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.
Karma Chameleon
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I listen to your lies,
Would you say I'm a man without conviction,
I'm a man who doesn't know
How to sell a contradiction?
You come and go, you come and go.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon,
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams:
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green.
Didn't you hear your wicked words ever'y day.
And you used to be so sweet.
I heard you say that my love was an addiction.
When we cling, our love is strong.
When you go, you're gone forever.
You string along, you string along.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon,
You come and go, you come and go.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams:
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green.
Ev'ry day is like survival.
You're my lover, not my rival.
Ev'ry day is like survival.
You're my lover, not my rival.
I'm a man without conviction
I'm a man who doesn't know
How to sale a contradiction?
You come and go, you come and go.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon,
You come and go, you come and go.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams:
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon,
You come and go, you come and go.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams:
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green.
The lyrics of Karma Chameleon by Various Artists highlight the predicament of a man who is torn between his love and mistrust for his partner. He describes his partner as someone who is dishonest and unpredictable in their emotions and actions, making it difficult for him to have a stable relationship. He questions his own ability to trust his partner and wonders if he has the conviction to sell a contradiction, suggesting that he is not confident in his own views or beliefs. The chorus, "Karma, Karma, Karma, Karma, Karma, Chameleon. You come and go, you come and go," emphasizes the transient nature of his relationship and how his partner's inconsistencies are frustrating and confusing him.
The song's title "Karma Chameleon" refers to the idea of karma, a concept common in Indian and Buddhist philosophy. It suggests that one's actions and deeds in this life will affect their fate in the next life. The chameleon symbolizes the changeability of the singer's partner, who changes colors (moods) frequently like a chameleon, creating difficulty for him to keep up with her whims and fancies.
Line by Line Meaning
Dessert loving in your eyes all the way.
I can see the sweetness and indulgence in your eyes.
If I listen to your lies,
If I believe the deception you're telling me,
Would you say I'm a man without conviction,
Would you claim that I lack strong beliefs or moral principles,
I'm a man who doesn't know
I'm unsure or unaware of
How to sell a contradiction?
How to persuade someone of opposing ideas or beliefs?
You come and go, you come and go.
You are inconsistent and unreliable.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon,
The idea of karma - the consequences of our actions - is like a changing chameleon.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams:
If your character and personality were in line with what I desire, love would be effortless.
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green.
These colors are symbolic of passion, wealth, and growth which are traits he desires in a partner.
Didn't you hear your wicked words ever'y day.
You say harmful things all the time, don't you realize this?
And you used to be so sweet.
You weren't always this cruel or unkind.
I heard you say that my love was an addiction.
You accused me of being unable to live without you, implying that our love is unhealthy.
When we cling, our love is strong.
When we are together and committed, our love is powerful.
When you go, you're gone forever.
When you abandon me, it's permanent - you never come back.
You string along, you string along.
You lead me on and pretend to be interested even when you're not.
Ev'ry day is like survival.
Every day feels like a struggle just to make it through.
You're my lover, not my rival.
We should be on the same team and not competing against each other.
I'm a man without conviction
I lack a strong belief system or moral code.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma, chameleon,
The idea of karma is constantly changing and evolving.
You come and go, you come and go.
You are inconsistent and unpredictable.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams:
If your personality and values aligned with mine, love would not be a struggle.
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green.
These colors symbolize the traits and values he desires in a partner - passion, wealth, growth.
Writer(s): Jonathan Aubrey Moss, Michael Emile Craig, Philip Stuart Pickett, George Alan O'dowd, Roy Ernest Hay, Culture Club
Contributed by Jordan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.