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.
The Little Drummer Boy
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A newborn king to see (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Our finest gifts we bring (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
To lay before the King (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) [3x]
So, to honor Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
When we come...
Little baby (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I have no gifts to bring (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
That´s fit to give a King (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) [3x]
Shall i play for You (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
On my drum?
Mary nodded (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
The ox and lamb kept time (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I played my drum for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I played my best for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) [3x]
Then,He smiled at me (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Me and my drum...
The Little Drummer Boy is a traditional Christmas song that tells the story of a young boy who visits the baby Jesus on the night of his birth. The lyrics describe the journey of three wise men who come to see the newborn king, bringing with them their finest gifts to present to the baby Jesus. The boy, who is also making his way to the stable, realizes that he has nothing to offer the child and feels ashamed until he remembers his drum. He asks Mary for permission to play his drum for the baby and she nods in approval, while the ox and lamb keep time with the beat, and the baby Jesus listens intently. The boy plays his best for the baby and receives a smile as a reward.
It's a beautiful song with a message of humility, generosity, and the importance of sharing one's gifts, no matter how small they may seem. The singer portrays the wise men as exotic and wealthy figures, bringing with them valuable gifts, while the little drummer boy is humble, poor, and seemingly insignificant. Yet, the baby Jesus responds to his music with a smile, indicating that the boy's offering was just as meaningful as those of the wise men. The image of a child humbly playing his drum for the infant Christ is a powerful reminder of the simple beauty of Christmas and the spirit of giving.
Line by Line Meaning
Come they told me (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
They informed me to come with a rhythmic beat
A newborn king to see (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
To witness the birth of a new ruler
Our finest gifts we bring (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
We present our most excellent offerings
To lay before the King (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) [3x]
To place them in front of the monarch
So, to honor Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Therefore, to show respect to Him
When we come...
Whenever we arrive...
Little baby (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Tiny newborn
I am a poor boy too (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I am also a destitute lad
I have no gifts to bring (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I possess no presents to offer
That´s fit to give a King (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) [3x]
Which is appropriate for a monarch
Shall I play for You (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
May I perform music for You?
On my drum?
By using my percussion instrument?
Mary nodded (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Mary gestured with her head
The ox and lamb kept time (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
The ox and lamb synchronized their movements
I played my drum for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I hit my drum for Him
I played my best for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) [3x]
I performed to the best of my ability for Him
Then, He smiled at me (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
At that moment, He grinned at me
Me and my drum...
My drum and I...
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., BMG Rights Management, INTERNATIONAL KORWIN CORP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Simeone, Henry V Onorati, Katherine Kennicot Davis, Lorenzo Definti
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind