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.
When I Was Your Man
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
when our friends talk about you
all it does is just tear me down
cause my heart breaks a little
when I hear your name
It all just sounds like oh
too young, too dumb to realize
and held your hand
should gave you all my hours
when I had the chance
take you to every party
cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby's dancing
but she's dancing with another man
My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
caused the good strong woman like you
to walk out my life
now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made
and it hunts me every time I close my eyes
It all just sounds like oh
too young, too dumb to realize
that I should've bought you flowers
and held your hand
should I gave you all my hours
when I had the chance
take you to every party
cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby's dancing
but she's dancing with another man
Although it hurts
I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
I know I'm probably too late
to try and apologize for my mistakes
but I just want you to know
I hope he buys you flowers
I hope he holds your hand
Give you all his hours
when he has the chance
take to every party
cause I remember how much you loved to dance
do all the things I should have done
when i was your man
do all the things I should have done
when i was your man
The song "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars is a nostalgic ballad about a man who regrets not treating his former partner better. The opening lyrics "Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now" sets the tone for the rest of the song, as he reflects on their shared experiences and the memories that now haunt him. The man recognizes that he took her for granted, and that his pride, ego, needs, and selfish ways caused her to leave his life. He acknowledges that he was too young and foolish to realize the value of the relationship when he had it, and that he missed out on opportunities to make her feel cherished and loved.
The song's chorus repeats the lines "that I should've bought you flowers and held your hand" as a reminder of the small and meaningful ways he could have shown his love. He also wishes that he had given her more time and attention, taking her to every party and dancing with her at every chance. As he watches her move on with another man, he accepts the pain of his mistake but still hopes that she finds happiness and love. The final lyrics "do all the things I should have done when I was your man" is a powerful admission of regret and a plea for forgiveness.
Overall, "When I Was Your Man" is a poignant and emotionally honest depiction of the fallout from a failed relationship. It speaks to the universal experience of looking back on past mistakes with regret and the desire for redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Being in the same bed as before, but it now feels more spacious than before, signifying the emptiness felt after separation.
our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
Despite hearing the same song they once shared, the singer realizes it don't mean the same to him anymore, as he can't relate to the lyrics after losing his love.
when our friends talk about you
The mention of the lost love's name by their mutual friends only causes distress to the singer.
all it does is just tear me down
The mere thought of the separation from his lover makes him feel weak and vulnerable.
cause my heart breaks a little
The singer's heart is in agony as it bears the pain of the separation.
when I hear your name
The mention of his lover's name reminds him of the love they once shared, making him reminisce about the good times they once shared.
It all just sounds like oh
The singer feels as though the happy memories they once shared just sound like noise now that they're separated, signifying the pain of losing his love.
too young, too dumb to realize
The singer acknowledges his immaturity in the past, that he couldn't see the importance of his love for her.
that I should've bought you flowers and held your hand
The singer expresses regret that he never showed his love for his partner in public in small ways, such as buying her flowers or holding her hand.
should gave you all my hours when I had the chance
The singer wishes he spent more time and attention on his love when they were together.
take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance
The singer regrets not taking his love partner to parties, where he could have expressed his love and danced with her.
Now my baby's dancing but she's dancing with another man
The singer is deeply hurt that his lost love now spends time with another man, dancing and having good times without him.
My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways, caused the good strong woman like you to walk out my life
The singer admits to his own flaws and ego, causing his lover to leave his life because of his selfish ways.
now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made
The singer recognizes the damage he has done and how it cannot be undone now that it's too late.
and it hunts me every time I close my eyes
The pain of losing his love haunts him every time he rests his eyes, showing the emotional toll their separation has had on him.
Although it hurts, I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
The singer admits to being wrong, and even though it's painful to admit to his mistakes, he owns up to them.
I know I'm probably too late, to try and apologize for my mistakes
The singer realizes that an apology may not make things better and may even be too late, but he still feels it necessary to own up to his mistakes.
but I just want you to know
Despite everything, the singer wants his lost love to know how much he regrets his mistakes and how much he still loves her.
I hope he buys you flowers
The singer fervently wishes someone new will show her how much he cares by buying her flowers.
I hope he holds your hand
The singer hopes that someone will publically show her affection by holding her hand, something he failed to do.
Give you all his hours when he has the chance
The singer hopes that someone new will spend all of their free time and energy on her, showering her with love and attention in a way he couldn't.
take to every party cause I remember how much you loved to dance
The singer wishes someone else will take her to parties and dance with her, as he remembers how happy it made her.
do all the things I should have done when I was your man
The singer wishes someone else will do all the things he should have done to show his love to her when he was with her.
Writer(s): Bruno Mars, Ari Levine, Andrew Wyatt, Philip Lawrence
Contributed by Jeremiah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.