"Butterflies" is a song by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson. It was written and composed by Andre Harris and Marsha Ambrosius, and produced by Jackson and Harris. The track appears on Jackson's tenth studio album, Invincible (2001), and is Jackson's final single from a studio album. The song also appeared in The Ultimate Collection (2004). "Butterflies" is a midtempo ballad. The single received generally positive reviews from music critics; some music reviewers described the song as being one of the best songs on Invincible while others felt that it was a "decent track".
The song was only released in the United States to radio airplay. It peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, and also charting at number two and thirty-six, respectively, on alternative Billboard charts in 2001 and 2002. There was no music video released for the song.
Background and development
"Butterflies" was recorded by Michael Jackson in 2001 for his tenth studio album, Invincible, which was released the same year. The song was written by Andre Harris and Marsha Ambrosius, who is one half of the London bred neo-soul act Floetry, and was produced by Jackson and Harris. Jackson first met Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart, who is also a member of Floetry, through John McClain, who is DreamWorks's senior urban executive and Jackson's manager. Stewart said she was surprised that Jackson invited her and Ambrosius to a studio and asked for their input on the recording of the track. She recalled in an interview with LAUNCH magazine, "It was incredible because he asked, he continually asked, 'Marsh, what's the next harmony? Girls, does this sound right? What do you think? Is this what you were looking for? He was so open".
When Ambrosius first met Jackson, it took a few minutes to calm down. She recalled to the same publication Stewart was interviewed by, "To begin with, I was kinda shook. Because you don't realize how you're going to feel until you're put in that situation. I had the tears in my eyes and got kinda nervous. But as I got into it, I realized it was work, it was a job. I had to vocally conduct a legend." Harris commented on the single, "He's showing you, I'm still the Michael Jackson that did 'Billie Jean' and 'Rock With You' because 'Butterflies' really falls along those lines." Unlike the previous single released from Invincible, a music video was not made to promote the song.
Composition
"Butterflies" is a midtempo love ballad song with groove musical influences. Vaughn Watson of the Providence Journal noted that the track is a "velvety old-school soul ballad" with "elegiac horn riffs" and "simple '70s-style David Ruffin soul." Stephen Thomas Erlewine, a writer for AllMusic noted that "Butterflies" had "Bacharach-styled horns." Lonell Broadnax, Jr., a contributing writer to the Daily Helmsman Online felt that "Butterflies" is a soulful song which takes Jackson back to his "rhythm and blues roots". Ben Rayer of the Toronto Star felt that the song had a "oozy slow jam". "Butterflies" is written in the time signature of common time. Throughout the song Jackson's vocal range spans from E3 to F5. The track is played in the key of A major. "Butterflies" has a moderately slowly tempo and its metronome is ninety-two beats per minute.
Critical response
The track received generally positive reviews from music critics. Ken Barnes of USA Today described the song as being a "hopelessly sappy ballad oozing with fuzzy sentiments. I'd say it's more like caterpillars." Frank Kogan of The Village Voice, citing the lyrics, "I would give you anything baby, just make my dreams come true/Oh baby you give me butterflies" wrote "so, would he give her, like, caterpillars in exchange? birds?" and added that what grabs his attention about a song like "Butterflies" is not the "melody but the weirdly ringing wrench-against-faucet clang on the backbeat." Christie Leo of the New Straits Times gave the track a more positive review, calling the song a "luxuriant" ballad. Pop music critic Robert Hilburn, writing for the Los Angeles Times, described "Butterflies", and another song from Invincible ("Speechless"), as being "as woefully generic as their titles". A journalist of the same publication felt that track was about romantic "jitters". Darryl Frierson of University Wire felt that songs like "Butterflies" can set the "mood for any romantic interlude". Joel Rubinoff of The Record said that "Butterflies" was one of the "only good songs" from Invincible, while a writer for The Atlanta Journal cited the song as being a "decent track".