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.
Rainbow
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crack In The System
Unknown Passage (another Version)
There's a red light on the hill
And a bridge out going down
There's a city limits marker
Of an unfamiliar town
With my head slightly bent
Unknown passage
Cuttin' like a knife through the night
Headlights on the highway
There's a mist coming down
I can hear someone crying
I know that sound
It's the morning before daybreak
A hundred miles down the line
Unknown passage
Cuttin' like a knife through the night
Asked "where are you going?"
Somewhere far away
She was standing at the window
I won't forget her face
With my suitcase and my old car
I'm driving somewhere blind
Unknown passage
Cuttin' like a knife through the night
Cuttin' like a knife through my eyes
The lyrics of the song "Rainbow" by Various Artists describe the journey of a person on an unfamiliar path. The song is rich in imagery and uses vivid descriptions to take the listeners through the journey. The song starts with the description of a red light on the hill and a bridge going down, which sets the tone for the journey. The singer then notices a city limits marker of an unfamiliar town, which suggests the feeling of being lost or confused.
As the journey progresses, the singer encounters mist on the highway and hears someone crying, which adds an emotional layer to the experience. The singer then describes the morning before daybreak, which is a time of uncertainty and anticipation. Finally, the singer meets a person who asks where they are going, and the song ends with the image of the singer driving somewhere blind, with the unknown passage cutting like a knife through the night and their eyes.
Overall, the lyrics of "Rainbow" use powerful imagery to convey the emotions and experiences of being on an unfamiliar path. The song explores themes of uncertainty, anticipation, and the unknown, and it invites the listeners to reflect on their own experiences of embarking on new journeys.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a red light on the hill
The presence of a red light on the hill signifies danger.
And a bridge out going down
The bridge is inaccessible as it leads downwards and is destroyed.
There's a city limits marker
The marker shows that one has entered a new, unknown place.
Of an unfamiliar town
The place is not known to the singer, therefore unfamiliar.
With my head slightly bent
The singer is in deep thought or contemplation.
I can see it in the light
The singer can see something because of its presence in the light.
Unknown passage
The journey ahead is unknown and new.
Cuttin' like a knife through the night
The journey ahead is sharp and dangerous at night, with no guarantees.
Headlights on the highway
The car headlights are on as the singer travels on a highway.
There's a mist coming down
The singer can see fog or mist ahead.
I can hear someone crying
The singer can hear someone crying in the vicinity.
I know that sound
The singer recognizes the sound of someone crying.
It's the morning before daybreak
The time of day is early morning, just before the sun rises.
A hundred miles down the line
The singer has traveled a considerable distance, roughly one hundred miles away from some point.
Asked "where are you going?"
Someone asked the singer about their destination.
Somewhere far away
The singer's destination is somewhere distant and unknown.
She was standing at the window
The person who asked the question was standing by the window.
I won't forget her face
The singer will always remember the face of the person who asked the question.
With my suitcase and my old car
The singer has very few belongings, only a suitcase and an old car.
I'm driving somewhere blind
The singer is uncertain of their destination and is driving without knowing where they're headed.
Cuttin' like a knife through the night
The journey ahead is sharp and dangerous at night, with no guarantees.
Cuttin' like a knife through my eyes
The journey is difficult and takes a toll on the singer's eyes and vision.
Contributed by Alexis F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mitch3255
I said goodbye to my beautiful wife today after losing her to breast cancer. While looking for music for her funeral, I came across this on an iTunes playlist she made in her final weeks. I had not heard it before, but it was like the warm hug I wanted but can no longer have from her. I know this song gave her strength and I feel like she left it for me. ❤️
@jimrose1300
Strength to you my friend!
@avinpersaud4198
God bless you my brother. 🌈🌦☀️
@fourspots
Sending you lots of love and strength 🌹
@marktalley2550
🌈🌈❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏
@brumtown5517
Sorry for your loss,may she rest in eternal peace,God bless you
@krisballew2611
Such a beautiful song. My 19 year old daughter played this during her battle with cancer and her mother and I played it again at her celebration of life this month as her storm ended on November 30th, 2023 at 5:20pm CST. We love you Ava and find peace in knowing your storm has passed. It will all be alright. Thank you Kacey Musgraves for sharing this song with us to help us along both journeys.
@samrichards9015
so sorry to hear this , such a beautiful touching song so sorry for your loss . Ava far too young to go ,may she rest in peace t...hat is my gorgeous cats name
@christinem.alwaysbelieve
Rest In Peace 🙏🏼 🕊
@Wizxqd
🙏🏿