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.
Continental
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and the town was so high
we could never come down
when rules did not apply
we would drink fountains dry
in a club filled with sound
and bands would play to please me
you found a partner easy
only game in town
thw nights would end at 6am
we'd sleep all day and then start dancing again the first to see the end
we did the continental American
All our clothes are from France
and some soul train taught us to dance we've got smoke in our eyes
friends are lost and found
we were paradises bound
some got lost nobody cried
The lyrics of "Continental" by Various Artists capture a nostalgic reflection on a time of freedom and wildness. The song's narrator transports us to a time when the town seemed to be soaring high and everything was possible. This was a time when the rules did not apply, and drinking fountains dry was just one of the many adventures on the agenda. The town's club scene was alive with the sound of music, and the bands played to please the crowd who had come to celebrate life to the fullest. Finding a partner was easy, and the name game was the only game in town. Nights went on until 6 am, and the dancers would only rest during the day, ready to start dancing again as soon as the party resumed. This was a time when the Continental American was the dance of choice, and clothes from France were all the rage.
"Continental" speaks about a time of friendship, hedonism, and lost innocence. The singer notes that they were "paradises bound" and that despite some getting lost, nobody cried. Life then seemed to be a never-ending party where everyone was welcome, and nobody got left behind. However, despite the sense of freedom, the song hints at a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia for something that is long gone. The friends who were once part of this epic journey have now been lost along the way, and the smoke in their eyes is a symbol of the haze that this memory now conjures up.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there was a time
There was a particular time in the past
and the town was so high
The town was in a very good state or position
we could never come down
Things were so good that it felt like it would last forever
when rules did not apply
There were no strict guidelines that had to be followed
we would drink fountains dry
The fun was endless and we would take advantage of everything available
in a club filled with sound
There was lively music playing in the club
and bands would play to please me
The bands were there to entertain and make the experience enjoyable
you found a partner easy
It was easy to find someone to spend time with
and the name game was the
The name game was the only thing people focused on
only game in town
It was the only activity people engaged in
the nights would end at 6am
The nights were long and full of excitement
we'd sleep all day and then start dancing again the first to see the end
After a long night, we would sleep during the day, and then start dancing again. We were the first to see the end of the party
we did the continental American
We danced the 'Continental' a popular dance in America
All our clothes are from France
We wore clothes imported from France
and some soul train taught us to dance
We learned how to dance from the popular TV show 'Soul Train'
we've got smoke in our eyes
We were partying so hard that the smoke from the venue was in our eyes
friends are lost and found
People made new friends and lost others while partying
we were paradises bound
We were in a state of ecstasy and bliss
some got lost nobody cried
Some people got lost or maybe weren't there anymore, but nobody cried as the party continued
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.