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.
All Along The Watchtower
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said the joker to the thief,
"There's too much confusion,
I can't get no relief.
Businessman they drink my wine,
Plowman dig my earth
None will level on the line, nobody offered his word, hey"
The thief, he kindly spoke
"There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I, we've been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late"
All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants, too
Outside in the cold distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl
*buisness man there, drink my wine,
Come and take my herb
The song "All Along the Watchtower" by Various Artists is a song about a conversation between two individuals, the Joker and the Thief. The Joker is talking about his desire to escape the confusion and lack of relief he feels from his life. He believes there must be a way out of his current situation, but he is not sure what that is. The Thief tries to calm him down and reminds him that they have been through difficult situations before, but this will not be their fate. He urges the Joker to stop falsely advertising and to focus on the present since the hour is growing late.
The lyrics describe the world as it is with the viewpoint from a tower where the Princes watch over the lower-class individuals. The women come and go, and the servants are barefoot, which signifies a class division. The outside world is not as peaceful as the tower seems, and wildcats growl in the cold distance. The last line of the song contradicts the entire song's perception as the business man drinks wine and comes to take the herb.
Line by Line Meaning
There must be some kind of way out of here,
The joker is expressing that they need to find a solution to their problems and feel trapped in their current situation.
Said the joker to the thief,
The singer is describing a conversation between the joker and the thief.
There's too much confusion,
The joker is feeling overwhelmed by the chaos and disorder around them.
I can't get no relief.
The joker is unable to find any respite from their troubles.
Businessman they drink my wine,
The joker is frustrated that those with wealth and power consume what is rightfully his.
Plowman dig my earth
The joker feels exploited by those who work the land he owns.
None will level on the line, nobody offered his word, hey
No one is willing to treat the joker fairly or help him, leading to a sense of isolation and mistrust.
"No reason to get excited,"
The thief is trying to calm the joker down and keep him level-headed.
The thief, he kindly spoke
The artist is emphasizing the thief's gentle demeanor and willingness to help the joker.
There are many here among us
The thief acknowledges that there are others in the same situation as the joker.
Who feel that life is but a joke
Some people believe that life is not worth taking seriously.
But you and I, we've been through that
The thief is suggesting that he and the joker have experienced this sense of apathy before.
And this is not our fate
The thief believes that there is hope for them despite their current struggles.
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late
The thief urges the joker to be truthful and honest because time is running out and they need to act quickly to find a way out of their situation.
All along the watchtower
The scene shifts to a location that overlooks their surroundings, which could represent a sense of perspective or a greater understanding of the situation.
Princes kept the view
The artist describes a group of powerful people who are watching over everything that is happening.
While all the women came and went
Women are moving around and being active, which could represent change or progress.
Barefoot servants, too
Even the lowliest members of society are present and active.
Outside in the cold distance
The singer shifts attention to something happening far away from the current location.
A wildcat did growl
An animal makes a hostile and intimidating sound.
Two riders were approaching
Two people are moving closer to the scene.
And the wind began to howl
The artist sets the scene with atmospheric details that suggest something big is about to happen.
*buisness man there, drink my wine,
The joker is repeating a line from earlier in the song, emphasizing his anger and frustration with those who take what is his.
Come and take my herb
The joker challenges those who would take what is his and warns of the consequences of their actions.
Writer(s): Bob Dylan
Contributed by Reagan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.