BUTTERFLY DANCE / PUIS-JE?

Bassist and singer-songwriter Kevin Ayers (1944 - 2013) was a founding member of THE SOFT MACHINE, and his participation on their eponymous debut (1968) was essential. He left the band before Volume Two and started a solo career with a delightful album Joy of a Toy (1969). No singles were released from the debut.

The second album Shooting at the Moon (1970), which was credited to "Kevin Ayers and The Whole World", starts with an elegant song 'May I?' with lyrics dealing with the male protagonist asking a beautiful girl at a café her permission to stare at her for awhile. On this single the lyrics were translated into French, and this really gives the serene, chanson- like song an extra charm. The listener easily associates Ayers to Serge Gainsbourg; the low, laid back vocals have a spoken section too which perfectly fits to this ironic song, and the instrumentation with some accordeon and sax brings a Parisienne atmosphere.

The B side has a non-album song 'Butterfly Dance'. It starts gently but soon the arrangement reveals its wide dynamics (including also a female choir) and, with the faster tempo, takes everything to a cheerful and highly vivant level. The very outgoing song is bursting with joy of playing, especially on percussion. I however don't like it very much personally. 'Puis je?' is alone worth three smiling stars. Both songs appear as bonuses on the 2003 remaster of Shooting at the Moon.