Crazy Town’s 2001 song “Butterfly” became a US one-hit wonder after sampling the guitar riff from the Red Hot Chili Peppers song “Pretty Little Ditty.”
The song was built around a sample from the 1989 Red Hot Chili Peppers album Mother’s Milk. Musician John Frusciante wrote the original guitar part, and Crazy Town’s version added rap vocals and a melodic chorus, placing the track between nu metal, rap rock, and pop.
“Butterfly” became Crazy Town’s breakthrough single and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 2001. It also topped charts in several other countries, including Austria, Denmark, and Norway.
The sample is a frequent source of confusion: “Butterfly” did not interpolate a vocal section from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Its most recognizable borrowed element is the guitar figure from “Pretty Little Ditty,” with the sample formally credited in the song’s publishing information.