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.
Paranoid
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Couldn't help me with my mind
People think I'm insane because
I am frowning all the time
All day long I think of things but
Nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind if I don't
Find something to pacify
Are you for my brain
Oh, yeah
I need some one to show me
The things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true
Happiness I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh and
You will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I can not feel so
Love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words
Telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life
Wish I could but it's too late
The verses of "Paranoid" by Various Artists speak of a deep sense of despair, loneliness and feeling disconnected from the world around them. The song is about feeling misunderstood and finding it difficult to find solace in anything, even in a loved one's company. Lead singer Ozzy Osbourne's lyrics express his desire for someone to show him the things in life that he cannot find, and to help him with his mind. The song's chorus, "Can you help me? Are you for my brain?" is a desperate plea for connection and understanding. The song speaks to the deep-seated human need for connection, and the importance of finding someone who understands one's pain.
The underlying theme of the song is a reflection of the band's own experiences of being on the road, living a life consumed by music, and their feelings of alienation from the outside world. The band members were grappling with the pressures and demands of fame, which was taking a significant toll on their mental and emotional well-being. The lyrics of "Paranoid" express that toll, speaking to the immense struggles the band members faced both on and off stage.
Overall, "Paranoid" by Various Artists speaks to the experience of feeling trapped and alone in the world, and the desperate need for human connection and understanding when struggling with mental health issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Finished with my woman 'cause she
I have broken up with my partner because she was unable to assist me with my mental health issues
Couldn't help me with my mind
She wasn't able to alleviate the problems I was facing with my emotional and psychological well-being
People think I'm insane because
I am often perceived as crazy by others due to
I am frowning all the time
the constant expression of sadness and disappointment on my face
All day long I think of things but
I constantly ruminate over thoughts and ideas throughout the day, yet
Nothing seems to satisfy
none of these thoughts or ideas bring me any contentment
Think I'll lose my mind if I don't
I am worried that I might lose grip on my sanity if I don't
Find something to pacify
discover something that can relieve or soothe me
Can you help me?
I need assistance from someone
Are you for my brain
Can you provide the necessary aid for my mental health
Oh, yeah
Yeah, that's what I thought
I need some one to show me
I require someone who can teach me
The things in life that I can't find
what life has in store for me that is currently beyond my reach and understanding
I can't see the things that make true
I am blind to the aspects of life that lead to authentic
Happiness I must be blind
happiness; perhaps due to my mental health issues or a skewed perspective
Make a joke and I will sigh and
If someone cracks a humorous remark, I might respond with a heavy-hearted sigh
You will laugh and I will cry
conversely, while others might find certain situations amusing, I might end up in tears
Happiness I can not feel so
I cannot seem to experience any semblance of happiness
Love to me is so unreal
Romantic love seems improbable, distant and beyond my reality
And so as you hear these words
As you listen to my confessions
Telling you now of my state
describing my current emotional and mental condition
I tell you to enjoy life
I urge you to revel in life, and
Wish I could but it's too late
I cannot do the same because I feel like it's beyond my grasp and capabilities.
Contributed by Tyler I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.