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.
Shake It Up
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around
And our love is pastured such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It's a final mess but it's left me so empty
It's always darkest before the dawn
Oh woah, oh woah...
And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat
Cause looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
The song Shake It Out by Various Artists is a powerful and emotional ballad that explores the themes of regret, self-forgiveness, and moving on. The opening lines, "Regrets collect like old friends, here to relive your darkest moments" set the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics tell the story of someone who is haunted by their past mistakes and struggles to move on from them. The line "And all of the ghouls come out to play" paints a vivid picture of the demons that the singer is battling.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more hopeful, with lines like "It's always darkest before the dawn" and "So shake him off, oh woah." The singer decides to let go of their past and cut out their "graceless heart" in order to start anew. The chorus, "Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out," serves as a powerful mantra for letting go of the past and moving forward.
Overall, Shake It Out is a beautifully crafted song that encourages listeners to face their demons and let go of their regrets in order to find hope and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Regrets collect like old friends
Memories of past failures become permanent fixtures in our minds
Here to relive your darkest moments
The mind replays negative experiences, causing emotional distress
I can see no way, I can see no way
Hopelessness and despair have taken over
And all of the ghouls come out to play
Negativity and darkness surround us
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
Negative thoughts and emotions continue to haunt us
But I like to keep some things to myself
Reserving some privacy enables us to keep a sense of control
I like to keep my issues strong
We prefer to confront our problems and challenges instead of denying them
It's always darkest before the dawn
There is hope for better times ahead, even when things seem their bleakest
And I've been a fool and I've been blind
Mistakes have been made, often due to a lack of understanding
I can never leave the past behind
Moving on from past struggles is difficult
I'm always dragging that horse around
The burden of the past continues to weigh us down
And our love is pastured such a mournful sound
The relationship has become painful and sorrowful
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
We are ready to let go of the past and move forward
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
Reflecting on the past, we may have done things differently given the opportunity
It's a final mess but it's left me so empty
The aftermath of past struggles has left us feeling drained and unfulfilled
And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
Regardless of our choices, there will always be consequences
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
We raise a glass to acknowledge the challenges we've faced and overcome
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
We are willing to endure struggle in order to attain a brighter future
It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat
The uncertainty of the future is daunting and overwhelming
Cause looking for heaven, for the devil in me
We are searching for positivity and hope even within our own flaws and negativity
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me
Despite the risks and unknowns, we are willing to let life unfold naturally
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Releasing our negative emotions and dancing away our troubles
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
It's difficult to be positive and carefree when negative thoughts and emotions are present
So shake him off, oh woah
We must actively work to rid ourselves of negativity in order to fully embrace positivity
Writer(s): Frederic Christ Poulet, Ali Moore, Kathleen Emparatriz Deluna
Contributed by Joshua Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.