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.
Butterfly
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
und ich ging ohne Ziel vor mich hin
wie im Traum, da sah ich dich am Wege so allein
wie ein Schmetterling im Sonnenschein
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Butterfly, my butterfly
Jedes Wort von dir klang wie Musik
und so tief wie die See war das Glück
eine Welt voller Posie, die Zeit blieb für uns steh'n
doch der Abschied kam, ich musste geh'n
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Butterfly, my butterfly
wann werd ich dich wiedersehn'n?
Es ist still, nur der Wind singt sein Lied
und ich seh wie ein Vogel dort zieht
er fliegt hoch, hoch über'm Meer ins Sonnenlicht hinein
gerne möcht' ich sein Begleiter sein
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Butterfly, my butterfly
wann werd ich dich wiedersehn'n?
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Butterfly (my butterfly), my butterfly (my butterfly)
wann werd ich dich wiedersehn'n?
Butterfly (my butterfly), my butterfly (my butterfly)
jeder Tag (jeder Tag) mit dir war schön (mit dir war schön)
Butterfly, my butterfly
wann werd ich dich wiederseh'n?
In "Butterfly," Various Artists sings about a chance encounter with someone special. The first verse depicts the singer aimlessly wandering through a field of white jasmine, only to come across a person standing alone by the side of the road. The second verse portrays the deep connection the two feel, with the other person's words sounding like music and their happiness like an expansive sea. The singer and their companion share a world full of poetry and time seemingly stands still, until the inevitable goodbye.
The chorus repeats the title, "Butterfly," linking it to the person the singer has just met. Each day spent with them was beautiful and the singer longs to see them again, asking the question, "when will I see you again?" The song's final verse features the singer watching a bird fly off into the sun, wishing they could be its companion. The song's overall message is one of fleeting moments of beauty and companionship, with the singer lamenting the fact that they have to leave the person behind after such a short time.
Line by Line Meaning
Auf dem Feld blühte weiß der Jasmin
The white jasmine was blooming in the field
und ich ging ohne Ziel vor mich hin
I walked aimlessly without a purpose
wie im Traum, da sah ich dich am Wege so allein
As if in a dream, I saw you alone on the path
wie ein Schmetterling im Sonnenschein
Like a butterfly in the sunshine
Butterfly, my butterfly
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Every day with you was beautiful
Butterfly, my butterfly
Butterfly, my butterfly
wann werd ich dich wiedersehn'n?
When will I see you again?
Jedes Wort von dir klang wie Musik
Every word from you sounded like music
und so tief wie die See war das Glück
And the happiness was as deep as the sea
eine Welt voller Posie, die Zeit blieb für uns steh'n
A world full of poetry, time stood still for us
doch der Abschied kam, ich musste geh'n
But the farewell came, I had to leave
Es ist still, nur der Wind singt sein Lied
It is quiet, only the wind sings its song
und ich seh wie ein Vogel dort zieht
And I see a bird flying there
er fliegt hoch, hoch über'm Meer ins Sonnenlicht hinein
It flies high, high above the sea, into the sunlight
gerne möcht' ich sein Begleiter sein
I would like to be its companion
Butterfly, my butterfly
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Every day with you was beautiful
Butterfly, my butterfly
Butterfly, my butterfly
wann werd ich dich wiedersehn'n?
When will I see you again?
Butterfly, my butterfly
Butterfly, my butterfly
jeder Tag mit dir war schön
Every day with you was beautiful
Butterfly, my butterfly
Butterfly, my butterfly
wann werd ich dich wiederseh'n?
When will I see you again?
Writer(s): Howard Paul Donald, Jason Thomas Orange, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, John M. Shanks
Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.