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.
Birds
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clouds have taken all the light
I have no control it seems my
Thoughts wander off
Of the time when I tried to
Live life without you
Out of the sky like raindrops
No air, no pride
If being myself is what I do wrong
Then I would rather not be right
Hopes turn into fear and with my
One wing I can't fly
With sunrise embrace my
Dreams tight and that's why
Birds falling down the rooftops
Out of the sky like raindrops
No air, no pride
Birds
To a place without fear, with no moonlight
All I need are trees and flowers and some sunlight
Where memories are being made and where the old one dies
Where love ain't lies
Birds falling down the rooftops
Out of the sky like raindrops
Birds falling down the rooftops
Out of the sky like raindrops
No air, no pride
That's why birds don't fly
"Birds" by Various Artists is a poignant song that talks about the feeling of isolation and losing control over one's thoughts. The lyrics suggest that the singer is struggling to come to terms with living life without someone they care about. The first verse sets the mood as the singer talks about being cut off from the outside world with no light and feeling helpless as their thoughts wander off. The chorus then comes in, painting a bleak picture of birds falling down from the rooftops like raindrops, indicating despair and hopelessness.
Moving on, the second verse reveals an interesting twist where the singer says, "If being myself is what I do wrong, then I would rather not be right". This indicates that the singer is aware that they may not have been themselves while they were with the person they lost, but they would rather stay true to themselves and be alone than change their identity. The third verse is a beautiful depiction of the singer's escape into a fantasy world where they flee to a place where there is no fear and where love is genuine. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, reminding the listener of the hopelessness and despair that prevails in the world of the singer.
Overall, "Birds" is a melancholic song that beautifully captures the feeling of isolation and despair. It is a poignant reminder of the power of lyrics to convey deep emotions effectively.
Line by Line Meaning
Isolated from the outside
Alone and cut off from the world
Clouds have taken all the light
The darkness makes it difficult to see
I have no control it seems my Thoughts wander off
My mind drifts without direction
Of the time when I tried to Live life without you
When I attempted to exist without your presence
Birds falling down the rooftops Out of the sky like raindrops No air, no pride
Seeing birds plummet to the ground with no dignity, suffocating in thin air
If being myself is what I do wrong Then I would rather not be right
If being true to myself is considered wrong, I'd rather be wrong than fake
Hopes turn into fear and with my One wing I can't fly
My dreams become nightmares and my shortcomings hinder my abilities
With sunrise embrace my Dreams tight and that's why
Holding on to my aspirations and cherishing them as the day begins
To a place without fear, with no moonlight All I need are trees and flowers and some sunlight Where memories are being made and where the old one dies Where love ain't lies
A utopia without fear, but with a simple beauty, where authentic emotions are felt and true love exists
That's why birds don't fly
Misfortune can leave us grounded, unable to soar
Writer(s): Randi Ingerman, Vittorio Garino, Simone Bresciani, Efrem Sagrada
Contributed by Cole G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.