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.
Knock On Wood
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to lose this good thing
That I got 'cause if I do, I will surely, surely lose a lot
But your love is better than any love I've known
It's like thunder, lightning, the way you love me is frightening
You better knock, on wood, baby
I got me spinnin' baby, baby I'm in a trance
'Cause your love is better than any love I've known.
It's like thunder, lightning, the way you love me is frightening
You better knock, on wood, baby
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
There's no secret about it, he feels my love may come
He sees to it that I get enough
Just one touch all over, you know it means so much
It's like thunder, lightning, the way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock, knock, knock, knock
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
You better knock, knock, knock on wood
I think you better knock, knock, knock on wood
Baby, you better knock, knock, knock on wood
The lyrics to "Knock on Wood" are about the fear of losing a good love. The singer is so in love that they are afraid of losing it because it’s better than any love they’ve ever known. They describe the intensity of the love as thunder and lightning, and that the way they love is frightening. The singer is not superstitious but still believes in knocking on wood, as if to ward off any potential bad luck that could come their way. The intensity of the love is described in the second verse where the singer describes how even just one touch means so much. The song ends with the repeated chorus urging their lover to knock on wood.
The lyrics imply that the singer has had bad experiences with love in the past and doesn't want to repeat them. The superstition of knocking on wood suggests that the singer is cautious and doesn't want to jinx the relationship. The thunder and lightning metaphor suggests that the intensity of the love is passionate and overwhelming to the point of being dangerous. It is a classic song about the power and unpredictability of love and how we often feel helpless to control it.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on!
The singer is urging the listener to act
I don't want to lose this good thing
The singer values their relationship and does not want to lose it
That I got 'cause if I do, I will surely, surely lose a lot
The singer believes that losing the relationship would lead to significant loss
But your love is better than any love I've known
The singer believes their current relationship is superior to any previously experienced
It's like thunder, lightning, the way you love me is frightening
The singer feels intense emotions from their partner's love
You better knock, on wood, baby
The singer wants their partner to continue loving them as they do now
I'm not superstitious about ya but I can't take no chance
The singer is not typically superstitious but does not want to risk losing their relationship
I got me spinnin' baby, baby I'm in a trance
The singer is madly infatuated with their partner
'Cause your love is better than any love I've known.
The singer reiterates the superior quality of their current relationship
You better knock, on wood, baby
The singer repeats their desire for their partner to keep loving them
There's no secret about it, he feels my love may come
The singer openly expresses their affection for their partner
He sees to it that I get enough
The singer's partner is attentive to their needs
Just one touch all over, you know it means so much
The singer is highly sensitive to their partner's physical touch
You better knock, knock, knock, knock, knock
This repetition highlights the importance of the partner's continued affection
Baby, you better knock, knock, knock on wood
The singer implores their partner to express their love continuously
Contributed by Levi W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.