Lucid dreams are dreams where the person having those dreams is aware that heās asleep. This could have two meanings. Either Ashcroft is using the term to say that his life seems like one long dream that heās never fully able to awake from, or that heās aware that the butterfly isnāt real and is trying to chase something that heāll never really catch.
- via SpiritoftheSunlitNight from Genius Annotations
Catching the Butterfly
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And so you thought
The future's ours
To keep and hold
A child within
Has healing ways
It sees me through
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
In my lucid dreams
In my lucid dreams
Something now
Through life no fun
I want to feel
I want to run
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
In my lucid dreams
In my lucid dreams
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
Keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In my private dreams
In my private dreams
In my private dreams
My lucid dreams
My forgotten schemes
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
Be with me
Be with me
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
To be in your eyes
To be in your eyes
The song "Catching The Butterfly" by The Verve seems to be a reflection on the passing of time and the struggles that come with it. The first two lines of the song, "As though you were born, And so you thought" suggest a naive innocence and optimism regarding the future. However, the next line "The future's ours, To keep and hold" is followed by a realization that life is not always fun and joyful. This subtle shift is reflected in the next verse, where the singer talks about the soothing presence of a child that helps him through difficult times.
The chorus of "I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly, In that dream of mine" references the idea of a dream, either as a mental escape or as a lofty ambition. The phrase "Lucid dreams" suggests a state of awareness or clarity within this dream. The singer's desire to keep catching the butterfly reflects a determination to hold onto this dream, and hints at a fear of losing it altogether.
The final verse touches on a desire for closeness and intimacy ("To be in your eyes"). The repetition of "I see through you, You see through me" suggests a mutual understanding and trust, perhaps a foundation for a meaningful relationship. Overall, "Catching The Butterfly" seems to be a contemplation on the passing of time, the need for resilience, and the search for meaning and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
As though you were born
It feels like a new beginning, a fresh start.
And so you thought
Your mind perceived it to be real, not just a fleeting idea.
The future's ours
Whatever happens is within our control, a future is ours to make
To keep and hold
It is within our power to keep it as long as we could
A child within
The innocence and purity of childhood that we carry with us.
Has healing ways
It has the power to heal and reconcile, and it holds our pain better than the grown-up does.
It sees me through
It helps to make me feel better
My darkest days
The days wherein difficulties cloud my life - it shows up its magical transformative power.
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
I intend to chase after the dreams and passions of my life; want to achieve what I aim for
In that dream of mine
In the reverie of my mind, I will strive after my desires.
In my lucid dreams
In my conscious thoughts or state of mind, I will not let go of my dreams of the future.
Something now
Something has changed which is now not letting me live a happy life.
Through life no fun
Life has become meaningless and boring.
I want to feel
I want to be able to experience emotions, not just exist.
I want to run
I want to be free to experience new things and new people.
In my private dreams
In my personal aspirations, I will chase after my passions and aspirations.
My forgotten schemes
My dreams that I once had put on hold because of the responsibilities of being grown-up.
I see through you
I see deeply and truly into what's going on and what's being told to me.
You see through me
You can see through me - you understand me so well such that we both have a strong connection.
Be with me
You and I should be together to face everything that life throws at us.
To be in your eyes
It is the sense of closeness that one feels being completely aware of the other person's thoughts.
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THE VERVE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnc6343
Lyrics
So you're born and
So you thought
The future's ours
To keep and hold
Oh, child within
Has healing ways
It sees her through
My darkest days
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
Oh-oh-oh, in my elusive dreams
Oh-oh-oh, in my elusive dreams
Some may know
Through life no fun
I wanna feel
I wanna run
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
Oh-oh-oh, in my elusive dreams
Oh-oh-oh, in my elusive dreams
Gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
Keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
Gonna keep catching that butterfly
In that dream of mine
Oh-oh-oh, in my darkest dream
Oh-oh-oh, in my darkest dream
Oh-oh-oh, in my darkest dream
Oh-oh-oh, in my darkest dream
My elusive dreams
My forgotten schemes
My elusive dreams
My forgotten schemes
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
Believe in me
Believe in you
Believe in me
Believe in you
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
I see through you
You see through me
To feel the light
To feel the light
To feel alive
To feel alive
Oh, that elusive dream
@nicholasweigel-hubler3741
I bought this album because of Symphony when I was 11. I thought I was buying it for that song, but I was VERY wrong. I remember as a 12 year old wandering some trails by myself in a national forest in northern Michigan listening to the whole album and being, for the first time, psychedelically blown away, especially by this song as I watched the drips drop down from and endless forest of green leaves. I had just read Tolkien's Silmarillion and between that and this track (with the others on the ablum) I was more full of 'what if' questions then any time in my life to that point. An awakening
@whitedevil4122
Yes, I remember watching you...you were very cute.
LOL...only joking
@kupodrinksmilk
Neon Wilderness must have been great.
@sumin95
I like "Butterfly" and "Catching the Butterfly" A LOT! They feel like deep brain, abstract, musical art I can get lost in..... Timeless.
@bakkersbites
Nicholas Weigel-Hubler thanks for sharing
@YodiRoberts
The same happened to me at 10 yrs old but in my case it was Riders on the Storm by The Doors Almost 30 years earlier and seemingly the same kind of effect
@CaptainCalculus
I'm going to make a big call here--feel free to dislike if you must: This is the best British album of the 1990s
@Kiln99
A Northern Soul is a zillion times better that this. Feel free to dislike if you must š
@86paul80
@@Kiln99 nah
@petisebestyen88
@@Kiln99 2 words: Definitely Maybe