The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Even though a faded glow won't burn through all your bars
You put out to put up
Even while your lightning smile was shaking in the smoke
Your head was full of hope
Because I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to God
That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves
Even now when you know how to measure up the risk
You're still not tired of this
Even when the pills you take turn you to a ghost
You still spin around the most
Because I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to God
That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves
I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to God
That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves
You put out to put up
Even while your lightning smile was shaking in the smoke
Your head was full of hope
Because I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to God
That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves
Even now when you know how to measure up the risk
You're still not tired of this
Even when the pills you take turn you to a ghost
You still spin around the most
Because I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to God
That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves
I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to God
That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves
Lyrics submitted by Joshjoss, edited by mentalism, [delete me]
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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Obviously I don't know BFL personally so I couldn't say this is accurate but I'm pretty sure I got it. A butterfly is an insect that once it has left it's cocoon it has a very short life span of less than a week, it is also a very beautiful creature, i think BFL is trying to talk about something that is beautiful but lasts for a very short amount of time. He is talking about being an older teenage boy... 'where we work and we take, we play...' reffering to the shallowness of the modern teenage boy that only takes and seeks to have fun but never gives apart from for money at work. When he talks about praying to God that 'the girl in that dress will undress and distress you with the way that she moves' he is evidently referring to a man's sexual desire. In conclusion I believe he is saying that he lives in a shallow culture where one night stands are the norm and that sex is something beautiful but it has lost it's meaning and the romance is soon gone and people will move on to the next partner very quickly. That is my take on these lyrics.
This is one of my favourite songs, because it is just soo beautiful. I believe this song represents depression. Well, Benjamin is singing to a person with depression/who is suicidal. Throughout the whole song, he sings about admiring people with depression, because even when they have been through so much, they're still breathing, putting out to put up. How their head is still full of hope, after all they have been through. Butterflies represent hope and peace, and I think Benjamin is trying to show how he talks to his friends who have suffered form depression, trying to cheer them up, trying to make it better. This makes him the part of the butterfly culture, where he works to make his friends feel better, he plays to cheer them up, and he prays for them to get through. "the girl in that dress will undress, and distress you with the way that she moves" the girl undressing represents her putting all her cover ups away and revealing all her secrets to you. her, distressing with the way she moves represents how they amaze him with so much they have been through, yet they still survived, which distresses Benjamin.
@kirawo "put out to put up" Literally means prostituting yourself to get money to support their needs..I really like your interpretation of this song though. It made it even prettier and sadder
Okay, here's my shot at it. This song is relatively about a girl selling herself to buy drugs which are slowly killing her. BFL knew her before she became a prostitute/stripper and she was and still is (at this time) a very sweet person, and he cares about her. I mean this could also be him generally singing about people who do this to get money, and he might've wrote it out for sympathy.
@thatonekiwi did not see this prior to my essay. Glad someone else though that was what this was about. Once you see it its hard to unsee and makes the song so tragically sad it's unreal.
I think that the song points to the transition of puberty and the emphasis placed on sex at that pont. The first verse speaks to the awkardness of that point in life but also the expectations to "put up and put out" to fit in and also the hope of a younger person. The butterfly is often a symbol of rebirth or transition into the next phase of life. Despite the work and play of a teenage boy, the most important thing often seems to be women-enough that they might figuratively pray to god that they can get one. All of the stresses of school, social anxiety, etc. seemingly go away if you can get the girl.
I re listened to this song today for the first time in a long time, since first listening my opinions on what I think it's all about have changed. Much in the same light as Ed Sheerans "A-Team" I'm convinced this song is from the point of view from a "normal" guy, who sees the intricate beauty of things and a relationship he has engaged on with a girl who is addicted to heroin.
"even though the faded glow wont burn through all your bars" - glow of smoking heroin on foil and the bars being the prison of the drug.
"you put out to put up" - the use of sex for drugs
"Even while your lightning smile was shaking in the smoke" - The way the satisfaction of the hit causes the face to twitch a little before becoming relaxed and then turns into a smile with the satisfaction of the hit.
"Your head was full of hope" - The optimism of being able to get off it, as that was the "last hit". Also to me and I very well may be projecting here, but almost sounds like 'Head was full of dope"
"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture" - Someone who notices the small and beautiful things that often get overlooked... Like heroin addicts.
"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture Where we work and we take We play and we pray to god" - This seems to me to be one of her clients, not actually an adoring lover. Which I first assumed it would be due to lovely soft melodies. People in the butterfly culture kill the butterflies they catch. They appreciate them sure, but they don't love them. They kill them for their own viewing pleasure and keep them in glass cases.
"That the girl in that dress will undress And distress you with the way that she moves" - The punter wants her naked but is distressed by how skinny or abused the body has become.
"Even now when you know how To measure up the risk Your still not tired of this" - Concerning how proficient heroin users are in their dosage and how they are aware of the risks involved and how detrimental it is to their bodies. But still not tired of it, due to the addiction of course.
"Even when the pills you take Turn you to a ghost" - Drug terms and also the imagery of a ghost is horrible apt for the body of a heroin addict.
"You still spin around the most" not sure if I'm honest. Maybe tied to being spun out, which is a term most will know to be related to days spent high on class A's.
I truly may be wrong, but the more I listen to it the more I believe it's about heroin abuse... I know the general consensus is different to my own, but if anyone sees what I'm seeing here I would love to know.