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.
Mack The Knife
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he shows them pearly white
Just a jack knife has Macheath, dear
And he keeps it out of sight
When the shark bites with his teeth, dear
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves though wears Macheath, dear
On the sidewalk Sunday morning
Lies a body oozing life
Someone's sneaking round the corner
Is this someone Mack the Knife?
From a tug boat by the river
A cement bag's drooping down
Yeah the cement’s just for the weight, dear
Bet you Macheath's back in town
Look at your Louie Miller disappeared, dear
After drawing out his cash
And Macheath spends like a sailor
Did our boy's do something rash?
Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver
Lotte Lenya, sweet Lucy Brown
On the line forms on the right, dear
Now that Macheath's back in town
Take it Satch
The song "Mack The Knife" is a classic jazz standard composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht. The song is about the infamous criminal Mack the Knife, also known as Macheath. The lyrics are full of dark and ironic humor and showcase the dark side of human nature.
The opening lines, "Oh the shark has such pretty teeth, dear, and he shows them pearly white. Just a jack knife has Macheath, dear, and he keeps it out of sight" suggest that Macheath may be just as dangerous as a shark, but he's able to hide his true intentions behind his charming demeanor. He's able to present himself as harmless and innocent despite his criminal behavior. The next lines, "When the shark bites with his teeth, dear, scarlet billows start to spread. Fancy gloves though wears Macheath, dear, so there's not a trace of red" suggest that when Macheath commits a violent act, he's able to do it in a way that doesn't leave any evidence behind. He's able to get away with his crimes without getting caught.
The song goes on to describe various incidents that may involve Macheath. The lines, "On the sidewalk Sunday morning, lies a body oozing life. Someone's sneaking round the corner, is this someone Mack the Knife?" suggest that Macheath may be responsible for a murder. The lines, "From a tug boat by the river, a cement bag's drooping down. Yeah the cement’s just for the weight, dear. Bet you Macheath's back in town" suggest that Macheath is involved in some kind of criminal activity involving a body that needs to be disposed of.
Overall, "Mack The Knife" is a commentary on the dangers of presenting a false image to the world. Despite Macheath's charm and outwardly harmless demeanor, he's involved in violent and criminal activity. The song warns us to be wary of those who present themselves as harmless and innocent.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the shark has such pretty teeth, dear
The dangerous criminal has both power and charm, making him a very effective criminal.
And he shows them pearly white
He shows off his power and charm without remorse or hesitation.
Just a jack knife has Macheath, dear
Despite his power and charm, he only needs a simple weapon to be dangerous.
And he keeps it out of sight
He deliberately hides his true intentions and capabilities.
When the shark bites with his teeth, dear
When he unleashes his power, there are very real consequences for those caught in his path.
Scarlet billows start to spread
His crimes have a significant impact on the people and places he targets.
Fancy gloves though wears Macheath, dear
Despite his violent tendencies, he takes care to present a polished and sophisticated exterior.
So there's not a trace of red
He takes great pains to hide the evidence of his violent actions.
On the sidewalk Sunday morning
The violence has left a lasting impression on the community and it continues to permeate daily life.
Lies a body oozing life
The consequences of his actions are deadly and leave a lasting impact.
Someone's sneaking round the corner
The danger and unpredictability of his presence are pervasive.
Is this someone Mack the Knife?
The people in the community live in constant fear of his next move.
From a tug boat by the river
He is not confined to one place, but can move and operate freely.
A cement bag's drooping down
His actions may seem innocuous on the surface, but are part of a larger plan.
Yeah the cement’s just for the weight, dear
Despite the appearance of innocence, his actions are part of his larger strategy.
Bet you Macheath's back in town
The people in the community know to be on high alert when they suspect he has returned.
Look at your Louie Miller disappeared, dear
The people in the community know that when he is around, people tend to disappear.
After drawing out his cash
The people in the community know that he is not above stealing to get what he wants.
And Macheath spends like a sailor
The people in the community know that he is not concerned about the consequences of his actions beyond his own immediate pleasure.
Did our boy's do something rash?
The people in the community try to piece together the cause and effect of his actions.
Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver
The people in the community know the names of the women who have fallen victim to his violent actions.
Lotte Lenya, sweet Lucy Brown
The danger is indiscriminate and even kind people have fallen prey.
On the line forms on the right, dear
Despite the pervasive danger, there is a fascination with his power.
Now that Macheath's back in town
The community must prepare for the worst now that he has returned.
Take it Satch
The final line is an invitation to the listener to enjoy the thrilling and macabre details of the song.
Contributed by John J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.