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.
Dreams
Various Artists Lyrics
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over every town
up and down the line
I\'ll die in the clouds above
and you that I defend
I do not love
I wake up it\'s a bad dream
No one on my side
But I just feel too tired
to be fighting
guess I\'m not the fighting kind
Where will I meet my fate
Baby I\'m a man
I was born to hate
And when will I meet my end
In a better time
you could be my friend
I wake up it\'s a bad dream
No one on my side
I was fighting
But I just feel too tired
to be fighting
guess I\'m not the fighting kind
Wouldn\'t mind it
if you were by my side
But you\'re long gone
yeah you\'re long gone now yeah
Where do we go
I don\'t even know
My strange old face
And I\'m thinking about
those days
And I\'m thinking about
those days
I wake up it\'s a bad dream
No one on my side
I was fighting
But I just feel too tired
to be fighting
guess I\'m not the fighting kind
Wouldn\'t mind it
if you were by my side
But you\'re long gone
yeah you\'re long gone now yeah
The lyrics to Various Artists' song "Bad Dream" describe the feeling of being lost, tired, and defeated. The singer talks about flying over every town, up and down the line, without any sense of direction or purpose. He realizes that there is no one on his side and he is fighting alone. He questions the point of fighting if it only leads to exhaustion and wonders if he is even cut out for it. The singer confesses that he was born to hate but wishes for a better time when he could have friends. He thinks of a past lover who is now long gone and wishes for their company. The lyrics end with the singer's uncertainty about where he is going and a longing for the past.
Overall, "Bad Dream" is a song about feeling lost, defeated, and alone. It could be interpreted as a metaphor for life, where we often feel like we're flying aimlessly without any sense of direction or purpose. The singer's longing for the past and desire for companionship also speaks to the human need for connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do I have to fly
The singer questions why they must constantly travel and never stay in one place for long.
over every town
The singer has been to many different places, and sporadically travels to different towns.
up and down the line
The singer travels in a straight line, up and down, through different locations.
I'll die in the clouds above
The singer may never get to settle down, and might die while still traveling amidst the clouds.
and you that I defend
The singer speaks to someone they defend, but do not love.
I do not love
Despite their loyalty, the singer does not have feelings of romantic love for the person they defend.
I wake up it's a bad dream
The singer has dreams that leave them feeling disturbed.
No one on my side
The singer feels like they are alone in their battles and no one is there to support them.
I was fighting
The singer was in the midst of a conflict.
But I just feel too tired
The singer is worn out by the conflict and feels too exhausted to continue fighting.
to be fighting
The singer realizes that they are not cut out for prolonged confrontation.
guess I'm not the fighting kind
The singer concludes that they are not a natural fighter.
Where will I meet my fate
The singer ponders where they will eventually die or meet their end.
Baby I'm a man
The singer acknowledges that they are an adult man.
I was born to hate
The singer feels like they were born with a predilection to despise things.
And when will I meet my end
The singer wonders when they will meet their demise or death.
In a better time
The singer wishes for things to improve and for a more peaceful time to arise.
you could be my friend
The singer speaks to someone, hoping that they could have been friends if things were different.
Wouldn't mind it
The singer expresses that they would not object to a particular scenario.
if you were by my side
The singer wishes for the presence of someone they miss.
But you're long gone
The person the singer misses is no longer present.
yeah you're long gone now yeah
The singer recognizes that the person they miss is not able to be with them in the present moment.
Where do we go
The singer is unsure about the future and where they will ultimately end up.
I don't even know
The singer is uncertain about what the future holds or where they will end up.
My strange old face
The singer reflects on their aging face, which appears unfamiliar to them.
And I'm thinking about those days
The singer fondly recalls past memories and experiences.
The song features an instrumental interlude.
Wouldn't mind it
The singer reiterates their previous statement regarding not objecting to a particular scenario.
if you were by my side
The singer expresses their desire for the presence of the person they miss.
But you're long gone
The person the singer misses is no longer present.
yeah you're long gone now yeah
The singer recognizes that the person they miss is not able to be with them in the present moment.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind