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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.

Fly
Various Artists Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fly, black raven, fly
Lift your wings to the sky
I'm certain that I saw
Saw that look in your eye

Stole her golden crown
That she left on the ground
You took what you had found

Without making a sound

Watched him in the dark
While he tore her apart
Where all the villagers lived
And no travellers passed

You can't speak your mind
So you left her behind
You flew out of your tree
And over the sea

You stole her golden crown
That she left on the ground
You took what you had found
Without making a sound

Watched him in the dark
While he tore her apart
Where all the villagers lived
And no travellers passed

2x]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Fly" by Various Artists are poetic and layered with imagery. The song starts with the command "Fly, black raven, fly" which immediately sets the tone for the song. The raven is an ancient symbol of death and transformation, and it is often seen as a messenger between the living and the dead. As the listener, we are being asked to follow the raven as it takes flight, lifting its wings to the sky.

The second line of the song, "I'm certain that I saw, saw that look in your eye", is intriguing because it suggests that the raven has a secret knowledge. The phrase "that look in your eye" is often used to convey a sense of knowing or understanding that is not spoken aloud. It could be interpreted as the raven having seen something that the humans in the song are not aware of.

The chorus of the song is repeated twice, and it describes the raven stealing a golden crown that was left on the ground. The Crown is an important symbol of power and royalty, and by taking it without making a sound, the raven is subverting the traditional power structure. The fact that the crown was left on the ground also suggests that the previous owner has been overthrown or abandoned.

The second verse of the song introduces a villainous character who is "tearing her apart" in the dark. The location of the incident is "where all the villagers lived and no travelers passed". This adds to the mysterious and isolated feeling of the song. It is also interesting that the gender of the victim is not specified, leaving it up to interpretation.

Overall, the lyrics of "Fly" by Various Artists are poetic and layered with symbolism. The raven is a mysterious and powerful figure who is clearly central to the story being told. The theme of power struggles and subversion is woven throughout the song, and the tone is imbued with a sense of mystery and darkness.

Line by Line Meaning

Fly, black raven, fly
Take off and soar, black bird, take off and soar

Lift your wings to the sky
Spread your wings and fly high into the sky

I'm certain that I saw
I am entirely sure that I caught a glimpse

Saw that look in your eye
I perceived that particular look in your gaze

Stole her golden crown
Took her treasured adornment without permission

That she left on the ground
Which she left discarded on the earth

You took what you had found
You made away with what you discovered

Without making a sound
In utter silence and stealthily

Watched him in the dark
Observed him in the shadows

While he tore her apart
As he viciously destroyed her

Where all the villagers lived
In the vicinity where the townspeople dwell