Becky Quinn Even on my worst days, my anger is no match for the song “The Crow and the Butterfly,” by Shinedown. Perhaps it’s the soothing rhythm of the guitar combined with Brent Smith’s vocals, or just the lyrics, but either way, it always has a relaxing effect on me. I was first introduced to this song about two summers ago. I originally only wanted to purchase the CD because of the song “Second Chance” which was my favorite song that summer. At first I was surprised when I listened to the first song on the disc, mostly because the songs on this seemed to be more rock than the alternative I had heard on the radio. Although I don’t listen to a lot of rock, let alone “hardcore rock”, I began to fall in love with this particular album. Once the song “The Crow and the Butterfly” began, I was instantly captivated. The song begins with, “I painted your room at midnight so I’d know yesterday was over. I put all your books on the top shelf, even the one with the fourleaf clover, man I’m getting older…” Combined with the apparent recognition of the past, and acknowledgment of the present and soon future, the instrumental arrangement in the background reminds me of a waltz. It just so happened that a month before first listening to this song, I had to do a small waltz in my ballet dance at my recital. This may be one reason I automatically felt connected with the song. Especially since a lot of good memories happened when my classmates and I tried to learn how to not step on each other’s feet, and how to avoid colliding with each other. Although it took us almost the entire school year to learn how to waltz as if we had been doing so our whole lives, by the night of the dance recital we were able to pull it off. Another connection I recently realized is that as I get older, I must learn to let go of the past, no matter how painful it may be, in order to look to the future. This is especially true with losing old friends and making new ones.
My favorite part of the song is the chorus. With “…Dandelions lost in the summer sky…” I envision a bed of dandelions reflecting the brightness of the sun. On a darker note, “…I never thought you’d slip away, I guess I was just a little too late…” reminds me of those I have lost in my family over the years, which includes pets. Even if I wasn’t close to a person I lost in my family, I still feel I could have spent more time with them. With “…I’ve never heard such a haunting melody…You know I can barely breathe…” I can picture an old castle somewhere in England with the souls from so long ago still wandering, forever lost in one moment. Also, “… The crow chasing the butterfly…” reminds me of how birds seem to be almost dancing in the sky when they are really fighting with each other. These different images that flow through my mind while I listen to the song, “The Crow and the Butterfly”, are probably why, after I’ve had a bad day, I can listen to this song and feel relaxed. Sometimes, I may need to listen to it multiple times, but afterwards, I’m not as tense. It is especially helpful after a long, stressful day. It also calms me if I’ve had an argument with anyone. This song, along with almost all of Shinedown’s other songs, has helped this band become one of my favorite bands.