By Severin
Butterflies and moths was a topic I came up with on the spur of the moment, with only one particular song in my head and not really knowing what to expect. I've ended up listening to some fantastic music this week and the only real dilemma was what to leave out. So – fourteen songs on the A-List and twenty-two on the B. And that was being ruthless. Kudos to those who were listed, apologies to those who weren't and I hope you enjoy the results.
Leyanis Lopez – Como La Mariposa
We begin with Cuban singer, Leyanis Lopez, who was born in Guantánamo in the early seventies, before the municipality was famous for other less celebratory reasons. Her song addresses her “first love” and draws a comparison with the beauty of a butterfly.
You are the butterfly that arrived with its colours
That brightened my sad and flowerless garden.
You are poetry, the song of the nightingale
Screaming Trees – Butterfly
On a less delicate note musically, but no less affecting for that, the Screaming Trees song is one of nostalgia and regret, but with added electric guitars. I am guessing that the video is not to be taken as a literal interpretation of the song. In fact, in my mind, their love was the butterfly that died.
Changing memories they fade away/The hours and the days/While in the sunshine, the sunshine bright/I kept you on my mind/Cry, cry butterfly/Heard it on the wings that you're going to die
Sarah Vaughan – Poor Butterfly
Based on/inspired by the Madame Butterfly story. Told jazz/classical style with a brief musical quote from the opera in the verse. Written by Raymond Hubbel and John L Golden, there are many recordings but this one by the wonderful Sarah Vaughan won out over the week’s other excellent nomination.
Cocteau Twins – Melonella
Named after the wax moth or Galleria mellonella. The just about discernable lyrics are the scientific names of moth families found in the British Isles.
Fiona Burnett – Flutterby, Butterfly
One of the two instrumental pieces I found room for, and there was a lot of competition. Her soprano sax swoops and shimmers like a cloud of butterflies.
Deniece Williams – Black Butterfly
The first of two “Black Butterfly” songs. This one is a Mann/Weill composition with an African-American empowerment theme. Beautifully sung by Deniece Williams. “A lovely soul song” as the nominator, amylee, commented.
Now, you're free, and the world has come to see/Just how proud and beautiful you are/Black butterfly, sailed across the waters/Tell your sons and daughters/What the struggle brings/Black butterfly, set the skies on fire.
Verve – Catching the Butterfly
From their classic 1990s album, Urban Hymns. Seven-and-a-half minutes of the spacey, hypnotic side of Britpop.
I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly/In that dream of mine/I'm gonna keep catching that butterfly/In that dream of mine
Dolly Parton – Love Is Like a Butterfly
The first time I heard this song it was sung by Clare (Great Gig in the Sky) Torry and was used as the theme music for the 1970s/80s British TV sitcom “Butterflies”. It was years before I discovered that it was a Dolly Parton tune. No offence to Clare, who is a truly great singer, but this is the version I love the most and is also the recording I thought of when I suggested the topic.
Tio – Black Butterfly
The second Black Butterfly on the list. Multi-instrumentalist Tio is from Ambrym Island in Vanuatu, South Pacific, but now lives at least part of the time in Melbourne. His song is about the 'concrete jungle' and how to live there “truthfully” and in a better relationship with the natural world. He comments that:
“The black butterfly is flying, much like our dreams … We know that nature is the source of life – without it, we wouldn’t be alive.”
Free Design - Butterflies Are Free
A song which originally featured in the 1972 film of the same name which, in turn, was based on a 1969 play about a blind man and the woman who moves into the next apartment. The title of the song, film and play is based on a quote, beloved of the main character, from Dickens’ novel Bleak House about the importance of living freely. All credit to Marco who first suggested a couple of versions, either of which would have graced an A-list.
The Cure – Caterpillar
A familiar favourite with a fittingly quirky video. His “hopeless heart” is besotted with the girl – until she changes and flies away from him. Yes, Robert, but how exactly do you dust your lemon lies?
Terry Callier – Butterfly
“Terry's voice always feels like coming home” said nominator pejepeine and I think he's right. A 1978 recording by the Chicago born singer and guitarist, in which he wishes he could follow the butterfly, spread his wings and reach for the stars..
Talvin Singh – Butterfly
The second A-listed instrumental! And a highly compulsive one. A wildly fluttering rhythm conjures up the rapidly moving wings of a butterfly.
Wagakki Band - Nijiiro Chouchou (Iridescent Butterfly)
“Traditional Japanese instruments into a rock setting” and a soaring performance of a beautiful song. Which begins delicately and gains in power and momentum as it proceeds. I am assuming that the title is a metaphor and the singer/narrator isn't actually a butterfly. Although she “gently flutters down and spreads her wings by your side” so who knows? Oh, it's just gorgeous, either way and a lovely way to end a journey into the world of butterflies.
(plus one moth and one caterpillar).
The Lepidoptera A-List Playlist:
Leyanis Lopez – Como La Mariposa (Nicko)
Screaming Trees – Butterfly (happyclapper)
Sarah Vaughan with Hal Mooney and his Studio Orchestra – Poor Butterfly (magicman)
Cocteau Twins – Melonella (vastariner)
Fiona Burnett – Flutterby Butterfly (Nicko)
Deniece Williams – Black Butterfly (amylee)
The Verve – Catching the Butterfly (swawilg)
Dolly Parton – Love is Like a Butterfly (OliveButler)
Tio – Black Butterfly (Nicko)
Free Design – Butterflies Are Free (Olive Butler)
The Cure – Caterpillar (happyclapper)
Terry Callier – Butterfly (pejepeine)
Talvin Singh – Butterfly (Suzi)
Wagakki Band – Iridescent Butterfly (ajostu)
Butterflies and More B-List Playlist:
Sandrine Piau – Melodies de Jeunesse III Les Papillons (swawilg)
Georges Brassens – La Chasse Aux Papillons (Nicko)
Charlie Gracie – Butterfly (SweetHomeAlabama)
Za Pinattsu (The Peanuts) - Mothra's song - from the 1961 film, Mothra (TarquinSpodd)
The Cinnamon Ship – Butterflies Are Free (Marconius7)
Pink Martini – The Butterfly Song (Fred Erickson)
Hitsujibungaku – Henshin (Metamorphosis) (ajostu)
Lole y Manuel – Un Cuento Para Mi Niño (pejepeine)
Mercury Rev – Moth Light (untergunther)
Aimee Mann – The Moth (ParaMhor)
Gal Costa – As Borboletas (pejepeine)
Chaka Khan – Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly) (magicman)
Mallrat – Butterfly Blue (noodsy)
Procol Harum – Butterfly Boys (Uncleben)
Giacomo Puccini – Un Bel di Vedremo from Madame Butterfly, sung by Ying Huang (magicman)
Lana Del Rey – Happiness is a Butterfly (barbryn)
Caroline Polachek – Butterfly Net (barbryn)
Audioslave – Moth (Shashvat Shukla)
Blonde Redhead – Misery is a Butterfly (happyclapper)
Incredible String Band – Cousin Caterpillar (Uncleben)
Lucinda Williams – Broken Butterflies (TarquinSpodd)
Great Lake Swimmers – Animals of the World (Fred Erickson)
Instrumental Playlist:
There may be a couple with wordless or indistinct vocals. We had a lot of instrumentals nominated this week and a lot of them were very good indeed. In fact, I could have made an A-list out of them. In the end I A-listed a couple but included them here too. Some are rather long. You will need a lot of free time to listen to the lot.
Guru Wildcard Picks:
Please note. Neither of these would have been listed had they been nommed this week! One is a cover version which wouldn't have won out over the original and the other isn't primarily about butterflies anyway. They're just the only ones I thought of that nobody else did. And I couldn't believe that the second one was unzedded.
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Fancy a flutter? Songs about butterflies and moths The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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