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The Jam — The Butterfly Collector
Album: Snap!
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1822









Released: 1979
Length: 3:05
Plays (last 30 days): 2
So you finally got what you wanted
You've achieved your aim by making the walking lame
And when you just can't get any higher
You use your senses to suss out this week's climber
And the small fame that you've acquired
Has brought you into cult status
But to me you're still a collector

There's tarts and whores but you're much more
You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
It's just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you

And you started looking much older
And your fashion sense is second rate like your perfume
But to you in your little dream world
You're still the queen of the butterfly collectors

As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire
You can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

And I don't care about morals
'Cause the world's insane and we're all to blame anyway
And I don't feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors

There's tarts and whores but you're much more
You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
It's just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you

As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire
You can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

And I don't feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors
Comments (126)add comment
The B Side of "Strange Town"  and a great song.
Could you please play The Jam more often Bill?
 joelbb wrote:

Have these guys ever read the John Fowles book/seen the movie "The Collector"?  It's about a guy who not only collects butterflies and pins them to boards, he does the same to young women.  The music IS actually pretty good, but I gave it a "1" for ignorance of an ugly message.





I was with you until you gave the song a 1... definitely reminds me of the book/movie.  I'd say it's a 7 for me.
Well, well, well, what have we here? A deep cut by The Jam?! Well played RP (pun intended). 
A misogynist song, born in a misogynist society.
WOW, I saw the Jam back in 1976 when they were a support band playing at the Greyhound pub in Croydon. They were very special and the writing was the wall that they were a class act!
Love Paul Weller and The Jam. Thanks BillG How about some Style Council??
 oppositelock wrote:

Still only 5 songs on RP from the Jam.  More please.



18 now  from this album only
 oppositelock wrote:

Still only 5 songs on RP from the Jam.  More please.



There are good bands with even less  or no songs:
Gang of Four, The Blue Aeroplanes, The Triffids...
BTW, The Jam are class.  
I remember when pretentious AF songs were cool.  *Sigh*
Gets a 6 just for being from 1979 - my HS year.
Would be great to hear The Crying Game after this
The JAM elevated
 LoudshirtsBand wrote:
Wiki page content:
While it shared the "angry young man" outlook and fast tempo of the contemporary mid-1970s' British punk rock movement, in contrast with it the band wore smartly tailored suits reminiscent of English pop-bands in the early 1960s, and incorporated mainstream 1960s rock and R&B influences into its sound, particularly from The Who's work of that period, and also drew influence from the work of the Kinks and the music of American Motown. This placed the act at the forefront of the 1970s/1980s nascent Mod Revival movement.

Ironically, no mention of the Beatles; listen to Taxman followed by Start!
 
Everyone was influenced by the Beatles... It's not news to point it out.
 WonderLizard wrote:
Is this song about Vladimir Nabokov?
 
My first thougth!
But the text tells a diffrent story.
Wiki page content:
While it shared the "angry young man" outlook and fast tempo of the contemporary mid-1970s' British punk rock movement, in contrast with it the band wore smartly tailored suits reminiscent of English pop-bands in the early 1960s, and incorporated mainstream 1960s rock and R&B influences into its sound, particularly from The Who's work of that period, and also drew influence from the work of the Kinks and the music of American Motown. This placed the act at the forefront of the 1970s/1980s nascent Mod Revival movement.

Ironically, no mention of the Beatles; listen to Taxman followed by Start!
 joelbb wrote:
Have these guys ever read the John Fowles book/seen the movie "The Collector"?  It's about a guy who not only collects butterflies and pins them to boards, he does the same to young women.  The music IS actually pretty good, but I gave it a "1" for ignorance of an ugly message.


 hayduke2 wrote:
ambrebalte  provides the background info of this Jam tune in a comment several years ago

"Soo Catwoman"   jeez loo-weez 


  
Sorry, I felt the need to pop this back to the top as there still seems a little confusion as to the content.  Soo Catwoman was apparently the subject of this material, amongst others.

ps fabulous track, shown from the superlative (greatest hits...) "Snap!" album from 1983.  The original single was the b-side of "Strange Town" in 1979 and did not appear on any original album here in the UK.  Canada was treated to it, though.
I realize how The Psychedelic Furs might have got some inspiration from these gents. Still sounds good — and instantly recognizable!
Still only 5 songs on RP from the Jam.  More please.
Have these guys ever read the John Fowles book/seen the movie "The Collector"?  It's about a guy who not only collects butterflies and pins them to boards, he does the same to young women.  The music IS actually pretty good, but I gave it a "1" for ignorance of an ugly message.


 SmackDaddy wrote:

Not about womanizer, exactly the opposite, whatever that's called.

 
Manizer?
Actually, apologies for the frivolous comment as this song is far from that. Lyrics that are both pensive and anguished, along with a subdued and subtle sound, place this track in the pantheon of The Jam's body of work.
An entirely underrated outfit beyond the UK borders, they deserved a far wider appreciation.
Man, this sounds familiar.  

 2X that !!! - actually, every time I hear the Jam here, I realize that I haven't listened to the Jam in too long and am forced to pause RP and go to my personal stash!

 treatment_bound wrote:

We've still only got five Jam songs up and going here at RP...we could multiply that number by TEN and still have scads of great ones left over.

 

 Proclivities wrote:

He did collect and analyze butterflies, but these lyrics seem more to describe a womanizer, which he was not known as.

 
Not about womanizer, exactly the opposite, whatever that's called.
ambrebalte  provides the background info of this Jam tune in a comment several years ago

"Soo Catwoman"   jeez loo-weez 

 Who? But who cares anyway who Nababollikoff is. It's a great song, enjoy, chill ya beans. 

Bloody ballet dancers.

WonderLizard wrote:
Is this song about Vladimir Nabokov?

 


 WonderLizard wrote:
Is this song about Vladimir Nabokov?

 
He did collect and analyze butterflies, but these lyrics seem more to describe a womanizer, which he was not known as.
Splendid.
 WonderLizard wrote:
Is this song about Vladimir Nabokov?

 
This song's about all the Nabokovs in the Universe {#Cheesygrin}
Let's hear English Rose....... Another underplayed Jam classic. 
Is this song about Vladimir Nabokov?
 treatment_bound wrote:
We've still only got five Jam songs up and going here at RP...we could multiply that number by TEN and still have scads of great ones left over.

 
Yes, that is true.  It would be nice to hear "Pretty Green" or "Monday", for example.
Not heard this for 30 years perhaps.... took me right back... to a section of my life that i remember with passion. Thanks RP. Top track.
So much good music in Britain around this time, really good timeless stuff. All drowned out here in America by the Police!
My favourite Jam song. Thanks RP!
Reminiscent of London days...I love.
We've still only got five Jam songs up and going here at RP...we could multiply that number by TEN and still have scads of great ones left over.
8 -> 9..!!!
Utterly superb 
A CLASSIC - love it.  And sure I wouldn't hear this pop up on any other station I could listen to in the stratosphere, RP rules!
Was just listening to this on CD, great memories
Oy!  More Jam please!
I like other Jam tunes more. But hey, I'll take what ya got. 

More please.  
Ha...."...you're fashion sense is second rate, just like your perfume..."
I'm going to use that line the next time I want to get slapped.
 
Wow, intriguing photo and link. Thanks for posting.
I couldn't quite get a picture of the woman described in the lyrics. I mean, like yes, it seems to be a groupie, but most of the time groupies, although very invasive, are closer to being victims of their own blindness, and stubbornness. Whereas here, the groupie sounds like a dominatrix, manipulative, collecting and throwing away the object of her brief interest.

Then I turned to the web and found this piece of history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Collector

The song "The Butterfly Collector" by The Jam (the B-Side of the 1979 single "Strange Town") was inspired by the book, but the song was in fact about Soo Catwoman, who upon the implosion of the Sex Pistols, attempted to become part of The Jam's entourage. The song states the band's contempt for those obsessed with "collecting" reflected fame from contemporary celebrities as a substitute for living their own lives.
The Butterfly Collector
Good segue from Passion Pit:  you found a group as bad or worse with a tune to match.
 sronis wrote:
garbage did an excellent cover for this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7C9Zw8Gjw
 
That video was removed, but it's up at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEFW9MkwX2M
 (Garbage's cover of 'The Butterfly Collector')

Great tune from an influential and amazing band in rock history, just too bad they never did "stick" in the U.S.
 Dillinquent wrote:
Of course you don't have to be English to 'get' the Jam, but it helps to have grown up with that musical heritage, people like The Beatles, The Who, Small Faces, The Zombies, The Kinks, Bowie, Bolan and the UK punk scene. I'ts also easier for us to relate to the lyrical themes, things like the class system, London, inner city decay, Thatcherism, the winter of discontent, Punk, Mods, Rockers, disaffected youth, the Blitz (we weren't there but our parents were), rationing, miners strikes Etc. - you get the picture.
 
What impresses me in addition to the lyrical acuity is their ability to convey a '60s style/British invasion sensibility. Very cleverly done. Great band.
We don't hear enough Jam these days.
Love It!
garbage did an excellent cover for this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7C9Zw8Gjw
I hadn't heard this one before, but wow - what lyrics!!!  Paul Weller did a bang-up job - it almost brought me to tears... I'm giving it 8 on first listen... (Today was another day for precedents, because I actually muted "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega.  Geez, I'm starting to skeer myself...)

So you finally got what you wanted
Youve achieved your aim by making me walk in line
And when you just cant get any higher
You use your senses to suss out this weeks climber
And the small fame that youve acquired
Has brought you into cult status
But to me youre still a collector

Theres tarts and whores but youre much more
Youre a different kind cause you want their minds
And you just dont care cause youve got no pride
Its just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you

And you started looking much older
And your fashion sense is second rate like your perfume
But to you in your little dream world
Youre still the queen of the butterfly collectors

As you carry on cause its all you know
You cant light a fire
You cant cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

And I dont care about morals
cause the worlds insane and were all to blame anyway
And I dont feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors

Theres tarts and whores but youre much more
Youre a different kind cause you want their minds
And you just dont care cause youve got no pride
Its just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you

As you carry on cause its all you know
You cant light a fire
You cant cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

And I dont feel any sorrow
Towards the kings and queens of the butterfly collectors


I like the doubled vocal sound...works here.
 Stranglersfan wrote:

If memory serves I think it was on a double LP called,"Snap"
Terrific track

 
Nice Shot, Stranglersfan!  Here's the original track listing on the double-vinyl Snap! album:


Disc 1
  1. "In the City"
  2. "Away from the Numbers"
  3. "All Around the World"
  4. "The Modern World" (Single Version)
  5. "News of the World"
  6. "Billy Hunt"
  7. "English Rose"
  8. "Mr. Clean"
  9. "David Watts" (Single Mix)
  10. "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street" (Single Version)
  11. "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" (Single Edit)
  12. "Strange Town"
  13. "The Butterfly Collector"
  14. "When You're Young"
  15. "Smithers-Jones" (Single Version)
  16. "Thick as Thieves"

Disc 2

  1. "The Eton Rifles" (Single Edit)
  2. "Going Underground"
  3. "Dreams of Children" (US Edit)
  4. "That's Entertainment" (Demo Version)
  5. "Start!" (Single Version)
  6. "Man in the Cornershop"
  7. "Funeral Pyre" (Remixed Version)
  8. "Absolute Beginners"
  9. "Tales from the Riverbank"
  10. "Town Called Malice"
  11. "Precious" (Single Edit)
  12. "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)"
  13. "Beat Surrender"


 Dillinquent wrote: 
Great to hear this one, I think it must be the first time I've ever heard it on any sort of broadcast medium. It wasn't on any of the albums and only released on what Weller called a double A-side single with Strange Town on the other side. Of course Strange Town got all the airplay.

Of course you don't have to be English to 'get' the Jam, but it helps to have grown up with that musical heritage, people like The Beatles, The Who, Small Faces, The Zombies, The Kinks, Bowie, Bolan and the UK punk scene. I'ts also easier for us to relate to the lyrical themes, things like the class system, London, inner city decay, Thatcherism, the winter of discontent, Punk, Mods, Rockers, disaffected youth, the Blitz (we weren't there but our parents were), rationing, miners strikes Etc. - you get the picture.

Anyway thanks for playing that, hows about playing Liza Radley some time please Bill.

 
If memory serves I think it was on a double LP called,"Snap"
Terrific track

I wish The Jam never broke up.
"I don't care about Morales cuz the world's insane and were all to blame anyway"
I love Weller's writing in those days
 tipper wrote:
You needed to be there.
 
I'm gonna have to take your word on that.
I always wanted a hyphen in my last name.


You needed to be there.
Very nice!  I'm not very familiar with The Jam - initially I thought it was Moody Blues!

{#Bananajam}  {#Dancingbanana}

 januismer wrote:
I thought the English lost the "accent" when they sang?? 

Cool tune!
 
Not this lot mate!!!
 januismer wrote:
I thought the English lost the "accent" when they sang?? 

Cool tune!
 
Geez, ever heard Billy Bragg sing? {#Lol} Anyway, love the Jam. This isn't my favorite (that would be "Start") but I'm a Paul Weller fan. 

i prefer the super sexy Garbage cover of this.....but I'm glad I get to hear the original here to have a comparison point :)
I thought the English lost the "accent" when they sang?? 

Cool tune!
 horstman wrote:
The Jam is another one of the cooler, vibrant punk/post punk bands that I loved as a young man. I am now turning my son (12 yrs old) onto this band. He already digs the Clash, Sex Pistols, and is currently asking about all things Led Zeppelin. Kids can definitely get their good tastes from their parents. Let' hope it continues as a teenager!
 
And remember too those parents probably got their good taste from their parents!  I'm convinced my eclectic tastes are from a mother who listened to everything from jazz of all types, blues, opera (which I hated!) and popular music and my dad liked country (which I also hated!) and the big bands of the 30's and 40's.

I like this piece more with every listen - I like the distortion of the guitar and the lyrics are good too!

Dang!! Bill got stuck with a horrid 80's set!!! {#Fire}
the amateurishness and lack of musical and vocal prowess of this act was not an issue when there were strong propulsive power chords out in front.
on this one, it is all laid bare.
Great to hear this one, I think it must be the first time I've ever heard it on any sort of broadcast medium. It wasn't on any of the albums and only released on what Weller called a double A-side single with Strange Town on the other side. Of course Strange Town got all the airplay.

Of course you don't have to be English to 'get' the Jam, but it helps to have grown up with that musical heritage, people like The Beatles, The Who, Small Faces, The Zombies, The Kinks, Bowie, Bolan and the UK punk scene. I'ts also easier for us to relate to the lyrical themes, things like the class system, London, inner city decay, Thatcherism, the winter of discontent, Punk, Mods, Rockers, disaffected youth, the Blitz (we weren't there but our parents were), rationing, miners strikes Etc. - you get the picture.

Anyway thanks for playing that, hows about playing Liza Radley some time please Bill.

 Jungle_Jim wrote:
Do you have to be English to get The Jam and Paul Weller?
 
Definitely not! I've loved them from day one and I'm not English. Very happy to hear Bill play this song (one of my favourite songs by The Jam).

 peter_james_bond wrote:

{#High-five} I agree, it's called Quality. Anybody out there read 'Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance'? I love that book. We should all strive to produce quality work, just like The Jam and Bill Goldsmith.

 
Yep, it's a great read.

I'd never heard this piece until listening to RP, even though the Jam were popular on the FM radio station I tuned into in the early '80's.  Very intriguing.
Thanks a million for this one! {#Propeller}
 SweTex wrote:
Outstanding, like almost everything The Jam released.
 
{#High-five} I agree, it's called Quality. Anybody out there read 'Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance'? I love that book. We should all strive to produce quality work, just like The Jam and Bill Goldsmith.

 Jungle_Jim wrote:
Do you have to be English to get The Jam.
  No

SweTex wrote:
Outstanding, like almost everything The Jam released.

Again SweTex I totally agree.

Outstanding, like almost everything The Jam released.
Do you have to be English to get The Jam and Paul Weller? Some of these postings make me think so. For those that don't know, this is a great Jam track - it was originally the b-side to Strange Town - he was just entering a sort-of psychedelic period at the time, obviously right into 66-67 era Beatles and other 60s stuff. He is one of the true heirs to that great 60s British stuff like the Beatles, Small Faces, Kinks etc.
Didn't know Martin Short was in The Jam. {#Shifty}
Weller was better with the Jam, than on his own or with the SC
 prickelpit96 wrote:
...and 'Marmelade' around here.
 
No.
They did that cool song... "Reflections Of My Life".

I think I uploaded that one many years ago.
I can tolerate a lot but this one is awful. Gotta get some asprin!!
 sweettone wrote:
The Kinks meet Split Enz.  I like - very much.
 

That works for me.  Very listenable.  Missed or forgot this one along the way.  Caught my ear and made me look to see who this was.
 ppak wrote:
it's from the novel...

Big fan of "That's Entertainment" too. I think this song was inspired by a movie of the same name, anybody seen it?
 


The Kinks meet Split Enz.  I like - very much.
Great song for my first ever listen! 
yeah....ops.....-   7.
 Deadwing wrote:
One of my all time favorite bands from the early 80s- would be nice to hear Burning Sky, Thick as Thieves, or Funeral Pyre...
 

Yes, those songs were all superb live too. The Butterfly Collector is a gem, a slightly different tempo to most of their output at the time
EssexTex wrote:
One of their best songs...
Big fan of "That's Entertainment" too. I think this song was inspired by a movie of the same name, anybody seen it?
More Jam, please!
One of their best songs...
One of my all time favorite bands from the early 80s- would be nice to hear Burning Sky, Thick as Thieves, or Funeral Pyre...
firerytrigon wrote:
Always a pleasure to have a bit of Jam. Are they referred to as "The Jelly" in the US?
...and 'Marmelade' around here.
Always a pleasure to have a bit of Jam. Are they referred to as "The Jelly" in the US?
How Kewl was that!?
horstman wrote:
The Jam is another one of the cooler, vibrant punk/post punk bands that I loved as a young man. I am now turning my son (12 yrs old) onto this band. He already digs the Clash, Sex Pistols, and is currently asking about all things Led Zeppelin. Kids can definitely get their good tastes from their parents. Let' hope it continues as a teenager!
My parents' influence on my musical taste persists well into adulthood. Although my parents are not anywhere near cool enough to have noticed the existance of The Clash.
What they said
"Nights in white satinnnnnn, Never reaching the ennnnnnnd".... Oops.
rascal420 wrote:
you have to be careful in having a single one-syllable band name following the word "The". The Who - yes. Implies confusion, not the last word. The Clash - yes. Delivered the last word. The Fixx - no. The The - Silly. The Jam - I better hear some jammin'.
Heh! Where do the hotly disputed "The Eels" (or is it just"Eels"?) fit?
misterspaceman wrote:
Garbage did an amazing cover of this song as a b-side, I think it's on one of their Queer singles. Until now, I thought Garbage composed this song. Haha, silly me.
Same here. I prefer the Garbage version, mainly because it suits my tastes a little closer, but it's really cool to hear the original.
you have to be careful in having a single one-syllable band name following the word "The". The Who - yes. Implies confusion, not the last word. The Fixx - no. The The - Silly. The Jam - I better hear some jammin'.
Never liked The Jam when they were around. Always liked this song though.
Ground breaking important band. Saw them at Leicester in 78. Superb concert.
Thank you for introducing me to this band!
Yeah! Jam!
The best I can say is that perhaps the group could open for "One of England's Loudest Bands".
The Jam is another one of the cooler, vibrant punk/post punk bands that I loved as a young man. I am now turning my son (12 yrs old) onto this band. He already digs the Clash, Sex Pistols, and is currently asking about all things Led Zeppelin. Kids can definitely get their good tastes from their parents. Let' hope it continues as a teenager!
Rats, I missed it. The single loudest show I experienced was The Jam at the Park West in Chicago, they were great. Saw Paul Weller solo too, he sure has grown as a songwriter.
This was a classic live song at Jam shows in the late 1970s. It still gives me shivers, reminding me of my first ever gig, The Jam at the Rainbow, Finsbury Park, on their All Mod Cons tour.
misterspaceman wrote:
Garbage did an amazing cover of this song as a b-side, I think it's on one of their Queer singles. Until now, I thought Garbage composed this song. Haha, silly me.
Same here. I still think Garbage's Version is better
Zep wrote:
Is it just me or do I hear the Moody Blues in there somewhere? Nice gem though. Solid 7.
Actually I hear the Inspiral Carpets...oops! They came after the Jam, didn't they?... :-)
Could be my favorite Jam song...right up there with That's Entertainment and Bitterest Pill
... ...
Missed it, dammit.
Garbage did an amazing cover of this song as a b-side, I think it's on one of their Queer singles. Until now, I thought Garbage composed this song. Haha, silly me.
nice cravat paul
Is it just me or do I hear the Moody Blues in there somewhere? Nice gem though. Solid 7.
a w e s o m e