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.
Should I Stay Or should I Go
Various Artists Lyrics
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should i stay or should i go
if you say that you're mine
i'll be here 'til end of time
so you got to let me know
should i stay or should i go
its always tease tease tease
one day is fine and next is black
The song "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" by the English rock band The Clash primarily deals with the uncertainty in a romantic relationship. The singer of the song seems to be in love with someone who is not sure about their own feelings. The opening line of the chorus, "Darling you got to let know, should I stay or should I go" indicates the dilemma of the singer. The lyrics suggest that if the person in question commits to the relationship,the singer is ready to stay and love them until the end of time. However, if the doubts and insecurities in the person's mind persist, the singer will rather leave than face the uncertainty and fickleness of the relationship.
The song has a brief narrative that is woven in the lyrics, and it seems that the singer is caught in an emotional rollercoaster that is characteristic of unstable and unpredictable love. The line "It's always tease, tease, tease" shows frustration with the other person's games and how they keep switching between affection and distance. The metaphor of "One day is fine, next is black" sums up the emotional turmoil that the singer experiences. The verse also mentions "If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay, it will be double," signifying that the singer is aware of the risks associated with the relationship and is trying to weigh the pros and cons in their mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling you got to let me know
Honey, you have to tell me what you want
should i stay or should i go
Should I continue with you or leave?
if you say that you're mine
If you commit to me
i'll be here 'til end of time
I promise to stay with you forever
so you got to let me know
Therefore, you must make a choice
its always tease tease tease
You're always playing games with my heart
you have...
and it's difficult to understand where you stand
one day is fine and next is black
One day everything is okay, the next day it's not
Writer(s): Mick Jones, Joe Strummer
Contributed by William L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.