been there
Oh, it seems just like yesterday
It feels like only yesterday that I was struggling
I was on my way down, oh down
I was spiraling downwards towards a dark place
Oh, till darkness left my soul as soon as you came to town
But as soon as you arrived, the darkness dissipated and my soul was filled with light
Oh Lord, oh yes
Expressing gratitude to a higher power
When you stop and take notice now
Again, urging the listener to stop and appreciate the present moment
When you come and lend a hand now
Encouraging the listener to help others
All things feel so much better
Life is more fulfilling when we help others and appreciate the present moment
All around
Everywhere we look
Sometimes we share the same
We all experience similar struggles and joys in life
Sometimes we feel the same pain
We all experience pain and hardships in life
But when it feels great renew, yeah
Despite the hardships, there are moments of renewal and growth
It was always there
Again, emphasizing that the potential for happiness and renewal has always been within us
It was always there
Repeating this message to drive the point home
It was always there
Again, for emphasis
Writer(s): Derek Trucks
Contributed by Evan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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