The term Various Artists is used in the record industry when numerous singers and musicians collaborate on a song or collection of songs. Most often on Last.fm, compilation album tracks appear under the name of Various Artists erroneously because the individual artist is not listed in the album's ID3 information.
Compilation albums, for example.
Sometimes, single releases may be credited to Various Artists when their profits are going to charity and, usually in high-profile cases, are sometimes known by a group name. Examples include Band Aid with their releases of Do They Know It's Christmas? and USA for Africa with We Are The World.
Various Artists is also an actual performance name for Torsten Pröfrock, who runs the German DIN label. Torsten performs also as Dynamo, Erosion, Resilent, Traktor besides some others. He's a good friend of Robert Henke and since the Fall of 2004, he is a member of Monolake.
Various Artists was also a short-lived Bristol punk band formed by brothers Jonjo and Robin Key (originally from Birmingham). Other members were also simultaneously in Art Objects who went on to become The Blue Aeroplanes, the latter the Key brothers also co-wrote some songs and were involved in. When Various Artists imploded, the Key brothers went on to form Either / Or.
Various Artists also appear on tracks from musical theater soundtracks, due to the nature of having many cast members on one song, as well as an ensemble in some cases.
Please Daddy
The Decemberists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
Please Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
Just last year when I was only seven
And now I'm almost eight as you can see
You came home at a quarter past eleven
Fell down underneath our Christmas tree
Please Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
Please Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
Mumma smiled and looked outside the window
She told me son, you better go upstairs
Then you laughed and hollered Merry Christmas
I turned around and saw my Mumma's tears
Please Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
Please Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
No, I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
The Decemberists's song, Please Daddy, is a poignant plea from a young child to their father asking him not to get drunk on Christmas because they don't want to see their mother cry. The song is a heartbreaking reminder of how alcoholism can ravage families and destroy joyous occasions. The child recounts their previous experience of their father coming home drunk, falling under the Christmas tree, and causing their mother to cry. The child begs their father not to repeat the same mistake and ruin Christmas once again.
The lyrics capture the fears and anxieties of a child trying to navigate a difficult situation where they are powerless to change things. The child knows that they cannot control their father's actions but are desperately hoping that he will consider their plea and choose to refrain from getting drunk. The song's melody is melancholic, mirroring the weight of the lyrics, and the child's vulnerable and innocent voice makes the lyrics even more poignant.
In conclusion, Please Daddy is a soul-stirring song that reminds us of the devastating consequences of alcoholism on families. It's a heartfelt plea from a child to their father, begging him to choose the family over his addiction and to make Christmas a happy occasion. The song stands as a reminder of how important it is to prioritize the well-being of our loved ones and to seek help if we are struggling with addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
Please Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas
The singer is pleading with their father to not drink alcohol during Christmas time.
I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
The singer is afraid of their mother crying as a result of the father's drinking.
Just last year when I was only seven
The singer is recalling a specific incident that occurred when they were seven years old.
And now I'm almost eight as you can see
The artist is indicating that time has passed since the incident and they are now almost eight years old.
You came home at a quarter past eleven
The father returned home after eleven o'clock at night.
Fell down underneath our Christmas tree
The father was so drunk that he fell down under the family's Christmas tree.
Mumma smiled and looked outside the window
The mother smiled and tried to distract the singer from what was happening.
She told me son, you better go upstairs
The mother instructed the artist to go upstairs, likely to avoid witnessing the father's behavior.
Then you laughed and hollered Merry Christmas
Despite the father's drunkenness, he attempted to feign happiness and wished the family a Merry Christmas.
I turned around and saw my Mumma's tears
The artist noticed that their mother was crying and upset about the father's behavior.
No, I don't wanna see my Mumma cry
The singer reiterates their desire for their father to not drink and cause their mother to cry.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Taffy Danoff, William Danoff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind