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.
Seventeen
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening
I'm seventeen, I'm seventeen
I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening
At twenty-one, I thought
This is fine but is this all there is?
At twenty-five, I didn't feel alive
I'm seventeen, I'm seventeen
I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening
I'm seventeen, I'm seventeen.
I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening.
La la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
At thirty-one, I'm told
I'll feel old but I'd understand it
At thirty-two, I came unglued
Now maybe I'd live
I'm seventeen, I'm seventeen
I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening
I'm seventeen, I'm seventeen
I'm only seventeen years old, this can't be happening
La la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
The first verse of "Seventeen" by Various Artists speaks to the experience of being a teenager who is suddenly hit with the realization that they are not invincible. The repetition of the line "I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening" suggests a sense of disbelief or shock. The feeling of being young and carefree is abruptly interrupted by the onset of responsibility and the recognition that one's actions have consequences. The fact that the lyrics remain the same throughout the song emphasizes the feeling of being stuck, unable to move forward from this moment of realization.
The second verse reflects on the experience of aging and the idea that life does not necessarily get easier as one gets older. The singer reflects on past ages and the sense of disappointment that came with each milestone. The repetition of "Let's go, hi hi, hi yi" over the lalala chorus emphasizes the feeling of urgency or restlessness, the desire to move forward and find something more fulfilling.
Overall, "Seventeen" captures the experience of being a young adult who is suddenly forced to confront the realities of life and the passage of time. The song expresses the frustration and confusion that can come with this realization, while also acknowledging the desire to move forward and find some sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm seventeen, I'm seventeen
I am currently at the age of seventeen and repeating this line emphasizes the shock or disbelief the singer feels about their current situation.
I'm seventeen years old, this can't be happening
The singer cannot believe that they are experiencing what they are at such a young age, as they feel they have not lived long enough to feel something like this.
At twenty-one, I thought
At the age of twenty-one, the singer had a certain belief or expectation about their life.
This is fine but is this all there is?
At that point in their life, they were content with their circumstances but felt like there should be more to life than just their current state.
At twenty-five, I didn't feel alive
At the age of twenty-five, the artist felt like they were just going through the motions of life and not fully experiencing it.
But I said that I'd get used to it
Despite feeling unfulfilled, the singer convinced themselves that they would eventually become accustomed to their uneventful life.
La la, la la, la la, la la
This is a repeated refrain that serves to break up the verses, add emphasis, and possibly give the song a more dreamlike quality.
Let's go, hi hi, hi yi
This phrase could refer to the artist's desire to keep moving forward or enthusiasm for life, despite feeling slightly lost or confused.
At thirty-one, I'm told
By the age of thirty-one, someone has given the artist some advice or information.
I'll feel old but I'd understand it
This advice suggests that at age thirty-one, the artist will begin to feel as old as they are and understand more about life.
At thirty-two, I came unglued
Despite the predictions for how the singer will feel at age thirty-one, something happened to them at age thirty-two that caused them to unravel emotionally (came unglued).
Now maybe I'd live
After this emotional event, the artist realizes that they had not been truly living before and that they may only begin to truly live from this point forward.
I'm only seventeen years old, this can't be happening
Repeated later in the song, this line still expresses the singer's disbelief and shock that they are going through something significant at such a young age.
Contributed by Kylie P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.