Papillon (Chaka Khan song) explained

Papillon
Type:single
Artist:Chaka Khan
Album:Naughty
B-Side:Too Much Love
Released:June 18, 1980
Genre:Post-disco, R&B
Length:4:11
Label:Warner Bros. Records
Producer:Arif Mardin
Prev Title:"Clouds"
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:"Get Ready, Get Set"
Next Year:1980

Papillon (a.k.a. Hot Butterfly) is a 1978 song by Gregg Diamond, first released as an album track Hot Butterfly on Bionic Boogie by Diamond. However, the best known version is the 1980 hit Papillon by Chaka Khan. The song features vocals by American R&B singer Luther Vandross and a harmonica solo by musician Hugh McCracken.

It was Chaka Khan's most successful single from the album Naughty,[1] [2] though it only peaked at #22 on Billboard's R&B charts.

Notes and References

  1. Black Music & Jazz Review - Volume 3 -1980 Page 43 "Gregg Diamond's "Papillon" makes a pleasant mid-tempo change from Khan's otherwise relentless assault on side two. Conclusions: It took me some while to completely warm to her debut solo album so I'll persevere but the more I hear the ..
  2. Billboard 9 April 2011 - Page 47 "Khan went solo and scared to success with songs including “I'm Every Woman," “Papillon," "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me?" "