Before becoming a legendary R&B king, Luther Vandross was a funky ‘Hot Butterfly’

This is the story about how two singers can release the same song, but one version becomes way more famous than the other. Such was the case between Luther Vandross and Chaka Khan, who both recorded “Papillon (a.k.a. Hot Butterfly),” written by Gregg Diamond. 

While the song helped launch Khan’s career as one of the most iconic voices of all-time, Vandross’ success came much later when he repurposed his love of funk and disco music for more soulful R&B.

To this day, Vandross’ version of “Hot Butterfly” remains an artifact from the career and the sound he explored before he became the centerpiece of soul that defined his career. 

Diamond, a producer, pianist and songwriter, wrote “Hot Butterfly” and first released the song under a group name, Bionic Boogie, with Vandross providing the lead vocals. The lyrics are hot and smooth and backed by a funky bassline that defined the ’70s.

“Gone are the days of instant romance/ And the nights of slow goodbyes,” Vandross sings. “That was a time of life when foxy was the dance/ But then you got wise to all my lies.”

It’s sexy and a little bit salacious, with Vandross in rare form as a provocateur instead of singing from a protagonist point of view. 

And then he slides into the chorus, “Chanson papillon, we were very young/ Like butterflies, like hot butterfly/ Chanson papillon, we had just begun/ Just begun to fly.”

The song was, of course, covered by Khan, the Sweet Inspirations, and David Lasley, but it was Diamond’s relationship with Vandross that provided a little interesting bit of musical trivia and made his career really fly. 

Diamond took note of Vandross because of his vocal contributions to David Bowie’s Young Americans album, which was released in 1975. Departing from Bowie’s signature glam rock style, the album was referred to as Bowie’s “blue-eyed soul” era.

Bowie reportedly called the album “plastic soul.” Plastic or not, Vandross’ big brown eyes and big voice certainly had an influence on the album’s success.

As the story goes, Vandross was invited to the studio recording of Young Americans by an old friend. While recording the album at Sigma Studios in Philadelphia, Bowie reportedly overheard him singing and invited him to be a backing vocalist on the album.

By 1980, Vandross became the lead singer of the group Change and began charting his takeover of R&B music with a solo career later. But his resume as a backing vocalist leading up to them reads like a listing of the day’s best disco and funk acts.

He worked as a backing vocalist for Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder, and Donna Summer throughout the ’70s, and the way in which he sings his version of “Hot Butterfly” illustrates that he was truly a chameleon when it came to his vocal style. 

Vandross was also a chameleon when it came to his sexuality. He didn’t talk about subject, dying at 54 in 2005 without ever coming out publicly. However, in 2006, comedian and close friend Bruce Vilanch told Out that Vandross said to him, “‘No one knows I’m in the life.’ … He had very few sexual contacts.”

Vilanch also alleged that Vandross had a long relationship with a man through the 1980s and early 1990s. 

Not to mention that Vandross’ explanation to Oprah about why he didn’t grow up singing in the Black church seemed to be chock full of subtext about why he might not be so religious. 

And then singer Patti LaBelle, who considered herself a friend of Vandross, confirmed in 2017 that he was indeed gay but held back who he was because of his career. 

In this way, Vandross’ “Hot Butterfly” becomes even more of a poignant song in his career because it speaks to a part of him many did not get to publicly see: fun, funky and free.

Listen to the track below…

Now compare it to Chaka Khan’s version…