"Poor Butterfly" is a

popular song Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

. It was inspired by

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...

'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 John Raymond Hubbell (June 1, 1879 – December 13, 1954) was an American writer, composer and lyricist. He is best known for the popular song, " Poor Butterfly". Life and career Hubbell was born in Urbana, Ohio. He attended schools in Ur ...

, 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. The song has become a

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive List ...

, recorded by many artists.

Recorded versions

Biggest hit versions in 1917

The two biggest hit versions in

1917 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 9 – WWI – Battle of Rafa: The last substantial Ottoman Army garrison on the Sinai Peninsula is captured by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's ...

were recorded by Elsie Baker (using the pseudonym Edna Brown) and by the Victor Military Band. Baker's recording was made on December 15, 1916, and released on Victor as catalog number 18211, with the flip side being a recording of "Alice in Wonderland" by Howard & McDonough.Victor Records in the 18000 to 18499 series
/ref> The Victor Military Band recording was recorded on November 29, 1916, and issued by Victor as catalog number 35605, with the flip side "Katinka". Another version which received a significant amount of popularity was by Grace Kerns recording under the name CatherineColumbia Records in the A-2000 to A-2499 series
/ref> (or Katherine) Clark. This version was recorded in November 1916 and released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number A-2167, with the flip side "Century Girl". Somewhat less popular, but still noted at the time, were a recording by Elizabeth Spencer, released by

Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February11, 1847October18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, ...

's recording company as a disk, catalog number 50386, and an Amberol cylinder, catalog number 3039, and a recording by Prince's Orchestra (or Prince's BandColumbia Records in the A-5500 to A-5999 series
/ref>), recorded December 1916 and released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number A-5930, with the flip side "You and I". 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 ''Billboard'' (stylized in lowercase since 2013) is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events and styles related to th ...

Best Seller chart on April 14, 1954, and lasted 5 weeks on the chart, peaking at #15. (Other sources give the first date on the chart as April 24 and the highest position as #12.) The same recording was released in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Quality Records Quality Records was a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels. They also released recordings by Canadian artists. The company operated between 1950 and 1985 with offices in Toron ...

as catalog number K1235, with the same flip side.Quality Records in the K1001 to K1999 series
/ref>

Other recorded versions

Cannonball Adderley Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928August 8, 1975) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Adderley is perhaps best remembered by the general public for the 1966 soul ...

from the album '' Cannonball Takes Charge'' (Riverside 1959) * 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". *

Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over eight decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...

in 1967 for the film Thoroughly Modern Millie and released on the soundtrack album. * Vikki Carr released song in album ''Discovery'' (1964) as medley "Poor Butterfly / Stay" * Herman Chittison Trio (recorded February 2, 1945, released by Musicraft Records as catalog number 323, with the flip side " These Foolish Things") *

Arnett Cobb Arnett Cleophus Cobb (August 10, 1918 – March 24, 1989)
accessed July 2010. was an American tenor saxophonist, somet ...

and his orchestra (recorded June 14, 1953, released by

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. Mercury Records released ...

as catalog number 70101, with the flip side "Congratulations to Someone"Mercury Records in the 70000 to 70499 series
/ref>) * Paul Desmond from the album '' Glad to Be Unhappy'' (RCA 1963) * Columbia Saxophone Sextette (recorded January 24, 1917, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number A-2203, with the flip side "Katinka: Allah's Holiday") * Hank D'Amico Sextette (released by

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

as catalog number 10641, with the flip side "If Dreams Come True") * Anita Darian in 1960 on the self-titled album " Anita Darian" (later titled " East of the Sun"),

Kapp Records Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp (who set up American Decca Records in 1934). David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca and RCA Victor. Kapp licensed its records to L ...

KL-1168 * Guido Deiro (recorded January

, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number A-2202, with the flip side "Madame Butterfly") * Deanna Durbin (recorded October 9, 1941, released by

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

as catalog number 18297B, with the flip side "

Annie Laurie "Annie Laurie" is an old Scottish song based on a poem said to have been written by William Douglas (1672 - c1760 ) of Dumfriesshire, about his romance with Annie Laurie (1682–1764). The words were modified and the tune was added by Alicia Ann ...

") * The Ebon-Knights (released 1958 by Stepheny Records as catalog number 1817, with the flip side "The Way the Ball Bounces") * Emerson Symphony Orchestra (recorded January

, released by Emerson Records as catalog number 7123, with the flip side "Shadowland") * Erroll Garner Trio (recorded June 28, 1950, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number 39145, with the flip side " How High the Moon",Columbia Records in the 39000 to 39499 series
/ref> also released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number 39166, with the flip side " Long Ago (and Far Away)") *

Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...

from the album '' The Book Cooks'' (Bethlehem 1961) *

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

and his orchestra (recorded June

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...

, released by Silvertone Records as catalog number 545, with the flip side "The Sheik"; re-recorded October 15, 1946, released by Harmony Records as catalog number Ha1061, with the flip side "Cherry") * Charles Harrison (recorded February

, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number A-2206, with the flip side "My Rosary for You") * Al Hibbler with Billy Strayhorn's Orchestra (released in 1949 by Sunrise Records as catalog number 503,Sunrise Records listing
/ref> also by Miracle Records as catalog number M-503,Miracle Records listing
/ref> both with the flip side "Tonight I Shall Sleep"; also released by

Chess Records Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock an ...

in 1951 as catalog number 1569, with the flip side "Fat and Forty") *

Al Hirt Alois Maxwell "Al" Hirt (November 7, 1922 – April 27, 1999) was an American trumpeter and bandleader. He is best remembered for his million-selling recordings of "Java (instrumental), Java" and the accompanying album ''Honey in the Horn (album ...

released a version on his 1962 album, '' Trumpet and Strings'' and was also featured on his greatest hits album, '' The Best of Al Hirt'' *

Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones; July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator. For six decades, he was one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. He was a NEA Jazz Ma ...

from the album '' At the Pershing, Vol. 2'' (Argo 1958) (released 1960 by

Argo Records Argo Records was a record label in Chicago that was established in 1955 in music, 1955 as a division of Chess Records. Originally the label was called Marterry, but bandleader Ralph Marterie objected, and within a couple of months the imprint w ...

as catalog number 5370, with the flip side "Billy Boy") *

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band to great commercial success from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947, but ...

released a version in 1981 on his album ''For Listening And Dancing'' (

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...

RD4A 213) * Bunk Johnson & Don Ewell, April 1946 * Jack Kane (released 1958 by

Coral Records Coral Records was a subsidiary of Decca Records that was formed in 1949. Coral released music by Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly, the McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer. Coral issued jazz and swing music in the 1940s, but after Bob Thiele became head ...

as catalog number 62038, on the Grammy Award nominated album ''Kane is Able''.) *

Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in the United States. Although Lateef's main i ...

from the album '' The Fabric of Jazz'' (Savoy 1959) * Andy Kirk and Clouds of Joy (released by

as catalog number 1663A, with the flip side "

Lover, Come Back to Me "Lover, Come Back to Me" is a popular music, popular song composed by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the Broadway show ''The New Moon'', where the song was introduced by Evelyn Herbert and Robert Halliday (as Robert Misson ...

"; also released

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

as catalog number 60344, with the flip side " I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)"Coral Records in the 60000 to 60999 series
/ref>) * Johnny Long and his orchestra (released by Signature Records as catalog number 15196A, with the flip side " Night and Day", also released

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

as catalog number 60706, with the flip side "Home"; re-released by Coral in

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

as catalog number 61172, with the flip side "Only Forever") * Freddie Martin his orchestra. Released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

circa 1960. * Grady Martin and his Slewfoot 5 (released by

as catalog number 28689, with the flip side "Bandera") * 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 Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number 1498D, with the flip side "Allah's Holiday"Columbia Records in the 1000D to 1499D series
/ref>) * Eddie "Piano" Miller (released

by Rainbow Records as catalog number 90099, with the flip side "I'm A Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas", also released

(

) as catalog number K1063, with the flip side "Pagan Love Song") * Lee Morse and her Bluegrass Boys (recorded January 25, 1928, released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

as catalog number 1328D, with the flip side "After We Kiss") * Red Nichols and his orchestra (vocal: Scrappy Lambert) (recorded March 2, 1928, released by

Brunswick Records Brunswick Records is an American record label founded in 1916. History 1916–1929 Records under the Brunswick label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, a company based in Dubuque, Iowa which had been manufacturing ...

as catalog number 20062A, with the flip side "Can't Yo' Heah Me Callin' Caroline"; re-recorded October 2, 1939, released by

Bluebird Records Bluebird Records is an American record label best known for its low-cost releases, primarily of children's music, blues, jazz and swing in the 1930s and 1940s. Bluebird was founded in 1932 as a lower-priced subsidiary label of RCA Victor. Bluebi ...

as catalog number 10522B, with the flip side " A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody") * Pathé Dance Orchestra (released by

Pathé Records Pathé Records was an international record company and label and producer of phonographs, based in France, and active from the 1890s through the 1930s. Early years The Pathé record business was founded by brothers Charles and Émile Pathé, ...

as catalog number 20150, with the flip side "Home Again"Pathé Records in the 20000 to 20499 series
/ref>) *

The Pied Pipers The Pied Pipers are an American popular singing group originally formed in the late 1930s. They had several chart hits throughout the 1940s, both under their own name and in association with Tommy Dorsey, with Johnny Mercer and with Frank Sin ...

(released by

as catalog number 10159, with the flip side "

My Melancholy Baby "My Melancholy Baby" is a popular song published in 1912 and first sung publicly by William Frawley. The music was written by Ernie Burnett (1884–1959), the lyrics by George A. Norton. Background Ernie Burnett, who is credited with compo ...

"Capitol Records in the 10000 to 10210 series
/ref>) * Leo Reisman and his orchestra (recorded April 13, 1941, released by Victor Records as catalog number 27435, with the flip side "Limehouse Blues", also as catalog number 27627, with the flip side " April in Paris") * Rita Reys in 1961 for her live album Jazz Pictures At An Exhibition and in 1979 for her album That Old Feeling. *

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...

with J. J. Johnson from the album '' Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2'' (Blue Note 1957) * Cécile McLorin Salvant A Cappella Version 2015 *

Doc Severinsen Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. Early life Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) ...

and the Tonight Show Band included a version on their September 16, 1991 album "Once More... With Feeling". * Sherbo's Castle-by-Sea Orchestra (recorded January

, released by

as catalog number 20132, with the flip side "Topsy") *

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

and the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1967 on the album '' Francis A. & Edward K.'' * Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra (recorded January 19, 1917, released by Victor Records as catalog number 18246A, with the flip side "Allah's Holiday") * Willie "The Lion" Smith (recorded December

, released by

Commodore Records Commodore Records was an American independent record label known for producing Dixieland jazz and Swing music, swing. It is also remembered for releasing Billie Holiday's hit "Strange Fruit". History Commodore Records was founded in the spring o ...

as catalog number 654, with the flip side " Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") * Dodie Stevens (released in

1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...

by Dot Records as catalog number 15975 in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and by

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

as catalog number HL-1560 in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, with the flip side "Miss Lonely Hearts" * Pat Suzuki on her album " The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki", released 1957.* Victor Sylvester and his orchestra (released by

as catalog number 1070, with the flip side "Vienna, City of My Dreams") *

Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever. From early in his career, fellow musicians acclaimed Tatum's technical ability as extraordinary. Tatum a ...

(recorded

1945 1945 marked the end of World War II, the fall of Nazi Germany, and the Empire of Japan. It is also the year concentration camps were liberated and the only year in which atomic weapons have been used in combat. Events World War II will be ...

, released by ARA Records as catalog number 4502, with the flip side " Lover") * Bobby True Trio (recorded June

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country i ...

, released by

as catalog number 5073, with the flip side "Why Should I Cry Over You?") *

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

released by

in the

as catalog number 71085 and in

as catalog number 45169,Mercury Records (Australia) in the 45001 to 45492 series
/ref> both with the flip side "April Give Me One More Day", becoming a signature tune for her * Paul Weston Orchestra (released by

as catalog number 54-520,Capitol Records in the 500 to 999 series
/ref> also released by

as catalog number 10130, both with the flip side " Time on My Hands") *

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American Jazz bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 193 ...

and his orchestra (recorded February 7, 1928, released by Victor Records as catalog number 24078, with the flip side "San") * Florence Wright (recorded February 11, 1950, released by National Records as catalog number 9105, with the flip side "

Imagination Imagination is the production of sensations, feelings and thoughts informing oneself. These experiences can be re-creations of past experiences, such as vivid memories with imagined changes, or completely invented and possibly fantastic scenes ...

"Another National Records listing
/ref>)

References

External links

Sheet Music
at In Harmony. {{DEFAULTSORT:Poor Butterfly 1916 songs Songs with music by John Raymond Hubbell Songs from musicals 1910s jazz standards Vikki Carr songs Bluebird Records singles