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Butterflies (Kacey Musgraves song)

"Butterflies" is a song by American country singer–songwriter Kacey Musgraves from her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018). It was released on February 23, 2018 alongside "Space Cowboy" as the second[1][2] single from the album through MCA Nashville Records.[3] Musgraves wrote the song with Luke Laird and Natalie Hemby, and produced it alongside Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk.[4] According to Musgraves, "Butterflies" was co-written with Shane McAnally;[1] however, he was not credited as one its songwriters in the album's liner notes.[4]

"Butterflies"

2016

February 23, 2018 (2018-02-23)

3:39

Composition[edit]

A "genre-defying"[5] song described as country pop,[3][6] pop,[7] and disco[8] with a "reggae-fied twang",[9] "Butterflies" departs from the lyrical cynicism expressed in Musgraves' previous songs.[10] With lyrics "[representing] those feelings that you have when you're first meeting somebody and you fall in love".[11]

Background[edit]

The song was written in early 2016 shortly after Musgraves had met singer–songwriter Ruston Kelly.[1] The pair were married in 2017 before filing for divorce three years later.[12]

Critical reception[edit]

Rolling Stone compared the "earnest" lyrics of "Butterflies" to Taylor Swift's work from Fearless (2008).[10] NPR compared its sound to Little Big Town, with its production "stepping easily beyond any genre category".[9]

Live performance[edit]

Musgraves first performed "Butterflies" on January 21, 2017 on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion.[10] In 2018, Musgraves performed the song on Today in March,[13] Austin City Limits in November,[14] and at the 13th Billboard Women in Music event in December.[15] In April 2018, Musgraves recorded an acoustic performance of the song in London to serve as one of the original videos for the Hot Country playlist on Spotify.[16]

Music video[edit]

The music video for "Butterflies", like the clip for "Space Cowboy", was directed by Courtney Phillips and shot in Mexico City.[17] It was released on May 4, 2018 and shows Musgraves walking around a city at night.[8][18]

Chart performance[edit]

On Billboard's weekly charts, the song peaked at number 32 on the Hot Country Songs chart and number 56 on the Country Airplay chart, spending two weeks on the latter.[19][20]

Cover versions[edit]

Rock band Hawthorne Heights covered "Butterflies" for their two-track project Dads of Sad (2019); Musgraves reacted positively to the emo cover.[21] The song was performed by contestant Cali Wilson on the 17th season of the American music competition series The Voice.[22]

– songwriting

Luke Laird

– songwriting

Natalie Hemby

– songwriting, production, acoustic guitar

Kacey Musgraves

– production, drums, Juno 60, piano

Ian Fitchuk

– production, bass guitar, baritone guitar

Daniel Tashian

Todd Lombardo – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo

Russ Pahl – pedal steel guitar

– mixing

Serban Ghenea

John Hanes – engineering for mixing

Craig Alvin – recording

– mastering

Greg Calbi

Steve Fallone – mastering

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Golden Hour.[4]