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.
Lately
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With no vivid reason here to find
Yet the thought of losing you's been hanging
'round my mind
Far more frequently you're wearing perfume
With you say no special place to go
But when I ask will you be coming back soon
Well, I'm a man of many wishes
Hope my premonition misses
But what I really feel my eyes won't let me hide
‘Cause they always start to cry
‘Cause this time could mean goodbye
Lately I've been staring in the mirror
Very slowly picking me apart
Trying to tell myself I have no reason
with your heart
Just the other night while you were sleeping
I vaguely heard you whisper someone's name
But when I ask you of the thoughts your keeping
You just say nothing's changed
Well, I'm a man of many wishes
I hope my premonition misses
But what I really feel my eyes won't let me hide
‘Cause they always start to cry
‘Cause this time could mean goodbye, goodbye
Oh, I'm a man of many wishes
I hope my premonition misses
But what I really feel my eyes won't let me hide
‘Cause they always start to cry
‘Cause this time could mean goodbye
The song "Lately" by Various Artists conveys the emotions of a man who is uncertain about the status of his relationship with his partner. He admits having strange feelings he cannot explain. The thought of losing his partner is constantly on his mind, and the more he sees her wearing perfume frequently, the more he worries about the possibility of losing her. He asks if she will be coming back soon, but she never seems to know.
The lyrics also suggest that the man has been going through a lot of self-reflection, particularly after noticing changes in his partner's behavior towards him. A feeling of uncertainty and insecurity prevails as he tries to keep his fears from surfacing. He is hoping that his premonition will prove to be wrong, and he would not have to face a goodbye. Despite trying to hide his emotions, he cannot help but let his tears flow.
Overall, "Lately" is a poignant song about the vulnerability that comes with relationships, the fear of losing someone you love, and the power of premonitions in shaping emotions and decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately, I have had the strangest feeling
Recently, I have been experiencing an inexplicable sensation
With no vivid reason here to find
Even though there is no apparent cause for it
Yet the thought of losing you's been hanging
But the idea of losing you has been lingering
'round my mind
In my thoughts
Far more frequently you're wearing perfume
You have been wearing fragrance more often
With you say no special place to go
Even though you claim to have no particular destination
But when I ask will you be coming back soon
However, when I inquire whether you will return soon
You don't know, never know
You are uncertain and provide no concrete answer
Well, I'm a man of many wishes
I have numerous desires
Hope my premonition misses
I hope my intuition is wrong
But what I really feel my eyes won't let me hide
But my feelings are so strong that I cannot conceal them
‘Cause they always start to cry
So much so that tears start to flow involuntarily
‘Cause this time could mean goodbye
Because this moment has the potential to be a farewell
Lately I've been staring in the mirror
Recently, I have been gazing at myself in the mirror
Very slowly picking me apart
Analyzing myself slowly and meticulously
Trying to tell myself I have no reason
Attempting to convince myself that there is no cause for concern
with your heart
When it comes to your feelings
Just the other night while you were sleeping
The other night, while you were asleep
I vaguely heard you whisper someone's name
I barely heard you say someone's name under your breath
But when I ask you of the thoughts your keeping
But when I inquire about what's on your mind
You just say nothing's changed
You simply respond that everything is the same
Oh, I'm a man of many wishes
Oh, I have many desires
I hope my premonition misses
I pray that my intuition is incorrect
But what I really feel my eyes won't let me hide
But what I truly sense, my eyes give away
‘Cause they always start to cry
As tears consistently fill my eyes
‘Cause this time could mean goodbye, goodbye
Because this instance could signify a permanent farewell
Contributed by Callie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.