About The Song
Butterfly by Andy Williams arrived in February 1957 as a single on Cadence Records and quickly became the biggest hit of his early career. Released with “It Doesn’t Take Long” on the B-side, it climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 chart, where it stayed for three weeks starting in mid-March. The record spent a total of twenty weeks on the chart and also reached No. 14 on the R&B list. In the United Kingdom it became his first and only chart-topper, holding the top spot for two weeks in May. At one point the original rockabilly version by Charlie Gracie and Williams’ smoother pop treatment were both riding high, sharing space on the national sales charts.
The song had been written earlier that year by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann, though some pressings credited it to the pseudonym Anthony September. The pair had already supplied material for Elvis Presley, including “Teddy Bear,” but they used the false name on this one because of a business disagreement with Presley’s camp and didn’t want their involvement known right away. Charlie Gracie cut the first version in late December 1956 on Cameo Records. His rockabilly take, complete with a driving beat and energetic delivery, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Juke Box chart and reached the UK top twenty. Williams recorded his cover just weeks later in January 1957, giving the tune a lighter, more polished reading that appealed to a broader pop audience.
Williams had initially been hesitant about tackling a rock-and-roll number, but the timing worked in his favor. Coming off the success of “Canadian Sunset” the previous summer, “Butterfly” established him as a solo star capable of crossing styles. The lyrics tell the story of a girl who flits from one fellow to another, never settling down, yet the singer can’t help being drawn to her anyway. It’s a lighthearted tale of playful attraction and the frustration of trying to catch something that keeps flying away.
One interesting side note from the era is how both versions of the song ended up charting at the same time. Gracie’s original and Williams’ cover were essentially competing for the same listeners, yet each found its own audience. Williams promoted the record heavily through television appearances, including a spring 1957 NBC special where he performed alongside stars like Nat King Cole and Ricky Nelson while the single was still climbing. The exposure helped push it even higher.
The single also marked a turning point for Williams on Cadence Records. It opened the door to a string of follow-up hits that year and the next, including “I Like Your Kind of Love” and “Are You Sincere.” Although it was originally issued as a standalone 45, the track later appeared on various compilations of his early work, such as collections drawn from his Cadence years. Decades afterward the song found new life when English singer Eliza Doolittle sampled Williams’ version for her 2010 track “Skinny Genes,” introducing the melody to a fresh generation.
Video
Lyric
You tell me you love me
You say you’ll be true
Then you fly around
With somebody new
But I’m crazy about you
You butterfly
You’re treating me mean
You’re making me cry
I’ve made up my mind
To tell you goodbye
But I’m no good without you
You butterfly
I knew from the first time I kissed you
That you were the troubling kind
‘Cause the honey drips
From your sweet lips
One taste and I’m out of my mind
I love you so much
I know what I’ll do
I’m clipping your wings
Your flying is through
‘Cause I’m crazy about you
You butterfly
Ooh, I’m crazy about you
You butterfly
Ooh, I can’t live without you
You butterfly
I knew from the first time I kissed you
That you were the troubling kind
‘Cause the honey that drips
From your sweet lips
One taste and I’m out of my mind
Ooh, I love you so much
I know what I’ll do
I’m clipping your wings
Your flying is through
‘Cause I’m crazy about you
You butterfly
You butterfly
You butterfly