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.
Maniac
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a Saturday night
Lookin' for the fight of her life
In the real-time world
No one sees her at all
They all say she's crazy
To the beat of her heart
Changin' movement into light
She has danced
Into the danger zone
When a dancer becomes a dance
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On a wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
On the ice-build iron sanity
Is a place most never see
It's a hard warm place of mystery
Touch it, but can't hold it
You work all your life
For that moment in time
It could come or pass you by
It's a push of the world
But there's always a chance
If the hunger stays the night
There's a cold connective heat
Struggling, stretching for defeat
Never stopping with her head
Against the wind
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On a wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
Maniac, maniac
Maniac, maniac
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
Maniac, maniac, I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac I sure know
And she's dancin'
Like she's never danced before
Maniac, maniac
Maniac, maniac
The song "Maniac" by Various Artists is a fast-paced and energetic tune that tells the story of a young woman craving to push herself to the brink physically and emotionally. The song opens with an introduction to the singer, a girl from a steel mill town, setting out on a Saturday night to find the fight of her life. In the "real-time world," no one notices her struggles and instead labels her crazy or unstable.
The lyrics describe her dancing as a cathartic release of her pent-up energy and frustration. She thrusts her body to the beat of her heart, straining to move and change from the darkness and danger that looms around her. The dance becomes her identity; she is no longer just a dancer but the dance itself. The song even warns that such a gift of passion can cut deeper than any knife, transforming her into a maniac who throws herself recklessly into dance.
The constant repetition of "Maniac" reinforces the idea that she is consumed by the dance she loves, losing herself in it entirely. The lyrics caution that such a transformation is not without risk; one misstep can lead to tragedy. Yet, the beat of the chorus continues to affirm the woman's fierce tenacity and dedication to the dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a steel town girl
This girl comes from a town defined by its industrial steel production.
On a Saturday night
The night of the week is Saturday.
Lookin' for the fight of her life
She's adventurous and looking for a thrilling experience.
In the real-time world
The world we live in currently.
No one sees her at all
She feels invisible and overlooked.
They all say she's crazy
People label her as insane, possibly because of her actions or behavior.
Locking rhythms
Following the beat.
To the beat of her heart
She's following her own rhythm, in sync with her own heartbeat.
Changin' movement into light
She's transforming her dance moves into something ethereal, taking on otherworldly qualities.
She has danced
She's already begun dancing.
Into the danger zone
She's pushing the boundaries in her performance and taking risks.
When a dancer becomes a dance
The dancer is so immersed in their art that they become inseparable from their dancing.
It can cut you like a knife
If you invest too much of yourself in your art, it can be emotionally painful and take a toll on you.
If the gift becomes the fire
When someone's talent becomes too all-consuming, it can turn into an uncontrollable force.
On a wire between will
The thin line between determination and obsession.
And what will be
What the future holds.
She's a maniac, maniac on the floor
She is crazy and wild when dancing.
And she's dancin'
She is currently dancing.
Like she's never danced before
She's giving her all and dancing with a renewed sense of passion and energy.
On the ice-build iron sanity
The ice-cold and unyielding reality of life.
Is a place most never see
Many people never fully comprehend the harsh realities that exist in the world.
It's a hard warm place of mystery
The unforgiving aspects of life also have an element of mystique or unknown to them.
Touch it, but can't hold it
It's a tangible and present thing, but no one can grasp or hold onto it indefinitely.
You work all your life
People spend their entire lives pursuing that one moment of success or fulfillment.
For that moment in time
The specific moment of achieving their goal and experiencing success.
It could come or pass you by
Success is elusive and unpredictable.
It's a push of the world
The struggle to succeed is motivated by the pressures and expectations of the world.
But there's always a chance
Despite all of the difficulties and unknowns, there is always hope for success.
If the hunger stays the night
The desire to achieve success or reach your goals must remain persistent and unwavering.
There's a cold connective heat
The intense and motivated energy people feel when in pursuit of their goals or passions.
Struggling, stretching for defeat
Even when it seems like one might fail, the drive to push forward and overcome obstacles remains strong.
Never stopping with her head
She remains focused and determined.
Against the wind
She is working against an opposing force, but still moving forward with momentum.
Maniac, maniac
Repeating the title phrase for emphasis and added effect.
I sure know
The singer is emphasizing their knowledge or familiarity with the subject.
Contributed by Juliana G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ayo5632
"cries in the shower"
"just wants a hug"
I feel attacked
@Lissarawr.-.
tala rightt
@ceci_sph
Same
@ant5489
Yeahh
@jemerpanuelo5743
Økonomisk 9
@charliepease9288
Fr tho 💀🤣
@mondayisdead
jess: THE EXES ARE BACK THEY WANNA KILL ME
conan: *dances around and sings*
@Shvioiii
Lol
@ducklingreads
big gay energy
@mondayisdead
sreya nagarik me