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.
Ashes To Ashes
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In such an early song?
I've heard a rumor from Ground Control
Oh no, don′t say it's true
They got a message from the Action Man
"I'm happy, hope you′re happy too
I′ve loved all I've needed, love
Sordid details following"
Pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain′t got no money and I ain't got no hair
But I′m hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom′s a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
Time and again I tell myself
I'll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I′m stuck with a valuable friend
"I′m happy, hope you're happy too"
One flash of light but no smoking pistol
I never done good things (I never done good things)
I never done bad things (I never done bad things)
I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom′s a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
My mother said, to get things done
You′d better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You′d better not mess with Major Tom
My mother said, to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
The song Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie is a continuation of the story of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut whom Bowie introduced in his 1969 hit Space Oddity. In Ashes to Ashes, the singer is troubled by drug addiction and is going through a difficult phase in his life. The song is a commentary on the state of culture and society in the early 1980s, with Bowie lamenting the loss of innocence and the rise of consumerism and materialism.
The first verse of the song references an early Bowie song about a man who is believed to have passed away. The rumor from Ground Control about Major Tom's drug addiction is causing distress. The "Action Man" mentioned in the lyrics is a reference to a 1960s British toy representing a soldier or military service member. The following line, "I've loved all I've needed, love," reflects the singer's belief that his addiction is a response to a lack of love and meaning in his life.
Bowie's use of the phrase "Jap girls" in the lyrics has been criticized as derogatory and offensive. However, at the time of the song's release, the phrase was commonly used in the UK as slang for any person of East Asian descent. The reference to "little green wheels" is a metaphor for the singer's paranoia and delusions, which are common symptoms of drug addiction.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the cyclical nature of life, the tragic consequences of drug addiction, and the corrupting influence of society. It is one of Bowie's most iconic works, and its legacy continues to influence countless artists to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember a guy that's been
In such an early song?
Do you recall that person who was mentioned in a song that was released early on in your life?
I've heard a rumor from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true
I have learned a piece of information from a space station, and I hope it's not true.
They got a message from the Action Man
'I'm happy, hope you're happy too'
I've loved all I've needed, love
Sordid details following
The agents of the government received a transmission from a person known as the Action Man. The message was optimistic, but additional information reveals the details of the man's private life.
The shrieking of nothing is killing, just
Pictures of Jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair
But I'm hoping to kick but the planet it's glowing
The absence of any sound is deadly. I observe images of Japanese women blended with technology, but I lack any wealth or locks. Nevertheless, I hope to succeed as the world shines with energy.
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
Everything is temporary, from life to death, and we understand that Major Tom is addicted to drugs. He is currently at the highest point of his life but is quickly falling to his lowest.
Time and again I tell myself
I'll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
Repeatedly, I convince myself that I will avoid drugs for the night, but the vivid hallucinations induce temptation, causing me to panic.
I'm stuck with a valuable friend
'I'm happy, hope you're happy too'
One flash of light but no smoking pistol
Despite being in the company of someone valuable, their transmission is still as optimistic as before but is followed by a short, bright light with no signs of danger.
I never done good things (I never done good things)
I never done bad things (I never done bad things)
I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh
I have never done anything of note, neither good nor bad, and life has always remained predictable.
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now
I seek an icebreaker for conversation and desire to leave this place immediately.
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
My mother instructed me to avoid interfering with Major Tom if I want to prioritize my tasks.
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
Once again, my mother warned me to avoid getting involved with Major Tom.
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
Again, my mother cautioned me against engaging with Major Tom if I want to be productive.
My mother said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
For the fourth time, my mother emphasized the importance of avoiding Major Tom if I want to accomplish my goals.
Writer(s): David Bowie
Contributed by Colton O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.