"Poor Butterfly" is a
popular song. It was inspired by
Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly and contains a brief musical quote from the Act two duet Tutti i fior in the verse.
The music was written by
Raymond Hubbell, the lyrics by
John L. Golden. The song was published in 1916. It was introduced in the
Broadway show The Big Show, which opened in August 1916 at the
New York Hippodrome, and was sung in the show by Sophie Bernard.[1]
The song has become a
jazz standard, recorded by many artists.
Recorded versions
Biggest hit versions in 1917
The two biggest hit versions in
1917 were recorded by
Elsie Baker (using the pseudonym Edna Brown) and by the
Victor Military Band.[1]
Baker's recording was made on December 15, 1916, and released on
Victor as catalog number 18211,[1] with the flip side being a recording of "Alice in Wonderland" by Howard & McDonough.[2]
The Victor Military Band recording was recorded on November 29, 1916, and issued by Victor as catalog number 35605,[1][3] with the flip side "Katinka".
Another version which received a significant amount of popularity[1] was by
Grace Kerns recording under the name Catherine[4] (or Katherine[1]) Clark. This version was recorded in November
1916 and released by
Columbia Records as catalog number A-2167, with the flip side "Century Girl".[4]
An arrangement for violin and orchestra was recorded by
Fritz Kreisler on March 1, 1917, and issued on
Victor as catalog number 64555.
1954 revival
The song was revived in the 1950s by
The Hilltoppers for a top-20 chart hit. Their recording was released by
Dot Records as catalog number 15156, with the flip side "Wrapped up in a Dream". It first reached the
Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on April 14, 1954, and lasted 5 weeks on the chart, peaking at #15.[6] (Other sources[7] give the first date on the chart as April 24 and the highest position as #12.) The same recording was released in
Canada by
Quality Records
as catalog number K1235, with the same flip side.[8]
Frances Alda on 16 February 1917, issued as
Victor 64653. Alda also recorded selections from the Puccini opera, including Butterfly's entrance aria and "Un bel di vedremo".
Arnett Cobb and his orchestra (recorded June 14, 1953, released by
Mercury Records as catalog number 70101, with the flip side "Congratulations to Someone"[11])
Benny Goodman and his orchestra (recorded June
1944, released by
Silvertone Records as catalog number 545, with the flip side "The Sheik";[17] re-recorded October 15, 1946, released by
Harmony Records as catalog number Ha1061, with the flip side "Cherry"[18])
Al Hibbler with Billy Strayhorn's Orchestra (released in 1949 by
Sunrise Records as catalog number 503,[19] also by
Miracle Records as catalog number M-503,[20] both with the flip side "Tonight I Shall Sleep";[19][20] also released by
Chess Records in 1951 as catalog number 1569, with the flip side "Fat and Forty"[21])
Johnny Long and his orchestra (released by
Signature Records as catalog number 15196A, with the flip side "
Night and Day",[28] also released
1952 by
Coral Records as catalog number 60706, with the flip side "Home";[27] re-released by Coral in
1954 as catalog number 61172, with the flip side "Only Forever"[29])
Grady Martin and his Slewfoot 5 (released by
Decca Records as catalog number 28689, with the flip side "Bandera"[30])
Susannah McCorkle included a version on her 1985 album How Do You Keep the Music Playing.
George McMurphy and his orchestra (recorded June 18, 1928, released by
Columbia Records as catalog number 1498D, with the flip side "Allah's Holiday"[31])
Lee Morse and her Bluegrass Boys (recorded January 25, 1928, released by
Columbia Records as catalog number 1328D, with the flip side "After We Kiss"[31])
Red Nichols and his orchestra (vocal: Scrappy Lambert) (recorded March 2, 1928, released by
Brunswick Records as catalog number 20062A, with the flip side "Can't Yo' Heah Me Callin' Caroline";[33] re-recorded October 2, 1939, released by
Bluebird Records as catalog number 10522B, with the flip side "
A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody"[34])
Leo Reisman and his orchestra (recorded April 13, 1941, released by
Victor Records as catalog number 27435, with the flip side "Limehouse Blues",[37] also as catalog number 27627, with the flip side "
April in Paris"[38])
Rita Reys in 1961 for her live album Jazz Pictures At An Exhibition and in 1979 for her album That Old Feeling.
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abcdefgGardner, Edward Foote (2000). Popular Songs of the 20th Century: Chart Detail & Encyclopedia, 1900-1949. St. Paul, Minnesota: Paragon House.
ISBN1-55778-789-1.