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.
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't believe the news today
Oh, I can't close my eyes and make it go away
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long? How long?
'Cause tonight we can be as one, tonight
Bodies strewn across the dead end streets
But I won't heed the battle call
It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
And the battle's just begun
There's many lost but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long? How long?
'Cause tonight we can be as one
Tonight, tonight
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your blood shot eyes
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
And it's true we are immune when fact is fiction and TV reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
The real battle just begun to claim the victory Jesus won on
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday Bloody Sunday
The song "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by Various Artists speaks of the 1972 Bloody Sunday incident in Northern Ireland, where British troops opened fire on unarmed protesters in Derry, killing 14 people. The lyrics capture the horror and disbelief of the singer upon hearing the news. He cannot ignore or escape from the reality of the situation, and wonders how long the suffering and violence will continue. The repeated plea of "How long, how long?" reflects the weariness and frustration in his heart. Despite the chaos and tragedy around him, the singer refuses to join the fight and take sides. He denounces the war and the politics that fuel it, seeing them as divisive and hurtful.
The song highlights the human toll of conflict and the impact on innocent lives. The image of broken bottles under children's feet and bodies lying in the streets is a graphic representation of the violence and destruction. The singer recognises the deep emotional scars left by war, and how families are torn apart by loss and grief. The final verse speaks of the wider implications of the crisis and the need for action. The line "And it's true we are immune when fact is fiction and TV reality" is a criticism of the media and the way they present the news. The singer suggests that, by reducing the events to a story or a spectacle, the public can become desensitised to the horror and overlook the urgency of the situation. Ultimately, the song is a cry for empathy, connection, and change.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't believe the news today
The news is too terrible to comprehend
Oh, I can't close my eyes and make it go away
I can't ignore what's happening
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How much longer will we have to talk about this issue?
How long? How long?
This is a rhetorical question. It doesn't matter how long.
'Cause tonight we can be as one, tonight
We can come together and make a change
Broken bottles under children's feet
Children are walking on dangerous and violent streets
Bodies strewn across the dead end streets
There's death and destruction all around
But I won't heed the battle call
I won't support violence and war
It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall
It forces me to take a stand and make a decision
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
This day represents the violence and bloodshed that's happening
And the battle's just begun
The war and violence is ongoing
There's many lost but tell me who has won
No one has really won in this violence and senseless war
The trench is dug within our hearts
There's a deep emotional scar that won't easily heal
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart
Families are destroyed and separated by this violence
How long, how long must we sing this song?
The singer is repeating the same question to emphasize the urgency of the issue
How long? How long?
This is a refrain. It emphasizes the urgency of the message.
'Cause tonight we can be as one
We can come together and make a change.
Wipe the tears from your eyes
The singer is urging listeners to move past the sadness and take action.
Wipe your tears away
This is a repetition of the previous line.
Oh, wipe your tears away
The singer repeats the same message to emphasize the need to take action.
Oh, wipe your blood shot eyes
This suggests that the violence and war has been ongoing for some time.
And it's true we are immune when fact is fiction and TV reality
We often ignore the reality of the situation and are blinded by sensationalized media stories and TV footage.
And today the millions cry
The sadness and suffering of the people is widespread and impacting millions.
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
While we enjoy our own lives, others continue to suffer and die.
The real battle just begun to claim the victory Jesus won on
There's a spiritual or religious undertone to the message. It suggests that we should follow the example of Jesus and fight for a better world.
Sunday Bloody Sunday
This is a repetition of the chorus, which emphasizes the violence that occurs on this day.
Writer(s): ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL DAVID HEWSON
Contributed by Tristan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.