Love Is Like a Butterfly (song)

"Love Is Like a Butterfly" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Dolly Parton and released in August 1974 as the first single and title track from the album Love Is Like a Butterfly. It was her overall fourth number one on the country chart as a solo artist (and her third consecutive number one). The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of twelve weeks on the country chart.^[1]

"Love Is Like a Butterfly"
Single by Dolly Parton
from the album Love Is Like a Butterfly
B-side	"Sacred Memories"
Released	August 5, 1974
Recorded	July 16, 1974 RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Country
Length	2:22
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Dolly Parton
Producer(s)	Bob Ferguson
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"I Will Always Love You" (1974) "Love Is Like a Butterfly" (1974) "The Bargain Store" (1975)

Personnel

• Dolly Parton — vocals
• Jimmy Colvard, Dave Kirby, Bruce Osbon, Bobby Thompson — guitars
• Bobby Dyson — bass
• Larrie Londin — drums
• Jerry Smith — piano
• Stu Basore — steel guitar
• The Lea Jane Singers — background vocals^[2]

Chart performance

Chart (1974)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3]	1
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[4]	5
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[5]	38
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	2

Popular culture

• Parton used "Love Is Like a Butterfly" as the opening theme for her 1976–77 TV variety show Dolly! She also uses a butterfly as the "W" in the trade dress for her Dollywood theme park.
• A version sung by Clare Torry, was used as the theme to BBC sitcom Butterflies.^[6]
• On November 27, 2012, Parton and Stephen Colbert performed it together on The Colbert Report.^[7]