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.
Smooth Operator
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He move in space with minimum waste and maximum joy
City lights and business nights
When you require streetcar desire for higher heights
No place for beginners or sensitive hearts
Sentiment is left to chance
No place to be ending but somewhere to start
No need to ask
He's a smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Coast to coast, la to Chicago, Western Mail
Across the North and South to Key Largo, love for sale
Face to face, each classic case
We shadow box and double cross
Yet need the chase
A license to love, insurance to hold
Melts all your memories and change into gold
His eyes are like angels but his heart is cold
No need to ask
He's a smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Coast to coast, la to Chicago, Western Mail
Across the North and South to Key Largo, love for sale
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
In the song "Smooth Operator," Various Artists describe a man who has a smooth and effortless way of moving through life. He is a "lover boy" with a diamond life, which suggests wealth and luxury. He navigates through the world with "minimum waste and maximum joy," meaning that he knows how to make the most of his experiences without getting bogged down in the details. The song also touches upon themes of desire and love for sale, as the smooth operator moves from coast to coast, offering his love for a price.
The lyrics suggest that this lifestyle is not for the faint of heart, as there is "no place for beginners or sensitive hearts." The smooth operator is presented as someone who is not sentimental, as "sentiment is left to chance" and there is "no place to be ending but somewhere to start." He is a master of the game of love, using his charm and wit to entice others into his world. The final line of each chorus reinforces this idea, as it repeats that "He's a smooth operator."
Line by Line Meaning
Diamond life, lover boy
He lives a luxurious life, and is a charming and appealing lover
He move in space with minimum waste and maximum joy
He moves smoothly and confidently with little effort, enjoying every moment
City lights and business nights
He thrives in the hustle and bustle of city life, working hard and playing hard
When you require streetcar desire for higher heights
When you want to elevate your desires to a new level, he can provide the means to do so
No place for beginners or sensitive hearts
His world is not for the inexperienced or the easily hurt
Sentiment is left to chance
He doesn't rely on emotions, but rather takes chances on them
No place to be ending but somewhere to start
There's always room for growth and new beginnings in his world
No need to ask
His charm and confidence speak for themselves
Coast to coast, la to Chicago, Western Mail
He travels all over, from Los Angeles to Chicago, and even as far as the Western Mail region
Across the North and South to Key Largo, love for sale
He's even sold love in both the northern and southern regions, all the way down to Key Largo
Face to face, each classic case
He's had plenty of encounters where he's had to think on his feet
We shadow box and double cross
He's dealt with a lot of deceit and trickery in his business dealings
Yet need the chase
Despite it all, he still craves the excitement and challenge of the chase
A license to love, insurance to hold
He has the ability to love deeply and a safety net to protect himself
Melts all your memories and change into gold
He has a way of making everything feel special and important, turning even the most mundane memories into cherished ones
His eyes are like angels but his heart is cold
He may seem innocent and pure, but in reality he has a hard, unfeeling heart
Smooth operator, smooth operator
He's charming and skilled at what he does
Smooth operator, smooth operator
He's efficient and confident, making everything seem effortless
Smooth operator, smooth operator
He's the epitome of smoothness, flawlessly navigating any situation
Smooth operator, smooth operator
He's a master at what he does, always in control
Contributed by Evan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.