Butterfly

"Butterfly" is the tenth and final track on Pinkerton.
===Appearances===
*Pinkerton (1996)
*"Beverly Hills" (UK retail singles) (Live) (2005)
*Make Believe (Japan/UK) (Live) (2005)
*Not Alone: Rivers Cuomo & Friends Live at Fingerprints (Live) (2009)
*Download to Donate for Haiti (2010)
==Overview==
"Butterfly" alludes to the Puccini opera Madama Butterfly. The opera concludes when the primary character, Cio-Cio-san, upon realizing that B.F. Pinkerton will not return for her, decides to die with honor rather than live in shame, and commits suicide with a knife, dying just as Pinkerton arrives. In the Weezer song, Rivers Cuomo sings about his regret upon catching a butterfly in a jar only to find her withered away when he wakes the next day. The album recording consists solely of Cuomo on vocals and acoustic guitar, with light percussion by Karl Koch. Engineer Dave Fridmann spoke about the song's production in 2011:
"Butterfly" was recorded in two takes.Pinkerton: Deluxe Edition liner notes. 2010. The first take, which featured only Cuomo on guitar, was released in 2010 as part of the Deluxe release of Pinkerton. The second take, which appeared on the album proper, featured Karl Koch on percussion. According to Matt Sharp, Cuomo brought the song to him and asked for his opinion. Even though the recording included only Cuomo and Koch, Sharp still felt it was "essential to be on the record."Heisel, Scott. "Looking Back with Former Weezer Bassist Matt Sharp". Alternative Press. September 2006. Transcript Previously, the song "Longtime Sunshine" had been considered for the album's closing track.
===Live performances===
"Butterfly" was sparingly played live with electric guitars in the years following Pinkerton's release. The live recording of "Butterfly" released as a B-side to the retail Beverly Hills singles was recorded at DTE Energy Center in Detroit, Michigan on July 12, 2002 and features the entire band. On Cuomo's live album, Not Alone: Rivers Cuomo & Friends Live at Fingerprints, the song was performed with a banjoist. In Weezer's 2009 AOL Sessions, Cuomo performed the song with harpist Allison Allport. Weezer performed the song acoustically in concert, with only Cuomo and Koch, during the Memories Tour beginning in 2010.
===Reception===
Rob O'Connor of Rolling Stone gave Pinkerton a critical 3 out of 5 review, but called "Butterfly" "a real treat, a gentle acoustic number that recalls the vintage, heartbreaking beauty of Big Star." The blog Teenage Victory Songs categorized the track as among the band's "Very Best."
==Personnel==
*Rivers Cuomo – guitar, vocals
*Karl Koch - percussion
==Audio==
<youtube>yHNVm9FzgCI</youtube> <youtube>v9V1SArljcM</youtube>
==Lyrics==
Yesterday I went outside
With my momma's mason jar
Caught a lovely Butterfly
When I woke up today
Looked in on my fairy pet
She had withered all away
No more sighing in her breast
I'm sorry for what I did
I did what my body told me to
I didn't mean to do you harm
Every time I pin down what I think I want
it slips away - the ghost slips away
Smell you on my hand for days
I can't wash away your scent
If I'm a dog then you're a bitch
I guess you're as real as me
Maybe I can live with that
Maybe I need fantasy
Life of chasing Butterfly
I'm sorry for what I did
I did what my body told me to
I didn't mean to do you harm
Every time I pin down what I think I want
It slips away - the ghost slips away
I told you I would return
When the robin makes his nest
But I ain't never comin' back
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry
==Known recordings==
==See also==
*List of Weezer songs
*List of Rivers Cuomo songs
==References==
Category:Weezer songsCategory:Rivers Cuomo songs
Category:Weezer songs that feature Karl Koch
Category:Songs on Pinkerton
Category:Songs on Make Believe
Category:Self-produced Weezer songs
Category:Teenage Victory Songs The Very Best