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.
Walking in the Air
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Floating in the air...
We're walking in the air
We're floating in the moonlit sky
The people far below are sleeping as we fly
We're holding very tight
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you
Far across the world
The villages go by like dreams
The rivers and the hills, the forest and the streams
Children gaze open mouthed
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their eyes
We're surfing in the air
We're swimming in the frozen sky
We're drifting over icy mountains floating by
Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep
We're walking in the air
We're dancing in the midnight sky
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly
The lyrics to Various Artists' song Walking in the Air convey a sense of freedom, wonder, and magic as the singers describe the sensation of flying through the sky. The opening lines, "Walking in the air, floating the sky..." suggest some sort of dreamlike experience that the singers are sharing together, perhaps a fantasy or a journey through the imagination. As they continue, it becomes clear that they are actually soaring above the world, taking in the sights and sensations of the moonlit sky.
The second verse emphasizes the feeling of connection between the singers, as they hold tight and ride together through the sky. They seem to be experiencing a true symbiosis in their flight, achieving a level of unity that is reflected in their surroundings. The descriptions of the villages, rivers, hills, and forest suggest a sort of natural harmony that is only truly accessible from the sky. The chorus repeats the idea that they are "walking in the air," with different variations on the surrounding imagery. The third verse takes a more surreal turn, as they begin "surfing in the air" and "swimming in the frozen sky." These unexpected images enhance the dreamlike quality of the song, as they float over icy mountains and explore the depths of a mysterious ocean.
The final lines bring the song full circle, as they return to "walking in the air" and "dancing in the midnight sky." They seem to be fully embraced by the magical world they have discovered, surrounded by people who greet them with wonder and delight. The song as a whole can be read as a metaphor for the power of imagination, suggesting that the impossible can become real as long as we allow ourselves to embrace flights of fancy.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking in the air, floating the sky...
We're traveling through the sky effortlessly, as if we're floating.
We're walking in the air
We're soaring through the sky, feeling weightless and free.
We're floating in the moonlit sky
We're gliding through the night sky, illuminated by the bright moonlight.
The people far below are sleeping as we fly
From high above, we can see that everyone below is fast asleep and unaware of our journey.
We're holding very tight
We're holding on tightly to each other, feeling a sense of security and joy.
I'm riding in the midnight blue
I'm traveling through the sky, enjoying the darkness of the midnight blue hue.
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you
With you, I am discovering that I can soar higher than I ever thought possible.
Far across the world
As we journey through the sky, we pass over vast distances across the globe.
The villages go by like dreams
From our elevated perspective, the villages below appear almost imaginary, like fleeting dreams.
The rivers and the hills, the forest and the streams
We're able to see the stunning natural landscapes of the earth, including rivers, hills, forests and streams.
Children gaze open mouthed
Kids on the ground stare at us with amazement and surprise, their mouths agape in disbelief.
Taken by surprise
The children are caught off guard by the incredible sight of us floating and dancing through the sky.
Nobody down below believes their eyes
Everyone on the ground is in disbelief that we could be gliding through the air in such a magical way.
We're surfing in the air
We're riding the wind currents and waves of the sky like surfers on the ocean.
We're swimming in the frozen sky
We're gracefully swimming through the frigid and icy atmosphere.
We're drifting over icy mountains floating by
As we continue our journey, we're cruising above towering mountain peaks that seem to float below us.
Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep
We dive down closer to the earth and soar over an expansive and deep body of water.
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep
Our descent wakes up a mighty creature that resides within the ocean.
We're walking in the air
Once again, we take to the sky and continue our journey on foot.
We're dancing in the midnight sky
Our movements become more expressive and we twirl and dance through the night sky.
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly
People who catch a glimpse of us as we soar overhead wave and cheer us on, sharing in our excitement and wonder.
Contributed by Penelope B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.