Counting Crows Songs - Butterfly In Reverse Lyrics

Counting Crows - Butterfly In Reverse

Counting Crows - Butterfly In Reverse Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Hard Candy
Released: 2002

Butterfly In Reverse Lyrics

Mary-Ann
You're better than the world
They took a lot of time
Getting it right on this girl
I said, Mary-Ann
You're better than the world
They did a lot of things right on this girl

Had a lot of girlfriends
I should have known them
Click your heels and count back from there
Do you want to go back?
You should have known
That the Butterfly In Reverse here is me

Mary-Ann
You're better than the world
They took a lot of time
Getting it right on this girl
I said, Mary-Ann
You're better than the world
They did a lot of things right on this girl

Where'd you want to go to
With nothing beside you
But webbing and curfews and rain?
And everything that hurts you
Is locked up inside you
Like butterflies with wings
And other perfect things

We go swimming in the sunshine
Dangling from clotheslines
Separate and fall into me
But did you ever see me?
Me, absolutely?
Me, but all you, but still me?

Mary-Ann
You're better than the world
They took a lot of time
Getting it right on this girl, I said
Mary-Ann
You're better than the world
They did a lot of things right on this girl

Writer/s: ADAM DURITZ, RYAN ADAMS, BEN MIZE, MATTHEW MALLEY, DANIEL VICKREY, DAVID IMMERGLUCK, CHARLES GILLINGHAM, DAVID BRYSON
Publisher: BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Butterfly In Reverse

This song expresses regret at losing a girl: Mary-Ann. It describes how Mary-Ann wasn't treated and appreciated as she should have been. The butterfly is used as a metaphor: their feelings are paralleled to a butterfly because butterflies appear so peaceful and at ease. It's explained how feelings are "locked up inside you." But, the author says that he is a "Butterfly in reverse," so this implies that he doesn't feel at ease, doesn't feel beautiful, and doesn't feel peaceful - like the butterfly. He's in indecision over this girl. In addition, the butterfly is compared to Mary-Ann and comes to represent her. She is labeled as perfect, as is the butterfly.

Hard Candy got its first breath of impetus from Adam Duritz ' work with Ryan Adams, and Adams returned the favor by co-writing and singing on this. The song revels in the fields of syrupy symphonic Pop, complete with Burt Bacharach reference.

This was written for the actress Mary-Louise Parker, whom Duritz dated back in the late 90s/early 2000s. Other actresses whom Duritz dated and who inspired Counting Crows songs are, Courteney Cox-Arquette ("Monkey") and Monica Potter ("Mrs. Potter's Lullaby").