Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Butterfly” by Xavier Rudd
“Butterfly” by Xavier Rudd is a song that celebrates the beauty and fragility of life, nature, and love. In the opening stanza, the narrator paints a vivid picture of a butterfly, free and in flight, as a metaphor for hope and freedom. He expresses his admiration for the butterfly and its ability to remain calm and peaceful despite all the changes in its environment.
The second stanza features a heartbreaking image of a butterfly losing its colors, its wings transformed into thorns. This could symbolize the fading of a once vibrant life, or the death of a loved one. Yet, even though the butterfly may no longer be in the narrator’s life, the narrator still feels its spirit in every breath and every moment.
The chorus paints an image of a beautiful sorrow, with the lyrics “every time I see it my heart bleeds/ I cross my chest, I cry for me/ Its beauty gone is a bitter sweet”. This could represent a bittersweet goodbye to a loved one, or the sorrow of realizing that all things must come to an end.
In the bridge, Xavier Rudd channels the beauty of the butterfly in all its forms, with the lyrics “the butterfly said love is the power/ A power to heal, a power to grow/ It’s soft like a feather, delicate as a dream/ Wings of the wind, I follow the flow”. Here, Xavier Rudd shows us the power of love, which can empower us to heal and grow, just as the butterfly can re-emerge from its chrysalis and find new life.
“Butterfly” is a powerful and poignant song that speaks to the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment. Both the butterfly and the narrator recognize life’s beauty and sadness, and cling to the hope that their ragged wings will keep them in flight despite the pains of life. Xavier Rudd’s message reminds us of the necessity of cherishing the beauty in life, even in the face of loss and sadness.