Butterfly (Mariah Carey song)

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"Butterfly"
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Butterfly
B-side
  • "Fly Away" (Butterfly Reprise)
ReleasedSeptember 1997 (1997-09)
Genre
Length4:34
LabelColumbia
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Mariah Carey
Producer(s)
  • Mariah Carey
  • Walter Afanasieff
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Honey"
(1997) 		"Butterfly"
(1997) 		"Breakdown"
(1998)
Music video
"Butterfly" on YouTube

"Butterfly" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her sixth studio album of the same name (1997). It was released on September 29, 1997, by Columbia Records as the second single from the album. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. "Butterfly" is a pop and R&B ballad combining elements of gospel. Carey had originally conceived it as a house record with David Morales titled "Fly Away" (Butterfly Reprise). After realizing how personal the lyrics were and how they could be applied to Butterfly, she wrote the album's title track with Afanasieff. On the song's lyrics, Carey sings to someone, telling them to spread their wings and release into the world on their own, like a butterfly.

The accompanying music video for "Butterfly" depicts Carey in an abandoned house, trapped in a desolate life. As the video progresses, she leaves, apparently for the first time in years, and runs into a nearby meadow. Towards the end, Carey jumps over a barbed fence and goes out into the world on a horse. The song's lyrics and video were directly connected to Carey's personal life at the time. "Butterfly" was performed live on the Late Show with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, and various European television programs. The song was also a permanent part of the set-list during her Butterfly World Tour in 1998. The single performed weakly on the charts, peaking outside the top 20 in most countries, except for New Zealand, where it peaked at number 15. The song also reached the top-ten in Croatia and Taiwan. In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Butterfly" at number 563 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[1]

Background and release[edit]

American singer Mariah Carey concluded her successful Daydream World Tour in June 1996. After returning to the United States, she began contemplating her future and started conceptualizing the follow-up to her 1995 album Daydream. Her marriage with Tommy Mottola, the head of her record label Columbia, was a constant struggle at the time due to personal and professional differences.[2] Mottola wrote a note to Carey at their home one day with the lyrics "Butterflies are free to fly / Fly away" from the 1975 Elton John song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight".[3] While separating from Mottola and leaving their home in December 1996,[2] a melody and the words "Don't be afraid to fly / Spread your wings / Open up the door" came into Carey's mind and formed the basis of the song "Fly Away".[4] Initially conceived as a house track, "Fly Away" became the ballad, "Butterfly", upon further reflection. Carey subsequently completed "Fly Away" as it was originally envisioned, and subtitled it "Butterfly Reprise".[5]

Carey began recording the songs for her new album in January 1997.[6] She named the record Butterfly due to the significance of "Butterfly".[7] By June 1997, the song was scheduled to be released as the album's lead single.[8] After instead issuing "Honey" in July 1997,[9] Columbia released "Butterfly" to American radio stations in September 1997, the same week the album was released in the country.[10] It acted as the second single from Butterfly.[11] Citing continued sales of "Honey", Columbia did not release "Butterfly" to retail outlets in the United States.[12] It issued the single as a cassette and two CDs in the United Kingdom on November 24, 1997.[13] A mini CD single followed in Japan on November 27, 1997.[14] "Butterfly" was later included on Carey's compilation albums Greatest Hits (2001) and The Ballads (2008).[15] Columbia and Legacy Recordings released a digital extended play as part of the MC30 campaign marking three decades of Carey's career on August 28, 2020.[16][17]

Composition[edit]

"Butterfly"
A sample of the chorus with a paired vocal harmony.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Butterfly" is a personal ballad, which blends pop, R&B, gospel and soul genres.[18] It incorporates piano and drum notes, including heavy beats and grooves.[19] As part of "layering the song," background vocals are featured throughout the chorus and sections of the bridge. It is set in the signature common time, and is written in the key of A major.[19] It features a basic chord progression of A♭-F♭-1.[19] Carey's vocal range in the song spans from the note of G♭3 to the high note of A6; the piano and guitar pieces range from A♭3 to A♭5.[19] The song contains choral lyrics written by Carey, who produced the song's melody and chorus as well. Aside from assisting with its writing and chord progression, Afanasieff co-arranged and produced the track as well.[18] In his review for the album, David Browne commented on the song's lyrics and message "The title song, a slice of florid pop gospel, explores the old if-you-love-someone-set-her-free theme; It isn't a reach to interpret these songs as describing life with the reportedly controlling Mottola.[20]

Carey described "Butterfly" as unlike any of her previous collaborations with Afanasieff.[21] Biographer Chris Nickson summarized it as "richer, sexier, more grounded in the R&B she loved".[22] The song was primarily recorded at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. According to Carey, "It was all about the whole freedom of the feeling of being there. That style of singing is really about what comes out of your mouth at the time. It can only come from being inspired."[21] Additional recording occurred in New York at Crave Studios, in California at WallyWorld, and in New York City at The Hit Factory.[23]

Carey initially described "Butterfly" as "a very hopeful song—a song of strength, about being strong enough to recognize when a situation is not right and having the power within yourself to let that go".[7] A decade later, Carey expounded that she wrote it from Mottola's perspective and what she wished he would have done, before she decided to divorce.[24] Carey reiterated the lyrical meaning in her 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey.[25]

Chart performance[edit]

"Butterfly" was a moderate success on the charts, performing weakly in many music markets. In the United States, the song charted on the Hot 100 Airplay, peaking at number 16. In Canada, the song entered the RPM Singles Chart at number 57 on the RPM issue dated November 3, 1997,[26] and reached its peak of number 22 on December 1, 1997.[27] It was present on the chart for a total of 14 weeks.[28]

The song's success in Europe was very limited as well. In the United Kingdom, the song entered the singles chart at its peak of 22, the week of December 13, 1997.[29] It ended Carey's streak of twelve consecutive top ten singles in the country.[30] "Butterfly" stayed in the chart for six weeks, falling out of the chart the week of January 17, 1998.[29] In France and The Netherlands, the song peaked at number 43 and 52, respectively.[31] In Australia, "Butterfly" cracked the top-40, peaking at number 27 and spending a total of ten weeks on the chart.[31] "Butterfly" charted at number 15 in New Zealand, spending seven weeks on the chart.[31] "Butterfly" was nominated for the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, which it lost to Sarah McLachlan's "Building a Mystery."[32]

Critical reception[edit]

Paul Verna from Billboard gave the song a positive review, writing "the lovely 'Butterfly' is classic Carey, from its gospel-kissed ballad instrumentation and choir chants to the diva's soaring, glass-shattering performance." Verna concluded, "This should not imply, however, that she is covering crusty old ground. The notable maturity in her lyrics and worldly warmth of her vocal reflect the growth that she has continually strived to attain."[33] British magazine Music Week gave it four out of five, adding, "This is as smooth as any of her ballads, but it's in the vocals where the difference lies. No longer over-singing for the sake of it, Carey has rarely sounded more stunning."[34] Rick Juzwiak from Slant Magazine gave the song a mixed review, but felt it was a pivotal part of Carey's vocal and musical transition.[35] Juzwiak wrote "The agonizingly slow 'Butterfly,' with its predictably soaring chorus and if-it-comes-back-it-was-meant-to-be message, would have been ignorable tripe. Here, it's a show for the peeping. Echoes of her newly failed relationship with Mottola bounce off the gospelly song's cheap stained glass and then garble so that it sounds like some insane document of Stockholm Syndrome."[35] He felt however, that the song was an important part of the album, "It isn't just subject matter that elevates 'Butterfly' above Carey's usual melodrama. Carey's vocal delivery and her willingness to experiment with it helped define the album, so it's only appropriate that its title track is the first of many to showcase Carey's much-debated 'whisper voice.'"[35] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror gave it eight out of ten, commenting, "Flouncing around in sexy beige slips apart, ballads are what Mariah does best. And I'm more than happy to report she's still doing fine on both counts."[36] Richard Harrington from The Washington Post complimented "Butterfly" as "a lush pop ballad that frames Carey's voice quite effectively".[37]

Music video[edit]

The single's accompanying music video was co-directed by Carey and Daniel Pearl. It was inspired by the Tennessee Williams play Baby Doll and a dream Carey had one night. The video begins with scenes of a man leaving his home one early morning; only his feet are shown. Carey is first seen residing in the derelict house, in the middle of a large meadow. She awakes, sad and depressed, wearing battered and disheveled clothing. As she walks down the stairs, Carey sits on the staircase, lamenting in agony at her loneliness. As the video climaxes, Carey is seen finally leaving the foyer, apparently for the first time in many years, escaping from the misery she once called home. As she reaches the outskirts of the property, Carey mounts a horse, which assists her in jumping over the barbed fence. After leaving, Carey is seen smiling for the first time in the video, while waving her arms in the air.

The video drew many comparisons to the rumors of Carey's deteriorating marriage at the time.[18] Author Chris Nickson felt the video, like the song, served as a metaphor for the things that were taking place in her life at the time. Rumors circulated that Mottola was controlling, abusive and would even monitor Carey's phone calls.[18] For this reason, she is portrayed with tattered clothing and hair in the video, with the final moments showing her escape. It features Carey finally leaving the lonely and abusive marriage she once was part of, and finally breaking free into the outside world.[18] Unlike the video, the lyrics spoke of setting your loved one free, because it is the best thing for them; showing that their love for the person should be greater than their own happiness.[18]

Live performances[edit]

In the United States, Carey performed "Butterfly" on television programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Saturday Night Live,[38] and the Late Show with David Letterman.[39] The latter was included on the 25th anniversary edition of Butterfly.[39]

In Europe, Carey performed the song on the popular German game show Wetten, dass..?, featuring only three female back-up singers.[40] In France, Carey visited the talk show The Hit Machine, where she performed the song as well. After completing the song, Carey received a standing ovation.[40]

The song was sung during her Butterfly World Tour in 1998, a part of the set list of every show.[citation needed] For the performances in Japan, Carey donned a long flowing gown, and featured live back-up.[citation needed] During the performance, large images of butterflies were projected onto the large screen behind her. The performances served as one of the closing songs on the set-list.[citation needed] Similar props and set-up were used for the following shows of the tour, with the addition on the "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)" addition at the show's finale.[citation needed] In subsequent tours, the chorus of the song was played by the band and sung by the background vocals at the end of each concert as Carey would exit the stage. In the Angels Advocate Tour an instrumental version was played as an introduction while Carey entered the stage. "Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)" was put as the introduction of Carey's shows during her second concert residency placed in Las Vegas, The Butterfly Returns (2018) to match its theme.

Track listings[edit]

Remixes[edit]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the Butterfly liner notes.[23]

Charts[edit]

References[edit]

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Literature[edit]

Further reading[edit]

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