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.

Sailor
Various Artists Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I sailed an ocean, unsettled ocean
Through restful waters and deep commotion
Often frightened, unenlightened
Sail on, sail on sailor

I wrest the waters, fight Neptune's waters
Sail through the sorrows of life's marauders
Unrepenting, often empty

Sail on, sail on sailor

Caught like a sewer rat alone but I sail
Bought like a crust of bread, but oh do I wail

Seldom stumble, never crumble
Try to tumble, life's a rumble
Feel the stinging I've been given
Never ending, unrelenting
Heartbreak searing, always fearing
Never caring, persevering
Sail on, sail on, sailor

I work the seaways, the gale-swept seaways
Past shipwrecked daughters of wicked waters
Uninspired, drenched and tired
Wail on, wail on, sailor

Always needing, even bleeding
Never feeding all my feelings
Damn the thunder, must I blunder
There's no wonder all I'm under

Stop the crying and the lying
And the sighing and my dying

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Various Artists' song "Sailor" encapsulate the journey of a sailor navigating through life's challenges. The ocean is used as a metaphor for life, with its calm and turbulent moments. The singer reflects on their experiences, both fearful and uncertain, as they sail through the vastness of existence. The line "Often frightened, unenlightened" captures the vulnerability and lack of knowledge that often accompanies one's journey.

The second verse highlights the determination and resilience of the sailor. They battle against the powerful forces of nature, symbolized by Neptune's waters, and face the hardships caused by life's unpredictable circumstances. The phrase "Unrepenting, often empty" suggests that despite the difficulties they encounter, the sailor continues onward, driven by an inner resolve.

The chorus portrays the sailor as an outsider, someone who feels isolated and alone in their struggles. They express their anguish through the lines "Caught like a sewer rat alone but I sail, Bought like a crust of bread, but oh do I wail." These lyrics convey a sense of desperation and the emotional toll the journey takes on them.

The following verses delve into the physical and emotional exhaustion the sailor experiences. They laboriously navigate treacherous waters and encounter the wreckage left by others who have faced life's challenges before them. The repetitions of "Sail on" and "Wail on" evoke a sense of perseverance despite the weariness and disillusionment.

The final lines of the song express the never-ending cycle of pain and fear that the sailor endures. The lyrics encapsulate a longing for release from the constant struggle and a desire for a more fulfilling existence.

SailorVarious Artists Lyrics

Sailor
Various Artists Lyrics