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.
Begin Again
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He didn't like it when I wore high heels
But I do
Turn the lock and put my headphones on
He always said he didn't get this song
But I do, I do
Walked in expecting you'd be late
I walk to you
You pull my chair out and help me in
And you don't know how nice that is
But I do
And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
You said you never met one girl
Who had as many James Taylor records as you
But I do
We tell stories and you don't know why
I'm coming off a little shy
But I do
But you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
And we walked down the block to my car and I almost brought him up
But you start to talk about the movies that your family
Watches
Every single Christmas and I want to talk about that
And for the first time what's past is past
'Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
The song "Begin Again" by Various Artists is a story of a woman who is starting over in love after a heartbreak in a previous relationship. The first verse sets the tone of the song, as the woman is getting ready to meet someone new. She takes a deep breath in the mirror to prepare herself for the date. She also mentions that her previous partner did not like it when she wore high heels, but she does anyway. This indicates that she is now being herself and not changing who she is for anyone else. As she heads out, she puts on headphones to listen to a song that her previous partner did not understand. This symbolizes that she is now free to enjoy the things she likes without having to explain herself to anyone.
The chorus is the defining moment of the song as it tells the story of how the woman meets someone new on a Wednesday in a cafe. She had been thinking that all love does is break and burn and end. But, this chance encounter awakens her hope as she sees the possibility of beginning again. The woman and her new partner are laughing together, and he finds her funny, which is something that her previous partner did not. They bond over their shared love of James Taylor records, and she opens up more to him.
The final verse shows that the woman is moving on from the past and not dwelling on what happened in her previous relationship. When she starts to bring up her ex, her new partner changes the subject to one that they both enjoy. This shows that he is attentive to her needs and cares about her feelings. The song ends with the woman feeling hopeful and experiencing a new beginning in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Took a deep breath in the mirror
I stood in front of the mirror and took a deep breath in, preparing myself for what lay ahead.
He didn't like it when I wore high heels
He disapproved of me wearing high heels, but I decided to wear them anyway.
But I do
Despite his disapproval, I wore high heels because that's what I wanted to do.
Turn the lock and put my headphones on
I locked the door and put on my headphones, shutting out the world around me.
He always said he didn't get this song
He never understood this particular song, but I did.
But I do, I do
I understood the song that he didn't, and it brought me joy.
Walked in expecting you'd be late
I anticipated that you would be tardy in arriving.
But you got here early and you stand and wave
To my surprise, you arrived early and greeted me with a wave.
I walk to you
I approached you, feeling drawn to you.
You pull my chair out and help me in
You kindly pulled out my chair and assisted me in sitting down.
And you don't know how nice that is
You may not realize it, but your gentlemanly actions mean a lot to me.
But I do
I appreciate your kindness and chivalry.
And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
You let out a carefree laugh, reminiscent of a child's happiness.
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I find it odd that you find me humorous, considering he never found me amusing.
I've been spending the last eight months
For the past eight months, I've been consumed by thoughts of love and its painful end.
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
I believed that love only leads to heartbreak and destruction.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
However, on a seemingly ordinary day in a cafe, I witnessed the start of a new chapter of love.
You said you never met one girl
You mentioned that you had never met a girl before who shared your love for James Taylor's music.
Who had as many James Taylor records as you
You were impressed that I had as many James Taylor records as you, indicating our shared love for music.
But I do
I too had a deep appreciation for James Taylor's music and felt a connection with you through it.
We tell stories and you don't know why
We shared stories with each other, and you were unsure of why I seemed hesitant or shy in doing so.
I'm coming off a little shy
I was feeling somewhat bashful and uncertain around you.
But you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
Despite my shyness, you laughed freely and with joy, making me feel at ease.
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
I still find it surprising that you find me humorous, since he had never appreciated that aspect of me.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
Yet, that day in the cafe marked the beginning of something new and hopeful between us.
And we walked down the block to my car and I almost brought him up
As we strolled to my car, I almost mentioned my past love to you.
But you start to talk about the movies that your family watches every single Christmas and I want to talk about that
However, you began chatting about your family's Christmas movie traditions, and I found that to be a much more appealing topic.
And for the first time what's past is past
For the first time, I was able to let go of my past and focus on the present moment with you.
'Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid
Your carefree laughter made me feel light-hearted and happy, like a child again.
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did
Even though he never appreciated my humor, I was glad that you found me amusing.
I've been spending the last eight months
Despite my past heartbreak, I had been thinking a lot about love lately.
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
I had been stuck thinking that love only leads to pain and suffering.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again
But on that particular Wednesday, in that particular cafe, I saw that love could also bring new beginnings and hope.
Writer(s): Michael Diskint, Philip Martin Lawrence Ii, David Nathan
Contributed by Isabella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.