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.
Going To California
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind to make a new start
Going to California with an aching in my heart
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let them tell you that they're all the same
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
As the children of the sun began to awake
Seems that the wrath of the Gods
Got a punch on the nose and it started to flowI think I might be sinking
Throw me a line if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path
Runs straight and high
To find a queen without a king
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Trying to find a woman who's never, never, never been born
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
The song "Going to California" by Various Artists is a haunting and introspective piece about a man who has made the decision to leave everything behind and start fresh in California. The opening verses speak to the pain and disappointment that he has experienced in his life thus far, as he has spent his days with a woman who is unkind to him and has used up all of his resources. He has made the choice to leave this woman behind and embark on a new journey, one that he hopes will lead him to a brighter future.
As the song progresses, we hear about the man's journey to California and the obstacles that he encounters along the way. He is filled with anxiety about what the future holds, but he is also hopeful that he will find love and happiness in this new place. The lyric "someone told me there's a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair" speaks to his desire to find someone who will accept him and love him for who he is.
The final verses of the song speak to the man's belief that he can find a better life in California. He speaks of riding a white mare in the footsteps of dawn, trying to find a woman who has never been born. The final lines are perhaps the most inspiring, as he stands on a hill in his mountain of dreams, telling himself that the journey ahead won't be as hard as it seems.
Overall, "Going to California" is a song about hope, perseverance, and the belief that we can always start anew. It's a message that has resonated with people for generations, and it continues to inspire and uplift those who are searching for a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
Spent my days with a woman unkind
I wasted my time with a cold-hearted woman who didn't treat me well
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
I indulged in drugs and alcohol to escape my pain
Made up my mind to make a new start
I decided to leave my old life behind and start over
Going to California with an aching in my heart
I'm headed to California with a heavy feeling of sadness and longing
Someone told me there's a girl out there
I heard there's a woman in California worth pursuing
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
She's a beautiful, free-spirited woman who exudes love and joy
Took my chances on a big jet plane
I risked it all by flying to California to chase my dreams
Never let them tell you that they're all the same
Don't let anyone convince you that every opportunity is identical
The sea was red and the sky was grey
The world appeared surreal and ominous
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today
I struggled to imagine how my future could ever be brighter than my present
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake, As the children of the sun began to awake
Nature seemed to come alive as the warm sun rose over the California landscape
Seems that the wrath of the Gods, Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow
Even the mighty forces of the universe can be subdued, just like me
I think I might be sinking, Throw me a line if I reach it in time
I'm struggling to stay afloat on my own, I hope someone can help me before it's too late
I'll meet you up there where the path, Runs straight and high
Let's meet at the top of our individual paths, where we've achieved our goals and ambitions
To find a queen without a king
I'm searching for a partner who doesn't need me to complete her
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings
Rumors about the woman I'm seeking suggest she is artistic, emotional, and expressive
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
I will embark on a kind of pilgrimage, riding a majestic white horse, as the sun rises
Trying to find a woman who's never, never, never been born
I'm seeking a woman who is unspoiled by life's hardships, who is pure and innocent
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams
I'm perched on a mountaintop, surveying the dreams and aspirations that motivate me
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
I'm trying to encourage myself that my goals are achievable, that life isn't as difficult as it seems
Writer(s): Robert Plant, James Patrick
Contributed by Noah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.