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.
Last Christmas
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
I keep my distance
But you still catch my eye
Tell me baby
Do you recognize me?
Well
It's been a year
It doesn't surprise me
I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying "I love you"
I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now
I know you'd fool me again
[Chorus:]
A crowded room
Friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you
And your soul of ice
My god I thought you were
Someone to rely on
Me?
I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover but you tore me apart
Now I've found a real love you'll never fool me again
[Chorus 2x]
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover buy you tore him apart
Maybe next year I'll give it to someone
I'll give it to someone special.
The lyrics of "Last Christmas" are about a person who gave their heart to someone they loved last Christmas, and the next day that person gave it away to someone else. This year, the singer is determined to give their heart to someone who is special and worthy of their love, to avoid being hurt again. However, as the song progresses, the singer realizes how foolish they were to believe that the person they gave their heart to last year truly cared about them. They are now hiding from this person, who they once thought they could rely on, but who treated them badly. The verse "A face on a lover with a fire in his heart, A man under cover but you tore me apart" suggests that the person they loved had a lot of passion and desire, but they were not what they appeared to be.
The chorus repeats the idea that last Christmas the singer gave their heart away and it was not appreciated, but that this year they will give it to someone special. The line "To save me from tears" reflects the singer's desire to avoid being hurt, as well as perhaps referencing the well-known Christmas poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", which contains the phrase "not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, / The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, / In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. / The children were nestled all snug in their beds, / While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; / And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, / Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap, / When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, / I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter./ Away to the window I flew like a flash, / Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash." Overall, the song is about the pain of loving someone who does not love you back and the hope of finding someone who truly appreciates you.
Line by Line Meaning
Last Christmas
Referring to the recent holiday season
I gave you my heart
I gave you all of my love and affection
But the very next day you gave it away
You quickly disregarded and dismissed my love
This year
In this year's holiday season
To save me from tears
To prevent me from feeling sorrowful or upset
I'll give it to someone special
I will give my love to someone who truly deserves it
Once bitten and twice shy
After being hurt before, I am wary of letting myself be vulnerable again
I keep my distance
I maintain my personal space and do not get too close
But you still catch my eye
I am unable to completely ignore you
Tell me baby
Expressing a desire for communication and understanding
Do you recognize me?
Asking if you remember me
Well
Continuing the conversation
It's been a year
Referring to the time since our last interaction
It doesn't surprise me
I am not shocked by the lack of recognition or reconciliation
I wrapped it up and sent it
I packaged my love and sent it to you
With a note saying 'I love you'
Accompanying my love package with a declaration of love
I meant it
My feelings of love were sincere
Now I know what a fool I've been
Realizing that I allowed myself to be taken advantage of
But if you kissed me now
Despite everything, I am still attracted to you
I know you'd fool me again
Acknowledging the possibility of being deceived by you again
A crowded room
Being in a space full of people
Friends with tired eyes
Surrounded by friends who are worn out or uninterested
I'm hiding from you
Avoiding direct contact with you
And your soul of ice
Describing your cold and unfeeling nature
My god I thought you were
Expressing disappointment and disbelief
Someone to rely on
Someone who could be trusted and depended on
Me?
Questioning my own judgment
I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
Realizing that I was only there to comfort you
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
Describing a passionate and committed lover
A man under cover but you tore me apart
A man who was pretending or hiding his true intentions, but you ruined him emotionally
Now I've found a real love you'll never fool me again
The singer has moved on and found someone who truly loves and respects them
Maybe next year I'll give it to someone
There is hope for the future and the possibility of finding someone who deserves their love
I'll give it to someone special.
Reaffirming the decision to give their love to someone who is deserving
Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@backstreetboys
Thank you all for the love on this record!! It’s so special to finally have a holiday album out in the world. 🎄❤️ Listen to it here this holiday season https://backstreetboys.lnk.to/ChristmasAlbumWE
@aiDii6
Thank you for making such an amazing album❤
@iyannamcelrath5478
The album is so amazing and I love it ❤️❤️
@araceliramirez1528
Wow love It
@chumbequita_13
Thank you for being here after all this time... los admiro, y los seguiré por siempre... GRACIAS BSB ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
@pattsalinas9367
I love it!! And merry christmas for you 😍😍🌲
@ProfatyloValeria
Touching! Merry Christmas!🎶🎧❄️⛄
@user-ze1rr1xf9f
Oh my god, can't believe that their voice still so pure just like 30 years ago. Love them ❤
@TitiAnita7
Best version I've heard, yet. Love that they are putting Howie and Kevin in more. Great Talents under used before.
@gustavohenr1108
Concordo com você 🎉