Wings of a Butterfly

This article is about the song by Finnish rock band HIM. For the article on the Wings of a Butterfly Nebula, see Planetary Nebula M2-9. For other uses, see Butterfly wings.

"Wings of a Butterfly" (released as "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly" on the album) is a song by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. It is the second track on their fifth studio album, Dark Light (2005), and was released as the album's first single that year. The song reached number one in Finland and Hungary, number 10 in Germany and the United Kingdom, and number 87 in the United States, making it the biggest single from Dark Light worldwide. The music video, filmed at Union Station in Los Angeles, was number one on the Rock Countdown on MTV2 in late 2005 for five weeks until it was retired.

"Wings of a Butterfly"
Single by HIM
from the album Dark Light
B-side	"Poison Heart"
Released	2 August 2005 (2005-08-02)
Genre	Gothic rock
Length	3:29
Label	HMC Sire
Songwriter(s)	Ville Valo
Producer(s)	HIM
HIM singles chronology
"And Love Said No" (2004) "Wings of a Butterfly" (2005) "Killing Loneliness" (2006)

Track listings

Finnish and European maxi-CD single^[1]

1. "Wings of a Butterfly"
2. "And Love Said No" (616 version)
3. "Vampire Heart" (live at Donington)
4. "Wings of a Butterfly" (video)

European CD single^[2]

1. "Wings of a Butterfly"
2. "Poison Heart" (Ramones cover)

US DVD single^[3]

1. "Wings of a Butterfly" (video)
2. Making of "Wings of a Butterfly"

Charts

Chart (2005–2006)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4]	12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5]	14
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6]	1
Germany (GfK)[7]	10
Greece (IFPI)[8]	4
Hungary (Single Top 40)[9]	1
Ireland (IRMA)[10]	35
Italy (FIMI)[11]	20
Norway (VG-lista)[12]	18
Scotland (OCC)[13]	9
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[14]	3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15]	12
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16]	28
UK Singles (OCC)[17]	10
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[18]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[19]	87
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20]	19
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[21]	20

References

1. Wings of a Butterfly (Finnish & European maxi-CD single liner notes). HIM. HMC Records, Sire Records. 2005. HMCCDS-003, 9362 42826-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
2. Wings of a Butterfly (European CD single liner notes). HIM. Sire Records. 2005. W686CD1, 5439 15962 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Wings of a Butterfly (US DVD single liner notes). HIM. Sire Records. 2005. 38656-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
5. "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 40. 1 October 2005. p. 35. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
6. "HIM: Wings of a Butterfly" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
7. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
8. "Top 50 Singles Eβδομάδα 30/10–6/11" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 6 November 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
9. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
10. "Irish-charts.com – Discography HIM". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
11. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
12. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly". VG-lista. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
13. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
14. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
15. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
16. "HIM – Wings of a Butterfly". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
18. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
19. "HIM Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
20. "HIM Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
21. "HIM Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 September 2015.