Warning! Deleting this artist may remove other artists and scrobbles from y… Read Full Bio ↴Warning! Deleting this artist may remove other artists and scrobbles from your library - please handle this with caution! Note: You can view albums tagged as 'Various Artists' in your library here.

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.

Medley
Various Artists Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This is a boat, a boat that is a ferry
Ferry on the water, Staten Island Ferry

I'm a working girl, a workin', working girl
I'm a girl who's working
I work in New York City

I'm a barefoot cop, oh

Coffee, coffee, coffee's all I get
How am I gonna get ahead

I'm Grubin', I'm Hans Gruber and I'm Grubin'
And sometimes that can mean shootin', Mr. Takagi in the head

Hey, this is Katherine, you work for me
I've broken my leg while trying to ski
Do me a favor and fill in for me
Even though I stole your radio deal idea for Trask Industries
You did what?!

Fight scene, fight scene, we're gonna have a fight scene

I have a head for business and a bod for sin
Well, I want both, so count me in

Oh, the life of the wife of a cop

Makes my head spin around like a top
He's always

Overall Meaning

gone and I'm left alone
Wondering when he'll come back home

The lyrics of this medley are quite confusing and seem to bring together various references from different movies and perspectives. The first few lines talk about a boat, specifically the Staten Island Ferry in New York City. This may signify the daily commute of a working girl who is trying to make it in the city. She mentions being a barefoot cop, which could imply that she is a law enforcement officer who is always on the move. Furthermore, she laments about only getting coffee and questions how she will get ahead. The next set of lyrics introduces us to Hans Gruber, the antagonist from the famous movie Die Hard, and his catchphrase "I'm Grubin'". This phrase may signify his determination to achieve his objective, which is to commit a heist. The next few lines introduce us to a new character named Katherine, who seems to be the boss of the singer. Katherine broke her leg trying to ski and wants the singer to fill in for her. However, the singer is angry because Katherine stole her radio deal idea for Trask Industries.

The medley continues with a reference to a fight scene and then introduces us to a character who has a "head for business and a bod for sin". This character seems to be confident and determined to get what she wants in life. The medley ends with a verse about the life of a cop's wife and how it can be lonely and difficult when the cop is always away.

Line by Line Meaning

This is a boat, a boat that is a ferry
We are aboard a ferry boat on water, specifically the Staten Island Ferry in New York City.

I'm a working girl, a workin', working girl
I am a female worker who is employed in New York City.

I'm a barefoot cop, oh
I am an unconventional police officer who does not wear shoes while on duty.

Coffee, coffee, coffee's all I get How am I gonna get ahead
I only receive coffee instead of recognition or benefits from my employer, and I am unsure how to advance my career.

I'm Grubin', I'm Hans Gruber and I'm Grubin' And sometimes that can mean shootin', Mr. Takagi in the head
I am acting as the infamous criminal Hans Gruber, and sometimes that might involve lethal violence towards specific individuals.

Hey, this is Katherine, you work for me I've broken my leg while trying to ski Do me a favor and fill in for me Even though I stole your radio deal idea for Trask Industries You did what?!
I am asking my employee to temporarily take over my role while I recover from an injury, despite previously stealing their idea for a business deal at Trask Industries.

Fight scene, fight scene, we're gonna have a fight scene
There will be a physical altercation between characters in this scene.

I have a head for business and a bod for sin Well, I want both, so count me in
I possess the intellect and looks to succeed in various endeavors, and I am eager to do so.

Oh, the life of the wife of a cop Makes my head spin around like a top He's always on the go, never at home It's a never-ending rotation, like a cyclone
Being married to a police officer is hectic and uncontrollable, with their constant absence and unpredictable schedule causing chaos in my life.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Loren Bouchard, Nora Smith

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS